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.

Thornton PRYOR and Samuel PRYOR: Letters held at Nashville Post Office as of April 1, 1806.

Benjamin W. PRYOR, letter held at Nashville Post Ofice as of April 18, 1807. (A Benjamin W. Pryor was granted land in Ellis Co., TX in 1850)

Nicholas A. PRYOR - 1835 Nashville, recommended for a midshipman commission by M. Dickinson, per TN State Library "Letters of The Tennessee Govenors - William Carroll 1829-1835".

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

William PRYOR - born in Nashville in 1810. (Place of birth noted on 1860 Census in Jackson Co., TX.)

Mrs. Susannah PRYOR - married Jasper Sutton/Suttin on 6 May 1811 (widow of Samuel Pryor above)

Franklin Co., TN
John C. PRYOR married Ann E. Bullard on 7 Mar. 1818 in Winchester (reported in Nashville newspaper...John C. Pryor is on the 1820 Census in Franklin Co., TN and is probably the same John C. Pryor who was counted in Rapides Co., LA in 1830 and in 1840 - 1850 in Desoto Co., MS).

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

Lawrence Co. TN
Thomas PRYER grantee, Reuben Tripp grantor, book A (1819-1825), pp. 189-190.
(This is probably Thompson Pryor who married Dicy Tripp).

Obion Co., TN

1829 Tax List: Allen PRYOR, Harvey PRYOR (probably Henry Pryor)

Roane Co., TN
Matthew PRYOR married Henrietta Williams on 22 Sept. 1808 (This is Matthew Pryor Jr. b. 1787 in NC)

Betsy PRYOR married Adam Craig on 21 Apr. 1809

John H. PRYOR married Harriett Williams on 1 Aug. 1817

William PRYER: Ansearchin’ News, East Tennessee Surveys, 1807-1813, Roane County. William PRYER, S#362 2-1-1811, E#812 1-21-1811. 5 acres on Piles Turnpike Road on Rocky Branch of Little Emerys River . SCC: Reuben Williams, John Rector. Recorded 2-22-1811. Lifted 1-22-1812 by William Pryor.

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 - 1804 lawsuit, William Pryer vs. William Rosco and Jesse Rosco (dismissed, Rosco assumed costs). 1808 purchased land in the area known as "Land Between the Lakes"

James PRYOR - named on deeds, index to deed book for 1814-1818.

James PRYOR living on Cub Creek per 1827 Tax List

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