Tag Archives: Taylor

Pryor and Taylor Names in Overton County Records

William B. Churning dec’d, Rachel Chourning adm. Money due to the following:
Roland Flowers due 1 Jan 1837
Overton PRYOR due 26 Apr. 1837
Hezekiah Taylor Jan 1832 (Brother of Spicy and Massie Taylor Pryor)
J.H. Storie, Overton PRYOR and Elijah Garrett $9.45 (William & Spicy Pryor>Overton Pryor)

13 Nov 1846 Estate Sale of Enid Huddleston, Levi and Roland Flowers buyers. (Edward Pryor, probable son of Wm and Spicy Pryor was living near a Roland Flowers in Clinton Co., KY in 1850)

27 Jul 1849 Joseph Bates estate, Hezekiah Taylor purchased 2 lots of shoemaker tools, 1 lot barrels, 1 large kettle, William Richardson also made a purchase (Hezekiah Taylor, brother to Spicy and Massa Taylor Pryor. William Richardson may be kin of Hezekiah’s wife Margaret Richardson?)

1850 Estate of William Harp, dec’d. (The top part of this document is now obscured, but there are groups of debtors and creditors listed by the county they lived in). Persons in Overton Co..Jno. R. Buck, S. Tipton, Joseph Duncan. Persons in Fentress County: John Rogers, Jas. K. Brown, William Poor, Hiram Hills, Michael H. Frogg, William R. Cambell, William Travis?, James Finley?, Jacob Rich. Persons in Fentress County: Joshua Owens, David Smith, John Albertson, George W. Ashburn, Evan? D. Frogg, PLEASANT TAYLOR (note due June 1841), William M. Simpson, William Wright, –? Wood.

15 Aug 1850 Andrew Boswell dec’d, note due to Pleasant Taylor, Isaac Stockton and Eddy Paul: $100.91 (Pleasant Taylor, brother of Spicy and Massa Taylor Pryor)

30 Jul 1852 William H. Harrison, 1 Dec. 1852… 19 head of geese for Mary, James, Wesley and Jeremiah Taylor.

Benjamin McDonald – supplemental. Joseph Garrett, David Garrett’s son a note dated 1852, Samuel Taylor (residence unknown) 1852, Robert B. Garrett (residence unknown) 1852 and 1853.

3 Jun 1853 Thomas Cope dec’d, J. M. Garrett, B. Flowers, Nancy Garrett, Louisa Garrett, Ki Taylor, J. Taylor, T. A. Garrett, John Taylor, Kiah Taylor (Kiah Taylor is probably Hezekiah Taylor, brother to Spicy and Massa Taylor Pryor. )

30 Jul 1862, James Fancher dec’d, money due to William Parrott, Simeon Taylor and Samuel Taylor

7 May 1879 M. I. Taylor, M. V. Taylor , administrator

13 Aug. 1895 A. J. Taylor filed a claim of $25 against the estate of T. B. Lee, dec’d

20 Nov 1912 J. K. Taylor, J. S. Hargrove, administrator

20 Feb 1913
Mrs. M. C. Taylor

4 Jun 1913 J. W. Burnes filed claim against the estate of T. S. Taylor.

The Huddleston Line May Solve The Mystery of Phereba Pryor

Remember Phereba Pryor who was counted in Spicy Taylor Pryor’s household in 1850? I recently saw a family tree on Ancestry.com that claimed Phereba as a direct ancestor. OK, they have my attention! I was a bit skeptical that Phereba or the children in her household could be found anywhere, but this tree looked like a lead worth investigating.

The tree owner’s descendant was William J Huddleston. William was born in March 7, 1856 per his 1943 death record. He died in Indianapolis. His parents were William Huddleston and Anna Pryor, both born in TN.  His daughter Mrs. (Nora) Forman supplied the information on the death record.

Can we confirm that the Anna Pryor on the death record is actually the Phereba Pryor from TN census records? Perhaps.

William J Huddleston married Lucy Peak in Meade County, KY in 1877. I found Lucy’s obit. She died in 1937. The obituary was published in the Indianapolis Star on 29 November 1937. It states Lucy was from Meade County, KY. Her daughter Nora Forman was also mentioned in the article. Mead county birth records state Lucy O Peak was born 20 December 1857 to John C Peak and Elizabeth Allen.


There were 7 surviving children from William and Lucy’s marriage. That’s the potential for a lot of descendants from this line.

The owner of the Ancestry family tree places William Huddleston also in Meade County. If his wife Lucy was from there then it makes sense that William could be found in the same county. They have the 1870 census as source record for William and this is where it gets INTERESTING.

In Garnettsville, Dist 5, page 357a there’s also a James Huddleston age 20 who was born in TN. He is living in the household of Mary E Riney, working as a farm hand. The only other Huddlestons in the county were also in Garnettsville, Dist. 5, page 361a: Phebe Huddleston 40 and William 16– both born in Tennessee.

The last time we found Phereba Pryor on a census was in 1860, living in Sumner County TN just a few lines from Massie Taylor Pryor.  Amazingly the names and ages of sons James and William match up! I know that Phebe/Phereba’s age doesn’t mesh, however her age was 21 on the 1850 Census, so it didn’t match up well with the 1860 census. If she was about 20 in 1850, 30 in 1860, then she would be about 40 in 1870.

1860 Census of Sumner Co., TN – 11th Dist.
House 104 Fereby PRIAR 24, James PRIAR 10, William PRIAR 7, John KEYSER 37 PA, John RYAN 37 GA, Silas ??? 50 PA

There must be a story as to why Phereba and her children were counted as Pryors on the 1860 Census. Why were they Huddlestons in 1870 but not in 1860? Was Phereba never married to Mr Huddleston? Was she a widow or divorced in 1860? Did a neighbor supply the census information in 1860 and they knew her as a Pryor relation? Were they living in Meade county after the Civil War because of the Civil War?

The good news is that if this is Phereba, then she was still alive in 1880. There’s an “Anna Hudelson” b. 1833 in TN counted in Garnettsville in 1880. She stated both of her parents were born in VA which matches how other known children of William Pryor and Spicy Taylor responded on the census. She listed her marital status as “widowed” in 1880.

Why was I looking at this Ancestry tree? Their autosomal kit matches to mine. We also share these matches who are connected through the Pryors, Taylors, and Garretts:

Overton Pryor, son of William Pryor and Spicy Taylor (daughter of Edmund Taylor and Elizabeth Garrett)

Louisa Pryor McCullough, daughter of John Pryor and Massey Taylor (daughter of Edmund Taylor and Elizabeth Garrett)

Ann Eliza Garrett Overstreet, daughter of Stark Garrett

Shadrack Garrett and wife Lector Ann Taylor, daughter of Hezekiah Taylor (son of Edmund Taylor and Elizabeth Garrett)

Robert S Taylor, son of Hezekiah Taylor (son of Edmund Taylor and Elizabeth Garrett)

Ancestry predicts my relationship to the test subject as 5th cousins, sharing Edmund Taylor and/or Elizabeth Garrett as our common ancestor(s), or that we share a common Pryor ancestor, or both.

Just when you think a Pryor has fallen out of the family tree… there’s new info that lights a path of research.

Happy New Year to all the our Pryor kin!

Estate Sale of Massey Taylor Pryor, 1867 Sumner Co.,TN

TRANSCRIPTION OF ESTATE SALE, MASSEY TAYLOR PRYOR, 1867, SUMNER COUNTY ARCHIVES (with notes and probably relationships in green text)

State of Tennessee, Sumner County. This day appeared before me Allen L. Pryor, administer of Massey Pryor deceased, and swore an oath that the above is true and correct inventory of the estate of his mother. Sworn to before me 3 June 1867. Signed Allen L. Pryor. Witnessed by John Bugg and J.A. Truesdale.

State of Tennessee, Sumner County. Personally appeared before me William Matthews, an acting justice of the peace for said county, F.M. Elliot and made an oath that the within account as stands charged is just and true this 14th day of September 1867. Signed F. M. Elliot. (The account that was attached was for shoeing horses for Massey Pryor from 1856 to 1861)

List of Items Purchase Amount Purchased By (Relationship)
2 Single Bed 0.35 Allen L. Pryor (son)
1 Candlestick 0.50 Allen L. Pryor (son)
2 Qt. Bottles 0.50 Allen L. Pryor (son)
1 Lot of Bottles 0.10 Allen L. Pryor (son)
5 Bottles 0.15 Allen L. Pryor (son)
2 Small Bottles 0.05 Allen L. Pryor (son)
1 Dressing Table 1.25 Allen L. Pryor (son)
1 Mule Colt 117.60 Allen L. Pryor (son)
1 Chest 1.90 Sam Pryor (son)
1 Box of Books 0.45 Sam Pryor (son)
1 Lot of Books 0.30 Sam Pryor (son)
Lot of Bacon 2.35 Sam Pryor (son)
1 Axe 0.35 Sam Pryor (son)
1 Small Mare 28.50 Sam Pryor (son)
1 Fork and Knife 0.11 Sam Pryor (son)
1 Looking Glass 0.15 Sam Pryor (son)
6 Chairs 2.35 Sam Pryor (son)
1 Water Bucket 0.35 Sam Pryor (son)
1 Keg Molasses 1.25 Sam Pryor (son)
2 Plows 1.25 Sam Pryor (son)
1 Barrel 0.50 Sam Pryor (son)
1 Bridle 0.25 Sam Pryor (son)
1 Coffee Mill 1.05 Sam Pryor (son)
Pot Rack and Hooks 0.50 Sam Pryor (son)
1 Bible 0.50 Grant Taylor (African-American)
Barrel of Lye 6.25 Betsy Pryor (daughter-in-law?)
Sugar Chest 3.75 Betsy Pryor (daughter-in-law?)
1 Water Can 0.25 Betsy Pryor (daughter-in-law?)
Pot and Hooks 1.10 Betsy Pryor (daughter-in-law?)
Small Pot and Hooks 2.00 Betsy Pryor (daughter-in-law?)
Bacon 5.55 Luisa McCulley (daughter)
3 Plates 0.25 Luisa McCulley (daughter)
1 Stone Jug 0.30 Luisa McCulley (daughter)
1 Bottle 0.15 Luisa McCulley (daughter)
1 Lot Bottles 0.50 Luisa McCulley (daughter)
1 Pair Hound Dogs 4.00 Luisa McCulley (daughter)
1 Plow 1.00 George Pryor (son)
6 Plates 0.25 George Pryor (son)
1 Sugar Bowl 0.25 George Pryor (son)
1 Jug 0.35 George Pryor (son)
1 Small Jar 0.05 George Pryor (son)
3 Hogs 11.30 Mrs. Luisa Williams
2 Forks 0.10 Mrs. Luisa Williams
1 Clock 2.50 C. Brazil
3 Small Hounds 7.20 E.D. Robinson
1 pair __? 0.35 Allen L. Pryor (son)
1 side __? 12.60 Allen L. Pryor (son)
1 _____? 0.80 John Laskey

Chesley W Taylor: Changed His Name to Richard Taylor?

1870 Census, Cheatham County. Chesley W Taylor. His sister Mary Ann Taylor Allen is also on this page.

It’s so frustrating to run into the name switcheroos among the Pryors (see Shadrack to Chesley post) Wouldn’t you know, I also run in to mysterious name changes among the Taylor cousins who settled in TN.

I’ve been trying to flesh-out the family tree on Chesley Taylor about 1785 in VA. Edmund Taylor, the father, died in VA in 1827. William Pryor and Spicy Taylor were in Overton County, TN by the 1820 Census, and soon after Edmund’s death Chesley and his other Taylor siblings followed, including Massey Taylor and her husband John Pryor. He married Mary Ann Hardeman in Sumner County in 1829 and settled in Davidson County.

Chesley left a very small trail. There was a post the Tennessean giving notice that here was a letter held for him in Nashville in 1835. At some point a baby or young boy came to live with Spicy Taylor and William Pryor; they named him Chesley. From 1835 to his death in 1839, Chesley Taylor and his wife Mary Ann had 4 children: Susan, Mary Ann, John Edward, and Chesley Washington– Chesley Washington b. 1837 again brings up the issues of name changes.

Chesley Washington Taylor was recorded on all census records as C. W. His name Chesley Taylor appears on a land grant in Cheatham County. However, C. W. appears on the 1880 Census in Chatham County and there are several children recorded in his household who were recorded as sons and daughters. When those children died, their death records and social security records state their father was Richard Taylor.

His son James General Taylor:

His son George Washington Taylor:

His daughter Ella Catharine (Taylor) Wilkerson:

His daughter Rosa (Taylor) Demonbrun

So Richard it is. Did he have multiple names? Did he drop one name for another? Absolutely confounding but also a great reminder that evolving research means being open to new data and asking new questions.

My new question: When we can’t find Taylors and Pryors are we looking for the wrong first name?

 

Will of Edmund Taylor: Fathter of Massey and Spicy Taylor Pryor

Will of Edmund Taylor, 1824 – Campbell Co., VA
(father in law of William Pryor of Overton Co., TN & John Pryor of Sumner Co., TN)
In the name of god, Amen. I Edward Taylor of the County of Campbell and State of Virginia, being sick and weak in body but of a sound mind and disposing memory for which I thank God and calling to mind the uncertainty of human life and being desirous to dispose of all such worldly estate as it hath pleased God to bless me with, I give and bequeath the same in the following that is to say in consideration of the love I bear towards my wife, Elizabeth, I give and bequeath unto her all my estate during her natural life after my just debts are paid, after that to be equally divided between all my children except Spicy and Massia, the wives of William and John PRYOR. I lend unto them their equal part during their natural life and after their death. I give it to their children in Testimony wereof (viz) I have herunto set my hand and seal this fifteenth day of July 1824. My wish is that Anderson Woodson Junr. to be my Executor.
Witnessed by Lefever Street, William B. Taylor, Charles Wright.
At a court held for Campbell Co., Nov 8, 1824, the within last will and testament of Edward Taylor, deceased, was produced in court proved by the oaths of Lefever Street and William B. Taylor witnesses, whose names are thereto subscribed and ordered to be recorded.
Teste. John Alexander CCC <Campbell County Clerk>

Note: Anderson Woodson md. Elizabeth Clarkson on 30/1/1818 in Campbell Co., VA. Anderson Woodson possibly the son of Robert Woodson and Rebecca PRYOR. Lefever Street appears on early tax lists in Sumner Co., TN.