William H. Pryor of Overton and Clay Counties

Posted on by

I was contacted by a researcher who was looking for information on William H. Pryor of Overton and Clay Counties. It’s time to look at him again.

William H Pryor was born February 1843 in Tennessee per the 1900 Census. He married Ruth (or Rutha Dial) in about 1857. His marriage date is determined by the years married noted on the 1900 Census (married 43 years in 1900).

Where was William H. Pryor on the 1850 Census? It’s suspected that he may be the “William” aged 15 who was living in the household of Jane Dial and daughter Ruth in District 10 of Overton County. There is no proof one way or the other to confirm this is William H. Pryor.

In 1850 the Pryors living near the Dials were Judy Hummel and mother Anna Pryor. Also Joseph Garrett, probably an uncle of Spicy Taylor Pryor and her siblings.

By 1860 William, his wife Ruth and her son James aged 6 were living in District 7 of Overton County, TN. They were counted near Ruth’s mother, Jane Dial, who was a weaver (Read more about Pryors who were Spinners and Weavers). If the 1900 Census is correct and that William and Ruth were married in 1857, then James was born in about 1853, before their marriage. In fact, James went by the surname “Dial” which indicates he was probably born to Ruth Dial out of wedlock.

In working with this researcher we found that there is a Civil War Pension application for William H. Pryor. The Pension App and the 1890 Veteran’s Schedule indicate the William H. Pryor served with the Tennessee Volunteers, 2nd Regiment, Co. H. Being a big Google fan I searched this regiment.
Here’s a great photo! []
You can also view the photo on Rootsweb and the people already identified [View Page]
Can anyone ID William H. Pryor in the photo?  Does anyone have his Civil War Pension record?

I suspect that Ruth was the daughter of James Dial of Lawrence County, TN.  This suspicion is based on her naming her first-born James and this record which possibly connects the Dial and Pryor families: 

Mary Mathena Brashears, 17, b. KY, c. 1833 Lawrence Co, TN Minutes Book, 1851-1858, p. 162:¸”Nov 1, 1852.¸John Brashears has died intestate.¸Robert Newton appt. Admr.” Lawrence Co, TN Wills and Inventories, 1852-1856, p. 87:¸Dec. term 1852. Inv. and sale bill of estate of John Brashears, dec’d, Nov 20, 1852.¸Among buyers: Mary Brashears, Lawson Williams, William Inzer?, Elijah Alsup, Berry Brashears, John H. Johnston, J. M. Halcomb, D. J. White, Shadrick Chapman,J. J. Kelton, Wm. P. Halcomb, James Dial, Wm. Pryor, John Brashears.¸Robert Newton, Adm.¸The proceedings mention 400 ac. in Lewis Co. and 250 ac. in Lawrence Co.

The Pryors in Lawrence County were descended from Thompson Pryor, a son of Richard and Mourning Pryor. The Census Extracts of Lawrence County show the Pryors and Brashears mentioned above.
https://tennesseepryors.com/pryor-website/tn-records/tennessee-counties-l/#Lawrence . If William H. Pryor is connected to these Pryors, it’s not yet know how.

Category: Tennessee Pryors | Tags: , ,

Added Another TN County to Census Map

Posted on by

I’ve added another county to the map of census records. There is now on the website the census record for an Andrew Pryor in Meigs County.

http://www.tnpryors.com/tn_census/county-map.html

Category: Census Record, Tennessee Pryors | Tags:

Austin L. Green and Emily Pryor of Roane Co., TN

Posted on by

Ancestry.com has put up a database of Tennessee Marriages: “Tennessee State Marriages, 1765-2002”.  What I like about this database is that there are actual images of marriage licenses and registers. It gives a unique online opportunity to look at the handwriting and solve a few family history mysteries.

A new database wouldn’t be any fun unless it has a few Pryors in it… and it does!

In 1850 Emily Pryor married Austin L. Green in Roan Co., TN.  They are on the 1850 through 1900 Census in Roane County (extractions are now on the TN Pryor website). They were married in January, so probably Emily is not the mother of the 5 children in the household at the time of the 1850 Census.  In 1860 5 additional children were counted in the family. In 1880 and 1900 Emily reported her parents were born in VA and TN.

Was Emily a widow of a Pryor or was she born a Pryor?

Category: Tennessee Pryors | Tags: ,

Pryors Who Were Indentured Servants?

Posted on by

I was contacted by a researcher of William H. Scally, who came to VA as an indentured servant of William Fielding, George Washington’s brother-in-law, in Spotsylvania County, in about 1769-1770.
He arrived in the American Colonies on the brigand Fanny. She discovered that he had left for western VA where he enlisted to serve in the Revolutionary War in 1776 in Fincastle Co. along with four other men who had also come to the colonies on the Fanny, two of which were Jacob and Thomas Prier. There may have been a strong friendship or a connection by marriage because an ancestor was named Pryor Scally (also spelled Prier and Prior) which is rather unusual for a first name (at least before it became popular due to politician Pryor Lea). There were other family members in later generations of the Scallys who had the first or middle name of Pryor. William Scally enlisted Aug. 10, 1776, VA Continental Line, 8th (later 4th) Infantry, serving under a Capt. Croghan.

Has anyone stumbled upon the Scally, Skelly, Scully or other spelling of this surname while tracing their Pryor family? Does anyone know which line of Pryors is related to Thomas and Jacob Pryor?

To leave a comment, click on the article title and then fill in the box. Thanks!

Category: Virginia Pryors | Tags: ,

Added Tennessee County Map and Reorganized Census Extracts

Posted on by

I admit that alot of the enhancements I make to the Tennessee Pryor website, I make for myself. I really hate looking at a census record on the site and then having to find a map to see where a county is located and what other counties surround it. We know have a new way of looking at the Pryors in Tennessee!

In the MAIN MENU under the section called CENSUS EXTRACTS we have a new link called TN COUNTIES. Click on the link to go to a map of Tennessee. It’s not just a map, it’s a means to navigating to Pryor census extracts for each county. (Go to Map) It’s a cool way to explore which Pryor families lived in a particular county and also to explore which Pryors were living in neighboring counties. Who knows, we may be able to figure out some more relationships and ID a few more Pryors!

For the researchers who like the “tried and true” you can still view the Tennessee census extracts organized by the census year by goint to the section called CENSUS EXTRACTS and clicking on TN CENSUS. 

Let me know if you find any bugs, and of course let me know who you find!

Category: Research Help, Tennessee Pryors | Tags: ,
← Newer Entries Older Entries →