This plat map is the first I’ve ever seen and definitely worth sharing. The survey for William P Pryor in Davidson County, TN in 1829 was for land “in” the Cumberland River rather than “on” or bounded by the river. Whaaaat?
I’d love to know what he did with the land. Was it a strategic purchase to control property on either side of the river? Was it to have access to the river? Did he operate a ferry?
Who was William P Pryor? I haven’t seen a William who used the middle initial P. Nor is there a William Pryor on the 1830 Census in Davidson County. Was this William T Pryor a son of Nicholas B Pryor?
I was also curious about where this land may have been located, so I set out to see it it was visible in current maps of the area. This was a small parcel – 4 1/2 acres. There are a few small pieces of water bound pieces of land in Davidson county, but I highly doubt it can be ID’d today after almost 200 years of erosion and sedimentation.
William P Pryor Record Transcript:
Ploted by a scale of 20 poles to an Inch.
State of Tennessee Davidson County
by V–y of Entry No 781 Dated Sept 14th 1829 founded on the Consideration of one cent per acre paid into the entry taken off– of Davidson County I have surveyed for William P Pryor four and a half acres of land in said county and in Cumberland River. Beginning at the lower point of a sand bar below the first Island in Cumberland river below Nashville thence Running up the Southers Sluce with its meanders at low water mark south fourteen degrees east thirty poles, South twenty and a half degrees East twenty six poles, south twelve degrees. East twenty one poles to a stake in John Boyd’s line of an Eighteen and a half —? survey, which includes said Island thence with said line North ten poles to a Stake said Boyd’s corner with his line South twnety seven degrees East twenty six poles to the northern sluice at low water mark, thence lower said sluice with its meanders north two degrees East Eight poles, then North twenty three degrees west Twenty six poles, North Eight degrees West twenty four poles North twenty degrees West twenty four poles North thirty degrees West Eighteen poles then North Sixty four degrees west and a half poles to the Beginning the balance of said Entry could not be satisfied by reason of water and an older claim.
Surveyed Oct 2nd 1829
(signed) Sam. Weakley SDC
Isaac Clemmons
Joseph Parks
