Virginia Roots of John & William Pryor

Research in to the Origins of John and William Pryor who settled in Overton Co. and Sumner Co., TN.   Both of these men married Taylor sisters in Campbell Co., VA.  The notes that follow were collected by M. Ty Pryor, a descendant of John Pryor.

At the TSLA there is a file of correspondence from William Cabler Moore of Stamford, CT to a Mrs. Lillard, seeking information about some Pryors.  The letters are from the late 1930s and hard to read at places.  Lots of speculation and random data in these letters.  But, in one Letter Mr. Moore mentions that he received information from the Campbell County VA clerk that a John Pryor purchased some land in Campbell County in 1788, but sold part of it in 1796.  Later, in 1812, William and John Pryor, "heirs" of this John Pryor, deceased, sold the remainder of the land.  The land had originally been patented to John Ketchum or Kitchen.  - obviously this is the same John and the same land purchase mentioned above.  I have not, however, seen the original records that he received his information from.  The manuscript accession number for this file is MS. AC. 75-183. 

Ty's interpretation of all of this: The William Pryor and John Pryor who married Taylor sisters in Campbell County VA in 1809 and 1812 respectively are most certainly the same John and William who are "heirs" of the John Pryer who bought the land from John Kitchen.  How they are heirs, I don't know.  Perhaps sons.  Perhaps nephews. The earlier John may have lived a long time in the same general area and appears in two counties - Bedford and Campbell - simply because Campbell was created.  Had he lived long enough, he may have found himself in Appomattox County.  Because the deed abstract book quoted from above purports to have deeds from the near beginning of Campbell County, this earlier John may have purchased land when Bedford was much larger and the deed would be recorded in Bedford county. This earlier John obviously was interacting with men by the names of Stovall, Wright, Martin and Rork.  Additional court records from Campbell County VA will probably tell more about the earlier John Pryer and how he relates to our William and John who married the Taylor sisters, Spicy and Massey.  The Tennessee State Library and Archives has very few Campbell County VA records, either on microfilm or in published book form.

** Murrill Cunningham is on the 1820 Census in Sumner Co., TN. 000101-00201.  If this is the same person, he was of 45 years or older on the 1820 Census.  A person by this same name is recorded in 1830 and 1840 in Hickman Co., KY.  In 1840 he was recorded as 81 years old and a pensioner. Ancestry researchers place Murrell Cunninham's birth as Nov. 15, 1759 in Cumberland Co., VA.  His mother is stated to be Sarah Martin, which may be a tie in to the Martin's Ty noted on the Appomattox Co. maps. -- V. Wood