James Pryors of Sumner County, Tennessee

There are at least four James Pryors between 1845 and 1860 who were either born in or came to live in Sumner County.  It came to my attention while working through a Pryor query that it's hard to figure out who is who due to a variety of ages supplied on census records and other documents.

1) James Pryor b. 1846 was a son of Phereba Pryor, possibly a grandson of William and Spicy Pryor.  He disappeared after 1860.  His actual year of birth is questionable since he is probably the same James recorded as aged 4  on the 1850 Census while living with Spicy Taylor Pryor and Phereba Pryor in Overton County, TN.  In 1860 Phereba Pryor was recorded as Fereby Prior living near Massa Taylor Pryor in Sumner County.  At that time James' age was stated as 10.  He has not been found after this census.

2) "James" Monroe Pryor b. 1848 was the son of George W. Pryor and Mary Odell (Her sons Crockett Odell and Clayton Odell were from another union).   George married his mother on September 25, 1847 in Sumner County.  George was the son of Massa Taylor Pryor and John Pryor of Campbell County, VA.  The earliest census on which this Pryor appears in 1850; he was age 2.  On all census records his name was recorded as Monroe.  Only on his 1929 death record is the name "James" added.  Since George Pryor had another son another son named James there is some doubt that he would have two sons of the same name.  Monroe married Mary Stanson in 1871 and had six children.

3) James Wesley Pryor b. 1859 was also the son of George W. Pryor and his second wife Mrs. Lucy Jane Chennowith (Lucy was a Lumsden/Lumsdale prior to her marriages).  The 1860 Census taken on June 19th recorded James W. as 7 month old baby-- born around December 1859.  This conflicts with the 1900 Census that recorded James as born in "Oct. 1854".  I believe he was born in 1859, consistent with the 1860, 1870, and 1880 census.  It's hard for the census taker to write down 7/12 for an age if the child is a six year old! (well, at least we hope they don't make those glaring mistakes).  Pryor family members have recounted stories of James having been referred to as born "out of wedlock."  His parents were married in May 1859 and if James were born in either October or December he was probably conceived before their marriage.  Lucy Pryor died in 1871 and recognized him in her will as her only child, leaving him a house in Cairo, interest in the estate and quilts she had made for him.   James married first Susan Branham and later her sister Nora Branham, fathering at least 13 children.

4) James M. Pryor b. 1846 was a son of William Pryor and Margaret Curry, and probably a grandson of Massey and John Pryor.  Margaret Pryor divorced William in Sumner County in 1848, stating that they had three children at that time.  It is believed from newspaper accounts that William Pryor went to California in the Spring of 1850 and Margaret remarried to John Calvin Hunter in 1853.  James was counted on Census records in Sumner County all of his life.  He married in about 1907 to his wife Mary (I have not obtained their marriage record) and had one daughter named Willie (probably after his sister Willie Pryor).  He died sometime after the 1930 Census.