Southern Pryor Family Genealogy
Sometimes working on my own Pryor line it helps to have a visual. I’m sharing with you my family tree. On the bottom right of the tree is William Pryor, brother of Nicholas John, and Susannah. He’s the William born 1752 in Albemarle County, settled in Amherst County, VA, and made a Revolutionary War pension application in 1832. His statement on his application is a good point of reference in orienting this family tree.
Meriwether vs Pryor
I’m still in the Chancery Court records. I found a case filed in 1768 that names William Pryor, executor for Samuel Pryor deceased, John Bolling and George Payne. Reuben Meriwether, George Meriwether, Nicholas Meriwether and Mary Meriwether, infants by George Meriwether. This case went on for some time because it was ammended in 1779 with defendants: William Pryor had died and now his executor was party to the case and young Mary Meriwether had married (1770) and her husband Shadrack Vaughn was now a party.
March Court 1779
Goochland County
Reuben Meriwether, Geoge Meriwether, Nicholas Meriwether and Shadrack Vaughn and Mary his wife, the said Reuben and Nicholas being infants, appear and sue by George Meriwether, their guardian, and next friend, plaintiffs.
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Samuel Pryor executor of William Pryor dec’d who was administrator of Samuel Pryor dec’d, John Bolling, and George Payne, defendants.This day came the parties by their counsels and by mutual consent agree that George Payne (the younger) and John Shelton shall be added to the other persons appointed at former court for settling the account of the parties and return the balance that shall appear to be due to the court.
Hope this helps the researchers working on this line.
Signed by Valentine Wood
In the Chancery Court Records of Goochland County I found more Pryors who are new to me. There is as suit titled William Smith and wife Sally v. Samuel Pryor, and another suit titled Samuel Pryor v. William Smith and wife. Thank goodness, everyone decided to sue eachother… it certainly helps us Pryor researchers figure out who is who!
The first of the suits was filed in 1799. Samuel was the son of Col. William Pryor and Sarah (nee Wood). Samuel was also the executor of his father’s estate. His answer to one of the cases gives us a date for his mother’s death: Mrs Sally Pryor died intestate on August 7, 1791. Sally’s children and Samuel’s siblings named in the suits are
MARTHA PRYOR and her husband William Morton
MOLLY PRYOR and her husband Nelson Harris
SALLY PRYOR and her husband William Smith
JOHN PRYOR
There’s another Goochland County Chancery suit titled Sarah Payne vs. George Payne Sr. (1779) states Sarah Payne to be the daughter of William Pryor, deceased. Sarah was the wife of Matthew Payne, also dec’d. I searched online and found several references to Sarah Pryor who married Matthew Payne in 1753. So was Sarah Pryor the Sally Pryor who married William Smith?
I didn’t have Molly and Nelson Harris. An online search revealed Nelson Harris married Mary Pryor on 9 Nov 1789, William Smith (her brother-in-law) was bondsman. They married in Louisa Co., VA.
I thought the line of Samuel and Prudence Thornton were the well-documented Pryors. I’m beginning to wonder!
There are some mighty interesting cases available on the Library of Virginia website. I found a 1834 case titled Richard Clarke v. Samuel Pryor. The case was filed against Samuel Pryor, deceased who has been married to Martha. It names the following heirs.
1) Peggy Pryor, wife of Richard Clark (or Clarke). Another case states that Peggy died and left two “infant” children: Sally and Eliza Clark.
2) Fanny Pryor
3) Rebecca Pryor, wife of William A Underwood.
4) Martha W Pryor, wife of John M Drumwright (or Drumright)
5) Nancy Pryor, wife of Digrasse Drumright
6) William P Pryor
7) Samuel Thornton Pryor, deceased.
I had to take a look at the 1850 Census for Goochland County and was surprised to find two of the individuals still alive. Both Digrasse Drumright and John M Drumwright were still living in 1850. Martha W. Pryor Drumright (b. 1812) is the only one of these Pryor I found.
Read the case:
http://www.lva.virginia.gov/chancery/case_detail.asp?CFN=075-1821-010
Over the snow break I got distracted and ended up in Colonial Virginia again. This time I was looking at who the Pryors in Albemarle County were connected with in hopes of solidifying some of the genealogy I’ve been speculating on this past year.
In 1758 it was recorded that Richard Prior, Nicholas Pryor, and William Pryor served under Capt. Charles Ellis in the militia. These men must have all been close friends and neighbors. I found that Capt. Ellis was the father of Susannah Ellis who married Isaac Wright. The captain’s grand-daughter was Elizabeth Wright who married William Pryor.
I’ve already speculated that the William Pryor who married Elizabeth Wright was the same William Pryor who made a statement in 1832 for a Revolutionary War pension (copy of the statement). The William who gave this statement says he was born around 1752, so it’s likely that the William serving with Capt. Ellis was an elder William Pryor, perhaps the father of Nicholas and William born in 1752. The same statement refers to Nicholas as an “elder” brother, so it appears he was old enough for military service in 1758.
In 1761 the part of Albemarle County where these Pryors lived was sacrificed to form Amherst County. A later deed in Amherst County (Deed Book D, p. 166 3 Jan 1774) records that William and Margaret Pryor (the parents of Nicholas and William of Albemarle) made a deed that was witnessed by Isaac Wright (their son’s father-in-law): WM. PRYOR & wife MARGARET, AC, to PHILIP THURMOND, AC, for L114-11, 395 acres on the blue ridge; branch of Irish Creek. Wit: Roderick McCulloch, David Crawford, Isaac Wright, Wm. Crawford.
It’s so fun to see how the puzzle of relationships come together.