Category Archives: Texas Pryors

OK Painting of Nathaniel Pryor

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Sam Huston and Nathaniel Pryor

Have you seen the painting of Nathaniel Pryor and Sam Houston? It’s in OK. It’s on the Oklahoma Arts Council’s website: *. I know it’s not avant-garde — no elephant dung or inappropriate nudity. However, the historical context of the painting disturbs my equilibrium. I just have to ask questions about it. Is this based in fact or pure imagination?

Perhaps because I’m female, the first thing that disturbs me is the clothing. The Sam Houston Memorial Museum posts on their website that Houston traveled from Tennessee in 1818 to meet with President James Monroe in Washington, DC. Noted politician, and at that time Secretary of War, John C. Calhoun reprimanded Houston for dressing like an indian. In 1829 Houston was governor of Tennessee, but left his position, heading West to live with the Cherokees.  I have to assume that if he was dressing like an indian in 1818, then,  you’d expect that ten years later when he was living amongst the Native Americans that he dressed to fit in. So, is Houston the man on the left in the buck skin outfit?

If so, then Nathaniel Pryor must be the man on the right wearing the red plaid Pendleton-style jacket and the hat that looks to be straight out of an Orvis catalog! Nathaniel Pryor probably had been in contact with Indian tribes from his youth in the pioneer regions of eastern Kentucky. He was a longtime military man. He was used to walking and riding long distances with probably no more than a pack of survival supplies; he lived as a trapper, explorer, and trader. I can’t imagine he would dress like grandpa on a fishing trip to the family lake house!

I have a photo of my great-grandfather who was a cowboy. He drove cattle in Texas in the 1870’s and 1880’s. In the photo he’s a wrinkled mess (clothes right out of  his saddle bag). He also looked like he could use a shower. When you look at most men in old photos, especially during the Civil War, they look a bit unkept. Pryor and Houston look fresh and clean to the point of looking as unreal as a museum diorama.

I’m trying to understand where fantasy and reality of the event come together in this painting. The Arts website has an explanation of the lives of both men and their connection to Oklahoma, but it doesn’t say if they ever met. Sam Houston left office in Tennessee in 1829 and headed West. Nathaniel Pryor died in 1831. The window of opportunity for these men to meet was just a few years. There are accounts online of Nathaniel “Miguel” Pryor who left Louisville to find his father and namesake, but couldn’t find him in St. Louis so he headed into the Southwest. Without roads and modern communication, how would Nathaniel Pryor and Sam Houston find each other? On the river?

Unlike the idyllic flatboat scene depicted in the painting there is an account that Nathaniel Pryor and Sam Houston met over U.S. relations with the Indian tribes.  In Sam Houston with The Cherokees, 1829-1833 by Jack Gregory and Rennard Strickland it states in 1829 and 1830 “when war between the Osages and Delawares became almost inevitable John Eaton, secretary of war, appointed a commission,” with the purpose of working out the differences between the tribes. “Commandant Matthew Arbuckle, A. P. Chouteau, and Sam Houston met with Nathaniel Pryor, Osage subagent, and Clermont, the Osage principal chief, in a conference held at the mouth of the Veridgris River.”

The Raven: A Biography of Sam Houston by Marquis James gives us some insight in what Houston thought of Pryor. Houston wrote to President Andrew Jackson about Pryor’s qualifications in Indian affairs, urging that Pryor be appointed to the Indian Service. Nathaniel Pryor was appointed an Indian agent shortly before he died. Southwestern Historical Quarterly, Volume 22 mentions that in his letter Houston referred to Nathaniel Pryor as a veteran of the Battle of New Orleans.

Ok, I’m not completely adverse to the imagination of this painting. It would be amazing to eavesdrop on the conversation between the Pryor who had traveled with Lewis and Clark, and Houston who had already been governor of Tennessee and who later (in 1836) would be the President of the Republic of Texas.

Of course the genealogist in me would love to know if Pryor and Houston were related or if their relations had known each other when they were pioneer families in the west of  Old Virginia and later on the frontier.

* After publishing this post I learned that the painting is  not available today on this link.
(Wayback Machine link)
An image of the painting is located at
http://franceshunter.wordpress.com/page/16/

Category: Oklahoma Pryors, Texas Pryors | Tags: , ,

Forget About the Stereotype: Early Pryors were Educated Pioneers

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I think many of us are familiar with the stereotype of the early pioneers– illiterate backwoodsmen. I’m finding that early Pryors were educated pioneers.

When I looked again at the Pryors in the War of 1812. I was trying to figure out if the Nathan Pryor who served in the Missouri Militia under Col. McNair was Nathaniel Pryor of the Louis and Clark Expedition. Col. Alexander McNair was also the first governor of Missouri. Stephen F. Austin of the Austin Colony in Texas was in McNair’s regiment in the War of 1812. McNair ran against explorer William Clark (of the Lewis and Clark Expedition) and defeated him in 1820. Oh yes, lest we forget—Austin was connected to another Pryor: William Pryor of Stewart County, TN was among the pioneers in Austin’s Colony. The connections are so numerous; it’s like a big bowl of spaghetti!

Reading about Lewis and Clark, Nathaniel Pryor, Austin, and others… I’m beginning to realize that the view of the pioneers we’re taught in school is really wrong. These men who were leaders were educated pioneers and extremely connected in society and by marriage. They weren’t the ‘coon skin cap wearin’ hicks that the movies and some teachers portrayed. It was true then and still true— gotta have an education to get ahead.

If the 1812 record for Nathan Pryor is the same as Nathaniel, he was an adjutant, an assistant to high ranking officers. This position probably entailed reading and writing messages. When I’ve looked at St. Louis court documents that name Nathaniel Pryor, he signed his own name to these documents.

Betty (TXOld300) who has been researching William Pryor reports that he signed his will in Texas indicating that he too was literate.

Recognizing an ancestor’s level of education helps to understand who they were and how they interacted in their world. Education also is a clue to where to look for further documentation to flesh-out the story of our family tree.

Category: Genealogy, Missouri Pryors, Texas Pryors | Tags: , , , ,

William Pryor of Botetourt County, A Bit About Texas & Kentucky, and the Tennessee Connections

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Back to the Botetourt County Pryors (Pryors in Botetourt County, VA and Later in Kentucky). I heard from Betty who’s researching William Pryor, one of Austin’s Colony who settled in Austin’s Colony– before Texas was a Republic or a state, back when most of Texas was Mexico. Betty also reminded me that William made out his will and clearly stated he was born in Botetourt County. VA!

William’s will is in the courthouse in Bellsville, TX. It begins, “IN THE NAME OF OMNIPOTENT GOD, AMEN. I William Pryor, a native of Bottertot County in the state of Virginia, one of the United States of the North, and now a colonist of Austin’s Colony…” It’s dated 1832.

All we know of William Pryor is that he was born in Botetourt County, VA, was in Stewart Co., TN by 1804, moved to Clarke Co., AL in 1816, went to Texas in about 1824 and then died in San Felipe, TX in 1832.

William’s In Laws:

We’ve been able to fill in some of William’s kin. Betty found a court document showing that William became the guardian of Sampson Trammell’s minor children, helping to connect his wife to the Trammells (Sampson is likely her father).  

William’s Brother?

One more piece to the puzzle: Betty found the March 2, 1849  death notice from the Nashville Christian Advocate:  “REBECCA PRYOR wife of JAMES PRYOR, died Pike Co., Ill., Jan. 7, 1849; moved from Christian Co., Ky. to Stewart Co., Tenn., to Pike Co., Illinois.” A James B. Pryor was buying land in Pike County in 1840 and there’s a James Pryor on the 1850 Census in Pike County. He’s a postmaster (that’s a topic for yet another post on the Pryors!), born 1778 in VA, living  near a Sarah Pryor Conner age 27 who was born in KY (possibly Christian County, KY?). So this is probably the James Pryor who was on the census with William Pryor in Stewart County and he’s certainly the right age to be William’s brother!

William’s Nephew?

Civil war records for William Pryor of White Co., IL reveal he was born in Stewart County, TN (about 1802) as well as his son James in 1825. William married Martha Ross, probably a relation of Captain Ross who was in charge of the 1809 Tax List in Stewart County. We know from the will in Texas that William who died in San Felip had one son named Trammel J. Pryor and he was removed from the Austin Colony on criminal charges and disowned in his father’s will, it’s clear that William born 1802 is not his son —perhaps a son of the James or John Pryor who were also on the 1809 Tax List of Stewart County.

More Nephews?

Geography plays a part in figuring out the kin of William of San Felipe.  The land William settled in Stewart County, TN was in an area that is now a National Park called the Land Between the Lakes.  Bordering this area of TN is Trigg and Christian Co., KY. Rebecca’s death notice and the early deed both indicate a connection to Christian Co.  James Pryor who was in Stewart Co. and later was in Pike Co., IL, may be the same James Pryor who was on the 1840 Census in Trigg County.  A Mary Pryor was on the  1820 Census in Stewart County and was living in Trigg Co., perhaps an indicator that William b. 1804 and James b. 1803 (Mary was living with him) and John b. 1813 are William’s nephews.

Who is William’s Father?

There weren’t too many Pryors in Botetourt at the time William was born (about  1770).  The contenders are Luke, Joseph, and John Pryor.  I haven’t seen any information on children born to Luke Pryor and his wife Susannah. John Pryor is likely the John Pryor who was the father of Nathaniel Pryor (based on one report that he moved to Botetourt with his brother in-law John Floyd).  Joseph Pryor died in Bourbon Co., KY in 1812, mentioning his son William in his will.  Betty and I are leaning toward Joseph as the father of William Pryor of San Felipe

* Joseph had a son named William. We know from census records and marriages that other children of Joseph and Mary Pryor were born between 1766 and 1784. The right time span for William of San Felipe.

* Joseph’s son William was alive in 1812 (at the time of his will).  William died well after that date in San Felipe.

* There was no William Pryor recorded as a head of household in Bourbon County in 1810 until a much younger William was recorded on the 1850 Census.  This fact leave open the possibility that William was living elsewhere, even at the time of his father’s will when he would have been an adult head of household.

* William had one son named Trammell J. Pryor. “Trammell” was carrying on the name of his mother’s side of the family. “J” may have been for “Joseph” or another “J” name on his father’s side of the family.

I’m not completely convinced that William Pryor was the son of Joseph Pryor and Mary Fleming, but for now they seem to be the most convincing set of parents I have for him.

Category: Kentucky Pryors, Tennessee Pryors, Texas Pryors | Tags: , ,

Mid 19th Century Pryors in Dallas, TX

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I hope everyone is enjoying the holidays. It’s hard to believe that the new year is right around the corner.

Early this month I received an email from a researcher who was looking at the two Pryor brothers who were also both physicians in Dallas, TX during the mid-nineteenth century.  Samuel B. Pryor from Virginia was the first mayor of Dallas and his brother Charles R. Pryor was a writer and editor of the Dallas Herald (see article on the Texas State Historical Association site).  Charles was pro-South during the Civil War and served as the Secretary of State in Texas but disappears after the War.

It looks like we now have the answer to the what happened to Charles. There is  a Charles P. Pryor (sic) in Mercer County, KY. I found that he was living in a community of Shakers headed by B.B. Dunlavy.  Charles was recorded as born in VA and his occupation was “physician.”  A Google search turned up a volume of “The Shaker Manifesto” that contains a letter written by a Charles R. Pryor in 1878. Charles states “In spirit I am a Shaker.”

I haven’t found any further record of Charles. When his brother Samuel died his family migrated to Arkansas and can be found on the 1870 Census and later records in Sevier County and Little River County, AR.

Category: Texas Pryors, Virginia Pryors | Tags: , , ,

Jessie Walker Pryor, MD – A Woman Doctor

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Ancestry has been adding more school yearbooks. I found Jessie Walker Pryor, a young lady who had graduated with an M.D. from the University of Texas in 1920. She is on the 1920 Census in Galvaston, Ward 1… recorded as a roomer and a student at the medical college.  I was able to find her again in 1900 because of another enhancement on Ancestry. The past versions of the 1900 Census were at times illegible. The newer, clearer version on Ancestry shows Miss Pryor in living with her parents in Caldwell County, TX. Her father was born in Tennessee. Can we match this line up to their TN Roots?

Category: Tennessee Pryors, Texas Pryors | Tags: , , ,
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