Early Tennessee Pryor Families

Without the 1800 or 1810 Census, determining the location and identity of early Pryors in Tennessee is not an easy task. Below are names of early Pryors mentioned in records before the 1820 Census. They are grouped by county so they can be compared to the census records which are also organized by county.

Bedford Co., TN
Norton PRYOR - named on grant & indentures, index to deed book for Vol. A-B for 1808-1811
(Norton Pryor sold 50,000 acres for the formation of Bedford Co. Andrew Jackson was the agent for the sale. Norton Pryor also held land in Warren County. Norton Pryor lived in Philadelphia, PA and was a land speculator. It is doubtful that he ever traveled to TN -- The Historical Society of Philadelphia holds Norton Pryor's memorandum book that dates from 1791-1851 and includes weather records.)

Bledsoe Co., TN
William PRYOR - 1815 Tax List

Davidson Co., TN (and Nashville)
Samuel PRYOR - died before 1811.
Nicholas A. PRYOR - 1835 recommended for a midshipman commission by M. Dickinson, per TN State Library "Letters of The Tennessee Govenors - William Carroll 182-1835).
Norton PRYOR - died after 1810
(Norton is also mentioned in Bedford Co., TN. He is mentioned on 1808 deeds that also mention Jacob, James, and David Suttin in Davidson Co., TN)
Laura L. PRYOR - married John Burnard on 14 May 1808
Mrs. Susannah PRYOR - married Jasper Sutton/Suttin on 6 May 1811 (widow of Samuel Pryor above)
John C. PRYOR married Ann E. Bullard on 7 Mar. 1818 (reported in Nashville newspaper...John C. Pryor is on the 1820 Census in Franklin Co., TN).

Greene Co., TN
Richard PRYOR - 1783 Tax List, named on deed, index to deed book for Vol. 2 for 1785-1797
Joseph PRYOR - 1798 Tax List, named on deed, index to deed book for Vol. 2 for 1785-1797
Joseph PRYOR Jr. - named on deed, index to deed book for Vol. 2 for 1785-1797
Catharine PRYOR married Enoch Odell/Odle on 22 Aug. 1799

Roane Co., TN
Matthew PRYOR married Henrietta Williams on 22 Sept. 1808
Betsy PRYOR married Adam Craig on 21 Apr. 1809
John H. PRYOR married Harriett Williams on 1 Aug. 1817

Rutherford Co., TN
Norton PRYOR - named on deeds, index to deed book for 1808-1810

Smith Co., TN
Richard PRYOR - 1802 Deeded land by Mourning Pryor White, widow of Richard Pryor.
James PRYOR - named on indentures, index to deed book for Vol. B for 1801-1817
William PRYOR - named on indentures, index to deed book for Vol. B for 1801-1817
Richard PRYOR - named on indentures, index to deed book for Vol. B for 1801-1817

Stewart Co., TN
William PRYOR - 1808 purchased land in the area known as "Land Between the Lakes"
James PRYOR - named on deeds, index to deed book for 1814-1818.

Sullivan Co., TN
John PRYOR - recorded on 1812 Tax list.

Sumner Co., TN
Mary PRYOR married John Hannah on 20 Jan 1791.
Jenny PRYOR married George Fairly on 14 Feb. 1794
William PRYOR - named on indenture, index to deed book for Vol. 1 for 1793-1797
Joseph PRYOR - named on indenture, index to deed book for Vol. 1 for 1793-1797
Nicholas B. PRYOR married Sally M. Thomas on 16 Sept. 1813

Warren Co., TN
Norton PRYOR - Owned 5000+ acres. Deeds dated June 1807, surveyed Feb. 1808 (Norton Pryor was a land speculator from Pennsylvania who never apparently lived in Tennessee)

Weakley Co., TN
Thomas PRYOR - named on letters testamentary, index to court records Vol. B. 1840 - 1861.
John PRYOR - named on letters testamentary, index to court records Vol. B. 1840 - 1861.
Arrena PRYOR - named on letters testamentary, index to court records Vol. B. 1840 - 1861.

White Co., TN
John PRYOR - 1812 Tax List
William PRYOR - 1812 Tax List
Thomas/Thompson? PRYOR - 1812 Tax List
Jospeh PRYOR (the elder) - 1816 Zachariah Hanks reimbursed for the support & maintenance of Joseph Pryor. 1817 Robert Armstrong allowed $30 for support of Joseph Pryor "aged and infirm"
Joseph PRYOR - 1807 appointed to work on road, 1812 Tax List
Jonathan PRYOR - 1814 court record
Nathan PRYOR - 1839 apointed to work on road crew with Jospeh Pryor.
Sherrill PRYOR - 1823 court record

Williamson Co., TN
John PRYOR - named on accounting and settlement, index to deed book for Vol. 1 starts at 1800 - ?
Peter PRYOR - 1810-1816, by 1818 they were speculating on land in other states.
Green PRYOR - (brother of Peter Pryor above).
Sarah PRYOR married David Squire on 13 Nov. 1816

Wilson Co., TN
— From "Tennessee Tidbits 1778-1914" Vol. 2
John PRYOR died before Sept Term 1804 when the heirs were on the non-resident tax list with land on Spencer's Creek -- Wilson Co., TN. CT Min No #87
— 1803, 1804, 1806 Wilson Co. Tax List
John PRYOR heirs on Spencer Creek
— 1806 Wilson Co. Tax List
Samuel PRYOR, Thomas PRYOR
— Early Wilson Co. Records
Joseph PRYOR