The Jackson Purchase region of Kentucky is comprised of the eight westernmost counties - Ballard, Calloway, Carlisle, Fulton, Graves, Hickman, Marshall and McCracken. It is bordered on the west by the Mississippi River, on the north by the Ohio River, on the east by the Tennessee River and the state of Tennessee to the south. By Kentuckians it is generally referred to simply as "the Purchase".

Andrew Jackson and Isaac Shelby purchased the land lying west of the Tennessee River from the Chickasaw tribe and opened the area for settlement around 1820. Within the next few years, my grandfather's ancestors came there from Virginia, North Carolina and Tennessee - the Beadles, Clapps, Pryors and Wingos settled in Graves County with the Reeves and Halls in neighboring Ballard County.

Monday, April 11, 2016

Pryor Family & Friends, Part 3



Census records list James Brock Pryor's occupation as barber. The "X" appears to indicate that the second barber in this picture is James. The barber shop was in Memphis.


Alberta Cullins Lawrence


Alberta was James' granddaughter and is shown in Part 2 at younger ages. This photograph isn't marked well, having only the word Cullins written on the reverse but since it appears to have been taken around the late 1920's or early 30's, it is most likely Alberta.

Alberta


Opie Lawrence
Miss Donald
Opie's 1st Grade Teacher


Opie was the son and only child of Alberta Cullins and Marion Lawrence of Memphis, Shelby County, Tennessee. The reverse of the photo above names the lady pictured as Opie's first grade teacher, Miss Donald.


Other Family & Friends


Harper Sisters

I believe the ladies above are the sisters of James Brock Pryor's wife Nancy Margaret Harper. "For Aunt Nan" is written on the reverse along with the names - Aunt Susan, Mamma (Nancy Harper Pryor) and Aunt Mat. Graves County census records list both a Susan and a Martha "Mattie" among the children of James Byrd Harper and Margaret Minerva Cargill, siblings of Nancy Harper Pryor.

Lola Allison
Unknown Child

Lola Allison was the daughter of Louanna Pryor and Henry Clay Allison of Graves County, Kentucky. Louanna was the first cousin of James Brock Pryor, daughter of John S. Pryor and Susan Cargill.

Rube Dosset

The writing on the photo materials says "Rube Dossett, Mayfield, Kentucky". After a little research, I find that Rube was Rupert O. Dossett, Jr., son of R. O. Dossett, Sr. and Anna Mae Harper. Rube's mother Anna Mae Harper was the daughter of Thomas Harper and a niece of Nancy Margaret Harper Pryor. Additionally, Anna Mae's mother was Arramissa Pryor, daughter of Jeremiah Pryor and first cousin to James Brock Pryor. In the brief time I spent doing this research, I found numerous connections between the Pryor and Harper families.



Once again, I would like to extend my thanks to Diane Walker who so graciously went out of her way to see that these photos made their way home to their Pryor relatives.

Thanks also to Vanessa Wood of the Tennessee Pryors website for all of her help and for sharing information about these photos on their Facebook page.

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