Southern Pryor Family Genealogy
Last week while looking at David Pryor and the Amherst Pryors it got me wondering about trying to figure out if we can come up with a list of the VA Pryors who served in the Revolutionary War. The most concise source is a 1912 book I found in Google Books.
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Back to the David Pryor who appears on Revolutionary War rosters 1778/1779 […read more]. The war ended in 1783 which is the same year David Pryor was recorded on a State Enumeration in Amherst County, VA. I suspect this is the same David Pryor because of a familiar name: Richard Tankersley. Continue reading
Since I just wrote about one or two or three David Pryors, I thought I should mention one more. There’s a David Pryor in who appears on the 1790 Census (first US Census) in Georgetown, SC. He’s also on the 1800 and 1810 Census. I found an obituary for his daughter, Continue reading
The descendants of David Pryor of Buckingham County, VA have claimed him as the father of Mitchie Pryor who married Thomas Jefferson’s brother. I think I’m swayed to that idea… well maybe. His descendants have used him as their “Patriot” ancestor to gain admission to Continue reading
When I read this obit of a Richard Pryor of Clarksville I wondered who he was. Searching for him in Ancestry and through Google didn’t turn over easy answers, but answers I found.
THE RECORD OF DEATH
Daily Tobacco Leaf-Chronicle (October 27, 1892)
(accessed 9/12/14) https://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/lccn/sn88061072/1892-10-27/ed-1/seq-1/#date1=1892&index=2&rows=20&words=Pryor&searchType=basic&sequence=0&state=Tennessee&date2=1892&proxtext=pryor&y=8&x=20&dateFilterType=yearRange&page=1
Richard Pryor Dies Suddenly at York, Alabama.
There are many people in Clarksville who will be pained to learn of the death of Richard Pryor, formerly of this city. He died Saturday last at York, Ala., and was buried Sunday. The Pryor family, it will be remembered, lived in Clarksville for several years and were well liked here.Richard Pryor, by the death of his father, had the care of a family thrown on him when he was a mere boy. He went to work, however, and supported his mother and sisters well. At the time of his death he was a popular paper drummer, travelling for Louis Snider & Sons, of Cincinnati. He was popular with the trade and his death will be very much regretted. He died of an attack of cramp colic.
Hopkinsville Kentuckian, October 28, 1892
Death of Richard Pryor.
(accessed on 9/12/14) http://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/lccn/sn86069395/1892-10-28/ed-1/seq-3/
The Chattanooga Times of Sunday, contained the sad news of the sudden death of Mr. Richard Gaines Pryor, which occurred at York, Ala., on Saturday Oct. 22. Mr. Pryor was for a long time a resident of this city and enjoyed a wide personal acquaintance here. He was a commerical traveler for the well known Cincinnati paper house of Louis Snider’s Sons Co. He made this city on his regular sixty days’ trip just before going south early in October. He was regarded as one of the best paper drummers on the road and commanded a very handsome salary. He was a nephew of Capt. Sam M. Gaines, of Lexington. He was the chief support of a widowed mother and several younger [rest of text missing]
I found this Pryor family on the 1870 Census in KY. If Richard and his mother and siblings lived in Clarksville, TN it was perhaps after 1870. I found his uncle Samuel Morton Gaines was living in Hopkinsville, Christian County, KY in 1880.
1870 Census Todd Co., KY
Trenton Twp. Page 461A. Samuel D. PRYOR 35 farmer VA, Elizabeth 32 VA, Richard G. 11 VA, Elizabeth V. 9 VA, Mary C. 6 VA, Samuel 4 VA, Pattie 2 VA, Samuel Gains 28 lawyer VA, Ada S. 22 VA, Frances 1 VA**
Then I located these Pryors in Charlotte Co., VA in 1860. This location makes sense because I also located the death record for Richard’s uncle, Samuel Morton Gaines– He died in 1928 in Washington, DC and the record states his parents were Richard J. Gaines and Martha W. Venable and he was born 1843 at Charlotte Court House, VA
1860 Census Charlotte Co., VA
Charlotte Court House, page 247 house 422 Richard J Gaines 60 farmer Charlotte VA, Eliza W. 58 Charlotte VA, Mary C 28 Charlotte VA, Robt. H. 26 Charlotte VA, Robt. C. Bouldin 27 lawyer Charlotte VA, Mary R. 27 Charlotte VA, M. M. Bouldin (f) 8 Prince Edward Co. VA, Eliza L Bouldin 1 Charlotte VA, Sallie H. Morton 12 Charlotte VA, Wm J Roach 20 overseer Charlotte VA
Charlotte Court House, page 247 house 423 Sam E. PRYOR 26 Dinwiddie Co VA, Bettie F. 22 Charlotte Co. VA, R. G. Pryor (m) 2 Charlotte Co. VA
Remember Richard’s uncle was Samuel Morton Gaines, two Chancery Court Cases help to explain the relationships– Samuel E. Pryor was married to Elizabeth F. Gaines and Samuel Morton Gaines was her brother.
1861 Chancery Court Case – Richard N Venable and the heirs of E W Morton Vs. the Executor of Elizabeth W Morton. One of the heirs was Elizabeth “Betty” Gaines the wife of Samuel Pryor, daughter of Martha W. Gaines, a daughter of Elizabeth W Morton. 1864 Chancery Court Case for the estate of William Gaines includes his daughter Elizabeth F Gaines Pryor and her husband Samuel E. Pryor.
I suspect Richard’s father, Sam E. Pryor, is same the Samuel who was counted in a school on the 1850 Census.
1850 Census Augusta County, VA
Dist. 2, page 309b, house 1393, Pike Powers’ academy, living in school with other young men… Samuel PRYOR 15 VA
I know, I know… all those gosh-darn Samuel Pryors in Virginia! I have in my notes that Samuel E. Pryor was Samuel Edward Pryor, the son of Samuel Pryor and Mary Ann Withers.
Hope this helps someone searching this line.
** 1867 Samuel M. Gaines married Ada S. Leake in Albemarle Co., VA.