Mary Pryor, another Pryor from VA! She’s the mother of Reuben Meriwether found in the Sons of the American Revolution Membership Applications. Reuben Meriwether born 15 December 1743 in Goochland County, VA and later of Ann Arundel Co., MD, was a signer of the “Declaration of Freeman, the first declaration of independence. His father was Nicholas Meriwether (husband of Mary Pryor – or Prior). Using Reuben’s birthdate as a frame of reference, Mary Pryor would have been born around 1720, putting her in the same generation as the grandchildren of Robert Pryor and Betty Virginia Green. Yet I don’t have anyone in my database of Pryors who seems to match this Mary. Several months ago I posted about Pryor and Meriwether connections (https://tennesseepryors.com/kentucky-pryors/more-meriwether-connections-to-va-and-ky-pryors/), so we can probably add this Pryor to the list!
On many old records so many ancestors couldn’t read nor write, I was surprised by all the Pryors with a higher education in early America. As I was searching for clues to the lines of Virginia Pryors I became aware that the descendants of John Pryor and his wife Ann Bland had a very high percentage of men who went to college and attained positions in institutions dedicated to higher education.
Richard Pryor b. 1805 (grandson) – He was the trustee of Spring Hill Academy
Theodorick Pryor b. 1805 (grandson) – Graduated Hampden Sydney College
Roger A. Pryor b. 1828 (great-grandson) – Graduated Hampden Sydney College and Law School at the University of Virginia.
Luke Pryor b. 1820 (grandson) – US Senator (did he have a higher education?)
John Benjamin Pryor (Grandson) – race horse trainer, his children received a private education in England.
Samuel B. Pryor b. 1820 (grandson) – First class of Virginia Military Institute, graduated Hampden Sydney College, first mayor of Dallas, TX.
Charles R. Pryor b. 1832 (grandson) – Graduated University of Virginia
Pryors of other Virginia ancestry were also well-educated:
Christopher J. D Pryor b. 1800 – Graduated from William and Mary, president of the Greensboro Female Academy in Alabama.
Major John Pryor – Sat on the board of Hampden Sydney College.
Peter and Green Pryor who were born in VA were attending the Harpeth Academy in Williamson Co., TN when the War of 1812 broke out.
And the ladies:
Rachel Medora Pryor b. 1829 was a daughter or John C. Pryor and Ann E. Bullard of VA. In 1850 she was recorded on the census while a student at the Nazareth Female Academy in Nelson Co., KY
Civil War Drum and Instruments – Gettysburg Visitor’s Center
Got a musician in your family tree? Does music run in your Pryor gene pool? The more I’ve searched for the ancestors of trombonist Arthur Pryor, the more I’ve found musicians named Pryor. My list started with Civil War era musicians listed as drummers and buglers. As I checked census records I found more. Enjoy this list of musicians named Pryor.
Arthur W. Pryor, the trombonist, was listed in the 1887 St. Joseph city directory as a musician.
Walter D. Pryor, brother of Arthur, was listed in the 1887 St. Joseph city directory as a musician.
Samuel D. Pryor (Arthur’s father) was in the 1888 St. Joseph directory as the leader of Pryor’s Military Band and Orchestra.
Alice Pryor (aunt of trombonist Arthur Pryor). 1880 recorded as a musician living in a rooming house in St. Joseph, MO with an operatic company.
A. Prior (probably an uncle of Arthur Pryor) 1880 recorded as a musician living in St. Joseph, MO
J. B. Pryor b. 1840 in OH, living in Mono Co., CA in 1880. Recorded on the census as a musician.
Emsley R. Pryor (uncle of trombonist Arthur Pryor). 1890 Veteran’s Schedule states he was a bugler during the Civil War.
Milas Pryor was stationed in Norfolk, VA with the US Marine Corps in 1867. His rank was “musician”
David E. Pryor served in the Civil War from the State of Indiana as a musician.
John W. Pryor served in the Civil War from the State of Ohio as a musician.
Horace Prior of OH served in the Civil War as a bugler.
Richard Pryor served in the 61st Colored Infantry during the Civil War as a musician.
Theodore Prior born in NY in 1860 was recorded as a musician on the 1880 census.
Civil War Coronet and Saxohorns – Gettysburg Visitor’s Center
James Prior who immigrated from Ireland in 1833 was a musician.
Frisby Prior served in the 81st Colored Infantry during the Civil War as a musician.
Charles Prior – In 1862 he enlisted in the Civil War in NY as a musician.
Miss Theresa Prior of Evanston, IL was in the 1890 directory as a musician in Prior’s Orchestra.
C. M. Prior of Evanston, IL was also listed as a member of Prior’s Orchestra. As was Miss Emelia Prior and Frank A. Prior.
Hershal D. Pryor served in the Marine Corps from 1917 as a drummer.
George Pryor of Helena, MT recorded on 1890 Veteran’s Schedule as a drummer during the Civil War.
[This summer I visited Gettysburg and took photos of Civil War era instruments that were on display]
You may be wondering why I’m so curious about Nathaniel Pryor of the Lewis and Clark Expedition and how he fits in with the Pryors from Virginia. His father was a John Pryor. My own Pryor ancestor who is also my “brickwall” was a John Pryor who owned land in Campbell County, VA. I would just like to get the John Pryors sorted out so we know who is who!
I found a John Pryor in the Report of the Virginia State Library, Volume 5 by the Virginia State Library, Calendar of legislative petitions: Amherst, Bedord, and Botetourt:
1803 Dec. 9. A909. Establishment of flour inspection at Bethel; place is convenient to people coming down James River from mountains. Richard F. Ellis, Burnett Jenkins, John Prior, Anthony Christian, and 125 others. Reported.
Then on 20 November, 1805, a Jesse Pryor is in the records.
A920 Division of county. William Jopling, Jesse Pryor, Robert Sebree, John Roberts, John Harding and 60 others.
I think this is the John and Jesse Pryor who were on the 1800 Tax List for Amherst Co., VA virginia-a-counties/ and that they were sons of Nicholas Pryor.
Everyone seems to be connected. Even when looking at James Pryor and other pryors from Jefferson County, Kentucky.
A Jefferson Co., KY will extract:
“Will of John M OFFAND Nov 23 1818, probated March 11 1822 gives to wife Henrietta Offand and after her death to his children; executor Henrietta Offand, wife, JAMES PRYOR, Fortunatus COSBY, and William MCKEEVER Jefferson CO.”
Forts. (sic) Cosby is on the 1820 Census in Jefferson County (Louisville). I looked around the Internet for some information on him and found that Fortunatus Cosby married Mary Ann Fontaine in Louisa Co., VA. 1 Nov 1785. From the Register of St. James Northam Parish, Goochland County. Ah ha! looks like he’s connected to St. James Northam Parish like the Pryors descended from Col. William Pryor and Sarah Wood.
The Cosbys look like they were well connected. The History of Kentucky: From Its Earliest Discovery and Settlement…, by Zachariah Frederick Smith. Fortunatus Cosby, probably the son of the Fortunatus named in the above) was the Consul General to Switzerland (Geneva) 1862).
I see researchers have James Pryor, brother of Nathaniel Pryor, died in Louisville around 1822. I haven’t found him on the 1820 Census, so can’t confirm if he’s the James Pryor mentioned in this extract.
It is interesting how these names get so tangled.