Tennessee Pryors

I’ve discussed Thomas Pryor the nephew of Major John Pryor of Richmond. Their relationship prompts the question: Who is the father of Thomas and the brother of Major Pryor? I don’t know. There are Pryors and other families that seem to be connected to the Major and Thomas and for them Pittsylvania County should be at the center of our queries.

BOX 1 – Thomas Pryor 1830
Thomas Pryor was in Pittsylvania County in 1830. I believe he is the most likely candidate to be the Thomas Pryor mentioned as a nephew in Major John Pryor’s will. He is about the same age as the other nieces and nephews mentioned in the Major’s will. He is also connected to the Archers, a tidewater family aligned with the Major’s Pryor line. Thomas was near Elizabeth Pryor Archer on the 1820 Census in Rockingham County, NC and then on the 1830 and 1840 Census in Pittsylvania County before moving to Fayette Co., IL.

BOX 2 – Catherine Pryor and Henry Lansford
The Pittsylvania County, VA connection is at the top of my research list. Thomas Pryor and Elizabeth Pryor Archer were in Pittsylvania Co. in the 1820’s. I noticed Isham Lansford is on line 4 and Thomas Pryor is on line 7 of the 1830 Census – – Isham is reported in several online family trees to be the son of Henry Lansford and Catharine Pryor. Henry and Catharine were also the parents of Susannah Lansford who married George Reynolds and moved to Williamson Co., TN. They son Henry went to Henry Co., GA.

BOX 3 – Edward Pryor 1782 & 1784
Edward Pryor was in Henrico County, VA as early as 1735. It’s recorded in the vestry register that he was a processioner of the lands of John Martin and that Nicholas Pryor was present. In 1745 Nicholas Pryor sold land on Drinking Hole Branch of Tuckahoe Creek which were originally part of John Martin’s land. On a 1754 deed to between Richard East and William Buxton their property is described as being located on Drinking Hole Branch adjoining land belonging to Edward Pryor. Edward and Nicholas Pryor appear to be connected. I suspect he’s the same Edward Pryor who was in  Wilkes County, GA in 1785 and that he was related to the John Pryor in Henry County, GA who witnessed a deed with Henry Lansford  (Jr).

BOX 4 – Mrs. Elizabeth (Perkins) Pryor and Hendley Stone
Elizabeth first married John Pryor, son of John Henry Pryor. After her husband’s death she married Hendley Stone and migrated with her sons Peter and Green Pryor to Williamson County, TN. If you look at BOX 2- Catharine Pryor Lansford’s daughter Susannah also went to Williamson County.

When I found George Reynolds 1813 Will from Williamson County, TN (see above) — it mentions his wife Susannah, his son Richard, and land near Wm. Stone and Pryor Reynold’s line. It would be a pretty wild coincidence, so it’s probably no coincidence at all that Catharine Pryor’s daughter was living near William Stone, the husband of Rhoda Pryor, a daughter of John Henry Pryor! Catharine isn’t mentioned in John Henry’s long will filed in Orange Co., NC — it’s long because it named 11 children.  I believe now that perhaps Catharine, although not a daughter of John Henry Pryor, may be related in some other way.

BOX 5 –  Perkins and William Harding
I don’t think I made this clear in the box, so hoping I can describe it better. John Henry Pryor who died in Orange Co., NC in 1771 was the father of Green Pryor who married Susannah Perkins. Susannah was a niece of William Harding of Henrico County who posted surety for the estate of Nicholas Pryor (d. 1746). Green’s son John Pryor married Elizabeth Perkins, perhaps a cousin. When John died Elizabeth married Hendley Stone. Elizabeth and her husband Hendley went to Williamson County, TN and lived near William Stone and Rhoda Pryor and Susannah Lansford Reynolds (daughter of Catharine Pryor Lansford).

BOX 6 – Montford Eilbeck
Montford Eilbeck is mentioned on NC deeds with John Henry Pryor’s family. There was a Montford S.Pryor born 1798 in Pittsylvania County (per his army records). He enlisted in the military in Louisville and was discharged in Iowa. If you go looking for  him there are several variations of his name — Montford, Montfort, Mountford, Mountford. He may have died after 1835 as I haven’t found records of him after the 1836 census in Dubuque, IA. Montford was a single man on the census, so he may have died without issue.