Southern Pryor Family Genealogy
Major John Pryor of Richmond was a Revolutionary War soldier and signed several documents to attest to other soldiers service in the War (see http://revwarapps.org/). Here’s some samples which may come in handy if you’re trying to figure out if which John Pryor signed a document.
Pension Application for William Gentry:
Pension Application for John Fenn:
Pension Application for Thomas Ward and Isaac Kimmy (Kinney?):
Pension Application for Benjamin Lawson:
Sept 1758, Albemarle Co. – Men who fought with the Militia in the French Indian War.
http://files.usgwarchives.net/va/albemarle/military/frenchindian/fiw_albemarle.txt
There are 3 Pryor men on this list (well, maybe 2 Pryors and 1 Prior).
Rich. Prior
Nicholas Pryor
William Pryor
I notices as I’ve searched out Pryor connections I kept stumbling upon this list. When I poked around a bit I found that several of the men had some pretty interesting connections to the Pryors, mostly to the line of Nicholas Pryor. Here goes…
Jas. Nevil, Capt. – Captain James Neville was married to Lucy Thomas. After his death his widow, Lucy, married Abraham Childress. Yes, the same Abraham Childress who was the grandfather of young John and David Pryor who were orphaned in 1747. Abraham Childress, and the younger John and David Pryor all appear on records in Albemarle County.
Chas. Ellis , Capt. – Captain Charles Ellis was the father of Susannah Ellis who married Isaac Wright, and the Captain was also the grandfather of Elizabeth Wright who married the Capt. William Pryor who served in the American Revolution and settled in Amherst Co. Capt. William Pryor was born shortly before 1758 to the elder William Pryor living in Albemarle County. Ellis was deeded land in Albemarle County on Horsely Branch in 1759 (around the time of his service in the Militia).
John Hunter , Capt. – This may be the same man as Jno. Hunter who was recorded as a property owner living in Amherst County in 1769, surrounded by properties owned by neighbors of the Pryors in the same county. (Amherst Deed Book C, p. 18, 15 Jun 1769 JNO. DENNEE & wife ELIZ, Roann)
Cornelius Thomas , Lieut. – Cornelius is recorded as the son of Lucy Thomas (see James Neville above).
Ashcroft Roach – Ashcroft was the son of Henry Roach of St. Peter’s Parish, New Kent County. Henry was in that parish about the time Nicholas Pryor baptized his son William Pryor at the same parish in 1725.
Isham Davis – Brother of Abadiah Davis who married William Floyd. Researchers have stated Abadiah and William were the parents of Charles Floyd who went on the Lewis and Clark Expedition and also the parents of Nancy Floyd who married John Pryor — the parents of Nathaniel Pryor another Lewis and Clark explorer. Isham Davis owned property on Wilderness Swamp in Albemarle County in 1756.
Thos. Cotrell , Corp. – Thomas Cottrell owned property on the Buffalo River in Albemarle in 1750. He was born in Henrico County. His brother Gilbert Cottrell married an Elizabeth Pryor in 1760.
Solo. Carter – Solomon Carter was a property owner on Puppy’s Creek in Albemarle County in 1767. He married Mary Ann Childress, daughter of Abraham Childress (again, the grandfather of John and David Pryor of Albemarle County).
Charlotte County Court Grounds
I think we may be able to figure out a stray Samuel Pryor that was floating around Virginia in the early years after the American Revolution.
There’s a Pryor will in Charlotte County, VA.
Will of Robert PRYOR written in Dec 1779, proved Apr 1780. Names wife Mildred Pryor, son Samuel PRYOR (a minor), Martha PRYOR, Prudent PRYOR, Mary PRYOR, and Elizabeth PRYOR daughters of Samuel PRYOR deceased.
Robert Pryor has been referred to as a son of Samuel Pryor and Prudence Thornton by other researchers and I seem to remember J. Gatewood Pryor in his book also states Robert was Samuel’s son. While I can’t find any documents that name Robert as a son I may be willing to take that leap. Samuel Pryor is supposed to be the son of Robert Pryor and Virginia Betty Green, so it’s not unlikely that he would name a son after his father.
Robert Pryor in his will left his estate to his minor son named Samuel (again, this possibly follows the tradition of naming a child after one’s father).
Robert also included four Pryor women who were the daughters of another Samuel. Could this “other” Samuel in Robert’s will be his brother and the son of Samuel and Prudence? I’ve seen family trees that indicate that Samuel Pryor and Prudence Thornton had a son named Samuel, although I’ve found nothing about him. And again in the book by J. Gatewood Pryor he stated Samuel and Prudence had a son also named Samuel, although he mistakenly stated that it was the Samuel who married Frances Morton. If this “other” Samuel only had female heirs (Martha, Prudent [sic], Mary, and Elizabeth) and was deceased by 1779, it’s not out of the question that researchers have not focused on his line, nor found out more about him.
And it is intriguing that this “other” Samuel named a daughter Prudent (or Prudence?), possibly after his mother Prudence Thornton Pryor.
I guess as we move forward to solve the Pryor lines in Virginia, we have to ask if other Samuel Pryors in the records are “this” Samuel Pryor.
A quick note on yesterday’s post. Edward Brook or Brooke witnessed the marriage of Nancy Pryor and Thomas Sands. I think I may have found Edward or perhaps a near relative.
Nicholas Maggett, Oliver Burke, William Lyle, Edward Bookey, William Cripps, Nicholas Pryor ———————- 3
Mr. William Cocke, Custe and Nanne Negr ———————- 3
Nicholas Pryor is recorded as a headright in 1688 on the ship of Captain Thomas Cocke. We’ve got Nancy Pryor who looks like she’s from the line of Maj. John Pryor of Richmond.
Hmmm…. is Major John Pryor from the line of Nicholas Pryor?
Alas there are times when people are lost to the ages. Sometimes it feels like many of our female Pryors are lost. I have an idea of which line this Nancy Pryor belongs to.
There’s a York County, VA marriage…
Thomas Sands to Nancy Pryor
Bondsman: Edward Brook (signed “Brooke”)
Witness: Ben. Waller, Jr.
August 23, 1796, p. 426
I suspect this Nancy Pryor is related to Major John Pryor of Richmond.
1. Major John Pryor’s sister was Mary Pryor who married James Quarles. When Mary died, James married Dorothy Waller.
2. The Waller’s were a prominent family in Virginia (as were Major Pryor’s family). Benjamin Waller Sr. was the son of a Dorothy King. Was Benjamin Sr. the father of both Benjamin Waller Jr. and Dorothy Waller Quarles? http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Benjamin_Waller
3. The will of John Tayloe Corbin was witnessed by Benjamin Waller of Williamsburg in 1793. Major John Pryor was connected to the Tayloes through his horse trading:
A publication of a horse pedigree in The American Farmer states a horse named Federalist raised on the estate of John Tayloe, deceased, was sold to Major John Pryor by William Beale Jr. (published April 17, 1829, but the sale possibly occurred 10 to 20 years earlier). The America Stud Book, Vol. 1 states Federalist was bred at Mt. Airy.
I’m keeping a note of this Nancy Pryor as a possible niece of Major John Pryor.