DNA and Marriage Connections

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MarriageIt’s amazing how identifying the Pryors gets easier when the connections become clearer. In my last post (William Pryor of Amherst County – Do We Have A Name For His Mother?) I discussed uncovering a possible link between the Pryor and Laffoon families of Goochland County. So many wonderful connections have popped up in my research over the weekend– I hope that sharing will spur your own research.

An interesting connection came out my family member’s DNA results. We’re distant cousins (1st cousin 6x removed) of  Ann Pryor, daughter of John Pryor and Mary New. I theorized in a past post (The Patriarch: Tracing Nicholas Pryor) that John was the son of my ancestor Nicholas Pryor. John the older brother of David and William Pryor was born in about 1689, not too long after Nicholas was recorded as a Headright in Goochland County.

There have been NO DNA matches between the “other” Pryors in Goochland County… that’s the line of Col. Samuel Pryor and Prudence Thornton who go back to Robert Pryor and Virginia Betty Green.  That means that the Pryors in Amherst, Albemarle, Cumberland Counties in VA are probably not related to this other line. It also means that the Pryors in Nashville, Sumner County, and Overton County in TN are not related to the Pryos in Marion Co., TN.

Two Wrights… This weekend I looked at William Pryor of Amherst Co. He gave a statement about his service in the Revolutionary War with his brothers John and Nicholas (I know many people get tired of me mentioning this but it’s a good way to ID which William I’m talking about). William married Elizabeth Wright. Ann Pryor (daughter of John Pryor and Mary New) married John Wright. William and Ann Pryor were first cousins. I wonder if the Wrights were kin to one another?

Captain Ellis and the Pryors… In looking at Wrights I found that William’s wife Elizabeth Wright was the daughter of Isaac Wright and Susannah Ellis. I haven’t placed Isaac yet (really I haven’t worked on it), however I found that Susannah was the daughter of Capt. Charles Ellis and Susannah Harding. If you go back to my last post you’ll see that William’s father (William who was married to Margaret) sold land to a William Harding in 1751. And Captain Ellis is tied to the Pryors through their military service: William, Nicholas and a Richard Pryor all served under Ellis.

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

Harris Pryor of Roane County Revisited

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Log Cabin

I apologise if I’m not always speedy in answering my Pryor emails and comments on the website. I received a comment that relates to the post Harris Pryor and Roane County, TN Pryors (January 11, 2011).  It’s time to take another look at the Pryors in Roane and Anderson Counties and to assess their relationships.

The writer is looking for the mother of Pleasant Miller Freels. Turns out that Pleasant is the grandson of Samuel Pryor whose estate was administered in 1815 in Anderson County, TN.  At the time of the estate Frances Pryor posted bond and Edward Freels was security.  The researcher provided reference to an 1846 Roane County court case that involved Pleasant M. Freels and Harris Pryor, referring to Pleasant as Samuel Pryor’s grandson.

I’ve added census extractions that include Pleasant Miller Freels to the TN Pryor website (Anderson County and Roane County).

The same writer also referred to a 1927 article about Harris Pryor (read more in “A Fishing Trip”). It discusses four children that the single Harris Pryor cared for: Jane (Lockett), Fanny (Hudson), Bill Lockett, and Pleasant Freels.  Harris Pryor’s 1847 will states that Jane Pryor Lockett and Frances “Fanny” Pryor Hudson were Harris’ nieces.  Harris’ mother Frances Pryor pre-deceased him.  In her 1846 will she refers to her son Harris Pryor, so it’s likely that she is the grandmother of Jane and Fanny.

When Samuel Pryor died in 1815, Fanny Pryor was the estate administrator and then in 1827 Fanny, William Pryor along with Harris Pryor posted additional bond.  It’s possible that this is the same William Pryor who was named on several land deeds in Roane County. William’s first deed was in 1808 on Poplar Creek. He was named in deeds as late as 1817 mentioning land on Poplar Creek.  When Fanny died in 1846, her will states her land was on Poplar Creek.  It’s likely that Harris Pryor was living on his mother’s land when he was counted on the 1830 census– there’s an older female in his household who is probably Fanny and he was counted near John Rector and Rector is named with William Pryor in a 1811 Roane County deed.

The real “AH HA!” moment was in the Chancery Court Records

1839 Chancery Court Case
Filed about 1839 in Cumberland County, VA
Executor of Robert M Bondurant v
Executor of Robert Ferguson, et al
————————————————
Page 61 – Robert Ferguson has also departed this life having first duly published his last will and testament of which Jno W. Wilson of the County of Cumberland is executor – that by the said will Nancy Ferguson of said County the widow of said. Robert and Boler Blackburn and Lucy his wife, formerly Lucy Ferguson —– Stone and Elizabeth his wife formerly Ferguson (and which said Lucy and Elizabeth are the only children and heirs of John Ferguson deceased), Frances Pryor, Alcey Lockett, Berry Hudson and Polly his wife, Harris Pryor and William Pryor which said Alcey, Polly, Harris and William are children of the said Frances Pryor), Lucy Reynolds, Robert Reynolds, Thomas Reynolds, William Roberts and Mary his wife, formerly Mary Reynolds, harry Ames and Ellizabeth his wife, Samuel Hughes and Fanny his wife and Seymore Reynolds (the said Robert, Thomas, Mary, Elizabeth, Fanny and Seymour, are children of the said Lucy Reynolds) are entitled to that portion of the said 192 acres of land which the said testator Robert Ferguson bought as aforesaid of the said Thomas B. Randolph.

I now suspect Samuel and Fanny’s family to look something like this

Fanny (Ferguson?) Pryor born 1771-1780, married to Samuel Pryor
children:
Harris Pryor born 1801-1810, d. 1846 (Fanny’s will state’s he was her son), he never married.
William Pryor born 1801-1810 He’s on the 1830 Census in Anderson Co., TN.
Ailsey (Alice?) Pryor Lockett b. 1800, mother of Jane Lockett, possibly also the mother of Bill Lockett. Married to Benjamin Lockett.
Mary “Polly” Pryor Hudson born 1801-1810, d. about 1837, mother of Fanny Hudson, married to Berry Hudson.
Mr Pryor married to Rebecca born 1801-1810,  Rebecca is on the 1830 & 1840 Census in Anderson Co., TN.
Miss Pryor married to Edward Freels, mother of Pleasant Miller Freels

Category: About TN Lines | Tags: , , ,

William Pryor of Amherst County – Do We Have A Name For His Mother?

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Bride QuiltWay back in 2000 an online researcher posted the question: How is William Pryor of Albemarle related to William Lafoon who died about 1744 in Henrico/Goochland County. http://genforum.genealogy.com/prior/messages/111.html

The same researcher posted that in 1751, “WILLIAM PRIOR/PRYOR (who was then listed as a resident of Albemarle Co., VA) sold 200 acres of land in Henrico County to WILLIAM HARDING of Henrico Co. This land was noted as “part of a greater tract of land granted to WILLIAM LAFFOON by patent.”

In prior posts (no pun intended) I established that William Pryor was the son of Nicholas Pryor of Henrico/Goochland County. William and his wife Margaret were living in Albemarle County in 1750. They were the parents of William Pryor who served in the Revolution and married Elizabeth Wright, residing in Amherst County in an area that  had been  part of Albemarle County.

I don’t want to rock the authority of the Amherst County Museum and Historical Society — Their article (http://amherstcountymuseum.org/local.html) states William Pryor and wife Elizabeth had a daughter named Margaret Lafew Pryor. I wish I could find a source for the information on the museum’s website. Could it possibly be Margaret Laffoon Pryor? Was she named for William’s mother? This would certainly explain how the elder William Pryor was connected to William Laffoon… an inheritance could be explained if William Pryor was married to Margaret Lafoon.

Category: Virginia Pryors | Tags: , , ,

Harris Pryor of Knox Co., TN and Bedford Co., VA

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While digging into more Virginia records I stumbled upon an old record that’s a big hint to ID some of the Tennessee Pryors. If you’ve got Pryors in early Knox County… this will help.

First stop… Bedford County, VA. A 1819 Chancery Court Case names many of the Pryors in Bedford County.

William Dickinson vs. HARRIS PRYOR. A 1819 summons issued to Edmund Franklin and wife Betsy, William Holliday and late wife Polly, Polly Pryor, Nancy Pryor, Harris Pryor, Richard Mays and Juggy his late wife, heirs of Harris Pryor deceased. Document in filed dated 14 Dec 1820, signed by Harris Pryor in Louisville, KY. States he was formerally of Bedford County, but was then a resident of Louisville.

I think the elder Harris Pryor was the same Harris Pryor who was counted in Prince Edward County in 1784 and again in 1790. On both census there were 10 whites in his household.  I also think I can ID now these 10 people. This is when genealogy gets fun!

1. Harris Pryor Sr. born? (head) – died about 1804 (there’s a Bedford County will)
2. Mary “Polly” Kinnerson** (wife) – Polly is identified as the mother of Juggy Pryor on her marriage record. I believe she remarried to William Holiday in 1812 after the death of Harris Sr.
3 Betsy Pryor (daughter) who married Edmund Franklin in 1794, the record states she was the daughter of Harris Pryor.
4. Juggy Pryor (daughter) who married Richard Mays in 1806.
5. Nancy Pryor (daughter) married Rawley (or Raleigh) Rather in 1819 after the suit was filed.
6. Harris Pryor (son) Living in Louisville in 1820 per the suit. Possibly the same Harris who was on the 1830 and 1840 Census in Knox Co., TN.
7. William Pryor (son), counted on the 1800 Census in Bedford County, surety for marriage of Juggy Pryor in 1806. William is identified as the eldest son of Harris and Mary Pryor in a 1783 suit.**
8. Polly (or Mary)  Pryor (daughter) named on the suit, but no other information is known.
9. Patsy (or Martha) Pryor (daughter) who married Elijah Mays in 1801, the record states she is the daughter of Harris Pryor.
10. Jesse Pryor (son) who married Judith Harris in 1796 in Prince Edward County, and possibly the same Jesse Pryor in early Knox County records with a William and Harris Pryor. I’ve wondered if this is the Jesse Pryor who was in Overton Co. by 1830.

** Chancery Court Case in Prince Edward County (1783) George David vs. heirs of Norton Kennerson, Mary Pryor, married to Harris Pryor and their eldest son named William Pryor, also Agnes Kennerson who married John Alsop. Mary and Agnes were identified as sisters of Norton Kennerson.  The case concerns a land transaction made by Norton in 1773.

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

Denard Pryor: Guilford Co., NC and Clay Co., MO

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civil_war_actors

I found some great stuff in the Fold3 Military Records.  It has been extremely useful for one Pryor line that seemingly evaporated from census records in 1850 and 1860. Last year I wrote about the family of trombonist Arthur Pryor of St. Joseph, MO (see June 9, 2011 post). This year I’ve filled in some of family connections with the help of Fold3 and other researchers.

Arthur’s grandfather , the patriarch of this Pryor line, was Denard Pryor born about 1805. One researcher posted online that they found Denard in “Guilford Co. North Carolina Apprentice Bonds & Papers 1817 – 1870.” On 20 November 1820 Denard was an orphan and was apprenticed to Andrew Waggaman. It doesn’t say if he was apprenticed to learn a trade, however Alson Pryor (possibly a brother) at age 13 was also an orphan and apprenticed to John Waggoner on 5 April 1820. Alson may have been apprenticed as a tailor as that was his stated profession on the 1850 through the 1880 Census.

Denard Pryor is on the 1840 Census in Clay County, Mo. He was probably married (there’s a woman in the household who was about the same age as Denard) and there were 8 children in the household. Denard was the father of bandleader Samuel D. Pryor of St. Joseph, MO (father of trombonist Arthur Pryor). There are accounts of Samuel living in Nebraska and earlier in Texas, however I haven’t found Denard on any other census. If you find him let me know!

There was also a Thomas Pryor on the same page of the 1840 Census of Clay Co., MO. An Ancestry family tree shows Thomas born also in Guilford County, NC, so perhaps there is a relationship between Denard and Thomas. Thomas was deceased by 1850; his widow and children are on the 1850 Census in Lawrence Co., MO.

Death Notices in St. Joseph newspapers also helped to determine which Pryors were children of Denard—they were often clear that the descendent was related to musician Arthur Pryor. Military records were also helpful in determining who were Denard’s children.

1. James T. Pryor b. 1830 in NC, married Julia Ann Lewis and settled in St. Joseph, MO, working as a well digger.
2. Emsley R. Pryor b. 1831 in NC, married Caroline Self and settled in St. Joseph, MO, working as as a well digger. 1890 Census states he served as a bugler during the Civil War.
3. Alfred “Burton” Pryor b. 1835 in MO, married Mary “Polly” Portman and died in Denton Co., TX. His son Frank Hickman Pryor worked as a piano tuner in Denton Co., TX.
4. Robert Pryor b. 1841 in MO, married Mary — ?, living in St. Joseph, MO in 1860 and 1870.
5. Samuel D. Pryor b. 1844 in Clay Co., MO, married Mary Coker, settled in St. Joseph, MO. Musican and father of Arthur Pryor.
6. Alice Pryor b. 1846 in TX, married John J. Hughes, settled in St. Joseph, MO.

Again, there were 8 children in the household in 1840, so there are still a few missing from my list.

Burton Pryor born 1835 is definitely a son and possibly Alson Pryor who registered for the draft in St. Joseph.  I like Alson as a possible son, perhaps named for the brother who was apprenticed with Denard in NC.

Denard’s and his sons’ military service was interesting. In February 1862 Robert, Emsley, and James Pryor enlisted in the Union Army in St. Joseph. A month later their father, Denard, enlisted. Denard fudged his age, stating he was 45, although he was closer to 55 years old. By April 1862, Robert and James had deserted and weren’t arrested until 1864—They were turned in by an informant, arrested in New Jersey and transported to Leavenworth, KS (yes, the federal prison!). Denard was in the army little over a year—in May 1863 he was discharged due to “age and drunkenness.” Burton Pryor registered for the draft in St. Joseph in early 1863, however in May he had been arrested for “disloyalty” and posted $1000 bond and signed an oath of allegiance to resolve his problems. I’m guessing that ID’ing soldiers wasn’t an easy task in the pre-computer age—Burton enlisted in a Colorado company using his own name in December 1863.

Category: Missouri Pryors, North Carolina Pryors | Tags: , , , ,
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