1783 John Pryor Soldier In the Kentucky Wilderness aka Virginia Frontier

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rev_war_man1The following is the transcription of the sworn statement for a Revolutionary War pension application that mentions a John Prior. It recounts events in 1783, about 10 years before Kentucky became a state. Hmmm, interesting tie-ins to Battle of Point Pleasant (1774) and Lord Dunmore’s War.

State of Kentucky}}
Campbell County}}
On this 26th day of November 1833 personally appeared in open court before the court of Campbell County now sitting William Thompson a resident of the state of Kentucky in the county of Campbell aged sixty-six years on the 22nd day of June last when being first duly sworn according to law doth on his oath make the following Declaration in order to obtain the benefit of the Act of Congress (proposed?) on the 7th day of June 1832. That he entered the service of the United States in the 15 year of his age as a volunteer under Capt. Baker Ewing1, Col. John Logan2 & John Sconce was sergants the names of the lieutenant and Ensign he does not recollect. I had just came to Kentucky and after my entrance into the Service we went in pursuit of the Indian and was rendevous’d at Pettit’s station3 on the head waters of Green River on the 1st day of February 1782 and from there we marked to Cumberland river at Price’s Cabbins (Cabins?) and crossed the river at that place after making a small canoe to carry over our guns and provisions and swam over our horses and the next day after crossing the river we came on the trail of a party of Indians who were making for their Towns, as they had been the settlement and had committed some murders and stole some horses, we followed the trail 7 or 8 days and overtook them on a fork of the Tennessee river and there we had a battle with them and killed 17 of them. 16 we killed on the battle ground and one was wounded and taken prisoner near one mile from the place of the battle, and Capt. Taris (Faris?) wounded the indian and took him prisoner, and the same night the wounded Indian attempted to make his escape and ran some distance and the same Capt. Taris killed him with his tomahawk. We had one man killed in the battle by the name of Thomas Gilmore and one wounded by the name of Daniel McCormick.4 Gilmore was a mapmate (messmate?) of mine and a near neighbor. We wereout this time one month and then returned home again. Then in the month of June I again turned out as a volunteer and had the command of the company to rance for one month and we marched to Russels (Russell’s?) Creek at Logan’s station on a Branch of the Green river and scouted round for some time and returned home without any battles this time. Then in the month of August in the year 1782 I turned out again as a volunteer under Capt. John Dougherty5, Col. Benjamin Logan, and crossed the Ohio river at the mouth of Limestone Creek and marched to the old Chilicothe Towns and had a Battle with the Indians there and killed several Indians and destroyed their Town and was out this time one month and a half. Then again in the year 1783 in the month of June there was a call sent from Col. Floyd6 to Col. Logan to send him some men to Bulletts Lick7 as the Indians were commilling? depredations on that place and Col. Logan sent me with the command of 40 men and we were out one month this time and we killed one Indian as he was in th eact of taking off the hoppler off a horse to steal him and the name of the person that killed the Indian was JOHN PRIOR8 and then we returned home again. Then in the month of August in the same year orders came to Col. Logan to raise a company of horsemen to be ready at a moments warning and I again volunteered and continued from the first day of that month til the last day of December making five months this time, making nine and a half months. In what I term my voluntary service, by this did not and my Indian warfare for I never failed to be at the port of danger while there was a savage to molest the country near where I was and I never received any pay or drew any rations only what the forest afforded and I know of no person that I can prove my services by at this time. He hereby relinquishes every claim whatever to a pension or annuity except the present one declares that his name is not on the pension roll of the Agency of any state or the United States. Sworn to and subscribed the day and year aforesiad in open court. Att. Jno N. Taliaferro clk
(signed) Wm. Thompson

1. Baker Ewing, from Bedford County, VA (see Ewing Clan website)

2. John Logan, served in Lord Dunmore’s War and the Battle of Point Pleasant. Does this help to identify the John Pryor in this transcript as the one who served at Point Pleasant? See Wikipedia.

3. Location of Pettit’s Station (Google)

4. Daniel McCormick is described as a cohort of Daniel Boone in Lincoln Co., KY history book (see article)

5. John Dougherty (Doherty) is a name on list of soldiers at Battle of Point Pleasant (see list)

6. Col. Floyd, possible John Floyd who was at Point Pleasant. (see John Floyd documents)

7. Bullett’s Lick, near Shepherdsville (see Wikipedia

8. Possibly the John Pryor at the Battle of Point Pleasant, see his brother’s pensions application (William Pryor). (See transcription)

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

Another William Pryor VA Revolutionary War Soldier

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sgt William Prior signature 1777A few weeks ago I wrote out a list of the known Pryor men from VA who served in the Revolutionary War (see list). There are 3 William Pryors, one is the well-known William from Amherst County who lived long enough to file for a pension. I have more information on another William Pryor.

While looking for my Gregory line, I found a William Pryor who served in Capt. John Gregory’s 15th VA Regiments. William PRIOR was recorded as a sergeant on rosters starting in June 1777 through May 1778. Sgt. Prior also signed one of the rosters which makes me wonder if it was his duty to write out the rosters and pay rolls (see above).

Sgt William Pryor in John Gregory's 15th VA

Sgt. William Pryor 1777 – click to view larger

I love how the records intertwine with history! William Prior was on the rosters for almost a year. The Valley Forge website shows that this regiment was part of the troops that encamped there over the harsh winter we’ve all learned about in history class. This William Prior appeared on the rosters and payroll during that time. The Valley Forge website is also helpful in giving us an idea of where this William was from as it states the regiment formed with men from “Chesterfield, Brunswick, Southampton, King William, Nansemound, Princess Anne, Isle of Wright, Surry, Sussex, Westmoreland, Northumberland, Richmond Counties and Boro of Norfolk.”

Category: Virginia Pryors | Tags: , , ,

Prieur The French Spelling of Pryor

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french-artIn a recent post I referred to a letter from a mid-western tribe to Captain Abner Prior [see post]– it was written in French to Prieur, not Prior. The French established trading posts, engaged in the French-Indian War with the British in the 1750’s, and influenced the language of the Louisiana Territory. It wasn’t until 1803 that the French sold the territory to the United States. When Jefferson sent out the Lewis and Clark Expedition their adopted guide was Sakajawea who was married to Charbonneau. The story goes that when explorer Nathaniel Pryor married an Osage woman her name may have been Angelique. Sounds French to me!

Now I wonder about the other Prieur names in Missouri, Ohio, etc. Who are these men who used the French spelling Prieur?

In 1850 there’s a John Prieur age 58 living in St. Charles, MO. His wife was Julia and their daughter was Angelic (Angelique?). He stated his birth place was OH. On the next line is Francis A. Prieur age 65, born about 1785 in France (the French Revolution started in 1789). Other names surrounding them on the census appear to be of French origin.

There are several families with the Prieur surname living in Louisiana. Only two, Denis Prieur and Alexandre Prieur, were born in LA before the sale of the Louisiana Territory to the US.

The Prieur surname also shows up in Michigan, Minnesota, and Vermont– states that are close to the Canadian border. Perhaps these were French Canadian immigrants.  I remember an episode of Who Do You Think You Are? (see episode) where actress Rachel McAdams learned her family tree included British loyalists who fled the American colonies for Canada during the Revolutionary War. Yup, immigration isn’t just crossing the Atlantic and moving westward– it goes all different directions!

french-art2

 

Category: In Context of History | Tags: , ,

Richard Prior, a Surgeon in London, England

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I love an interesting story– even if it’s a Pryor in another country. An old English newspaper report that mentioned a Richard Prior who was a surgeon caught my interest. The report places Richard in Tooting which is now well into the region considered London, however a couple hundred years or more ago it was probably outside of the hustle and bustle of the city.  I was also intrigued by the magistrate who was looking for the bad guys involved in the reported assault. Yes, Sir John Fielding was pretty interesting guy in his own right as well as the brother of the author Henry Fielding (best known for the bawdy novel Tom Jones).

It sounds like a tale of an attack by 18th century highwaymen…

On Tuesday Night last, about Eleven o’Clock, a Man — a little black Horse, and dressed in a Horseman’s Great Coat, came to the House of Mr. RICHARD PRIOR, surgeon and Man Midwife, at Tooting in Surrey, and asked if Mr. Prior was at Home and delivered the following Message, via. that Mrs. Bromley, living near Mrs. Evley’s was ill, and desired his immediate Assistance and then rode away in great Haste, on which Mr. Honathn Craton, Journeyman to the said Mr. Prior, his Master, noticing at home, set out immediate to — the said Mrs. Bromley’ but Mr. Crayton had not gone far before he overtook two Men on foot and saw the Man on Horseback, a little before them, but he had no sooner passed one of the aforesaid Persons on foot, than he received a Stab in the Side, and endeavouring to make a Defence, he received another, which, if it had taken Place must have destroyed him, as appears from the Cut through his Clothes and Shirt, he also received a violent Blow from the other Man on foot, which brought him to the Ground. At this Instant a Carriage advancing with a Flambeaux the Villains departed, and Mr. Crayton, with some Difficulty, reached Home, and has been dangerously ill of his Wounds ever since. As there is no such Person as Mrs. Bromley living at the Place above mentioned, and as no Money was demanded of this young Gentleman and Mr. Prior was particularly asked for at his house, it is imagined that this was Plan laid by some evil-minded Person to destroy the said Mr. Prior; if therefore any one can give such information to Sir John Fielding as may be the Means of discovering these shocking Offenders, shall receive Fifty Pound Reward on the Commitment of either of them and if any one of them will surrender himself to the Magistrate and discover his Employers or Accomplices —be admitted as Evidence for the Crown and on either of the Convictions be entitled to the same Reward, to be paid by Mr. Alderman Plumb, by the Directions of the Inhabitants in that Neighbourhood, who think themselves highly interest in the Safety of the said Mr. Prior. as well on account of his Character as a Gentleman, as of his Abilities in his Profession and being at the same Time desirous of bringing Offenders to Justice, who are capable of such horrid Attempts.
J. Fielding

The Person who stabbed Mr. Crayton was with a thin pale Vissage, his own, Hair in one —, blue jacket like a Posillion’s, Buck-skin Breeches, half boots. The other was a short Man. If… Persons have been seen loitering at the Alehouses … Neighbourhood, the are desired to give Notice —-
The Public Advertiser, London, 31 Mar 1767

 

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Spotted A Pryor Near Isham Jefferson in Todd County, KY

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Isham Jefferson in Todd County KY

1860 Census, Todd Co., KY
Elkton PO, Page 698, house 185 I. R. Jefferson 69 farmer 20,000 real estate/ 30,000 personal estate VA, S. A. (f) 52 VA, Wm A 24 lawyer KY, W. B. 19 student KY, S. E. (f) 17 KY, Nanie 13 KY, West 8 KY.

I. R. was Isham Randolph Jefferson, son of John Randolph Jefferson (the brother of President Thomas Jefferson). Isham was a son from Randolph’s first marriage, Randolph’s second marriage was to Mitchie Pryor of Buckingham County, VA. Isham Jefferson died in 1862, an obit was published in the Memphis Daily Appeal, 19 Aug 1862:

John Randolph Jefferson (sic), a nephew and adopted son of the immortal Thomas Jefferson, died on the 6th of July last, at his residence in Todd County, Kentucky, in the seventy-first year of his age. The personal resemblance which he bore to the great author of the Declaration of Independence is said to have been astonishingly striking.

So who was the Pryor counted just 4 lines from Isham on the 1860 Census?

Elkton PO., Page 698, house 189 William Pryor 47 TN, Frances 21 KY, M. J. (f) 2 KY, J. L. 1w? (m) KY, J. N. Harris 21 male farmer KY.

 

Category: About TN Lines | Tags: , ,
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