Tennessee Pryors

We’ve got lots of snow here on the east coast so it’s a great day to stay inside and do some Pryor research. This week I heard from another Tennessee Pryor researcher who has been finding Nashville Pryors. It’s time to identify them!

In the early 1800’s Nashville was “the big city”. Judging from the letters held at the post office, people were using it as their mail stop perhaps due to migrating or traveling between remote areas on business. Last year I wrote about Thornton and Samuel Pryor who were trading horses (read more).

Nashville is in Davidson County — parts of Cheatham, Rutherford, Sumner, Williamson Counties were all previously part of Davidson County.

Can we ID these Pryors???

Sumner Co., 1791 Court Document – John Pryor in Jan. 1791 was bonded in a Sumner Co. court case involving John Cotton and Howell Tatum

Sumner Co., 1791 Marriage – Mary Pryor to John Hannah on 20 Jan 1791, William Pryor surety.

Sumner Co., 1794 Marriage – 14 February 1794 Jenny Pryor married George Fairly. William Pryor was surety

Sumner Co., 1794 Land Grant – November 1794 William Pryor obtained a land grant from the State of TN. In the first deed book of Sumner Co. (page 185), William Pryor bought land from William Fort and Howell Tatum– land bordered John Pryor and John Hannah.

Sumner Co., 1796 Bond – In 1796 William Pryor signed a bond for Richard Pryor. for 200 pounds VA money, a tract of 2565 acres on the Cainey Fork of the Cumberland in Sumner Co., TN. The land was out of a tract granted to Capt. Howell Tatum. James Ewing and John Young wit. (Sumner DB 1, p. 229).

Williamson Co, 1804 Court Order – Luke PRYOR was supporting pauper William Deacons and it was ordered that he be reimubrsed. (Luke Pryor was again reimbursed for support of William Deacons in 1806, in 1810 Elisha Fly was supporting William Deacons and later Henry Wisener was supporting him. In 1820 William Deacons was identified as a revolutionary war veteran and pension applicant. Minute Book Genealogy of Williamson County, Tennessee 1799-1865 By Albert L. Johnson)

Davidson Co., 1808, Marriage – 14 May 1808 Laura L. Pryor married John Bernard. The couple were living in Tipton Co., TN on the 1850 Census. (Laura is probably the sister or cousin of Benjamin W. Pryor b. 1788, her granddaughter married Benjamin’s son).

Davidson Co., 1808, 1808 Marriage – 6 May 1808 Susannah Pryor married Jasper Sutton (Jasper R. Sutton is a head of household on the 1830 Census of Maury Co., TN and is living with a Humphreys family in Hickman Co., KY on the 1850 Census)

Williamson Co., 1810 Court Record – state Peter and Green PRYOR are the orphan sons of John Pryor and wife Eliza who had remarried Henley Stone.

Davidson Co., 1810 Birth – William Pryor b. 1810 in Nashville. He and his place of birth are recorded on the 1860 Cenus in Jackson Co., TX. He was living in Rapides Co., LA in 1846 when his son W. T. was born there.

Davidson Co., 1811 Death – Samuel Pryor died in Davidson Co., leaving an inventory of his estate, but no will.

Sumner Co., 1813 Marriage – Nicholas B. Pryor, married Sally M. Thomas, Sally on 16 Sept 1813. They are on later records in Davidson Co., TN

Williamson Co., 1816 Marriage – Sarah Pryor married David Squire on 13 Nov 1816

Davidson Co., 1818 Marriage – 7 March 1818 John C. Pryor married Ann E. Bullard (John C. Pryor and wife were recorded in Franklin Co., TN in 1820. He may be the John C. Pryor who later lived in DeSoto Co

Rutherford Co.: 1820 Census, Allen Pryor. On the same page with Allen Pryor is a James S. Hannah. Also in Rutherford Co. was a Howell Tatum. Are these the same men who were connected to the John Pryor, William Pryor, Jenny Pryor and Mary Pryor -she married John Hannah- in Sumner County in the 1790’s.

Williamson Co., TN: 1820 Census On page 25 John P. PRIOR (Oldest male in househoald age 26 to 45 years.), page 107, Samuel Winstead (Samuel husband of Susannah Pryor), page 128, Luke PRYOR (male between 26-45 y.o.), page 145, William S. PRYOR (oldest male over 45 yrs, born 1775 or earlier).

Rutherford County: 1823 Marriage – 26 August 1823 John Pryor married Rebecca Cook. (John Pryor died in Christian Co., KY in about 1850)

Davidson County, 1826 Will of Alexander Donelson, died in Nashville. Names Nicholas B. Pryor and William Carroll of Davidson Co., TN as his executors. “Signed, sealed and published In presence of E. Talbot and Lain B. Pryor.”

Rutherford County: 1827 Marriage – 28 Feb 1827 Amanda Pryor married William Batte (or Bette) (Overton W. Crockett surety for marriage. Amanda F. Batte is on the 1850-1870 census in Sumner Co., TN)

Davidson Co.: 1833 Death – January 14, 1833 buried in Nashville City Cemetery. Mr. Charles B. Pryor, Esquire.

Davidson County: 1840 Census, Chesley Taylor brother in law of William Pryor of Overton Co. and John Pryor of Sumner Co. His widow and children were counted on later census in Cheatham Co.