Tennessee Pryors

I recently posted all the information I have on William Pryor in order of a timeline. Since William and James are mentioned in records together I’m now posting what I have on James.

• Born 1778 in VA (per 1850 Census in Pike Co., IL) My Notes: If he is related to William Pryor, also of Stewart Co., TN, then James too may be from Botetourt County, VA.
• 1802 Smith County court order_ William Pryor and James Pryor ordered to lay a road from Lancaster’s Ferry on the Caney Fork River to Walton’s Road.
• 1809 Tax List Stewart Co.
• 1812 Guardian Bond in Stewart Co. for orphans of Samson Trammell. William Pryor and James Pryor.
• 1815 Stewart Co: Alexander Walker made a bastardy bond, with James Pryor & Richard Blanton securities, for keeping an orphan child of Alsey King from becoming a county charge
• 1818 Land Grant in Stewart Co. The first grant in April assigned to James Pryor 100 acres in 1st District of Stewart Co. on the North side of the Cumberland River. In the barrens of …(not legible).  The second grant in May: James Pryor assignee of Duncan Johnson, Thomas Hickman, and John C. McLemore. 96 and 1/4 acres in the First District in the Barrens of the Cumberland fallons.
• 1820 Stewart Co., TN census: James Pryor oldest male in his household was 26-44 yrs., born 1776-1794 and a second head of household Mary Pryor.
• 1820 Stewart Co: James Pryor & Henry Powell vs. Robert Walker, administrator: plaintiffs drop their suit. William H. Henderson & Levi Wimberly testify that the signature of Alexander Walker on a bond given by him to James Pryor & Henry Powell for the conveyance of 2 tracts of land is Walker’s, and that Walker has died
• 1825 Stewart Co: sale of the estate of Henly Acree by Joseph B. Neville; buyers include Mary Acree, John J. Acree, William Parker, Thomas G. Downs, Josiah Outlaw, Joseph B. Neville, John Fullerton, James Pryor, Berry Hambelton, Thomas Parker, Patience Acree, Hosea Boren, Ezekiel Harrell, Stephen Mallory; rec. August term 1825
• 1827 Stewart Co. sale of the estate of Benjamin Griffin on 20 Nov 1826; buyers included Penelope Griffin, Jesse Stalls, Caleb Ellis, John Clary, Henry King, Elijah Fletcher, Joseph Griffin, James Pryor, Etheldred Wallace, John Lee, Eaton Wallace, Nathan Stancil, Edward Whitehead, Eli Ross, John Pryor, Nimrod Fletcher
• 1829 Stewart Co: Appointed overseer of the road beginning at the Cross Roads where John Francis new mill road intersects with the said road to the State line and the following work: Clement Aldrey’s, William Williams, Ricks Henry, Henry E. Gibson, James Pryor, Lawson Pryor, and Mr. Edwards.
• 1830 Stewart Co., TN census: James Pryor oldest male in his household was 40-49 yrs., born 1781-1790. Other Pryors on the census were Jane, John, and William. My Notes: I suspect William Pryor is the man who was on census records in White Co., Illinois (not TN). William in White Co., IL stated on Civil War records that he was from Stewart Co., TN. Perhaps he is a son of James Pryor.
• 1832 Stewart Co. administrator’s return of Martin Howard by administrator Alexander Howard, with commissioners William Williams, James Pryor, Henry E. Gibson
• 1833 Stewart Co:Deed of conveyance from Charles Matheny to Edward W. Moore, 80 acres on oaths of James Pryor and Cartwright Smith.
• 1834 Stewart Co. sale of Jeptha Morris by administrators Lamuel Morris and William Morris; buyers include Polly Morris, James Tyson, Noah Tyson, William Morris, H. Rorie, Benjamin Morris, L. Williams, James Randolph, Joseph Kenady, L. Sills Sr., Charles Bogard, William Dunbar, R. Bagwell, Willie Baker, T. B. Sills, D. Bayliss, J. Pryor, L. Morris, Charles Matheny; returned Feb. term 1834
• 1835 Stewart Co: will of Squire Reynolds: wife Cresey Reynolds, children Young Reynolds, Ewin Reynolds, Emaline Reynolds, Lavina Reynolds, Eliza Bailey; executors are George W. Atkins and James Pryor; test: Henry H. Gorin, Nathan Parker; written 31 Jul 1834, proven Aug. term 1835
• 1836 Stewart Co: Joseph Griffin, James Pryor, indenture bond for orphan William Jobe (age 8); 2 Feb 1836. My note: Is William Jobe related to Caleb Job and Daniel Job who were heirs of Richard (and Mourning) Pryor?
• 1840 Pike Co., IL census – James Pryor born between 1781 to 1790 with a female slightly older, 2 younger females and a younger male. My Notes: There are other Pryors in Pike Co. who appear to be related to John Pryor b. 1757 who was in Sullivan, Knox, and Jefferson Co., TN. Pike County is on the river as are the counties in which John Pryor lived. His family were boat builders and river pilots.
• 1849 Notice of Rebecca Pryor’s death published in the Nashville Chirstian Advocate:
  REBECCA PRYOR wife of James Pryor, died Pike Co., Ill., Jan. 7, 1849; moved from Christian Co., Ky. to Stewart Co., Tenn., to Pike Co., Illinois. My Notes: I suspect the William Pryor who appeared on records with James up until his departure from Stewart County in 1816 was a relation of James. This William purchased land in Christian County, KY. (see link to information on William at the top of this post).
• 1850 Census Pike Co IL, James Pryor aged 72 (born 1778), occupation postmaster. Jane Pryor age 24 also in the household.

Possible Children of James Pryor and wife Rebecca – There were 11 children in his household in 1820 AND in 1830 – 6 males, 5 females.

• Nancy Pryor who married Alfred Blake (b. 1817) in Pike Co., IL in 1841. Nancy deceased by 1850.
• Sarah Pryor b. 1823 and is on the 1850 Census in Pike Co., IL (married to Moses Conner)
• Jane Pryor b. 1826 and is on the 1850 Census in James’ household in Pike Co.
• William Pryor b. 1802 in Sumner Co., son James b. 1825 in Stewart Co. Both lived in White Co., IL.
• Lawson Pryor b. bef. 1809 – he was ordered to maintain road in Stewart Co. with James Pryor in 1829.
• Possibly some of the Pryors in Trigg Co., KY, they were born in Stewart Co., TN