Tennessee Pryors

I became curious about Mary Bray Pryor who I’d seen mentioned in a book published in 1888. She was a British Quaker who traveled to America shortly after the Revolutionary War. I thought it was interesting that a woman traveled to America on her own in those times, perhaps because it showed that people were traveling for reasons beyond immigration. I’m posting the bits I gathered about her life in case someone is interested in this line of Pryors.

1760 Quaker Marriage – Recorded in London Middlesex. John PRIOR of Hertford, son of William PRIOR, married Mary Bray. The record is signed by witnesses including Andrew Bray, William Pryor, Sarah Pryor, Sarah Bray, Nathaniel Bray, Mary Prior.

25 Jan 1799, Philadelphia, PA, USA Quaker Record. A certificate for our endeared friend Mary PRYOR directed to the board by meeting of Hertford and the Quarterly meeting of Hertfordshire in Great Britain produced from the Mins meeting was read and signed by this being expression of our near sympathy and unity with her and setting for her diligent circumspection in visiting the several meetings in this City the families of diverse friends– her religious labours under the uniting in -ence of diverse love having been truly acceptable and edifying and we hope may prove as bread cast on the waters to be found often (after?) mo- days.

1815 Death Notice in The Times, London. Mary PRYOR aged 77, wife John Pryor of Hertford, “an eminent preacher in the Society of Friends.” Published 18 Feb 1815.

This is likely Mary Bray Pryor the subject of “Mary Pryor; A life story of a hundred years ago“, published in 1888. The short story recounts that Mary Bray married John Pryor of Hertfordshire and became a Quaker evangelist in later life, traveling to America and back.