Tennessee Pryors

So many common names. Have you had your share of William, John, James, and Joseph Pryors? I know I have! I think we can now tease out enough information to ID a William Pryor and I’m now ready to believe he is related in some manner to Richard Pryor who was married to Mourning Thompson. I’ve listed what we know of his life and I hope it helps others sift through all the data. Maybe we can even figure out HOW everyone is related.

• William Pryor stated in his will that he was from Botetourt County, VA although in the 30 years preceding his death he had lived in TN and AL (MS Territory).  Did it hold some clout to be from Botetourt County? The earliest known record of William Pryor was 1789, making his year of birth about 1769 or earlier (presuming he was age 21 or older in 1789)/
• 1789 Greene Co., TN William Pryor and Joseph Pryor signed the Petition of Sundry Inhabitants South of French Broad.
• 1791 Sumner Co., TN – William Pryor was surety for marriage of Mary Pryor to John Hannah. The Hannah’s were also from Botetourt County and were early settlers along the Nolachucky River in Greene County, TN. In 1790 John Hannah had sold a slave in Sumner County to Isaac Bledsoe and it was witnessed by Peter Looney who was also from Botetourt County.
• William Pryor obtained land in Sumner County, TN.  This transaction has been fleshed out by researcher Bill Lindsey– On 4 Oct 1791 William Pryor of Greene County, TN received 640 acres in Sumner County, TN from Martha Fletcher the mother of Jesse Goldsmith a Revolutionary War soldier. On 6 Feb 1792 Robert Ewing filed the survey. Mark Armstrong was surveyor, with John Young and Benjamin Smith as chain carriers. The plat states that the land came to Jesse Goldsmith by virtue of military warrant #3724, and states that the land was on middle fork of Drake’s Creek.
• 1793 Tax List in Sumner Co., TN – William Pryor with Philip Trammel, Elijah Ewing and John Pryor.
• Philip Trammel connection: William Pryor was married to Betsy Trammel. I found Philip Trammel who was in Logan Co. at the time of Richard and Mourning Pryor and Elijah Ewing.

Philip Trammell was a resident of Logan Co, Ky, 17 Jan 1797 when his deposition was to be taken to prove an agreement between Wm Stair & Jethro Sumner. (Robertson Co, Tn, Co. court min. 18 Jan 1797). Said Trammel being blind, his handwriting was proved.

• Elijah Ewing connection: Elijah married Elizabeth Trammel, a daughter of Philip Trammel. Elijah got a land grant in Logan County in 23 Sept 1796. In 1801 he signed a petition against using Smith County land to make Wilson County with signers:  John Pryor, William Pryor, Elijah Ewing, Caleb Job, Joseph Pryor. In 1802 he was on a Jackson Co. Tax List in Capt. Fitzgerald’s Company with Daniel Job, William Pryor, Ezekial Rhea, Elijah Ewing, James Taylor. In 1808 he was granted land on Roaring River in Jackson County, TN. He was on the 1812 Tax List Jackson County, TN.
• 1794 Tax List in Sumner Co., TN – William Pryor on the list with Elijah Ewing and Benjamin Downs who is also on records with William Pryor in Stewart Co., TN. 1805 Benjamin Downs witnessed deed to William Pryor in Stewart Co., 1805 William Pryor deeded land to John Churchill witnessed by Benjamin Downs.
• 1794 Land Grant in Sumner Co. – William Pryor bought land from Howell Tatum land borders John Pryor and Philip Trammel. I suspect this is the John Pryor who in Jan. 1791 was bonded in a Sumner Co. court case involving John Cotton and Howell Tatum.
• 1795 Tax List in Sumner Co., TN. William Pryor is listed near John Hannah.
• 1796 in Sumner Co., TN William Pryor signed bond to Richard Pryor for land on Caney Fork out of tract purchased from Howell Tatum.
• 1798 William’s daughter Stacey was born in SC per the 1850 Census. I think that perhaps the year and/or place are incorrect as her name seems to have taken on many variations. In his will she is named as Stacey. Perhaps she was born slightly earlier in TN when it was still NC. On the 1850 Census she is Susan. In 1830’s court documents she is Fannie. Richard Pryor’s heir Jonathan Pryor of Graves Co. named his first daughter Eustacia “Stacy”, so perhaps that’s a family name.
• 1802 List Tax List Jackson Co., TN. William Pryor recorded in Capt Fitzgerald’s Co. with Daniel Job, Ezekial Rhea, Elijah Ewing— Job and Rhea were heirs of Richard Pryor. Jackson County was formed out of land that was part of Sumner County.
• 1802 Smith County William Pryor and James Pryor were ordered to lay a road from Lancaster’s Ferry on the Caney Fork River to Walton’s Road. William Pryor left Jackson Co. in about 1804 for Stewart County (that is when he starts appearing on Stewart County records). Both William Pryor and James Pryor were in Stewart County Records. James may be the James B. Pryor b. 1778 in VA later shows up in Pike Co., IL and obit for his wife Rebecca stated they had lived in Stewart Co. and Christian Co., KY before moving to Pike Co.
• 1802 Smith County deed for the land on Caney Fork that William bonded to Richard. 400 acres to Wm and 400 to James. I suspect these are William and James who went to Stewart Co.
• 1803 Jackson Co.Deed to William McNabb… 100 acres… West fork of Russell’s Mill Creek on which fork William PRYOR lives.
• 1804 William Pryor deeded land in Christian Co., KY (this is important because James Pryor was also in Christian Co.)
• 1805 Deed in Stewart Co., TN – William deeded land to William Haynes. Benjamin Downs witnessed. (see #5 above, Benjamin Downs was in Sumner Co. with William Pryor)
• 1805 in Stewart Co. ordered to build a road with Robert Lancaster. Is this one of the Lancasters who was in Smith Co., TN with the Pryors?
• 1811 Settlement of Richard Pryor’s estate filed in Logan County, KY
• Both William and James Pryor named on 1812 Guardian Bond in Stewart Co. for orphans of Samson Trammell (son of Philip Trammel?)
• 1816 William Pryor was in Clarke Co., MS Territory (no Alabama)
• 1824 William Pryor was in Waller Co., TX with Austin 300. A Spanish deed dated 9 May 1828 (see his signature above) confirms he was from the United States and a resident of Stephen Austin’s Colony.
• 1825 his daughter Harriet Pryor married Noel Roberts in Austin, TX.
• William died 9 Sept 1833 in San Felipe, TX. it was recorded in Gov. Travis’ diary.