Tag Archives: Tennessee

Identifying the NINE John Pryors Who Were Alive in 1780

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I recently had to work though some questions to ID a record and determine which John Pryor it matched to. I realized there were quite a few John Pryors with possible Virginia roots who were all adults in 1780. NINE of them. So during the snowy days this winter I dug in and questioned relationships and questioned where they were and when they died. I’m now ready to share the list.

If you don’t see your John Pryor on the list — test your information to be sure he was an adult and alive in 1780. If he should be on the list let me know!

1. John Pryor of Greene And White Co., TN

Born 1771 – 1775, per 1830 Census
Married Ruth Sherrill, she’s Ruth Prior in her father’s Greene Co., TN will D 1832, estate settlement in Sangamon Co., IL
Parents unknown
Children Rachel, Ellinder, Mary, Sherrill, Sarah, William, Margaret/Peggy, Elizabeth, Jonathan
Resided: 1804/1805 in Greene Co., TN (father in law’s estate)
Resided: 1811-1812 Tax List in White Co., TN
Resided: 1830 Census Sangamon Co., IL
Connection: Linked to “Old” Joseph Pryor of Greene and White Co. through Robert Armstrong.

2. John Pryor of Sullivan Co., TN

Born 1757 in England, per 1850 Census and a son on the 1880 Census
Parents unknown
Married Mary?
Children: James, Nancy, John, Henry, Isaac, Sarah, Mary, Page, Thomas David, Andrew John
Died abt. 1851 in Sullivan Co., TN
Resided: 1787 signed petition in Sullivan Co. when TN was still NC
Connection: Owned land in Sullivan Co. next to David Ross. There’s a John Pryor on a deed with David Ross in Fluvanna Co., VA in 1813. A copy of the deed was made by John Timberlake. Is this the same John Timberlake who married Elizabeth Pryor, daughter of John Pryor and Mary Dennis of Amelia Co., VA.?

3. John Pryor, Son of David Pryor and Miss Childress / Maj John Pryor of Richmond

Born bef. 1738 in VA
Parents David Pryor d. 1747 in Goochland Co and Miss Childress
Married Anne Beverly Whiting, second wife was
Children All reports are that he left no children.
Died abt 1812. Sons John and William settled property in Campbell Co., VA
Resided: 1759 deed in Albemarle Co., VA, and bordered grandfather Abraham Childress
Connection: Inherited land from his father in Cumberland Co., VA with his brother David Pryor, later of Buckingham Co., VA. His niece, Mitchie Pryor, married Thos. Jefferson’s brother.
Heirs: Nieces Dorcas Bryan, Elizabeth Taylor, Rebecca Taylor, Charlotte Morrison, Elizabeth Hazelwood, and nephews Thomas Pryor, Archer Hankins, William Hankins, Romert Hankins, John Hankins, and Pryor Hankins.
Died 1823, Richmond Enquirer obit
Military: Revolutionary War Soldier.

4. John Pryor Possibly Son of Samuel And Prudence

Born abt 1730 in VA
Parents Samuel Pryor and Prudence Thornton
Married 1754 to Mary Dennis in Amelia Co., VA
Children: Richard, Luke, Elizabeth, Mary, Philip, Ann, Samuel
Died 1785, date of will in Amelia Co., VA
Resided: on Leath’s Creek in Amelia County.
Connection: John was in Botetourt Co., VA at the same time as other children and grandchildren of Samuel Pryor and Prudence Thornton.

5. John A. Pryor

Born abt 1750
Parents were probably Samuel and an unknown first wife.  Samuel’s second wife was Frances Morton Meriwether.
Married Martha Vaughn
Children: Samuel W, Sarah, John Alexander, Joseph Everett, Mary, Nicholas M (possibly named for his half brother Nicholas Meriwether), Prudence, Daniel Farley (read more about Daniel Farley’s namesake)
Died unknown date. Last child born 1799 in Kentucky.
Resided: 1795 deed in Harrison Co., KY with Nicholas Meriwether, his half brother.

6. John Pryor, Brother of Capt. William Pryor of Amherst Co.

Born  maybe as early as 1745
Parents possibly William Pryor of Albemarle County, formerly of Henrico County.
Married possibly married a Floyd
Children: Nathaniel, Nancy, Samuel, Robert Lewis, James, Jane, Elizabeth W.
Died abt 1780-ish, deceased per court record that states his children (the two youngest?) were orphans.
Resided: Fought at Battle of Point Pleasant in 1774, 1778 served as a volunteer spy to warn Greebrier settlement of impending Indian attack, 1782 Poll in Louisville, and in 1783 signed Low Dutch Petition.
Connection: Served under George Rogers Clark. Served with Simon Kenton, Thomas Posey.

7. John of Logan Co., KY

Born bef 1760
Married bef 1775, wife unknown.
Children: One known child named John Jr. b. bef. 1775
Resided: 1791 Sumner Co., TN tax list. 1794 owned land in Sumner Co. that bordered William Pryor who was from Botetourt Co., VA.
Connection: 1796 witnessed land survey for Richard Pryor in Logan Co., KY. 1794 on the Tax List for Logan Co., KY. Possibly the father of John Jr. who also witnessed same land survey in 1796. Both disappear from Logan Co. records in 1800.

8. John Pryor Jr., Associate of John Sr. in Logan

Born bef 1775
Married there are 3 John Pryor marriages in Logan County: Rebecca Baily,  Polly Heathman, Elizabeth Crawford (between 1800-1803)
Children: None known.
Resided: Logan County, KY.
Connection: 1796 witnessed land survey for Richard Pryor in Logan Co., KY. 1794 on the Tax List for Logan Co., KY. Possibly the father of John Jr. who also witnessed same land survey in 1796. Both disappear from Logan Co. records in 1800.

9. John Pryor of Edgefield, SC

1790 Census, Edgefield, SC

10. John Pryor of Warren Co., NC

1790 Census, Warren Co., NC

11. John Prior of Charleston, SC

1790 Census, Charleston, SC

Possibly related to Catherine Pryor who married Thomas Dozier possibly in Lunenburg Co., VA, parents of Prior Dozier.

… And the Northern John Pryors

1790 Census, John Pryor, Middlesex Co., CT
1790 Census, John Prior, Lincoln Co., ME
1790 Census, John Prior, Hampshire Co., MA
1790 Census, John Prior, Albany Co., NY
1790 Census, John Prior, Richmond Co., NY
1790 Census, John Prior, Washington Co., PA

I’ve racked my brain over these John Pryors. One of my questions I’ve asked…”Are any of these the same man listed twice?”

I considered that perhaps the John at Fort Donnally was the same John Pryor who was in Louisville (Nathaniel Pryor’s father). John was on the tax list in KY in 1789, so I have a hard time reconciling that this is the same person as the John who to have been killed by Indians in 1780. I don’t know. I have problems with this one.

I’ve considered the John Pryor who was in Logan County. Did he go back and forth in the wilderness? Is he a duplicate of another Pryor?

I also wonder… “Where did they go?” Especially the John Pryor who was in Logan Co., KY with Richard and Mourning Pryor. Are these the Pryors from KY who turn up in Gasconade County, MO? I’ve looked at Pleasant Pryor who was also in Gasconade County. He was from Tennessee and has often been associated with the Pryors from White Co., TN. I just can’t put them together, but they look like they are connected — marriages into the Simpson family, moves to Maries Co., MO and appearances on Bates Co., MO census records.

I hope this helps to keep the Johns separate in our research. If you see an error, please let me know.

 

Category: Virginia Pryors | Tags: , , , , ,

Can We Identify the Nashville Pryors?

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Nashville
We’ve got lots of snow here on the east coast so it’s a great day to stay inside and do some Pryor research. This week I heard from another Tennessee Pryor researcher who has been finding Nashville Pryors. It’s time to identify them!

In the early 1800’s Nashville was “the big city”. Judging from the letters held at the post office, people were using it as their mail stop perhaps due to migrating or traveling between remote areas on business. Last year I wrote about Thornton and Samuel Pryor who were trading horses (read more).

Nashville is in Davidson County — parts of Cheatham, Rutherford, Sumner, Williamson Counties were all previously part of Davidson County.

Can we ID these Pryors???

Sumner Co., 1791 Court Document – John Pryor in Jan. 1791 was bonded in a Sumner Co. court case involving John Cotton and Howell Tatum

Sumner Co., 1791 Marriage – Mary Pryor to John Hannah on 20 Jan 1791, William Pryor surety.

Sumner Co., 1794 Marriage – 14 February 1794 Jenny Pryor married George Fairly. William Pryor was surety

Sumner Co., 1794 Land Grant – November 1794 William Pryor obtained a land grant from the State of TN. In the first deed book of Sumner Co. (page 185), William Pryor bought land from William Fort and Howell Tatum– land bordered John Pryor and John Hannah.

Sumner Co., 1796 Bond – In 1796 William Pryor signed a bond for Richard Pryor. for 200 pounds VA money, a tract of 2565 acres on the Cainey Fork of the Cumberland in Sumner Co., TN. The land was out of a tract granted to Capt. Howell Tatum. James Ewing and John Young wit. (Sumner DB 1, p. 229).

Williamson Co, 1804 Court Order – Luke PRYOR was supporting pauper William Deacons and it was ordered that he be reimubrsed. (Luke Pryor was again reimbursed for support of William Deacons in 1806, in 1810 Elisha Fly was supporting William Deacons and later Henry Wisener was supporting him. In 1820 William Deacons was identified as a revolutionary war veteran and pension applicant. Minute Book Genealogy of Williamson County, Tennessee 1799-1865 By Albert L. Johnson)

Davidson Co., 1808, Marriage – 14 May 1808 Laura L. Pryor married John Bernard. The couple were living in Tipton Co., TN on the 1850 Census. (Laura is probably the sister or cousin of Benjamin W. Pryor b. 1788, her granddaughter married Benjamin’s son).

Davidson Co., 1808, 1808 Marriage – 6 May 1808 Susannah Pryor married Jasper Sutton (Jasper R. Sutton is a head of household on the 1830 Census of Maury Co., TN and is living with a Humphreys family in Hickman Co., KY on the 1850 Census)

Williamson Co., 1810 Court Record – state Peter and Green PRYOR are the orphan sons of John Pryor and wife Eliza who had remarried Henley Stone.

Davidson Co., 1810 Birth – William Pryor b. 1810 in Nashville. He and his place of birth are recorded on the 1860 Cenus in Jackson Co., TX. He was living in Rapides Co., LA in 1846 when his son W. T. was born there.

Davidson Co., 1811 Death – Samuel Pryor died in Davidson Co., leaving an inventory of his estate, but no will.

Sumner Co., 1813 Marriage – Nicholas B. Pryor, married Sally M. Thomas, Sally on 16 Sept 1813. They are on later records in Davidson Co., TN

Williamson Co., 1816 Marriage – Sarah Pryor married David Squire on 13 Nov 1816

Davidson Co., 1818 Marriage – 7 March 1818 John C. Pryor married Ann E. Bullard (John C. Pryor and wife were recorded in Franklin Co., TN in 1820. He may be the John C. Pryor who later lived in DeSoto Co

Rutherford Co.: 1820 Census, Allen Pryor. On the same page with Allen Pryor is a James S. Hannah. Also in Rutherford Co. was a Howell Tatum. Are these the same men who were connected to the John Pryor, William Pryor, Jenny Pryor and Mary Pryor -she married John Hannah- in Sumner County in the 1790’s.

Williamson Co., TN: 1820 Census On page 25 John P. PRIOR (Oldest male in househoald age 26 to 45 years.), page 107, Samuel Winstead (Samuel husband of Susannah Pryor), page 128, Luke PRYOR (male between 26-45 y.o.), page 145, William S. PRYOR (oldest male over 45 yrs, born 1775 or earlier).

Rutherford County: 1823 Marriage – 26 August 1823 John Pryor married Rebecca Cook. (John Pryor died in Christian Co., KY in about 1850)

Davidson County, 1826 Will of Alexander Donelson, died in Nashville. Names Nicholas B. Pryor and William Carroll of Davidson Co., TN as his executors. “Signed, sealed and published In presence of E. Talbot and Lain B. Pryor.”

Rutherford County: 1827 Marriage – 28 Feb 1827 Amanda Pryor married William Batte (or Bette) (Overton W. Crockett surety for marriage. Amanda F. Batte is on the 1850-1870 census in Sumner Co., TN)

Davidson Co.: 1833 Death – January 14, 1833 buried in Nashville City Cemetery. Mr. Charles B. Pryor, Esquire.

Davidson County: 1840 Census, Chesley Taylor brother in law of William Pryor of Overton Co. and John Pryor of Sumner Co. His widow and children were counted on later census in Cheatham Co.

Category: About TN Lines | Tags: , ,

William H Pryor of Clay County and Blessed Bruington

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WAR of 1812: Claim of Widow for Pension, under the Provisions of Sections 4736 to 4740 inclusive Revised Statutes, and the Act of March 9, 1878.

State of Tennessee
County of Clay

On this 25 day of January, AD one thousand eight hundred and eighty personally appeared before me W W W Hearn, the same being a Court of Record within and for the county and State aforesaid, (1) Blessed Bruington age 88 years, a resident of Clay Co., in the State of Tennessee, who being duly sworn according to law, declares that she is a widow of (2) James Bruington deceased, who was the identical (3) James Bruington, who served under the name of (4) James Bruington as a (5) private in the company commanded by Captain Sutton, in the regiment of Infantry, commanded by William Woodfork in the War of 1812; that her said husband (6) was drafted at Jackson Co., Tenn on or about the 1st of September, AD 1814, for the term of 6 months and continued in actual serviced in said war for the term of (7) 6 months, and whose services terminated, by reason of (8) discharge at Fort Jackson, on the ____ day of March, AD 1815.  She further states that the following is a full description of her said husband at the time of his enlistment, viz: (9) stout, dark complexion, height not known.  She further states that she was married to the said james Bruington, at the city (or town) of _________, in the county of Jackson, and in the State of Tennessee, on the 11th day of ____ AD 1812, by one (10) Hollingsworth, who was a (11) Justice of Peace and that her name before her said marriage was Blessed Smith, and that she has not remarried since the death of the said soldier; and she futher states that (12) neither she nor her husband had been previously married and that her said husband (13) James Bruington, died at Putnam Co., in the state of Tenn., on 14 day of October, AD 1864; and she futher declares that the following have been the places of residence of herself and her said husband since the date of his discharge from the Army, viz; (14) Jackson Co., Tenn and Putnam Co., Tenn. She makes this declaration for the purpose of obtaining the pension to which she may be entitled under the provisions of Sections 4736 to 4740 inclusive Revised Statues, and Act of March 9, 1878, and herby constitutes and appoints with full power of stubstitution and revocation. J. L McFarland of Washington, DC her true and lawful attorney, to prosecute her claim and she futher declares that she has heretofore made a application for (13) pension, which she is informed is incorrect and substitutes this therefore and that her residence is Clay Co., Tenn and she is physically unable to go before the clerk of court Oakley, Overton Co., Tenn.

Signed Blessed Bruington (her mark)
Attest: John M. Hummel
Attest: William H Pryor

Tennessee Death records are  now available on Ancestry.com. John McDonald Hummel is not only living near Blessed Bruington and William H Pryor in 1880, but his mother Judith Hummel was living with him. Hummel’s death record confirms his mother was Judith Pryor Hummel. 

So, not only did Mrs Bruington choose these two neighbors to witness the pension application, but two neighbors who were Pryors. I think researchers of William H. Pryor’s line should consider that he and Judith are related.

Category: War of 1812 | Tags: ,

ID’ing Old Photos from Sumner County, TN

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I’ve going through lots of old photos. Many of the people I can ID but then there’s the one’s that are unidentifiable. I found some photos taken of my grandfather Tom Gregoy and his father Tom Sr. The Elder Gregory was first married to Betty Pryor (a grand daughter of John Pryor and Massie Taylor), and then later he married Betty’s cousin Willie Ann Pryor. Maybe we can ID some of the folks in these photos. Continue reading →

Category: About TN Lines | Tags: , ,

Pryor Brothers: Thornton and Samuel

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Race Horses Crash Fence

I know… there are alot of Thornton and Samuel Pryors, so I should clarify which brothers.  Thornton born about 1781 and Samuel born between 1760 – 1785 were the sons of Joseph Pryor of Botetourt County, VA and his wife Mary Flemming. They were grandsons of Col. Samuel Pryor and Prudence Thornton.

Recently I spent some time searching and reading through Revolutionary War Pension applications. I didn’t find on filed for Joseph Pryor, however I found that serveral men who had filed for pensions claimed to have served under Capt. Joseph Pryor of Botetourt County. I’ve posted quotes that contain information of where they marched and fought while in his companty (read more).  The last record I found of Joseph Pryor in Virginia was when he sold 3 slaves in 1800. He was recorded that same year in Woodford County, KY.

Based upon the date  of his will, Joseph Pryor died in Bourbon County around 1813. His sons Samuel and Thornton were named in his will.  I’ve found traces of Samuel and Thornton in Tennessee and beyond, slowly piecing together their family trees.

I suspect that Samuel and Thornton traveled to Tennessee as part of their ventures in breading thrououghbread horses. In 1806 there was unclaimed mail for Samuel Pryor and Thornton Pryor at the Nashville Post Office. I found in “The Papers of Henry Clay” (yes, the same Henry Clay who was a politician and a statesman!) “Thornton was the brother of Samuel Pryor, trainer and part owner of the horse, Truxton, which raced under Andrew Jackson’s colors.” And, yes indeed this was the same Jackson who became the hero of New Orleans in the War of 1812, later the seventh president of the United States and the guy on the twenty dollar bill. I did some more searching to when General Andrew Jackson owned Truxton and found a 1832 statement that claimed Truxton was sold to Jackson twenty-five years earlier; in about 1807, by “Samuel Pryor of Kentucky.”

It’s facinating how it all comes together! Gen. Jackson was from Middle Tennessee. 1807 is about the time letters were held in Nashville for Thornton and Samuel.  In 1814 Thornton Pryor was accused in an assault case in Robertson County, TN;  I suspect this is the same Thornton Pryor.

The last known records I’ve found of Thornton Pryor was the petition he filed in 1828 concering his father’s estate and then the 1830 Census in Owen Co., KY.

I suspect that Samuel Pryor, the one who sold Truxton to Jackson, is the Samuel Pryor counted on the 1830 Census in Montgomery County, TN. In 1830 this Samuel was 50 to 59 years old (born between 1771-1780) which makes him the right age to be a son Joseph and Mary Pryor.

The Samuel in Montgomery County had only one known child, although there were several younger peopel recorded in his household on the 1830 census. Samuel’s known child was Edward L. Pryor who married Martha A Ryburn and then in 1845 he settled in Hemstead County, AR.  When Edward arrived in Arkansas there was already a Richard Pryor born in Virginia and living in Hempstead County.   Both men appear to have been literate and prominent in the county: Richard was a postmaster and Edward L. a census taker.  Richard Pryor was the trustee of the Spring Hill Male Academy. I haven’t ruled out that Richard and Edward were brothers, however there was only one male 20-29 years old in Samuel’s house in 1830 and that was most likely Edward L.

If you’ve been reasearching this line, please share by commenting!

SOURCES:

American Turf Register and Sporting Magazine, Volume 4 by J S Skinner, publ.  September 1832.

The American Race Turf Register, Sportsman’s Herald and General… by Patrick Nisbett Edgar of Granville County, NC in 1833

Making the American Thoroughbred: Especially in Tennessee, 1800-1845, by James Douglas Anderson, Balie Peyton

Category: About TN Lines, Arkansas Pryors, Kentucky Pryors, Virginia Pryors | Tags: , , , , , , , ,
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