Southern Pryor Family Genealogy
One little refinement of the my doodles to keep up with Joseph Pryor of White Co. and Greene Co., TN (see last post). I added a link to the right of the chart (see yellow arrow in image). It’s meant to show the connection between Robert Armstrong and John Pryor. These folks look like they’re linked up through both people and places
For years I’ve pondered over an 1813 entry in the court minutes of White County, TN. Joseph Pryor, described as “aged and infirm”, was in the care of Robert Armstrong. Who was Robert Armstrong? A relative? The owner of the Poor House? Well, I now know more about Robert Armstrong and his connection to Old Joseph.
On a spring day in May 1846 Nancy Armstrong, the widow of Robert Armstrong, made her application for a widow’s pension for her husband’s Revolutionary War service. She returned for a hearing before a Judge on December 4th. Afterwards, something transpired (maybe she was told to get a character witness?) that caused Mrs. Armstrong on the following day, December 5th –a Saturday, to give an additional statement. She sat down with Congressman-elect Abraham Lincoln who duly took her statement and attested to it.
I’ll get to the points about Robert Armstrong in a bit, however this moment with Abraham Lincoln is to be savored. Imagine Mr. Lincoln who was 37 years old, his second son was a baby, and at the time Lincoln had not yet grown his famous beard. I can see the lanky, younger Lincoln sitting with Mrs. Armstrong who was in her 80’s, a contrast in age and appearance. He wrote in his own handwriting the story Mrs. Armstrong told of her husband in his youth serving in the Revolution in the stead of his father– losing his horse and coat in battle. The story of a soldier who fought to form the United States and and then there’s the future story of the Civil War that we all know would unfold for Mr. Lincoln in the next decades. http://revwarapps.org/r259.pdf
There’s an interesting article about Nancy Green Armstrong (Robert’s widow) on Find A Grave. It states her first child was Bowling Green and that he was a Lincoln’s friend and consoled Lincoln after the death of Anne Rutledge in 1835. The pension application states: “Mr. Lincoln knew her and her husband Robert — that they lived together as man & wife in Menard County” (formerly Sangamon County). It sounds like they knew each other.
Ahhhh…. I love it when history collides with genealogy.
In November 1786 Robert Armstrong received a North Carolina land grant in Greene County, TN. Joseph Pryor also received a NC land grant in Greene County in 1791. Joseph’s land bordered Aquilla Sherrill.
Through the work of Katherine Russell and others who are from the line of John Pryor, we know that he was married to Ruth, the daughter of Aquilla Sherrill (she was “Ruth Pryer” in Aquilla’s will). John Pryor is on the 1830 Census in Sangamon County, IL and on the same page is Royal Armstrong (the widow’s application confirms Royal is Robert Armstrong’s son). There is even an older male and an older female in Royal’s household who are likely Robert and Nancy.
Both John Pryor and the Armstrongs have a history in White County, TN. John is on the 1816 Tax List and the 1820 Census. John Pryor was on the 1812 Tax List in a district which included Jesse Armstrong (another son of Robert Armstrong).
I also suspect that the William Pryor in White County is also connected to John Pryor and Robert Armstrong. Robert Armstrong and William Pryor were joint defendants of a suit filed in White County in 1812.
There is still no explanation as to why Joseph Pryor was in the care of Armstrong and not a relative. Widow Armstrong stated that “he (Robert Armstrong) was one of the County Court in Tennessee State and was a Magistrate in this County” which indicates he was a person of high regard in both White County and Sangamon County.
This kind of new information drives me crazy. I had pretty much resolved to go with the flow– the tide of Richard and Mourning Pryor researchers who feel that William of White County was the “heir” named William in the 1811 settlement of Richard’s estate in Logan County, KY. Old Joseph was in White County, William of White County named his first son Joseph– what’s the relationship? The Armstrongs took care of Old Joseph and went to Illinois with John Pryor’s family– I’ve got to wonder if there was kinship between the Pryors and Armstrongs.
We are hot on the trail of Old Joseph Pryor. More in my next post.
I’m passing along a small find in case it helps to advance someone else’s genealogy research. Logan Pryor was the son of James and Nancy Pryor of Overton County, TN. On the 1870 Census in Perry Co., IL Elmana Swallows age 9 was living in his household. I think she’s Ellen A Swallows buried in the Mueller Hill Cemetery, Pinkneyville, Perry Co. She died 3 Dec 1871, and she was the daughter of E A Swallows and L M. I betting the L M inscribed on her gravemaker is incorrect, there is no actual photo of the gravemarker online so I can’t tell if I’m right. I suspect possibly someone transcribed in it incorrectly and it’s actually I M Swallows. I found Isaac M Swallows (IM?) also buried in Pinkneyville, IOOF Cemetery. He died 15 Feb 1862 in the Battle of Fort Donelson (that was a Civil War battle in TN). On the 1860 Census Isaac Swallows is in Jackson Co., TN. He was 28 (born 1832) married to Elizabeth Swallows 24, with a daughter Sarah 3. I found another interesting Swallows: Alfred P Swallows b. 1855 in TN. On the 1860 Census in District 10 of Overton Co. living with his parents Reuben and Bethenia Swallows. Ruben and son Alfred were in District 13 of Jackson Co., in 1870. Alfred P Swallows was in Tyrone, Franklin Co., IL in 1880. He was married and just a couple houses from Isaac Copeland. Children of Allen and Cinderella Pryor of Jackson Co., TN were in Franklin Co. in 1880 and living very close to Alfred Swallows. I’m not saying there’s a connection… just making an observation. I checked the 1850 Census and found that Rueben Swallows had a son named Isaac, but he was 10 years too young to be the Isaac in Pinkneyville. But I found Isaac born 1832 in Dist 1 of Overton Co., he was the son of Andrew Swallows. I suspect that the two Swallows, Alfred and Isaac, were cousins. Hmmmm I wonder if Alfred’s middle name was Pryor. Sorry I don’t have anything definite, but on the way (perhaps) to explaining who Miss Swallows was who was living with Logan Pryor.
Here’s a Pryor story right out of the cold case files! I stumbled upon an article on the Leader-Union’s website that tells the story of the murder of a Pryor in Illinois over a hundred years ago. https://www.leaderunion.com/content/james-lafayette-pryor-murder-solved
I had to look to see which Pryor line these folks are from. Researchers have posted online that James Lafayette Pryor was the son of Thomas Washington Pryor and Nancy Graves Haynes, however it’s likely that Thomas was his grandfather, not his father. There’s an obituary online at archiver.rootsweb.ancestry.com/th/read/BRANSON/2008-10/1224982766 of Elizabeth Constance Branson Pryor who was married to George A. Pryor (from Pittslyvania Co., VA and settled in Fayette Co., IL)—it states she was the mother of James Lafayette Pryor. Another obituary posted to an Ancestry.com family tree states Prudence Pryor Lansford of Fayette County, IL was a daughter of Thomas and Nancy Pryor. It states that the family came to Illinois in about 1843 from Virginia. They first settled in Clay County and a year later went to live in Fayette County, however I haven’t been able to find them on the 1850 Census.
James Lafayette Pryor and his wife Lydia Cheshier are on the 1870 Census, the 1880 Census, and Lydia appears on the 1900 Census recorded as a widow. I found James’ and Lydia’s tombstone on Find A Grave website.
Sorry, even after sifting through my database I don’t know where the Pittsylvania Co., VA Pryors come from.
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]