Delaware

Records from Kent County, Delaware

1719 Will – Kent County – Will of Robert Vessey, Wit. John PRYOR.

1740 Will – Kent County – Will of Hannah PRIOR. Adm. John PRIOR. Sons John and Joseph PRIOR.

1747 Will – Kent County – Will of William Farsons. Adm. Hannah PRIOR.

1758 Will – Kent County – Will of Richard Dawson, Executor Thomas Nixon. Witnesses: William Smyth, Vincent Lockerman, John PRYOR. (Vincent Lockerman per The Life and Writings of … Vincent L. Bradford edited by Henry Edwin Dwight (Google Books), was the great grandson of Govert Lockerman who was connected with the Stuyvesant family of New Amsterdam (present day New York) before migrating to Maryland).

1766 Will – Kent County – Will of Robert Johnson. Witnesses: Samuel McCall and John PRYOR.

1774 Marriage – Vincent Lockerman married Elizabeth PRYOR, daughter of John Pryor, a merchant in Dover. They had two children, Elizabeth and Nicholas.(History of Delaware : 1609-1888: Local History By John Thomas Scharf)

1777 Will – Kent County – Will of Pryor Watson. Daughter Priscilla Watson. Children of his uncle John Pryor.

1777 Assembly ActJohn Pryor and Jehu Davis proposed justices of the peace.

1778 Military Document: Return of Capt. (Isaac) Alexander, A List of Men Belonging to My Company That Neglected Attending On The Three Muster Days That Commenced The Firsd of November 1778: List includes John Pryor, Robbert Armstrong (sic) (from Delaware Archives, Volume 2 By Delaware. Public Archives Commission, page 782)

1781 Will – Kent County – Will of John Casson, Joseph PRYOR wit.

1781 Will – Kent County – Will of Peter Torbert. Witnesses: Major Taylor, John PRYOR, and John Torbert.

1781 Will – Kent County – Will of Charity Alford, witnessed by John PRYOR, John Taylor, and Joseph PRYOR. Probated in Jan. 1784.

1782 Will – Kent County – Will of John PRYOR. Heirs are wife Elizabeth, son John, son Abraham, daughter Hannah Barns (William Barns dec’d), Elizabeth Lockerman (Vincent Lockerman), grand-daughter Elizabeth Lockerman, grandson John Pryor Barns. Probate in 1785.

1782 Land – The lot where a church stood near North St. and Queen St. was donated by Vincent Lockerman, and trustees John Pryor Jr., Richard Lockwood, William Kirkley, Major Taylor, and James Hull.
(Google Books: History of Delaware : 1609-1888: Local history By John Thomas Scharf, pub. 188

1783 Will – Kent County – Will of Joseph Meeks, witnessed by Joseph PRYOR, Major Taylor, and Nathaniel Smithers.

1784 Will – Kent County – Will of Vincent Lockerman. Heirs: wife Elizabeth (PRYOR), daughter Elizabeth, son Nicholas, son Vincent Jr., father in law John PRYOR. Guardians wife Elizabeth and John PRYOR jr (brother in law). Witnesses: Benjamin Vining, Joseph PRYOR, William Killen.

1785 Tax List of North and South Murderkill, West Dover, and that part of East Dover lying west of St. Jonse’ Creek
John PRYOR
Joseph PRYOR
Thomas Rodney (see 1791 letter below)
(Google Books: History of Delaware : 1609-1888: Local history By John Thomas Scharf, pub. 1888)

1786 Revolutionary War Record –
COLONEL HENRY NEILL’S REGIMENT. 673. 26 Aug 1786 this Day Came Thompson Phidy Before me the subscriber and swore on the Holy Evangelist of Almighty God that he served in Colonel Henry Neals Batalion four Months and that He Did Not Retain or take away any arms or ammani tion or acuterments Belonging to the Continental Army. Sworn to Before John Dill.
[On the back of the paper]
I do Assign Over all my Right & Clame to John Gibbs of the Within Order for Value
of him Received as Witness my hand & Seal this Eighteenth Day of August 1786.
Witness Present Edward Gibbs [Seal]. John Shaver
his mark Caleb X Sipple
I do assign over all my Right & Clame to Joseph Taylor for Value of him Received as Witness my hand & seal this 30 Day of August 1786.
Jehu Davis, John Gibbs, Joseph PRYOR
Rec’d Jany 2nd 1786, of the State Treasurer Seven Pounds in full for
the above order. Joseph Taylor.
(There is a reference in Sumner Co., TN to a John Shaver and Joseph Pryor. Joseph witnessed John Shaver’s will in 1791. Are these the same men?)

1788 Will – Kent County – Will of John PRYOR on 19 Apr 1788. Exc. Joseph Pryor, heirs Abraham Pryor, John Pryor, Elizabeth Nixon wife of Charles Nixon.

1788 Birth – Daughter, Mary Nixon, born 19 Dec 1788 to Charles Nixon and Elizabeth Pryor-Lockerman, the second wife of Hon. Vincent Lockerman of Dover. Elizabeth was the daughter of John Pryor and Elizabeth Lockerman. (The New York Genealogical and Biographical Record, Volumes 7-8, edited by Richard Henry Greene, et al.– Google Books)

1788 SubscriptionAbraham Pryor and Thomas Rodney subscribers to The Miscellaneous Works of Mr. Philip Morin Freneau, Containing His Essays and Additional Poems, published 1788. (Google Books)

1788 Will – Kent County – Will of Elizabeth PRYOR, widow of John Pryor. Heirs: sons John Pryor and Abraham Pryor, daughter Elizabeth Nixon. (Elizabeth’s will is discussed in Google Books: History of Delaware : 1609-1888: Local history By John Thomas Scharf, pub. 1888 — although there was already a parish church, Elizabeth donated her property for the site of a church and graveyard)

1789 Will – Kent County –
Will of Charles Nixon, Joseph PRYOR administrator.

1789 Death – “On Friday morning, the 22nd day of the last month, died, Mr. John Pryor, Merchant, of Dover. (The Pennsylvania Packet, 30 Jun 1789)

1789 Estate – Know all Men by these Presents, That We, Richard Stanley and Thomas Rodney of Kent County, On Delaware, are held and firmly bound unto Elizabeth PRYOR of the same place, a Minor above the Age of fourteen Years, widow of John Pryor deceased, in the just and full Sum of Two Thousand pounds. Dated June 24th, 1798. A tally of her expenses states her “Alias” as Fitzgerald. Also included in the file is a diagram of property in Dover, DE that Elizabeth Nixon and Abraham Pryor held as tenants in common. John Pryor, his sister Elizabeth Nixon wife of Charles Nixon, his brother Abraham Pryor, sister Hannah Barns decd wife of William Barns and mother of John Barns Jr. Also naming the deceased John Pryor’s mother as Elizabeth Pryor “the Elder”. The property diagram also shows property bordered by heirs of Ceasar Rodney and Vincent Lockerman.

1791 LetterThomas Rodney wrote to Abraham PRYOR to describe a vision of the Archangel Michael before the Battle of Trenton during the Revolutionary War (see Rosenbach Museum & Library Philadelphia, PA, Biographical Directory of the United States Congress website)

1797 Will – Elizabeth Nixon, adm. John PRYOR.

1819 Book PublishedAbraham PRYOR dedicated the book “An Interesting Description of British America from Personal Knowledge and Observation: Containing Many and Various Communications Never Before Made Publick” See Archive.org https://archive.org/stream/cihm_91172#page/n5/mode/2up. (Pryor is described as an “author of serious poems” and a surgeon on the title page. The book is dedicated to his friend Nicholas Loockerman (Nicholas Lockerman?)

1835 BirthWilliam PRYOR (bl) registered for military service in Civil War. In 1863 he stated his residence as Duck Creek and states he was born in DE.

1840 Census, Kent Co., DE
Duck Creek Hundred, Jacob PRYOR (all household members are “free colored persons.”)

1850 Census, Kent Co., DE
Murderkill Hundred, page 228a, house 393 George PRIOR 40 DE, Sarah 40 DE, Mary 11 DE, Clementine 7 DE, Sarah 3 DE, George 4/12 DE. (all household members are recorded as black)
Duck Creek Hundred, page 40b, house 569 Jacob Piner 40 DE, Mary 24 DE, Lydia A 6 DE, Jacob 3 DE, John PRIOR 1 DE (all household members are recorded as black)
Duck Creek Hundred, page 41a, house 572 John PRIOR 24 laborer DE, Catherine 25 DE, Rachel 4 DE (all household members are recorded as black)
Duck Creek Hundred, page 41a, house 573 Lydia PRIOR 62 DE, Eben 20 laborer DE, Susan Gibbs 8 DE (all household members are recorded as black)
Duck Creek Hundred, page 41a, house 575 James Guessford 33 white farmer DE….living in household James PRIOR 17 (bl) DE
Duck Creek Hundred, page 41b, house 579 Samuel PRIOR 25 DE, Temperance 25 DE, Samuel 6 DE, Alexander 5 DE, George 2 DE, Ann M. 1 DE. (all household members are recorded as black)
Duck Creek Hundred, page 50a, house 686 Nathaniel Hutchinson 42 farmer DE… living in household Perry PRIOR (bl) 15 DE
Duck Creek Hundred, page 50a, house 691George Ward 31 farmer… living in household Emory PRIOR 13 (bl) DE
Duck Creek Hundred, page 53b, house 739 Jeremiah PRIOR 34 farmer DE, Susan 27 DE, William G. 8 DE, John W. 3 DE
Duck Creek Hundred, page 51b, house 712 Richard Gibbs 57 (bl) laborer DE… living in household Robert PRIOR 6 (bl) DE
Duck Creek Hundred, page 51b, house 713 William PRIOR 34 laborer DE, Ann 31 DE, Hester 10 DE, Mary E 7 DE, John 5 DE, William 2 DE, Delia 8/12 DE (all household members are recorded as black)

1870 Census, Kent Co., DE
Kenton Hundred, Samuel PRYOR 45 DE (bl), Tempey A 45, Samuel 26, George W. 23, Annie M. 21, Franklin 16, Julia A 14, Mary E 11, Sophia 8, Emmory 6, Tempey 4 (all household members are recorded as black)

Records from New Castle County, DE

1771 Will – John Phillips Sr. of Mill Creek Hundred. Grandchildren: James Phillips, son of William Phillips; James Dixon, son of Esther; Hannah Pryor, dau of Elizabeth. Exec. William Phillips, son. (Google Books: A Calendar of Delaware Wills, New Castle County, 1682-1800, By National Society of the Colonial Dames of America in the State of Delaware. Historical Research Committee, pub 1911)

1779 Will – Jacob Belew of Red Lion Hundred. Wife Sarah, Son Thomas, daughters Sarah, Fanny Pryer, and Elizabeth. Thomas Reece, widow Kilpatrick, John PRYER, Exec. wife Sarah Belew, John Hyet (Hyatt). (Google Books: A Calendar of Delaware Wills, New Castle County, 1682-1800, By National Society of the Colonial Dames of America in the State of Delaware. Historical Research Committee, pub 1911)

1787 Tax List of Appoquinimink Hundred
William PRYOR
John PRYOR
John PRYOR Jr
(Google Books: History of Delaware : 1609-1888: Local history By John Thomas Scharf, pub. 1888)

1790 Will – Thomas Ballew of Pencader Hundred. Wife Elizabeth. Cousins Elizabeth Pryor and Sarah Pryor; Patty and Sarah Gest; John Dougherty. Executor wie Elizabeth and William Henderson Jr. (Google Books: A Calendar of Delaware Wills, New Castle County, 1682-1800, By National Society of the Colonial Dames of America in the State of Delaware. Historical Research Committee, pub 1911)

1791 Will – John Pryor of Red Lion Hundred, proven 15 Nov 1791. Children: Sarah, Elizabeth, Thomas Ellot (Elliot?), and Margaret. Exec. James Delap. (Google Books: A Calendar of Delaware Wills, New Castle County, 1682-1800, By National Society of the Colonial Dames of America in the State of Delaware. Historical Research Committee, pub 1911)

1815 Birth – Jeremiah Pryor born on Blackbird Hundred (formerly Appoquinimink) to William Pryor and wife Martha Reynolds, daughter of John Reynolds. (Google Books: Biographical and Genealogical History of the State of Delaware, Volume 1, pub. 1899)

1823 DeathWilliam Pryor (father of Jeremiah Pryor) died and is buried on the farm in Blackbird Hundred (Google Books: Biographical and Genealogical History of the State of Delaware, Volume 1, pub. 1899)

1850 Census New Castle Co., DE
Appoquinimink Hundred, page 224b, house 161 James PRIOR 28 farmer DE, Rebecca Clark 28 DE, Samuel Beck 21 laborer DE, John D Clayton 17 DE, John Clark 10 MD, Martha Crouch 13 DE
Appoquinimink Hundred, page 224b, house 162 John PRIOR 30 farmer DE, Ann 30 DE, Martha A 1 DE, Hyland D. Hebron 10 DE, John Reed 17 MD, Joseph Cully 16 MD, Sarah Crouch 16 DE
Wilmington, page 89a, house 1297/1340 William J Gibbons 36 farmer Jersey, Eliza J 36 Jersey, Elizabeth Kotten? 6 DE, Henry Cole 22 blacksmith DE, Jane Corbus 30 Ireland, Eubus PRYER 38 blacksmith MD, Eliza PRYER 39 DE, Mary J PRYER 14 MD, Rachel E PRYER 11 DE

1860 Census, New Castle Co., DE
Willimington Ward 4, Hester Listen 30 goes out to serve DE, Anna M PRYOR 20 goes out to serve DE, Sally PRYOR 18 goes out to serve DE, Dana H Listen 11 DE, Andrew Hart 32 laborer.

1870 Census, New Castle Co., DE

Appoquinimink Hundred, page 403b, house 161 James PRYOR 30 farm laborer PA, Hanna 30 keeping house DE, Mary 4 DE, Sarah E. 3 DE, James 2/12 DE, James 2/12 born March. Catharine Exsum 62 retired domestic DE.
Saint Georges Hundred, page 755a, house 242/242 Jacob PRYOR 50 farm laborer DE. Mary 40 DE, Lydia 20 DE, Martha J 10 DE, Horace 8 DE, Herbert 5 DE, Jane Baxter 65 MD, David Holland 16 DE (all persons in the household recorded as black)
Saint Georges Hundred, page 735a, house 14 Eben PRYOR 45 DE, Ann 40 DE, Clary E. 5 DE, Sam’l Archie 12 DE, Eliza J Price 20 nurse DE. (all persons in the household recorded as black)

1900 Census, New Castle Co., DE
Mill Creek Hundred, sheet 16a, house 329/337 James PRIOR Apr 71 29 MD MD MD farm labor. Jennie wife Dec 77 22 one child MD Ireland DE housework. Ralph E. son Aug 99 9/12 DE MD MD.
Wilmington, ward 12, sheet 3a, West Fifth St. house 1307 Ephraim B Young 39 Jan 1861 DE DE DE fireman railroad, Mary E wife 39 Jun 1860 DE DE DE, Marie F dau 8 DE DE DE, Benjamin F. PRYOR brother in law 44 Sept 1855 DE DE DE steward/boat

1910 Census New Castle Co., DE
Newport, Representative Dist 7, page 61a, Christian St., house 108/108 Ephraim B Young 51 md 17 DE MA DE stationery, Mollie wife 47 DE DE DE, Marie F dau 8 DE DE DE, Benjamin F. PRYOR brother in law 54 DE DE DE seaman/tug boat.
Wilmington Ward 4, sheet 21b, John PRYOR 70 MD MD MD, Mary wife 69 no children/none living MD MD MD, Annie Rawley boarder 40 MD MD MD, Elanore 20 MD MD MD, Raymond boarder 16 MD MD MD, Mildred boarder 10 MD MD MD.
Wilmington Ward 9, 1346 Davis St., Charles T PRYOR 56 md. 26 MD MD MD. Mary N. wife 52 3 children/2living DE PA PA. Chester H son 21 MD MD DE.
Representative Dist 13, McDonough Port Penn Rd page 125a, house 48/49 Alec PRYOR (bl) 75 DE US DE. Millison (bl) wife 72 DE DE DE. William (bl) son 12 DE DE DE.
Representative Dist 15. page 216a, house 65/65 James R. PRYOR 38 DE DE DE general farming. Ortha E wife 37 7 children/7 living PA PA PA. Clifford W son 15 DE, Charles R son 14 DE, Mable R dau 12 DE. Ruth dau 10 DE, Pauline dau 8 DE, James E son 7 DE, Alvan G son 2 DE. Rebecca J. PRYOR mother 77 DE.