I love documents that name lots of kin because they are a boon to researchers when trying to figure out relationships. While I can’t say with certainty that Samuel Pryor was in fact a brother of Allen L. Pryor, and a son of John Pryor and Massey Taylor Pryor— it looks like it’s a very strong probability. Samuel died with out any offspring, but in 1921 his nieces and nephews settled out a piece of property that was in his estate. These heirs are the probable grandchildren of John and Massey.
While it’s a boon to ID John and Massey’s children and grandchildren, it should be noted that there are some “grandchildren” who were missing. Children of William Pryor (d. bef. 1850) and Margaret Curry (d. aft. 1880) are not on the deed. When I (and cousins) speculated that William was an additional son of John and Massey Pryor we should have paid more attention to their omission from this document, since Y-DNA testing now indicates William was perhaps an “adopted” child and very distant Pryor “cousin.” William’s omission makes me think that everyone at that time knew that William wasn’t a blood relative and the division of Samuel’s property wasn’t contested. Interesting how the family story gets lost over time.
J. W. Pryor et al . . . . . . . . . . . )
. . . . . .To . . . . Deed . . . . . . .
Frank McCullough . . . . . . . . . )
For and in consideration of the sum of Eight Dollars, paid in cash, the receipt whereof is hereby acknowledged, we, J. W. Pryor and wife, N. E. Pryor; Monroe Pryor and wife, Mary Pryor; Thos Gregory and Bettie Gregory; A.J. Wright and Lucy Wright; Wm Pryor and wife, Cannis Pryor; Licurgus Pryor and wife, Nellie Pryor; John Pryor and Genie Pryor; Josh Simmons, Ann E. Simmons, Bud Belt and Alice Belt; Jas Linsey and Sis Linsey; Jas McCullough and wife, Mary McCullough, have bargained and sold, and do hereby transfer and convey unto Frank McCullough, the following described land, in Sumner County, State of Tennessee: Civil District No. 9, bounded as follows: North by Frank McCullough; East by Frank McCullough; South by Jas McCullough, and west by Gillespie, and containing 25 acres, more or less, and being the lands of Samuel Pryor, dec’d, and we being the heirs of Samuel Pryor, dec’d.
To have and to hold the said lands with the improvements and appurtenances thereunto belonging, to the said Frank McCullough, and his heirs and assigns forever. And we covenant with the said Frank McCullough, his heirs and assigns, that we are lawfully seized of said land, have a good right to convey it, and that it is unincumbered. And we do further covenant and bind ourselves and our heirs and representatives to warrant and forever defend the title to said property to the said Frank McCullough and his heirs and assigns against the lawful claims of all persons.
And we, the above named wives of the said heirs, do hereby transfer and convey and release and relinquish to the said grantee, his heirs and assigns, all right, title and interest of every kind whatever we have or may have in and to said property, and particularly such as we have or may have under and by virtue of the laws of Tennessee relating to homestead and dower.
Witness our hands, this the 28th day of October, 1907.
(signed by and “X”)
J. W. PRYOR; N. E. PRYOR ; MONROE PRYOR;
MARY E. PRYOR; T. M. GREGORY; BETTIE GREGORY;
JAMES M. LINDSEY; MARTHA LINDSEY; J. E. PRYOR;
GENIE PRYOR; J. W. McCULLOUGH; MARY McCULLOUGH
State of Tennessee, Sumner County:
Personally appeared before me, Harris Brown, Clerk of the County Court of said County, the within named J. W. Pryor and wife, N. E. Pryor, and Monroe Pryor and wife, M. E. Pryor, the bargainors, with whom I am personally acquainted, and who acknowledged that they executed the within instrument for the purposes therein contained. And N. E. Pryor and M. E. Pryor, wives of the said J. W. Pryor and Monroe Pryor, having appeared before me, privately and apart from her husbands, the said N. E. Pryor and M. E. Pryor acknowledged the execution of the said instrument to have been done by them freely, voluntarily, and understandingly, without compulsion or constraint from their said husbands and for the purposes therein expressed.
Witness my hand at office, this 28, day of Oct, 1907.
Harris Brown, Clerk . . . . . . .State of Tennessee, Sumner County:
Personally appeared before me, J. W. Albright, a Notary Public in and for said County and State, the within named James. M. Lindsey & wife, Martha Lindsey; J. E. Pryor and wife Gene Pryor; James McCullough and wife Mary McCullough; T. W. Gregory and wife, Bettie Gregory, the bargainors, with hom I am personally acquainted, and who acknowledged that they executed the within instrument for the purposes therein contained. And Martha Lindsey; Gene Pryor, Mary McCullough & Bettie Gregory, wives of the said James M. Lindsey; J. E. Pryor; J. W. McCullough & T. W. Gregory having appeared before me privately and apart from their husbands, the said Martha Lindsey, Genie Pryor, Mary McCullough & Bettie Gregory acknowledged the execution of the said instrument to have been done by them freely, voluntarily, and understandingly, without compulsion or constraint from their said husbands, and for the purposes therein expressed.
Witness my hand and official seal, at __________ Tennessee, this 1st day of Dec, 1908. (SEAL) J. W. Albright, , , Notary Public . . . .
Received for registration Feby 12, 1921, at 12:05 P.M.
Registered and examined Feby 12, 1921.
. . B. E. Rippy , , ,Register . . . . .|
The above from: Sumner County, TN Archives; Document: Vol 88, page 63; Source: Microfilm
NIECES AND NEPHEWS OF SAMUEL PRYOR PER DEED J. W. PRYOR TO FRANK MCCULLOUGH
SUMNER COUNTY, TN DATED 28 OCTOBER 1907; REGISTERED 12 FEBRUARY 1921,
Deed Book Volume 88, Page 63 on Microfilm at Sumner County, TN Archives.
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Transcription provided by Shirley Anderson.
November 19, 2002
Explanation of the Samuel Pryor’s heirs:
J. W. Pryor and N. E. Pryor
James Wesley Pryor, and wife Nora E. Branham. James Wesley Pryor was the son of George W. Pryor and wife Lucy Jane Lumsden/Lumsdale (George is probable brother of Samuel Pryor). Allen L Pryor was the executor of Lucy’s estate in 1871.
Monroe Pryor
Monroe Pryor, and wife Mary Stanson. “James” Monroe Pryor was the son of George W. Pryor and first wife Mary Odell/Odle. (George is probable brother of Samuel Pryor).
T. M. (sic) Gregory and Bettie Gregory
Thomas Washington Gregory, and wife Bettie Pryor. Bettie was the daughter of Allen L. Pryor and first wife Elizabeth Talley. (Allen is probable brother of Samuel Pryor).
A. J. Wright and Lucy Wright
Andrew J. Wright and wife Lucy Pryor. Lucy was the daughter of Allen L. Pryor and first wife Elizabeth Talley. (Allen is probable brother of Samuel Pryor).
William Pryor and Cannis Pryor
William Pryor and wife Kannie Robinson Pryor. William was the son of Allen L. Pryor and first wife Elizabeth Talley. (Allen is probable brother of Samuel Pryor).
Licurgus (sic) Pryor and Nellie Pryor
Lycurgus L. Pryor and wife Clara Elon “Nellie” Ayers. Lycurgus was the son of Allen L. Pryor and first wife Elizabeth Talley. (Allen is probable brother of Samuel Pryor).
John Pryor and Genie Pryor
John Edward Pryor and wife Eugenia Hill. John was the son of Allen L. Pryor and first wife Elizabeth Talley. (Allen is probable brother of Samuel Pryor).
Josh Simmons and Ann E. Simmons
Josh Simmons and Ann E. Pryor. Ann was the daughter of Allen L. Pryor and first wife Elizabeth Talley. (Allen is probable brother of Samuel Pryor).
Bud Belt and Alice Belt
James Golden Belt and Alice Pryor. Alice was the daughter of Allen L. Pryor and first wife Elizabeth Talley. (Allen is probable brother of Samuel Pryor).
Jas. Linsey and Sis Linsey
James Lindsey/Linsey and Martha “Sis” McCullough. Martha “Sis” is the probable the daughter of Elizabeth/Louisa Pryor and Husband David McCullough/McCulley/McCully. (Elizabeth/Louisa is probable sister of Samuel Pryor).
Jas. McCullough and Mary McCullough
James McCullough and wife Mary C. Taylor (a probably grand-daughter of David Taylor, brother of Massey Taylor Pryor). James was the probable son of Elizabeth/Louisa Pryor and Husband David McCullough/McCulley. (Elizabeth/Louisa is probable sister of Samuel Pryor).
Franklin McCullough
Franklin McCullough the probable son of Elizabeth/Louisa Pryor and Husband David McCullough/McCulley/McCully. (Elizabeth/Louisa is probable sister of Samuel Pryor).
I’ve got another old petition in my hands. Petition Sundry Inhabitants South of French Broad, filed in 1789 by men living on the NC frontier (the French Broad River area would become Greene County, TN).
I’m holding another example of why researchers need to get their hands on original documents or good photocopies of them. It’s the Petition of the Inhabitants of the Western Country, a petition filed by men living on the NC frontier (later Tennessee) to the General Assembly of North Carolina.
