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Tag Archives: Jackson County

William and Nancy Pryor in Jackson County, TN

Posted on December 3, 2013 by Vanessa Wood

I’ve made an major update to the TNPryors website… mostly to the extracted Pryor records in TN and VA. Take a look you might find an interesting connection to solve one of our many Pryor puzzles.

There’s a small update in the Jackson County, TN records: an 1826 land grant to William Pryor on Blackburn’s Fork. Small but significant. I wrote earlier this year about the Pryors on Blackburn’s Fork: http://tennessee-pryors/pryors-on-blackburns-fork-of-roaring-river-in-jackson-county-tn/

The grant included “improvements” made by William Pryor — likely fences, fields, houses, and outbuildings. That means that Pryor had been on the land for some time before 1826. I was pondering WHICH William Pryor this might be. There was William and Alsey Pryor on the 1850 Census, but I don’t think he was that William because the William married to Alsey would have been about 12 years old in 1826. There was no William Pryor on the 1820 Census in Jackson County–Was William a son of one of the 3 Pryors (Joseph, Jane, Jeremiah) on that census?

The 1826 deed to William Pryor was for 50 acres. In 1847 Nancy Pryor sold 50 acres on Blackburn’s Fork to Isaac Haney. Was this the same 50 acres? Was Nancy the widow of William Pryor? Was she the Nancy Pryor who was living with Love McGhee and family in 1850? This is Nancy is the one I’ve referred to as “Nancy the Weaver” because she was… well, a weaver. The 1914 death record for Nancy’s son, Amos Pryor, identified his father as Caleb Pryor, not William.

Category: About TN Lines | Tags: Jackson County

Logan Pryor of Overton County, TN and Perry County, IL

Posted on September 10, 2013 by Vanessa Wood

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.

Pryors on Blackburn’s Fork of Roaring River in Jackson County, TN

Posted on April 25, 2013 by Vanessa Wood

Confluence of Blackburn Fork Creek and Roaring River, Jackson Co, TN

I’ve been using the TN and NC Land Grants to put together a picture of which Pryors lived near one-another, get an idea of where they were from, and who was related to whom. More than 5 years ago I wrote about the Pryors in Jackson and Williamson Counties who seem to be related (Leroy B. Pryor – Part II: Can We Connect the Cousins?). Knowing where they lived seems to add perspective to their connection.

Nancy Crocker b. 1764 is suspected to be related to the Pryors — Polly and Rhoda Pryor, daughters of Henry B. Pryor of Williamson Co. were living in Jackson County in 1850 and married Crocker brothers.

1828 Land Grant In Jackson County, TN. To David Lovall assignee of Nancy Crocker, 50 acres per survey dated 1 June 1827 on West Side of Blackburn Fork of Roaring River, house where Nancy Crocker formerly lived. Dated 11 Sept 1828.

There were several Pryors near William Swearingin in 1840– Nancy, Allen and Cinda. William Swearinging was on Blackburn’s Fork so it’s probably safe to assume that Nancy Allen and Cinda were also living near that location. It’s interesting to see the Bruington name because William H. Pryor of Overton County was connected to the Bruingtons.

1830 Land Grant to James Bruington for land on Blackburn’s Fork of Roaring River. Near William Swearingin’s line.

Hewitt J Dennis is another name that connects the Pryors. Nancy Crocker was living with his family on the 1850 Census. His children share names with John Y Crocker’s family– Darcus, Sary. I believe Hewitt J Dennis went to Iron Co., MO with the Crockers and Pryors. There’s a 1870 marriage for a Hewitt J. Dennis performed by William T. Crocker in Iron Co. Hewitt J. Dennis bought property in Iron County in 1882.

1838 Land Grant to Hewitt J Dennis assignee of Leah Harris on the waters of Blackburn’s Fork of Roaring River on the East Side of William Pryor’s spring branch. Grant includes the house and improvements formerly occupied by William Pryor.

I wonder which William Pryor used to live on the land that was purchased by Hewitt J Dennis. Was it the William Pryor on the 1840 Census? Was it the William Pryor married to Alsey on the 1850 Census?

The last grant I found on Blackburn’s fork is sale of Nancy Pryor’s property, including her house, to Isaac Haney. This is the Nancy Pryor who I’ve referred to in the past as “Nancy the Weaver” due to her occupation. On the 1850 Census she was living with Love McGehee who was married to her daughter Cassa Pryor. The death record for Nancy’s son Amos Pryor stated his father was Caleb Pryor. I’ve never found a Caleb Pryor, so that’s another Pryor still open to research and debate.

1847 Land Grant in Jackson County, TN – No. 9388, Granted to Isaac Haney assignee of Nancy PRIER 50 acres per survey of 26 Sept 1838 on Blackburn’s Fork of Roaring River, near tract owned by David Lovall. The grant includes the house and improvements where Nancy Pryor was living. 30th June 1848.

So which Pryors are related? It certainly helps to know who was living around Blackburn’s Fork.

Alfred, Allen, and Thomas Pryor born 1808, 1810, 1813. Alfred and Allen were born in SC and Thomas on the 1850 and 1860 Census states he was born in TN. Alfred’s children migrated to Dent County, MO. Allen’s and Thomas’ widows and children migrated to Franklin County, IL.
Caleb Pryor b. 1800? married to Nancy the Weaver. All of their known children were alive in 1880 and stated their father was born in TN. Whether his actual name was Caleb or something else, I now suspect this man was a brother of Alfred, Allen, and Thomas Pryor due to all of their connections to Blackburn’s Fork.
Sarah or Sary Pryor b. 1764 who was living with John Y Crocker in 1850 is somehow related to the 4 Pryor men noted above. Ah, but who was she married to? I’m wondering if it was someone obvious. Joseph Pryor of Tuscaloosa, AL was born about 1767. He was allegedly married to Sarah Patton or Odle. Could she have stayed behind rather than moving to AL or was she visiting TN?

I suspect this is another piece of the puzzle. Still playing with the whole picture and testing which pieces fit.

Category: Tennessee Pryors | Tags: Alabama, Jackson County, Land Grant

Pryors on the Tennessee Tax Lists

Posted on April 16, 2013 by Vanessa Wood

April 15th has passed and now we can look at taxes for fun (hopefully). The Tennessee Tax Lists are up on Ancestry.com and I’ve had some fun going through them. There are a couple of connections that I’d like to share – just in case they will help out another Pryor researcher.

First I found on the 1794 Sumner County Tax List William Pryor. I’ve had several researchers tell me that this William was a son of Richard Pryor and Mourning Thompson. I looked at his neighbors on the list and found Elijah Ewing and Benjamin Downs are close by. In the early 1800’s Benjamin Downs is on several records in Stewart County with the William Pryor who later migrated to Austin’s Colony in Texas. So is William in Sumner County the same man?

I love these kind of questions because it’s like a domino effect… ask one question and how we look at other data comes into question. Was he the same William who was surety for the Sumner Co. marriages of Mary Pryor to John Hannah, and Jenny Pryor to George Fairly (or Farely). Was he the William Pryor who in 1796 signed a bond for Richard Pryor for 200 pounds VA money for a tract of 2565 acres on the Cainey Fork of the Cumberland? Wouldn’t it make more sense in that kind of transaction that William might be Richard’s brother and not his son?

I mentioned Elijah Ewing. He is on the 1805 Tax List for Blount County—on the same page as a Thomas Pryor. Let’s throw another name into the mix for Blount County — There’s a Joseph Pryor in that county on the 1805 Census. I suspect that he was the same Joseph Pryor who was on the 1803 Tax List for Jackson County because both men were recorded near John Whitson. The Whitsons were connected to the Pryors of White County. Researchers report Jeremiah Whitson married Susannah Pryor in about 1804, and Elizabeth Pryor married James Whitson.

It’s been speculated that Thomas is Thompson Pryor, who was a son of Richard and Mourning Pryor, and that Joseph, Susannah, and Elizabeth are additional children of Richard and Mourning Pryor.

Puzzle solvers welcome!

Category: Tennessee Pryors | Tags: Austin Colony, Blount County, Jackson County, stewart county, Sumner County, Texas

More information on Alfred Pryor (b. 1835) from Jackson Co., TN

Posted on March 28, 2012 by Vanessa Wood

I had a friend many years ago who always described any slow process as “maple syrup running up-hill in January.” Finding Pryors sometimes feels just that slow. I’m happy to say we’ve got clarity on another Pryor for the family tree!

Alfred Pryor (b. 1835) is the son of Alfred Pryor and Serena Dill, counted in his father’s household in District 1 of Jackson Co., TN in 1850. This younger Alfred Pryor was living in District 11 with Matilda who we can only speculate was his wife, since the 1860 census didn’t record relationships. In 1870 neither Alfred nor Matilda were in Jackson County and I haven’t found them elsewhere. (See Jackson County census extractions)

There is a Matilda Pryor on the 1870 Census in Union County, KY. She’s the right age and the only other member of her household was a 5 year old boy named James W. Pryor.

Matilda is identified on a Sons of the American Revolution Membership Application as Matilda Dill Pryor. Sure enough, there’s a Matilda Dill on the 1850 Census in Jackson Co., TN. I wonder if Matilda’s father, Archibald Dill was a brother of Serena Dill Pryor.

1850 Census Jackson Co., TN
Archibald Dill 50 farmer TN, Rachel 40, Archibald Dill 21, Lewis H. 16, Nancy A. 13, Elizabeth H. 10, Matilda 9, Melvina 7, James K. 5, Henry C. 2, Polly S. 1

The same application states Matilda remarried in 1874. I haven’t been able to find Matilda Dill Pryor nor her second husband Levi Dempsey on the 1880 Census.

So, it looks like Alfred Pryor ( 1835) in TN was on the 1850 and 1860 Census in Jackson County, TN. He married Matilda Dill, who was possibly a cousin, and they were the parents of Serena Pryor (1858) and James W. Pryor (1865). Alfred died sometime before 1870 when Matilda was in Union Co., KY. Matilda remarried in 1874.

Category: Kentucky Pryors, Tennessee Pryors | Tags: Dill, Jackson County, kentucky, sons of the american revolution, Tennessee