All roads lead to Tennessee, right? Looking at the relationship of Charles R Pryor to the Hempstead County Pryors, I ended up looking at Edward L. Pryor again. Why? Because Edward L. Pryor of Hempstead County signed the Executor’s Bond when Charles handled Virginia Pryor‘s estate in 1865. Did he sign as a relative or because he was a neighbor?
Edward L. Pryor b. 1805. Ryburn vs. Pryor filed in Arkansas confirms his father was Samuel Pryor of Montgomery Co., TN. Samuel had 2 other known children (see Samuel B Pryor and Bernard H. Pryor of McCracken County, KY). These other children were born in 1825 and 1835, perhaps they were children from a second marriage.
Samuel was born between 1771 and 1780 when counted on the 1830 Census (Montgomery County, TN)– I told you Tennessee would come into play again! That means he was possibly in his 60’s when he died and a guardian bond was filed for the two young Pryors in 1837.
Edward L. Pryor was on the 1836 Tax List in Hardeman Co., TN. In the same year his father, Samuel’s estate was being handled through the Hardeman County Probate court. Samuel must have died without a will because E. L. Pryor (Edward L?) was appointed the administrator.
The probate file also names other Pryors who were heirs: Ann F. Pryor, widow, Richard H. Pryor, Miss Frances A. Pryor, Bernard H Pryor, Miss Attaway E Pryor.
If Samuel was on the 1830 Census then surely he was on the 1820 Census. I’m thinking he may be the Samuel Pryor who was in Christian County, KY in 1820. The number of whites and slaves counted were very similar with both entries — 8 whites and 13 slaves in 1820, 11 whites and 12 slaves in 1830. Clarksville in Montgomery County is a bit over 30 miles from Hopkinsville, Christian County.
Bernard H Pryor was in Trigg county and counted on the 1850 Census. Samuel’s 1836 probate probably also explains the Bernard’s relationship to the Frances A Pryor age 23 who was living in his household on the 1850 Census — his sister. I’ve wondered if Ann F. Pryor, Samuel’s widow, is the woman who’s buried in Trigg County, KY under the name Frances Ann Pryor d. 1847 (see FindAGrave.com).
Entomb’d beneath this
sacred urn
She lies whom many
children mourn.
Not for her lone but there’s
she gone
To praise er Saviour
at His throne
Where songs of joy
and peace and love
Ever delight the blest above.
— inscription on Frances Ann Pryor’s grave marker
I heard from Pryor researcher Nova Lemmons in response to the 
This is a short post of the Flowers family connections between the Pryors and associated lines. The names are all woven together in Campbell Co., VA: Butler, Cunningham, Rector, Pryor, Taylor, Oglesby and Rev. William Flowers. If you look at Overton County records there are Flowers marriages into the Pryor line as well as the Taylor and Garrett families.