Another Samuel Thornton Pryor. Yes, Again!

I found that I had made notes of a Pryor estate described in a Chancery Court case. I remembered why I had put it aside. Yet another Samuel Thornton Pryor. Really, how many times could this name be used?!  I think I’ve got this one figured out.  The father, William A. Pryor, was a son of Samuel Thornton Pryor and Susan Hunter, and a great-great grandson of Samuel Pryor and Prudence (Thornton).

A summary of the Chancery Case:
Elizabeth T Pryor (widow of William A Pryor) vs.
John D Mills, etc administrator of William A Pryor
Filed in Goochland County, VA

Elizabeth T Pryor, widow of William A Pryor, who died intestate in 1862.
Survived by the following “infant” children, all under age 21.
William Miller, guardian ad litem
Charles F. Pryor
John William Pryor
James Henry Pryor
Samuel Thornton Pryor
Mary Susan Pryor
Rosalie Walton Mills
Samuel Jackson Mills
Betty Beauregard Mills
Robert Lee Mills

In 1860 William A. Pryor and his wife Elizabeth were in Goochland County for the census. His widow and children were in Byrd, Goochland County for subsequent censuses. The Mills family was also in Goochland County in 1860 — Rosalie, Samuel, Betty and Robert were young children.  Their relationship and why they were heirs is not yet known.

OH DEAR! Two New Pryors in Tennessee

tn-pryors

Just when you think you’ve got all the Pryors in TN at 1850 and earlier two new ones pop up. We now have a JOHN PRIOR and DAVID L. PRIOR in Weakley County. I located two court records that named John on charges of unlawful gaming (gambling). One of the cases has David L. Prior as John’s security (bondsman?).

In trying to figure out who these Prior/Pryor men may be I looked at other Weakley County records. I don’t see neither John nor David on the 1830 Census nor on the 1840 Census. There’s a John L. Prior who married in 1846 to Lucinda Smith, but  he was age 22 and she was 20 on the 1850 Census, so he would have been a toddler in 1830-1831.  If the census is correct, John L. Prior was born about 1828 in Tennessee.

Any ideas to match these Prior/Pryor to their families?

1830 Court Record, Weakley Co.
Page 151 (image 224)
January the 15th 1830
This day the grand jury appeared in open court in a body and returned the following bills of indictment to wit…John Prior (for unlawful gaming)
(FamilySearch.org, Tennessee, Probate Court Books, 1795-1927; pal:/MM9.3.1/TH-195-343301-1-59, Weakley County Minutes 1827-1835)

1831 Court Record, Weakley Co.
Page 270 (image 365)
Wednesday October Sessions 1831
State of Tennessee vs. John PRIOR
For unlawful Gaming
This day came the Attorney General on behalf of the State and the defendant being solemnly called to come into court as he was this day bound to do and answer the State’s charte against him came not but made default. Therefore it is considered by the court that a Judgment Nici be entered up against the John Prior & David L. Prior, his Security, for the sum of two hundred dollars and that a Scire Facias issue direced &c. of the
(FamilySearch.org, Tennessee, Probate Court Books, 1795-1927; pal:/MM9.3.1/TH-195-343301-1-59, Weakley County Minutes 1827-1835)

Prior R Hughes

Prior R Hughes in Williamson Co. A great grandson of Catherine Pryor and Henry Lansford of Pittsylvania County, VA. There are other Pryors and Hughes connections; is Prior R. Hughes connected to any of them?

I believe we have John Hughes Pryor born 1785 on the 1840 Census in Williamson County, TN. John married Sallie Smith in 1802 in Goochland County. John was the son of William Pryor and Elizabeth Hughes and the brother of Judith Neville Pryor who married Fountaine Duke and settled in McNairy County, TN.

I found an affidavit in the loose court documents from Williamson County.

State of Tennessee
Williamson County
Personally appeared before me Lemuel? B McConners? clerk said James Hughes and made oath that Pryor Hughes as the guardian for Polly Hughes, Barrett Hughes, and Sally Hughes had never received anything– that he was appointed for the purpose of petitioning the court for an order of sale of land belonging to said minors and others, but abstaining would be attended with much cost it was never deal.
signed Jas. Hughes
undated

There’s a Williamson County will for Polly Hughes proved 15 November 1825 by James Hughes and Nancy Hughes, his wife. It names her brother James Hughes, Benjamin Hughes, 5 sisters (unnamed), and her brother-in-law John Lane.

I don’t want to go on a wild goose chase, but there is also a Lane connection to the Pryors in Goochland County. David Lane married Elizabeth Pryor there in 1757. Are they related to John Lane in Williamson County?

Does anyone have information that connects Prior Hughes with John Hughes Pryor?

Some Pryor Men Named in Obion County, TN Records

tn-pryorsAccessed on FamilySearch.org
Tennessee, Probate Court Books, 1795-1927
Obion County
Inventories, Settlements, Wills 1834-1844

State of Tennessee
Obion County
July Term 1835

William Andrew Administrator of the Estate of Enos Hay deceased Present the following Statement of his Administration of S. Estate to wit

No. 1 Paid to Benjamin Totten of note deed $16.40
2 Paid to Doctor N. L. Allen on Proven acct 5.00
3 Paid to Benjamin Totten on note 1.45
4 Paid to James N. Cullen on note V (viz) Interest 11.58
5 Paid to Lonsdale Walton due on note .88
6 Paid to Byrd Turner on note V (viz) Interest 8.47
7 Paid to THOMAS PRYER on Proven account 8.43
8 Paid to Joshua C Richmon Proven accout 2.50
$49.7_

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Inventory of notes belonging to the Estate of A. Linn Dec’d–

… One note on HENRY PRIAR Due the 25th of Decr. 1835— 6.00

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State of Tennessee
Obion County

Know all men by these presents that we HENRY PRYOR all of the County of Obion and State of Tennessee are held and firmly bound unto Newton Cannon Governor of the State for the time between and his successors in the Penal Sum of ….. dollars for the payment of which well and truly to be made we bind our selves our  heir s executors administrators and assigns jointly and Severally firmly by these presents. Sealed with our Seals and dated this 4th day of April 1835—

The condition of the above obligation is such that if the above bound  Henry Pryor administration of all and singular the goods and chattels lands and Tenements of MATTHEW YOUNG Deceased, do make or cause to be made a true and perfect inventory of all and Singular the goods & chattels Eights & credits of Said Matthew Young Dec’d which have or shall come to the hands or possession or Knowledge of him the Said Henry Pryor or into the hands or possession of any other person or persons and for him and the same so made do exhibit or cause to be exhibited to the County Court when orders for administration passed within ninety days after the date of these presents and the Same goods chattels and credit and all other goods chattels and credits of the Said deceased at the time of his death or which at any time after Shall come to his hands or possession of the Said Henry Pryor or into the hand or possession of any other person for him well and truly administrator according to Law and further do make or cause to be made a true and perfect account of his said administration within two years after the date of this presents and all the rest and residue of the said goods chattels and credits which Shall be found remaining upon the said administrator’s account the same first being examined by the court and allowed of by the county court. Shall deliver and pay unto such person or persons respectfully to whom the same shall be d…,  unto pursuant to the true intent and meaning of the act of assembly in such cases made and provided.  An d if it shall appear than any last will and Testament was made y the deceased and the Executor or Executors therein named do Exhibit the same into court making request to have it allowed and approved accordingly. if the said Henry Pryor be thereunto requested do render and deliver the said letters of administration approbation of such Testaments being first had and made in the said court then this obligation to be Void and of no Effect, or otherwise to remain in full force and Virtue.

Henry Pryor

Abraham Enloe

Jos. S. Enloe

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The amount of Property of the Estate of Matthew Young Dec’d amounted to fifty eight dollars and 18 cents—H. Prior, administrator

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1837

Account of the estate of George H. Long
1 Log chain purchased by Henry Pryor
2 saws purchased by Henry Pryor

Notice of the Estate Auction of Capt. Samuel Pryor

samuel-prior-auction

To be SOLD at public auction, at the Butterwood Spring, in Dinwiddie county, on the first day of January next, About FOURTEEN very likely NEGROES, Part of which for ready money, the other part one year’s credit will be allowed the purchasers, giving bond and security. Also the whole flock of horses, cattle, and hogs, with the corn and fodder, working tools, etc. The whole is the estate of Capt. Samuel Pryor, deceased.
WILLIAM PRYOR, administrator.
All those indebted to the estate are desired to make immediate payment. They will have no father notice.
[Rind’s Virginia Gazette, (Williamsburg, VA), 23 Nov. 1769 , p. 4]