I used to have dreams about all the John Pryors. Really, they were more like nightmares! Now my brain is trying to make sense of all the Samuel Pryors who were in Goochland County, VA. If you’re working on the Goochland Pryors, I suggest viewing a Chancery Court Case; Frances Pryor vs Excutor of William Pryor. http://www.lva.virginia.gov/chancery/case_detail.asp?CFN=075-1786-006
I believe this is Frances Morton who first married Nicholas Meriwether, and then in 1760 married Samuel Pryor at St. James Northam in Goochland County. Frances and Samuel are supposed to be the parent of Samuel Pryor who married Polly Curd. This younger Samuel was baptized at S. James Northam in March 1762.
The chancery suit fills in some blanks, but leaves other wide-open. It states that Frances was a widow and that her husband died in 1760-something. It actually says 176 and a big fat blank for the year. The suit states he had a child who was still a minor, which sounds right for young Samuel.
The suit is dated 1769 on the Library of Virginia website, however the actual documents state it was filed in 1762. Poor Frances must have been left with a very young baby and children from her previous marriage. Part of the suit is Frances trying to get money out of the sale of slaves and 484 acres she thought her husband had owned in Dinwiddie County, VA.
William Pryor, brother of Samuel and brother-in-law of Frances Morton Pryor, took over the task of the estate’s administrator. So, William was the William Pryor who married Elizabeth Hughes. It all becomes a tangled mess when William died in 1777 and his son Samuel (who the suit clearly states was the nephew of the Samuel who married Frances) takes over the administration of the estate.
I admit that I got most of my information on the Goochland Pryors from other researchers years ago. Having access to records online makes it easier to fact check. Some of what I have isn’t fact checking. My notes have Col. Samuel Pryor and Prudence Thornton were the parents of William Pryor b. 1726 who died in 1777. William married Sarah Wood. I have the Samuel and Prudence were the parents of Samuel Pryor, but I have no information on that Samuel.
My other notes state Col. William Pryor and Sarah Wood were the parents of Dr. Samuel Pryor who married Frances Morton.
Something’s not right. I think from the ages of Col. Samuel and Prudence Pryor’s children– it’s more likely the Samuel who married Frances Morton was their son. He would have been born in the 1730’s or very early 1740’s. So, did William Pryor and Sarah Wood also have a son named Samuel? Which Samuel?
Any thoughts?
