Tag Archives: tax list

Can We Clean Up the Mess In the Jackson Co., TN Records?

First I found Joseph Pryor on the 1803 Jackson Co., TN Tax List, THEN I found him on the 1805 Tax list in Blount County, TN.  However, when I looked at the 1805 document it’s clear that it’s the 1803 list. Who knows when this happened— the pages could have been photographed twice when the National Archives photographed the records for microfilm.

There IS a John and a Joseph Pryor on the 1803 Jackson Co., TN Tax List.

John Pryor is in Captain Smith Hutcherson’s Dist, recorded near Elijah Ewing, Caleb Job, Daniel Job, Elijah Ray.

My Notes: Elijah Ewing shadows the “heirs” Richard Pryor (husband of Mourning) through the records and helps to point at other Pryors who are related to Richard’s line– more on Elijah Ewing in my next post! Caleb Job, Daniel Job, and Elijah Job were all recorded as Richard’s “heirs” on a 1811 document in Logan Co., TN.  I don’t think this John Pryor is the Jonathan Pryor born 1788 in Logan County, he was 15 in 1803 and this John is likely to be older if he is the same man who was on the 1793 list (born 1772 or earlier). A possible fit is John Pryor who married Ruth Sherrill in Greene Co., TN and lived in White Co., TN. I kind of like this John Pryor for this John because we know that he was in Greene County and likely followed the other Pryors to Sumner, Jackson and later White Co., TN.

Still on the 1803 Tax List, Joseph Pryor is in Captain Russell’s Dist, recorded with William Russell, James Taylor, William Walden

My Notes: Based on deeds in Jackson Co. these men lived on Roaring River. Joseph Pryor was surety for James Taylor’s marriage in Greene Co., TN. Joseph Pryor, William Russell, and William Walden all signed a petition in 1789 in Greene Co. There are no age indicators on the tax list, however he could be the Joseph Pryor on the 1820 Census in Jackson County as residents on the Roaring River, even after earlier county divisions, remained in later Jackson County records.

Another question came up regarding 1803 Tax List —

I found an old edition of Ansearchin’ News online with the transcribed 1803 list.tngs.org/ansearchin/pdf/1995-3.pdf. The entire tax list was transcribed, so I was able to compare the old list to the Ancestry film. That’s when I found another there’s another Joseph Pryor on the Ancestry film of the list, but he’s not on the Ansearchin’ transcipt… and there is a Thomas Pryor

I suspect the transcript in the Ansearchin’ News is correct and that the pages in the Ancestry film are mixed up. Are these earlier or later records? Were they from Jackson County or another county? Anyone got an idea when these following record were from?

On the mixed-in page the district is not shown at the top. Thomas Pryor recorded with Elijah Ewing, Luke Mayfield, Stephen Dill, Arter Dill, David Dill, Seth Mayberry, William Crocker, John and William Dill.

My Notes: Based on deeds in Jackson Co., these are the Pryors on Roaring River in Jackson Co., TN. Elijah “Ewine” on the 1801 petition not to join Smith Co with Wilson Co. Elijah Ewing was on early tax lists in 1790’s in Sumner County, TN and with the “heirs” of Richard Pryor on the 1803 Tax List. The Dills and the Crockers married in to the Pryors of Jackson County– Serena Dill married Alfred Pryor b. 1808, Sary Pryor b. 1764 was living with John Y Crocker in 1850, Mary Ann and Rhoda Pryor who were living with William Pryor in 1850 married Crocker brothers. 

Also on the Ancestry list… Joseph Pryor recorded with James Whitson, John Hunter, Joseph Copeland, James Bartlett, William Haws, William Whitaker

My Notes: Based on deeds in White Co. these are the Pryors on Caney Creek in Dry Valley, White Co. Joseph Pryor b. 1792 married Mary Bartlett and in 1828 was deeded property that bordered by the Hunters in White County. Seth Maberry and Joseph Pryor are on the 1820 Census in Jackson Co., TN. 

John and William Pryor on Sumner County Tax List

tax-listI’m not ready to scrap my question of the ID early Pryors in Sumner County. I see that William is connected to Richard Pryor, but still wondering if he was a son or other relative.

  • I read through the early Tax Lists of Sumner County and found that Philip Trammel Sr. and Jr were in the county by 1789 and were recorded near William Pryor in 1793. The Trammells are kin to William Pryor of Stewart County (William of Stewart County was married to Betsy Trammell).
  • Richard and Mourning Pryor were in Logan County, KY where Richard bought land in 1796. Philip Trammel went to Logan Co.
  • I see that the land transactions in Sumner Co. are for land that was later in Smith County, TN. John Pryor was bonded to (borrowed money from?) Howell Tatum in 1791 and William Pryor bought land from Tatum in 1794, William’s tract was recorded as bordered by land owned by John Pryor and John Hannah (a Mary Pryor had married John Hannah). In 1802 Richard’s widow sold land “formerly the property of Howel Tatum.” to James Ewing and the deed was recorded in Smith County.
  • Researchers have speculated that the Jonathan Pryor born 1788 living in Logan County was the son of Richard and Mourning Pryor. I think he’s too young to have been the John who was bonded to Howell Tatum in Sumner County in 1791. Do they let 3 year-olds enter into legal arrangements? Yet because of the proximity of John’s Sumner County land to William Pryor and William’s land mentioned in the 1802 deed, it’s likely that John was kin to William who was kin to Richard and Mourning Pryor
  • Going through the TN Tax Lists is vexing.  There are obviously years missing and the images show frayed edges and missing portions of sheets.  John Pryor was recorded in Sumner County in 1791, yet he doesn’t appear on a tax list until 1793. I know I ask this all the time… Where’s John Pryor?! He could be the John Pryor recorded with Richard Pryor on the 1783 Tax List in Greene County, TN. Could be.

John Pryor of Amherst Co., VA – Calendar of Legislative Petitions

You may be wondering why I’m so curious about Nathaniel Pryor of the Lewis and Clark Expedition and how he fits in with the Pryors from Virginia. His father was a John Pryor. My own Pryor ancestor who is also my “brickwall” was a John Pryor who owned land in Campbell County, VA. I would just like to get the John Pryors sorted out so we know who is who!

I found a John Pryor in the Report of the Virginia State Library, Volume 5  by the Virginia State Library, Calendar of legislative petitions: Amherst, Bedord, and Botetourt:

1803 Dec. 9. A909. Establishment of flour inspection at Bethel; place is convenient to people coming down James River from mountains. Richard F. Ellis, Burnett Jenkins, John Prior, Anthony Christian, and 125 others. Reported.

Then on 20 November, 1805, a Jesse Pryor is in the records.

A920 Division of county. William Jopling, Jesse Pryor, Robert Sebree, John Roberts, John Harding and 60 others.

I think this is the John and Jesse Pryor who were on the 1800 Tax List for Amherst Co., VA virginia-a-counties/ and that they were sons of Nicholas Pryor.