Big Clue to Ancestry of Harris Pryor of Bedford Co. and Prince Edward Co.

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Goochland, Virginia

I think we can join Harris Pryor born about 1740 to his correct line of Pryor ancestors. If you need to refresh your memory go to my last post about Harris Pryor. I believe Harris is connected to Jesse Pryor of Overton Co., TN and Samuel Pryor who died in Anderson Co., TN in 1815 and other Pryors who were in Knox and Roane County. Now I think I know from which line Harris Pryor descends. I found online the 1775 will of John Wright the husband of Ann Pryor (daughter of John Pryor and Mary New).  I got interested in Ann Pryor and John Wright when they showed up as a DNA match on the Ancestry DNA test I’ve been moderating. What really lit up my day of research? Harris Pryor witnessed John Wright’s will. Ooops, I forgot to end that sentence with a big fat exclamation point!

There’s an article in The Virginia Historical Magazine  that includes a very brief synopsis of the 1755 will of John Pryor (husband of Mary New) stating legatees were his daughters Rebecca Woodson and Ann Wright. No mention of his wife nor any other children. If Harris Pryor wasn’t a son of John Pryor and Mary New who was he?

I’ve taken my pencil and I’ve drawn a tenative, yet optomistic line between Harris and my line of Pryors that begins with Nicholas. Now, I just need to figure out how he fits in.
Category: Virginia Pryors | Tags: , , , , ,

Pryors on Blackburn’s Fork of Roaring River in Jackson County, TN

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Confluence of Blackburn Fork Creek and Roaring River, Jackson Co, TN Confluence of Blackburn Fork Creek and Roaring River, Jackson Co, TN

I’ve been using the TN and NC Land Grants to put together a picture of which Pryors lived near one-another, get an idea of where they were from, and who was related to whom.  More than 5 years ago I wrote about the Pryors in Jackson and Williamson Counties who seem  to be related (Leroy B. Pryor – Part II: Can We Connect the Cousins?). Knowing where they lived seems to add perspective to their connection.

Nancy Crocker b. 1764 is suspected to be related to the Pryors — Polly and Rhoda Pryor, daughters of Henry B. Pryor of Williamson Co. were living in Jackson County in 1850 and married Crocker brothers.

1828 Land Grant In Jackson County, TN. To David Lovall assignee of Nancy Crocker, 50 acres per survey dated 1 June 1827 on West Side of Blackburn Fork of Roaring River, house where Nancy Crocker formerly lived. Dated 11 Sept 1828.

There were several Pryors near William Swearingin in 1840– Nancy, Allen and Cinda. William Swearinging was on Blackburn’s Fork so it’s probably safe to assume that Nancy Allen and Cinda were also living near that location. It’s interesting to see the Bruington name because William H. Pryor of Overton County was connected to the Bruingtons.

1830 Land Grant to James Bruington for land on Blackburn’s Fork of Roaring River. Near William Swearingin’s line.

Hewitt J Dennis is another name that connects the Pryors. Nancy Crocker was living with his family on the 1850 Census. His children share names with John Y Crocker’s family– Darcus, Sary. I believe Hewitt J Dennis went to Iron Co., MO with the Crockers and  Pryors.  There’s a 1870 marriage for a Hewitt J. Dennis performed by William T. Crocker in Iron Co. Hewitt J. Dennis bought property in Iron County in 1882.

1838 Land Grant to Hewitt J Dennis assignee of Leah Harris on the waters of Blackburn’s Fork of Roaring River on the East Side of William Pryor’s spring branch. Grant includes the house and improvements formerly occupied by William Pryor.

I wonder which William Pryor used to live on the land that was purchased by Hewitt J Dennis. Was it the William Pryor on the 1840 Census? Was it the William Pryor married to Alsey on the 1850 Census?

The last grant I found on Blackburn’s fork is sale of Nancy Pryor’s property, including her house, to Isaac Haney. This is the Nancy Pryor who I’ve referred to in the past as “Nancy the Weaver” due to her occupation. On the 1850 Census she was living with Love McGehee who was married to her daughter Cassa Pryor. The death record for Nancy’s son Amos Pryor stated his father was Caleb Pryor. I’ve never found a Caleb Pryor, so that’s another Pryor still open to research and debate.

1847 Land Grant in Jackson County, TN – No. 9388, Granted to Isaac Haney assignee of Nancy PRIER 50 acres per survey of 26 Sept 1838 on Blackburn’s Fork of Roaring River, near tract owned by David Lovall. The grant includes the house and improvements where Nancy Pryor was living. 30th June 1848.

So which Pryors are related? It certainly helps to know who was living around Blackburn’s Fork.

  • Alfred, Allen, and Thomas Pryor born 1808, 1810, 1813. Alfred and Allen were born in SC and Thomas on the 1850 and 1860 Census states he was born in TN. Alfred’s children migrated to Dent County, MO. Allen’s and Thomas’ widows and children migrated to Franklin County, IL.
  • Caleb Pryor b. 1800? married to Nancy the Weaver. All of their known children were alive in 1880 and stated their father was born in TN. Whether his actual name was Caleb or something else, I now suspect this man was a brother of Alfred, Allen, and Thomas Pryor due to all of their connections to Blackburn’s Fork.
  • Sarah or Sary Pryor b. 1764 who was living with John Y Crocker in 1850 is somehow related to the 4 Pryor men noted above.  Ah, but who was she married to? I’m wondering if it was someone obvious. Joseph Pryor of Tuscaloosa, AL was born about 1767. He was allegedly married to Sarah Patton or Odle. Could she have stayed behind rather than moving to AL or was she visiting TN?

I suspect this is another piece of the puzzle. Still playing with the whole picture and testing which pieces fit.

 

Category: Tennessee Pryors | Tags: , ,

Connecting Daniel Farley to the Pryors

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Virginia and U.S. Flag, Yorktown, Virginia (VA)

Here’s a case for Pryors descended from the Goochland County, VA line of Samuel Pryor and his wife Prudence Thornton!

Samuel Pryor vs William Pryor, et al
Filed in Chancery Court of Louisa County
http://www.lva.virginia.gov/chancery/case_detail.asp?CFN=109-1835-021

A 1799 Summons for not answering a bill of complaint exhibited against him in the county court of Louisa by Samuel Pryor, son of Samuel, John A Pryor, Daniel Farley and Patsey his wife by order of the court.

A copy of the summons was left for Samuel Pryor on the 8th day of May 1799. William Pryor is no inhabitant.

The Commonwealth of Virginia to the sheriff of Louisa County greeting we command you that you attach Samuel Pryor executor of William Pryor dec’d who was administrator of Samuel Pryor deceased if he be found within your balliwick and have save by keep so that you have his body before the justices of our county court of Louisa at the court house. (for Oct 17, 1799)

Col William Pryor who was married to Sarah Wood, was deceased by the time of this suit and he had been the executor of his father Samuel Pryor’s estate. Col. William’s own son named Samuel was his executor and he was also deceased. The suit notes that this younger Samuel Pryor’s children were John A Pryor, Martha Patsy Pryor married to Daniel Farley, and Samuel Pryor.

The youner Samuel Pryor was in Henry Co., KY by 1800. Perhaps he was already in KY by 1799, explaining why he could not be served in Louisa County. John A. Pryor was in KY by 1799 as his son Daniel Farley Pryor was recorded as born in KY in July 1799 in a family Bible.

Daniel Farley must  have been a beloved or well-respected family member after marrying Patsey (or Martha) Pryor. His brother-in-law John A Pryor named his youngest son Daniel Farley Pryor.

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

William Pryor Photo with Overton County Connection

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41_georgenwilliam
This photo has been on the TN Pryor website for some time and is begging to be identified.  It was shared with the website by a descendant of Edward Pryor (son of Spicy and William Pryor) of Overton County, TN.  On the back is written “William Pryor and son George Pryor.”  I’ve mulled over this relationship with several researchers and we can’t come up with a William who was kin to Edward Pryor who would have been about this age in roughly the early 1900’s.

We’ve speculated that this may be Overton Pryor b. 1816. Was his full name William “Overton” Pryor?

Or was this William Anderson Pryor b. 1865 son of Edward Pryor and Eliza Knight with his son George Bryant Pryor b. 1893? William Anderson Pryor moved to Pulaski Co., KY after 1880 and lived there until his death in 1950. There’s even some question whether William Anderson was actually the son of Edward Pryor in that he was born while Edward was away serving in the Civil War and only Shadrack, Ellen and Eliza were stated to be his children on his Civil War pension application (William and 3 other children were omitted). Possilby the birth of 3 children while Edward was away explains why he and Eliza listed their marital status as divorced on the 1880 Census.

Can anyone give us a positive ID of these folks?

Category: Photos, Tennessee Pryors | Tags: , ,

Jesse Pryor of Knox County– Is He the Jesse Pryor in Overton County?

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juda-pryorWow, the TN Tax Lists are INTERESTING! In 1804 there was a Jesse Pryor on the Knox County Tax list. I can’t tell much about him — he had one pole and no acres recorded. There was also a Samuel Pryor in Knox County with the same status. They were both in Captain Steel’s Company that consisted of 66 taxpayers.

I wondered in print (Harris Pryor of Knox Co., TN and Bedford Co., VA) if Jesse Pryor of Knox County was the same Jesse Pryor who went to Overton County, TN.  Myself and other researchers have long speculated that Jesse was the father of Juda Pryor who married William Huston Hummel (Juda is on the 1850 Census with an older Anna Pryor who may be her mother). When Juda’s son John McDonald Hummel died in 1915 his mother was reported as “Julie Pryor” born in “East Tenn.” How about that… Knox County is in East Tennessee.

If Jesse is the of Harris Pryor of Bedford County, then I suspect Samuel is related to this line. They seem to stick with each other through the records. This is the point to pour your second cup of coffee before we jump into the puzzle.

Yes, the pieces of the puzzle start to stack up to complete the picture that Jesse and Samuel were related.

  • Samuel and Jesse were on the 1804 Tax List in Knox County – Both living in Captain Steel’s Company.
  • The administratrix of Samuel Pryor’s estate was Fanny Ferguson Pryor and a later Roane County court case ID’s Samuel Pryor as the grandfather of P. Miller Freels. There was a John Foggueson (sic) also in Captain Steel’s Company on the 1804 Knox County Tax List.  John Ferguson may have been Fanny’s brother as there is a John Ferguson, deceased, named on a 1839 Cumberland County Chancery Court suit that also names Fanny Pryor and her children.
  • Jesse Pryor is spectulated to be the father of Juda Pryor Hummel of Overton County whose son’s death record states she was born in East Tennessee.
  •  Samuel Pryor died in Anderson County, TN in about 1815 (that’s when Fanny was appointed administratrix). There’s a Jesse Pryor on the 1805 Tax List for Anderson County. Jesse was recorded as #119. I found #85 Isaac Freels, #96 Burrell Hudson, #157 and #158 were Edward and Thomas Freels, #191 John Rector–a daughter of Samuel and Fanny Pryor married Edward Freels around 1813 or earlier. Another daughter, Mary, married Barry Hudson. John Rector was recorded near Fanny Pryor and her son Harris Pryor on the 1830 census in Roane County.
  • Jesse Pryor, son of Harris Pryor and Mary Kinnerson was from Bedford Co., VA. Juda Pryor Hummel stated her parent’s place of birth as VA on the 1880 Census.
  • The Jesse Pryor on the 1830 Census in Overton Co., TN was born between 1771-1780. Samuel’s wife is on the 1830 Census in Roane Co., TN and was also born between 1771-17780, so perhaps Samuel was also born about the same time, which would make Samuel and Jesse contemporaries.
  • I believe sons of Harris Pryor of Bedford County, VA came to Knox County at the end of the 1790’s. In 1799 William Pryor (Harris’ oldest son) signed a petition for tax relief for an impaired neighbor (Richard Shields). In 1801 Harris Jr. (he didn’t use Jr on documents – I’m just using it to distinguish him from his father) was on the deliquent tax list for Knox County. In 1801 Jesse Pryor was a defendant in a crime.
  • Samuel is not mentioned in any Bedford County, VA records so, I don’t yet see how he’s related, though he lived around Harris’ family in TN and named his son Harris.

Happy to hear from anyone who wants to contribute to this theory with a pro or con!

Category: Tennessee Pryors | Tags: , , ,
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