I’m not sure Samuel Pryor actual lived in Mercer County, KY or if he was just transacting business there.
Samuel Pryor of Montgomery County, TN, Christian County, KY, and Hardeman County, TN was married to Frances Hooe. Samuel and his brother in law Thomas B. Hooe are named an instrument filed in Mercer County in 1820 (DB 11: 284)
“…bonds was taken by the Sheriff of Mercer County by Virtue of an execution issued from the office of the Mercer Circuit court in the name of Ezekiel Barber assignee against the Estate of said Saml Pryor and which rep9?)n bond is dated the 12th day of November 1819 and is for the total amount of Four hundred and forty eight dollars ten cents payable…”
“…the second which —-? bonds was taken by the said Sheriff by virtue of an execution issued from the same office in the name of Jesse Head against the Estate of the said Saml Pryor and is dated on the said 12th day of november Eighteen hundred & nineteen and is for the total amount of one hundred & three dollars thirty one & one half cent payable with in three months from the date thereof which Interest…”
“…The third of which rep(?)y Bonds was taken by the said Sheriff by virture of an execution (—?) from the said office in the name of David Epperson assignee against the estate of the said Saml Pryor and is dated on the said twelfth day of November Eighteen hundred & nineteen and is for the total amount of Two hundred & sixty eight dollars thirty Eight & half cent payable with Interest thereon within three months from the date there of…”
“…Pryor paid by the said Waugh & Hooe the receipt where of is here by acknowledged hath bargained & sold and by these presents doth Bargain & sell unto them the said Geo L. Waugh and Thomas B. Hooe the heirs & the following described property {to wit} Sam a negro man Slave aged about Twenty five years by profession a Blacksmith, Anthony a negro boy slave twelve years of age and Billy a negro man slave aged about forty years and also a certain Bay stud horse with a blazed face called Tanner. All which Slaves & which horse are now the property of him the said Pryor …”
The witnesses were Richard Sutfield and Robert McCoun
Everyone has a Richard Pryor in their family tree? Not everyone, well then most people. There’s a boy named Richard Pryor on the 1850 Census in Pike County, GA that can be explained (up to a point).
Richard appears on the 1850 Census in Pike County in the household of James Shipp and wife Rhoda. Richard was 12 years old and born in KY. I ended up looking at James Shipp in order to figure out a bit more about Richard.
James Shipp married Rhoda Parker in 1819 in Columbia county, GA. Richard was born about 20 years after their marriage.
In 1851 James Shipp made his will and explains that Richard was adopted.
Georgia Pike County
November 15th 1851
In the name of God Amen.
I James Shipp being affected in body but sound in mind have though? purpose to dispose of my worldly affairs in the following manner to wit– 1. My just debts shall all be paid
2 There shall be three hundred dollars of many given out of my estate by my administrator unto the church at Flat Rock to the trustees so long as the church remains an established church.
3. My negro man Isaac to be sold unto the highest bidder and the money given unto my brother William Shipp’s son James Shipp.
4. My land and farming implements and my negros: Mariah, Hannah, Manda, Gabriel, Lee and a boy Hampton, Milas boy shall be kept together on any farm belong unto my wife during her lifetime or widowhood.
5. And my adopted son Richard Prior shall remain with my wife Rody and be supported out of the proceeds of my estate until he arrives at the age of twenty one and if my wife Rody hereto marry someone, he the said R. Prior shall be and I here by make him my heir of my whole estate but not until her death or intermarriage with some other man and should Richard Prior depart this life before my wife Rhoda Shipp without lawful heir then and in that event after the death of him and my wife there without heirs my whole estate shall —-? unto my two brothers William M. Shipp and Lemuel G. Shipp or their heirs with an equal devise.
6. I hereby ordain and appoint Josiah Pyron of the county of Pike and Lewis Pyron [sic] of Meriweather my executors of this my last will and testament Signed and delivered in presence of W. P. Irvin, John Foxworth, Abraham D. Woods.
Will proved 1st December 1851
The progression of Shipp’s estate went from his death in 1851 to his wife who died in 1853 to his young adopted son, Richard Prior, who died in 1856. An administration bond was taken out in Pike county for Richard Prior, deceased with William Pryor and Matthew Coggin (the son in law of John Pryor who had died in 1848 in Pike County). Was Richard connected to the line of John Pryor? If Richard was really born in KY, who were his parents?
I love race horses. Why? Because their owners in their need to brag about breeding tell so much about the owners! The Kentucky race horse Rodolph was such a horse.
About The Racehorse Rodolph
Rodolph was described as “a bright Bay, each of his hind pasterns white; fifteen hands three inches high, handsomely formed and well proportioned for strength and action.” (Kentucky Gazette, April 12 1838). The same article states Rodoph was “bred by me” (Charles Buford) and was 7 years old, foaled on April 15, 1831.
It’s been about 7 years since I wrote about Samuel Pryor and his brother Thornton Pryor and a race horse named Truxton (see https://tennesseepryors.com/pryor-brothers-thornton-and-samuel/) I’ve turned over some new information on this Samuel Pryor and hopefully it clarifies yet another Pryor who was in Tennessee.
Samuel Pryor appears in several contemporary newspapers in association with future President Andrew Jackson. Whether it was truly a military title or a title of respect, he is referred to as Capt. Pryor in some articles. Pryor was the trainer of Jackson’s race horse named Truxton.
(The Impartial Review and Cumberland Repository, Nashville, April 11, 1807)
A letter from Pryor to Jackson in early 1807 reveals some genealogy clues: Samuel Pryor offered greetings from his wife to Jackson’s wife. Samuel was married and she was alive in 1807. Pryor wrote at the top of the letter that he was in Woodford County, KY which would correspond with a Samuel Pryor recorded on that county’s tax list in 1800. The letter also offers a possible example of Pryor’s signature.
Woodford County Kentucky March the 5th 1807 Dr Sir As I find it will be out of my power to be in Tennessee in time to prepare the horses for the spring races owing to my illness as I am now not able to [rouse?] my self in my bed without assistance nor have I been —-ly able since I was taken which was the first day of February as the manner in which I was taken with a violent puking and dysentery which weakened me so fast, took me of my feet immediately though I think I am now mending a little and am in hopes will be able to be down to the races but shall not be able to give you any assistance must request it as a favor of you to make provision for the people at the Jockey club races and prepare the nags and any part of the profits that you think equitable you shall have as your know General that if the place was not provided with proper accommodations it would loose its credit and would injure me very much must therefore request you to manage it just as your own and take what part you think right for trouble, I wish you to run the filly when and where you please and do with her just as your own believe me my General that as soon as I can get up and be at business I shall — my self to make you restitution and shall not think hard to make any sacrifice to comply with my contract with you. Present my most worshipful compliments to your Lady. Mrs. Pryor presents hers to your Lady. I am with respect. Your — Saml Pryor [The envelope states it was posted from Frankfort KY on March 13 to General Andrew Jackson in Tennessee near Nashville.] Letter is from the Library of Congress website https://www.loc.gov/resource/maj.01007_0310_0312/?sp=1
Saml. Pryor (Samuel Pryor)
“In 1805 a friend of Jackson’s deprecated the manner in which Captain Joseph Erwin had handled a bet with Jackson over a horse race. Erwin’s horse, Ploughboy was scheduled to race Jackson’s horse, Truxton… Erwin’s son-in-law, Charles Dickinson became enraged and started quarreling with Jackson’s friend which led to Jackson becoming involved”…a duel ensued on May 30, 1806. Jackson was hit in the chest and Dickinson was killed. (see https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charles_Dickinson_(historical_figure)
I had searched the National Archives website hoping to find another letter that was referred to in the press twenty years later (1827). I didn’t find the letter which would have been dated around 1806 (the time of the duel), so perhaps no letter existed and the 1827 article was meant damage the character of Jackson before his run for the presidency (he became president in 1829). Or perhaps the letter disappeared with Pryor’s effects since the letter was sent to him.
“Soon after the duel, Jackson wrote a letter to Sam. Pryor, a noted gamester, and a crony of the General, then residing in this state, giving him an account of it. In the letter the HERO expressed himself to this effect–‘I reserved my fire, and when I did shoot him, you may be assured I left the damned rascal weltering in his blood.” It is many years since our informant heard the letter read. But the expressions, he says, and we can believe it, made an impression upon his mind which time cannot obliterate while memory endures.” National Standard, from Middlebury, VT, dated July 10, 1827… from the Richmond Whig (VA) on June 22, 1827
I have a few more bit of information on this Samuel Pryor for the next post.
