Tennessee PryorsSouthern Pryor Family GenealogyPhotographsPhotos – The Pryor Biese CollectionReed Collection (Sumner Co. & Texas)Photos – Pryors From Other TN CountiesPhotos – Pryors from Sumner County, TNPhotos – Pryor GravemarkersTN RecordsState RecordsInternational RecordsHow to SubscribeAbout WebmasterContact UsJohn Henry Clay Pryor: A Free African-American in Pre-Civil War VirginiaPosted on May 28, 2019  by  tennesseepryorsI stumbled upon a Pryor death record in Virginia for an African-American who was born before emancipation. Most notably the death record named both the mother and father of the subject. I wondered if they could be identified in records and documented.The Death RecordJohn Henry Clay Pryor* was 76 years old (born about 1841) when he died on Christmas Day 1917 in King George County, Virginia.  The death record (available on Ancestry.com) states his parents were Colvert Jones [sic] and Mary Pryor, both born in King George County, Virginia. The informant was Mary Bombrey. Another death record for George Pryor born 2 February 1868 and died on 6 March 1933 in King George County states his parents were Henry Clay Pryor and Anna Liza Bumbrey from King George County, Virginia. This second death record helps to not only ID one of John Henry Clay Pryor’s children but the name of his wife and the informant on Clay’s death record as a possible in-law.Marriage and FamilyClay H Pryor age 34 (born about 1846) was found on the 1910 US Census in  King George County with wife Anna L. Pryor age 62. There were no others  living in the household. Pryor was identified as “mulatto”. The head of  household recorded before the Pryor’s was Richard Bumbrey age 50. He was further recorded as a farmer who could neither read nor write, and  that he as well as his parents were born in Virginia.In 1880 J H C Pryor age 33 (born about 1847) with wife Ann Eliza age 31 were recorded on the US Census in  King George County with five children, including his son George T. Pryor age 14  (born about 1866). Also in the household was Madison Bumbry age 23,  recorded as a nephew.Henry C. Prior age 24 (born about 1846) and Angelica age 22 were counted in Chotank, King  George County in 1870. Was Angelica the same person recorded as Ann  Eliza? It appears they were the same person because Virginia, Select Marriages, 1785-1940 [database  on-line] found on Ancestry.com states Ann Eliz. Bumbrey married Clay Prior shortly after the end of the Civil War on 24 October 1865. This  database states Ann/Angelica’s parents were Thomas Bumbrey and Betsy  Bumbrey. One might think that Clay married upon gaining his freedom from  slavery, however Clay Prior age 16 was recorded on the 1860 Census in King George county as a free mulatto in the household of Louisa  Bumbrey– Louisa Pryor Bumbrey was also counted in the household of Mary Prior on the 1850 Census (see below).His Mother and SiblingsJohn Henry Clay Prior appeared on the 1850 Cens