When 2 new counties were added to Georgia in 1784, John Pryor from Virginia requested a land grant. Franklin county was cut up in the decades after 1784 to form Jackson, Clarke, Banks, Madison, and Stephens counties.
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I’d like to put to rest the identity of the John Pryor who was deeded thousands of acres of bounty land in KY. I didn’t like that I left a window open in my earlier post:
https://tennesseepryors.com/virginia-pryors/identity-of-john-pryor-revolutionary-war-bounty-land-in-kentucky/
The open window was the error I suspected in the bounty warrant number. The latest method I’m using to identify Pryors by their signature should slam the window shut for good.
Here’s John Pryor’s signature on the 1783 land grant.
I recently posted his signature on several Revolutionary War Pension applications https://tennesseepryors.com/virginia-pryors/major-john-pryors-handwriting/
Oh, it’s a match.
Final verdict: Major John Pryor of Richmond was also a Lt. Capt. and received land in Kentucky.
In an older post ( Widow Pryor’s War of 1812 Land Bounty Letter ) I shared the transript of a letter written by Elizabeth A De Neufville Pryor, widow of Brazure Williams Pryor. I had misplaced other letters related to her request for bounty land. Ah Ha… found at last! This is the first post, more to come. Enjoy the transcripts.
King and Queen Co, July 23 / 52
[to] Mr. Martin
Dear Sir,
Mrs. Eliza Pryor requests with [obscured by tape] say to you that whe had been informed through Carter B. Fog (sic), of your having located Warrant a [obscured by tape] land of her husband the late General Pryor and that you desired to purchase same. She is willing to sell it to you for the same price offer her by others, and rather to give your the posession, you will please therefore answer this immediately stating the no of acres contained in said Warrant and the amount you are will to giver there for.
Yours respectfully,
John Washington Jr.
Eliza Pryor
Bestland, Essex Co.
—————————————– Next letter ———————————————-
Richmond, Va, July 26th, 1852
[to] Mrs. Pryor
Dear Madam,
Your friend Mr. Washington is mistaken in supposing that your Land Warrand is [?] which is sugested to some order. You can dispose of your warrant or have located++ just as you please. Your warrant is for 8 acres which when the assignment is made is worth now $63 less my commission. I would be pleased to hear from you on that subject. Immediately on receipt of the Warrant by mail I advised you find Mr. Carter B. Fogg of that part.
—————————————– Next letter ———————————————-
Caroline, August 13/52
Mr. John K Martin
Sir,
Your communication to Mrs Elizabeth Pryor of [obscured by tape] seems have been answered at an earlier day, but for a [darn tape again!] attack which frustrated me for several weeks. She is willing to take your offer for her warrant. You will therefor write upon the back side an assignment as the law requires, enclose it to her and she will sign it [can’t read the word] it to you. You will send her for the balance of the deducting your com- ($63 – 6.30= 56.70) a certificate of depoist in a check that she can pass off without having to go to the bank for the money. Say to her in your letter that you have said this of me.
Yours respectfully
Jno. Wasthington Jr.
Elizabeth A Pryor
August 13, 1852
—————————————– Next letter ———————————————-
[Small inscription at top of letter, perhaps back of warrant was coppied over the letter?
Wrote said day August 26th to Clerk of Court Essex Rappahannock and ??? 37 County and asked the clerk to put his certificate and seal on Warrant as soon as Mrs. Pryor sends it to hime and return the same to me.]
Richmond, Va
August 16, 1852
Dear Madam,
In reply to Mr. John Washington Jr letter of the 13th said and in compliance with his request will enclose to you Land Warrant No. 36.562 with the view to get your assignment and with it will endorese a certificate of Deposit No. 902 for $56.70/100 which will enable you to check out any amount under that sum as by [can’t read the word] your name on the back of the certificate you can pass it away to any body for the full amount.
This will pay you for your warrant, any deducted my commission therefrom for [?] the same.
The Warrant is already for your signature when the paper has been exectuted by you before a [witness?]. It will have to be sent to the CH* to get a certificate and seal from the clerkof the court. And as you will have an opportunity to send the Warrant to the court house from Bestland**. I will trouble you to do so for me. I have this day written to the clerk of the court upon that subject.
You will be kind enough to acknowledge the receipt of the Warrant and said in your letter what disposition you have made with it. or in other words when did you send the warrrant to the CH.
Mrs. Eliz A Pryor
Bestland PO
Very respectfully yours,
John K Martin
* I believe “CH” stands for Court House
** Bestland is located in Essex Co., VA
++This sounds like Mrs. Pryor and her friend Mr. Washington wanted to know where the warrant was located and that Martin was offering to buy it but not locate it.
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.
Ohio River near Louisville, KY
Over the weekend I was searching out some new links to the Pryors in Louisville, Jefferson County, Kentucky. I’m still looking for solid connections to the correct John Pryor who was the father of explorer Nathaniel Pryor. I thought I’d share some of my finds in case they help to spur your insights into the family line.
19th Century Louisville Silversmiths
I’ve been intrigued with the story of Nathaniel “Miguel” Pryor, the Kentuckian who settled in California. His trade was recorded as “platero” or silversmith. That’s something that was usually learned by an apprenticeship back in those days. I had never heard of Louisville as a place reknowned for silverwork– I guess Paul Revere and Boston take the forefront in American silversmithing. Apparently there were a few smiths in Louisville. I found the names and working dates for silversmiths in Louisville: Richard E Smith (1827), Smith & Grant (until 1831), William Kendrick (1840), and John Kitts (1838). A mint julep silver cup made by Kendrick even made it’s way on to the Antiques Road Show. Pryor could have even learned the trade when he moved west as there were numerous fine silversmiths in St. Louis. (See Missouri’s Silver Age: Silversmiths Of The 1800s By Norman Mack)
Amherst County and Louisville Connection
I still keep coming back to David Crawford’s 1801 Will (See transcript of the will). It was filed in Louisville, mentions land owned Amherst County, VA, and it was witnessed by John and William Pryor. Nelson Crawford who was mentioned in the will witnessed a deed in Amherst County with Jonathan Pryor in 1817, as well as Charles Taliaferro who was also on the will. If you go back a few decades to 1774 when William Pryor and wife Margaret of Amherst County deeded land to Philip Thurmond, David Crawford was a witness.
So the Crawfords lived near William and Margaret Pryor. We know for sure that William and Margaret had sons Nicholas, William and John — William filed for a pension in 1832 and John saved Fort Donnally with Philip Hammon. Was it this William and John Pryor who were witnesses to David Crawford’s will in Louisville?
Pryor Land In Kentucky
In a recent post (Identity of John Pryor – Revolutionary War Bounty Land in Kentucky) I dug in to Revolutionary War land warrants to ID which John Pryor received land in KY. Wait! There are more KY land grants to solve. Elizabeth Pryor Harper in her book Twenty-One Southern Families: Notes and Genealogies mentions 3 military land grants in 1791. These are a bit of a mystery to me because I didn’t find them on the State of Kentucky website with the other grants. These grants on Beaver Creek and Skaggs Creek, these locations are in Pulaksi County and Rockcastle County respectively (see State of KY Gazetteer). The grants may have been filed in Jefferson County, but the land wasn’t in that county!
Musing over where these grants were recorded and where the land was at and which John Pryor was the recipient may all be for nothing because Ms. Harper noted next to each grant that they were “withdrawn”. There are no known Pryors in the records near the time in Pulaski or Rockcastle County. Does withdrawn mean that a claim was made without follow through?