Tennessee Pryors

It’s time to re-visit Howell Tatum who was involved in several deeds with Richard Pryor and his widow Mourning Pryor White in Middle Tennessee. I think I’ve found a connection to another Pryor family. When I looked at Howell Tatum in the past and discussed him with other researchers I was told the he was just a guy who had received a boodle of land in TN after the Revolution. But what if there is another connection to the Pryors? Here we go…

A Pryor researcher has provided a survey (see above) of land in Wilkes County, GA. The survey was done in 1788 for plot number 679 for Edward Prier (sic).  Edward’s 300 acres bordered “Tatum’s Land” (see bottom of the survey map). The 1791 Tax List for Wilkes County, GA provides the next clues.  It includes Edward Prier, Howell Tatum, and Peter Tatum.

I’ve looked at several online family trees that show Howell Tatum as a son of Peter Tatum and Rebecca Howell. In these trees researchers also show Peter as also the father of Epps Tatum who married Sukie Pryor. Last week I posted about Benjamin Catching who was on a 1785 deed in Wilkes County, GA with an Edward Pryor and Peter Tatum.  Well, that’s interesting!

So I’ve separated out records involving Pryors and Howell Tatum. It should be noted that the Howelll Tatum who’s the primary man of interest is of an age to have served in the Revolutionary War. His brother, James, served in 1775 (see application https://revwarapps.org/s39102.pdf) — Howell Tatum also applied for a pension, so he may have been born in the 1750’s or 1760’s. There is a younger Howell Tatum (“Holewell Tatum”) in Rutherford County in 1820, so perhaps some of the records pertain to one or the other. Online family trees show Sukie Pryor Tatum as the mother of a Howell Tatum, so perhaps the younger Howell is a nephew. Figuring out who is whom may take some sifting.

NOTES OF RECORDS

1791, Sumner Co., TN – William Pryor bought land from William Fort and Howell Tatum (land bordered John Pryor and John Hannah. John Pryor in Jan. 1791 was bonded in a Sumner Co. court case involving John Cotton and Howell Tatum.

1802- Smith Co., TN – Thomas White & Mourning White (formerly Mourning Prior[sic]) Administrator & Administratrix of Richard Pryor decd. of Logan County & State of Kentucky of the one part and James Ewing of Smith County & State of Tennessee of the other part Witnesseth, that whereas in the life time of the said Richard Pryor Decd. he bound himself by his Writing Obligatory in the penal Sum of two hundred pounds to Execute a Deed valid in Law to William Pryor four [sic] hundred Acres of Land his choice of twelve hundred & Eighty Acres, part of Tract of three thousand acres lying on the Caney fork of Cumberland River, formerly the property of Howel Tatum…

1803, Wilson Co., TN – Howell Tatum is on the 1803 Tax List for Wilson Co., TN (no ages notes on tax list)

1806, Logan Co., KY – John Prier Jr. of Logan Co deeded 376 acres on the Caney Fork of the Cumberland (in TN) to Stephen Cantrell of Smith County, TN on 27 Mar 1806. Deed states land previously belonged to Howell Tatum. Wit. James Ewing.

1812 Davidson Co., TN – Howell Tatum married Rosannah Wendel (see his Revolutionary War Pension  https://revwarapps.org/r2027.pdf).

1818 Davidson Co., TN – Howell Tatum made an oath in Davidson County as a witness to James Tatum’s application for a Revolutionary War Pension. Howell Tatum not only received land but also applied for a Revolutionary War pension (see https://revwarapps.org/r2027.pdf).

1820 Rutherford Co., TN — On the census, Allen Prior 210110 – 10010 (oldest male 26 to 45 years, born between 1775-1794). On the same page with Allen Pryor is a James S. Hannah. Also in Rutherford Co. was a Howell Tatum (he was no older than 44, so he does not appear to be old enough to be a Revolutionary War vet). This may be Allen Pryor, son of Edward Pryor of Wilkes Co., GA. Allen Pryor was in Obion Co., TN by the 1830 Census.

1822 – Howell Tatum died (per witness in his Revolutionary War pension application file).

Are you thinking what I’m thinking? — Is Richard Pryor of Greene County, TN and Logan Co., KY related to these Pryors in GA? There’s a possibility with this connection through Howell Tatum. Tatum served through NC. Greene County, TN is known as an entry point to TN for men who served through NC.

Hope this fuels your Pryor research!