The Pryor family arrived at Louisville, Illinois on May 3, 1843, remained there for a year an then went to Wilberton Township in Fayette County. They built a small cabin east of what is now the Pryor Cemetery. According to Osceola Mahon Hamilton, Thomas's granddaughter, Thomas was a "bound" boy, probably and orphan who was apprenticed out to learn a trade. He know doubt took the last name of the man who kept him. His true name is unknown.
1850 Fayette County Census
Eastern Division
   PRIOR (Pryor), William L. 26 M Va   
Middle initial should probably be a T. for Travis.
                        
Rachel  26 F Pa
                        
Diskin  1 M Ill
1855 Illinois State Census- Fayette County
   PRYER, William
        males; 
1<10 yr old;   1- 20 to30 yr old
        females;
2 <10 yr old;   1- 20 to30 yr old
   PRYOR, Thomas
        males;  
2- 10 to 20 yr old;   3- 20 to 30 yr old;   1- 60 to
70 yr old
        females;  
5- 10 to 20 yr old; 1- 30 to 40 yr old;   1- 50 to 60 yr old
 
 
 
1860 Fayette County, Illinois
Richland Township
P.O. Hickory Creek
   PRIOR (Pryor), Thomas 66 M farmer
$2,500 $600 N.C. could not read or write
                        
Nancy  65 F    Va could not read or write
                        
Betsey  42 F    Va
                        
Jane  24 F    Va
                        
Fredrick  22 M    Va
                        
Jackson  21 M    Va
                        
Elvira  17 F    Ill
   Mahon ? Loren  3 M   
Ill
     It appears that Jackson
Prior (Pryor) was also listed with the William Pruett family in Hickory
Creek.  20 yr. old-  male-  Va
 
   PRIOR (Pryor), John   
25    M    farmer    $800   
$400    Va
                       
Polly    22    F    Ill
                       
Elnora D.  1    F    Ill
 
Wheatland Township
P.O. Hickory Creek
   PRIOR (Pryor), Wm.   
37    M    farmer    $3,000   
$500    Va
                       
Rachael    37    F    Pa
                       
Diskin    11    M    Ill   
school within the last year
                       
Abigail    9     F    
Ill    school within the last year
                       
Francis    5    F    
Ill
1865 Illinois State Census- Fayette County
Vandalia Township
   PRYOR, George-  George dealt
with tobacco
           
males; 1- 10-20 yr old; 1- 50 to 60 yr old
           
females;  1- 10 to 20 yr old; 1- 40 to 50 yr old
Wilberton Township
    PRYOR, Thomas
           
males;  1- 20 to 30 yr old;  1- 60 to 70 yr old
           
females;   1- 20 to 30 yr old;   1- 60 to 70 yr old
    PRYOR, John
           
males;   1- <10 yr old;  1- 10 to 20 yr old;  1-
30 to 40 yr old
           
females;   1- <10 yr old;   1- 20 to 30 yr old
 
1870 Fayette County, Illinois
Bear Grove Township
P.O. Hagerstown
   PRYOR, Andrew    42   
M    farmer    $2,200    $?,000   
Ohio
                       
Elizabeth    43    F    keeping
house    Va
                       
Wm E.    18    M    laborer
on farm    Ind
                       
Martha J.    17    F    at
home    Ind
                       
John    14    M    farm hane   
Ind
                       
George    9    M    Ind
                       
Sarah E.    3    F    Ind
                       
Norah A.    9/12    F    Ill
 
Sharon Township
P.O. Vera
    PRYOR, Wm   
56    M    physician    Va
                     
Eletta W.    40    F    $1,500   
$100    N.H.
                     
Florence    21    F    Texas
                     
Channing    14    M    N.C.
    PRYOR, Lafayette 24    
M     farm hand      $350    
Va                      
I believe that the age is incorrect for Lafayette on this record, by other
references.
                    
Liddia 24     F     Ill
                    
John     6     M    
Ill
                    
Ada     4     F    
Ill
                    
George 2     M     Ill
Vandalia, Ward 1
P.O. Vandalia
    PRYOR, George   
53    M    farmer    $4,000   
$500    Va
                   
Elizabeth    53    F    Va
                   
Thomas    19    M    Ill
        The
family of Fred Smith was at the same residence- Fred 25 M  Ohio; Mary
25 F  Ill; Chas 4/12 M  Ill
Wheatland Township
P.O. St. Elmo
    PRYOR, Wm.   
47    M farmer    Va
                   
Rachael    46    F    Pa
                   
Disken    21    M    Ill
                   
Abigail    19    F    Ill
                   
Frances    15    F    Ill
                   
Sarah    17    F    Ill
Wilberton Township
P.O. Vandalia
    PRYOR, John   
36    M    farmer    Va
                   
Polly    32    F    Ill
                   
Illinois   12    F    Ill
                   
John       9    M   
Ill
                   
Elizabeth 6    F    Ill
                   
Lee        3    M   
Ill
                   
Mary 4/12    F    Ill
  Mahon, Jasper    19   
M    farm hand    Ill
           
This is Nathan Jasper Mahon, son of Plyant and Elizabeth Mahon Mahon. 
Plyant and Elizabeth were first cousins.
    PRYOR, Jackson   
30    M    farm hand    Va
           
Jackson was at the home of Wm. and Nancy Pruitt.
    PRYOR, Thomas   
71    M    farmer    Pa
                   
Mary      45     F                 
Va
 
1880 Fayette County
Vandalia Twp.
   PRYOR, Lafayette  M 38 farmer
m Va Va Va
                
Lidia F 32 wife m Ill Tenn Tenn
                
John M 15 son   Ill Va Ill
               
Mary A. F 13 dau  Ill Va Ill
                
George A. M 7 son  Ill Va Ill
                
Jas. W. M 7 son  Ill Va Ill
                
Arthur M 6 son  Ill Va Ill
                
Grace  F 6   Ill Va Ill
                
Lilly F 4 dau  Ill Va Ill
   PRYOR, George    M   
63    father in law    m   
Va    Va    Va
                
Elizabeth    F    63    mother
in law        Va    Va   
Va
        George
and Elizabeth were living at the home of Fred M. Smith, their son-in-law. 
Wife was Mary J. (Jane).
Wheatland Township
    PRYOR, W.T. (William Travis)  
M    57    farmer    m   
Ill    Va    __
              
R.F. (Rachel)    F    56   
wife    m    Ill    __   
Va
               
Lora               
F    16    dau    s       
Ill    __    __
Lone Grove Township
    PRYOR, John R.   
M        46    
farmer    m    Va    Va   
Va
               
Rollin S           M   
18    son               
Ill    Va    Ill
               
Elsie B           
F    14    dau                
Ill    Va    Ill
               
Mason E.L.    M    12    son               
Ill    Va    Ill
               
Victoria W.    F      10   
dau              
Ill    Va    Ill
   PRYOR, Diskin    M   
30    farmer    m    Ill   
Va    Va
               
Ellen W,    F    23    wife      
m    Ill    Ind    Ind
               
Cellia        F    
3     dau              
Ill    Ill    Ill
               
Rollen       M    2   
son               
Ill    Ill    Ill
        Helm,
Charles   M    16   servant        
Ill    Va    Va
 
1900 FAYETTE COUNTY, ILLINOIS
Bear Grove Township
PRYER, Andrew H Few (?)1828 72 Wd OH VA TN Farmer
    PRYER, John       
H    Jun 1857    42    M   
married 18 yr                   
IN    OH    VA
                   
Sarah    W    Dec 1856  43   
M    married 18 yr    8 chil. 5 living   
IL    OH    IL
                   
Etta        D    Aug
1882  17    S                                                     
IL    IN    IL    At school
                   
Ira          S   
Dec 1883  16    S                                                     
IL    IN    IL    Farmlabor
                   
Pearl      D    Feb 1886 
14    S                                                     
IL    IN    IL    At school
                   
Carl       S    Jun 1892   
7      S                                                     
IL    IN    IL
                   
Freddie  S    Jul 1894     5     
S                                                     
IL    IN    IL
    PRYER, Edward   
Bdr    Jul 1832    47    M   
married 24 yr                         
IN    OH    IN    Daylabor
                   
Charles   Bdr    Mar 1886  14   
S                                                  
IL    IN    IL
     These 2 were boarders
at the home of E.C. Cooper.
 
Lone Grove Township
    PRYOR, Discon   
H    Aug 1849    50    M   
married 26 yr                           
IL   VA  PA    Farmer
                   
Ella M.  W    May 1857   43   M   
married 26 yr    5 chil. 4 living    IL   
IN   IN
                   
Callie     D    Oct 1876   
23    S                                                     
IL    IL    IL
                   
Rollin    S      Jul 1878     
21   S                                                     
IL    IL    IL     
Farmer
                   
Alsie     D     Jan 1880    
20   S                                                     
IL    IL    IL
                   
Linda    D     Jan 1882    
18    S                                                    
IL    IL    IL
Seminery Township
    Hudson, Silas   
H    Dec 1856    43    M   
married 2 yr                                
IN    IN    IL    Farmer
                   
May  W   Oct 1869    30   
M    married 2 yr    4 chil. 4 living        
IN    IN    IN
    PRYER, Albert  S   
May 1891    9    S                                                         
IL    IN    IN    At school
                  
Everet  S   Feb 1892    8    
S                                                         
IL    IN    IN    At school
                  
Forest  S   Jun1894      
5    S                                                         
IL    IN    IN    At school
                  
Florence    Jun 1896      3   
S                                                         
IL    IN    IN
Vandalia Township
    PRYOR, Thomas A.   
H    Mar 1850    50    M   
married 27 yr                   
IL    VA    VA    Mail carrier
                   
Emm R.       W    Nov 1850  
49    M    married 27 yr                    
IL    GA    NC
                   
Amelia E.     D    Mar 1882   
18    S                                             
IL    IL    IL
                   
Lenard A.    S    Aug 1887   
12     S                                             
IL    IL    IL    At school
                   
Mabel A.     D    Oct 1890     
9     S                                             
IL    IL    IL    At school
                   
Louisa M.    DI    Jun 1883   
16    M    married 1 yr                      
IL    MO   __
    PRYOR, R Slidell       
H    Jan 1862      38   
M    married 14 yr                   
IL    VA    VA    Farmer
                   
Ora B.         W   Jun
1866      33    M   
married 14 yr   4 chil. 4 living    IL   
OH    KY
                   
Clean D.      S    Oct 1886     
13    S                                             
IL    IL    IL
                   
Eliza W.       D    Nov 1888   
11    S                                             
IL    IL    IL
                   
Henry M.     S    Dec 1895     
6     S                                             
IL    IL    IL
                   
Charles R.    S    Jul 1898       
1    S                                              
IL    IL    IL
 
    PRYOR, Lydia L.       
H    Mar 1846    54    Wd                  
11 chil. 8 living    IL    VA   
KY  Farmer
                   
Arthur L.      S    Jan 1875     
25    S                                                
IL    VA    IL    Farmlaborer
                   
Benj. F.        S   
May 1883    17    S                                                
IL    VA    IL    Farmlaborer
                   
Grover G.     S    Nov 1889   
10    S                                                
IL    VA    IL    Farmlaborer
    PRYOR, George A.   
H    Nov 1869    30    M   
married 9 yr                         
IL    VA    IL    Farmer
                   
Minnie         W   Oct
1879    27    M    married
9 yr    5 chil. 5 living  OH    OH   
OH
                   
Jesse A.      S     Jul 1891      
8     S                                                  
IL    IL    OH    At school
                   
Bessie         D   
Jun 1893       6    
S                                                  
IL    IL    OH    At school
                   
Gladys O.   D    Mar 1896     
4    S                                                   
IL    IL    OH
                   
Carrie         D   
Apr 1898       2    S                                                   
IL    IL    OH
                   
Elmer L.      S    Oct 1899      
7/12  S                                                
IL    IL    OH
                   
Charles       B    Jan 1879       
21    S                                                 
IL    VA    IL
    PRYOR, John L.       
H    May 1864      36   
M    married 7 yr                         
IL    VA    IL    Farmer
                   
Margretta   W    Dec 1873     
26    M    married 7 yr   
1child 1 living  IL    OH    OH
                   
Flairen D.    S    May 1894       
6    S                                                 
IL    IL    IL
 
City of Vandalia- Gallitin Street
    PRYOR, Sarah       
Svt    Oct 1871    28    S                                                     
IL    IN    IN
        Sarah
was a servant at the home of G. Dieckmann
 
Wheatland Township
    Hustus, William   
H    Oct 1864    35    M   
married 12 yr                                   
IL    NY    IN    Farmer
               
Laura       W   Mar 1862  
37    M    married 12 yr                                   
IL    VA    PA
    PRYOR, William  FI 
Sep 1823    76    M    married
52 yr                                   
VA    VA    VA
               
Rachel      MI  Dec 1824   75   
M    married 52 yr     6 chil. 3 living          
PA    PA    PA
   PRYOR L.M.    H   
Nov 1867    32    M    married
5 yr                                       
IL    VA    IL    Farmer
               
Ollie A. W    Sep 1874    25   
M    married 5 yr       
1 child 1 living          
IL    OH    IL
               
Dale W. S   Nov  1897     2    
S                                                               
IL    IL    IL