1. "REDS"¹ ELLIOT was born Abt. 1758 in Scotland, and died Bet. 1810 - 1820 in Wolfsville, Frederick Co., MD. He married HANNAH PRIOR Abt. 1780 in Maryland. She was born Abt. 1760 in Wales, and died Bef. June 18, 1839 in Wolfsville, Frederick Co., MD.

Notes for "REDS" ELLIOT:

"Elliot/Elliott" name closely linked to Celtic Aethelgeat and Aelfweald; root word "el" in old Indo-European language meant a sprit or a god; or comes from tribes of Caledonii (Roman name for Scotland) who fought against Romans;

another theory holds that Elliots related to Roman soldiers of Sarmation (Iazyge) descent that were stationed at Hadrian's Wall; Sarmation units under Roman rule specialized as cavalry; Sarmations descend from Alans tribe defeated in 175 A.D. and taken into Roman service; Alans noted for horse breeding and were excellent equestrians;

From various sources, the Elliot clan in Scotland, specifically the Elliots who live in the Liddesdale Valley in southwest Scotland, were one of the fierce border clans. Their ancestral house is Redheugh Place, north of Newcastleton where Elliot clan reunions are held. Newcastleton is the major town in Liddesdale Valley where the Elliots have lived since 1320. This section of Scotland is right on the border of northwest England, and the Elliot Clan was one of the fiercest groups of "reivers."

In the maps above, the gray lines are the border between Scotland and England.  The Elliots controlled the territory north of this border.

In the constant battles against the English from about the later 1500s on, reivers were a cross between raiders and thieves-- stealing, burning, pillaging, not against their own, but against the British.  They did not raid from foot or wagons or from hiding so much but more in cavalry units; the Elliots were known for their horsemanship.   At various times the Elliots had castles (Stobs Castle), homes (Redheugh), fortresses (Hermitage Castle), etc. The Elliott tartan is a dark dover blue with red "windowpanes," and the motto on the crest shown below, "Fortiter et Recte," means "strongly and rightly."

Just north of Newcastleton is the ancestral home of the Elliots--Redheugh Place or Redheugh House.  Elliot reunions are still held here.  The picture on the left, which is used as the background for this page, was taken by Glenn Elliott. This view shows the ram, in the foreground, part of the Elliot coat of arms.  The Elliot coat of arms is carved above a door lintel at Redheugh as shown in the middle picture taken by Margaret Eliott.  Also by Ms. Eliott is the view of the front of the house at right.

In the 1700s certain Scottish clans got tired of British rule, organized, and started the Jacobite Rebellion. They were not successful and when captured, the "traitors" were slaughtered on the spot. One of the wealthy, famous Elliot houses had two sons involved in this rebellion, a Charles and an Edward Elliot. Charles escaped to the East Indies. The internet sites do not record what happened to Edward, but Pryor/Elliott researcher Norm Pryor--whose family passed down that Reds fled the UK for religious reasons (being a Jacobite)--has discovered that an Edward Elliot immigrated to Baltimore (MD) in the 1770s, about the right time and certainly the right place for our "Reds." THEORY: Whether this was the traitor or his son or someone entirely different, we don't know yet. However, it would explain why, if this Edward is the Jacobite and our Reds, he never divulged his first name, why the kids were made to take their mother's name, and why certain properties were in Hannah's name, not Reds. He was in hiding (and maybe a little paranoid, overly cautious, too). It would also explain why two of his sons, who must have known his first name, would have attempted to claim an inheritance in the UK.

from Elliot/Pryor researcher Norm Pryor:

      "...I have been involved with an Elliott DNA test group for some time... Many Elliotts were slaughtered and scattered by the British so much that I don't know if we ever will find Reds' family. There are some interesting leads though. I have found many close DNA-matching Elliotts from the Liddesdale Valley area of Scotland. That is the ancestral home of the Elliot clans.

      "In our traditions it is listed that Reds came to America for religious reasons (Jacobite) and sold as a white slave. The timing is right.

       "There is also plenty of reason to think Reds was a local boy too. But why didn't he have a [first] name? There could be a few understandable reasons why he did not marry [legally] Hannah. To me, they would all come under the heading of HIDING.

       "No matter now. He really was an Elliott and his family was originally from Scotland."

information from Frederick Co., MD, genealogist Leah Spade, Smithsburg, MD; also included area legend   

       "Reds and Hannah met and fell in love. He was of aristocratic heritage; she was not of his social class. His parents refused permission for them to marry, so they ran off "to the land of trees" (America). Hannah and Reds never formally married. They had what today would be called a common law marriage. However, they lived as man and wife throughout their lives. They had eleven children who all took the Pryor name. After Reds died, two of his adult sons returned to the British Isles to claim his heritage. They were refused a claim on property/inheritance since by law they were illegitimate. They returned to the US."

additional info and genealogy from "Persons Named Pryor" which appeared on page 35, of the spring 1989 edition of the genealogy magazine Antietam Ancestors, published by the Conococheague Genealogical Society, Waynesboro, PA; the article was written by direct descendant Todd Andrew Dorsett.  [Thank you, Margaret Pryor Williams]

More About "REDS" ELLIOT:

Burial: Brandenburg Family Cemetery, Wolfsville, Frederick Co., MD; below right;

Fact 1: Brandenburg burial ground north of Wolfsville, Frederick Co., MD, in unmarked graves;

Fact 2: had flaming red hair;

Fact 3: all 11 children took Pryor/Prior name;

Fact 4: for a time lived in Washington Co. west of Hagerstown;

Fact 5: moved across South Mountain to Frederick Co, northeast of Wolfsville;

Fact 6: last lived at "the old Mel Wise place" near Wolfsville where he died;

Fact 7: Elliot/Elliott clan one of famous border clans raiding into England from late 1500s on;

Fact 8: ancestral home, since 1320, of Elliott clan Redheugh (north of Newcastleton), Roxburghshire, in southwest Scotland;

Notes for HANNAH PRIOR:

Summary--According to several sources, including professional genealogist Leah Spade of Wolfsville, Maryland, Hannah and "Reds" Elliot fell in love, but families objected to their marriage. Reds was supposed to be of aristocratic lineage and Hannah may have been lower in social class than he. They ran away and settled in the Wolfsville, MD, area where they lived together as man and wife for the rest of their lives. They were never officially married but had in modern terminology a common law marriage. They had eleven children who all took the Pryor name.

As grown adults, two of Hannah and Reds' sons, returned to the British Isles to claim an inheritance. They were denied any rights to the Elliot estate because the sons were illegitimate.

Pryor/Pryer/Prior info from "Persons Named Pryor," article in unnamed genealogy publication;

from researcher Monica Fratinardo at Ancestry.com:

     "Hannah Prior appears among the inhabitants of the vicinity of Wolfsville, Frederick Co., in the Federal Decennial Census of 1820, as Hannah Pryer, head of a household consisting of one female over the age of 45 years, one female aged between 26 and 45 years, one female under the age of 10, two males aged between 18 and 20, and 2 males between 10 and 16. Two persons were engaged in manufacturing.

     "Ten years prior, she was listed as H. Pryer, heading a household of one female and one male both over 45, a male aged between 16 and 26, one female and 2 males between 10 and 16 and 2 males less than 10.

     "A John Prier was listed in 1800 in southern Franklin Co., Pa., but whether he was part of her family cannot be concluded from the evidence at hand.

     "She was listed in 1830 for the last time as head of a household in Frederick Co.
In neither 1820 nor 1830 was a male listed old enough to be father of her children., so it is assumed that he died between 1810 and 1820.

     "Land Records of Frederick Co.: Bond of conveyance dated 4/13/1813, in which Thomas Beatty sold her 77 acres called " The Range aout the three Miserable Knobs" for 43 pounds, to be divided equally between her and son, Peter. It was conditioned on her payment in 2 installments due 4/15/1814 and 4/15/1815. It was endorsed as follows: 11/8/1820, Hannah Prior transferred to Margaret Prior all her interest in the bond. 6/18/1839, Daniel Stottlemyer received the releases of John and Margaret Augustine, Samuel and Margaret Prier, James Prier, Nelson and Hannah Stottlemyer, and William Prier; and on 8/17/1839, that of Benjamin Prior as trustee for the insolvent Jaco Prier. Daniel Stottlemyer subsequently paid to the estate of Thomas Beatty the balance due on the bond and then, on 10/24/1839, transferred his interest to Daniel Blickenstaff, who one week later transferred his interest to Mary Draper. It is important to note that on 7/08/1839, the sheriff of Frederick Co. had conveyed all of Peter Prior's interest in the 77 acres to Daniel Blickenstaff and Andrew Draper, who had purchased the interest at sheriff's sale. On 4/27/1846, Jacob Poffinberger of Montgomery Co., Ohio, and wife, Mary, a daughter of Hannah, conveyed their interest to John Bussard. On 6/30/1846, George Stottlemyer and Susanna, another daughter of Hannah, conveyed their interest to Bussard. On 9/02/1867, John Bussard and wife, Susan, of Washington Co., Md., deeded their interest to Soloman Forrest, who also acquired all of Andrew Draper's interest by sheriff's deed 7/20/1868.

     "February, 1858, John Fenwick, Michael and Mary Snyder, David Fenwich, Samuel Fenwick, and Lydia Fenwick all granted to Benjamin Prier their power of attorney to sell their interest in the land of Hannah Prior. Michael and Mary Snyder and Samuel and Lydia Fenwick signed in Seneca Co., Ohio. Oddly enough, 7/17/1858, Peter Prior conveyed his interest in his one-half of the 77 acres to Catharine Prior (perhaps Benjamin's wife), which the sheriff had already transferred to Blickenstaff and Draper. The last of Hannah's children's interest in the "Range" was extinguished when, on 12/25/1869, Benjamin Prior conveyed his interest and that of Fenwick's heirs living in Seneca Co., Ohio, to Daniel W. Forrest. On 1/29/1873, Daniel Forrest, trustee of Solomon Forrest's estate, sold the Hannah Prior tract to George U. W. Hurley. On 8/31/1887, Levin Hurley, agent for the heirs of George U. W. Hurley, sold 8 acres to Robert Pryor. The latter purpart adjoined parts then owned by Nancy Wolf and Samuel C. Pryor.

     "Deed references place the Pryor Tract somewhere near the intersection of the Stottlemyer and Spruce Run Roads, about 2 miles north of Wolfsville. The "old Mel Wise" place, now owned by Mr. Mark Lewis, lies along the Stottlemyer road a short distance south of the intersection and in 1873 belonged to George Hurley. Also, the farm now owned by Mr. Mark Draper, a direct descendant of Hannah, was formerly the property of Daniel W. Forrest and comprises, among others, a purparat thata once belonged to Moses Hurley; hence it may also include part of the Pryor tract. Situated along Spruce Run Road a short distance east of its intersection with Stottlemyer road. A log house there burned around 1906, but a quaint springhouse survives, which is thought to date from Hannah Priors time.

     "From these documents disposing of an embattled parcel of rugged mountain land along Spruce run, her 11 offspring (she supposedly had 14) are as follows:

01. Elizabeth, of whom presently
02. Mary wed Jacob Poffinberger and removed probably in 1836 to German Twp., Montgomery Co., Ohio. She died 8/08/1848, and he 10/23/1856. Buried in Judy Cemetery, near Germantown, Ohio. Their children: Lewis, Hannah, and Henry, among others, and were the ancestors of John Poffenbarger of German Twp.
03. Peter, of whom presently
04. Susannah married 2/08/1814, George, son of George Stottlemyer, and had issue. She died 6/05/1872 and lies buried at Wolfsville.
05. Margaret wed John Augustine and probably lived with Hannah Prior until the latter's death. In a will executed 8/20/1842, David Wolf, Sr., refers to his part of "The Range about the Three Miserable Knobs", adjoining lands of Wilson Hays, Daniel Blickenstaff, and Moses Hurley, and "occupied by a certain John Augustine." Either both Margaret and her husband died prior to 1850 or moved westward. Several John Augustines were in western Md. and Ohio during the mid 19th century.
06. Samuel, of whom....
07. James apparently married and settled in the vicinity of Hancock, Washington Co., Md.
08. Hannah, of whom...
09. William
10. Jacob,of whom....
11. Benjamin, of whom....

     "Exact date of Hannah's death has not been ascertained. She was still alive at the time of the 1837-38 Frederick Co. assessments, but died prior to 6/18/1839, when some of her children released their interest in her real estate. She definitely had died prior to 4/27/1846, when one of her daughters conveyed her interest in the real estate whereon Hannah lived at the time of her death."
 

More About HANNAH PRIOR:

Burial: Brandenburg Family Cemetery, Wolfsville, Frederick Co.,  MD

Fact 1: Burial: Brandenburg Family burial ground north of Wolfsville, Frederick Co., MD; no marker;

Fact 2: common law marriage

Fact 3: in LDS records;

Fact 4: 1820 federal census, Wolfsville, MD, "Hannah Pryer," head of house; 1810 census "H. Pryer" head of house; 1830 "Hannah Prior" head of house;

Fact 5: last lived at "the old Mel Wise place" where Reds died;

Fact 6: owned tract of land, 77 acres, at time of death;

Children of "REDS" ELLIOT and HANNAH PRIOR are:

Notes for BENJAMIN PRYOR:

Benjamin's bible, copyrighted in the 1850s and noted as "his bible," on inside cover was given to his daughter Hannah Cornelia Pryor who married John Henry Kuhn. Hannah and John moved to Madison County, Indiana, where Hannah died in 1882. In the bible, John Henry recorded her death, psalm read, and speaker for her funeral. The bible also contains some notes on Kuhn and Pryor family genealogy.

discussed in "Persons Named Pryor"--article in Maryland (probably) genealogy publication:

      "Benjamin Pryor apparently was the last child born to Hannah Prior, and was still living at Wolfsville in 1880. The petition for his insolvency was filed in Frederick County Court on Jun 21, 1837; John King was appointed trustee, and was discharged on December 12, 1837.

       "Benjamin Pryor married, June 16, 1832, Catharine, daughter of John and Margaret (Harne) Lewis, a sister of Jacob Pryor's wife, and had issue..."

More About BENJAMIN PRYOR:

Fact 1: "his bible" 1857, handed down in family to Katherine Dilts Summers;

Fact 2: Pansy Main, as an adult, records family history in bible;

Fact 3: 1870 census Frederick Co., MD, BP, age 66, living with Hannah C. & husband;

Fact 4: 1840 census Frederick Co., MD, District #10;

Fact 5: died "74 years, 4 months, & 11 days";

Fact 6: still living in Wolfsville, MD, in 1880;

More About CATHERINE LEWIS:

Fact 1: noted in Pryor/Kuhn family Bible as "lost out over the mountains";

Children of BENJAMIN PRYOR and CATHERINE LEWIS are:

More About ELIZABETH PRYOR:

Burial: Lutheran Graveyard, Greencastle, MD

More About ALBEN FENWICK:

Burial: Lutheran Graveyard, Greencastle, MD

Children of ELIZABETH PRYOR and ALBEN FENWICK are:

More About MARY PRYOR:

Burial: Judy Cemetery, Germantown, OH

Fact 1: moved with husband to German Twp., Montgomery Co., OH, around 1836;

More About JACOB POFFINBERGER:

Burial: Judy Cemetery, Germantown, OH

Children of MARY PRYOR and JACOB POFFINBERGER are:

More About PETER PRYOR:

Fact 1: February 03, 1818, Married Mary Hays; children: Eliza, Samuel, Mary Jane, Joseph, David, George W., Hannah R.;

Children of PETER PRYOR and LEAH FORREST are:

More About SAMUEL PRYOR:

Fact 1: lived in Washington Co., MD;

Occupation: shingle maker;

Children of SAMUEL PRYOR and MARGARET KING are:

Children of HANNAH PRYOR and NELSON STOTTLEMYER are:

More About JACOB PRYOR:

Burial: Mount Bethel United Methodist Graveyard, Garfield, MD

More About MARGARET LEWIS:

Burial: Mount Bethel United Methodist Graveyard, Garfield, MD

Children of JACOB PRYOR and MARGARET LEWIS are:

Notes for HANNAH CORNELIA PRYOR:

Hannah Cornelia Pryor Kuhn was in an unmarked grave at the Whetstone Cemetery for 116 years. Grandsons Thamar and Russell Main wanted to place a gravestone at her burial site, but burial records for cemetery had been lost. Great-great granddaughter Melody Summers Hull found John Henry Kuhn's receipt for grave plot at Whetstone, purchased from a Mr. Sikes. This receipt plus Katherine Dilts Summers' remembrance of her grandmother Hannah Virginia Main, Hannah Cornelia's daughter, placing flowers near this plot allowed cemetery officials to give permission for a memorial gravestone at Sikes plot area in 2004.

More About HANNAH CORNELIA PRYOR:

Burial: November 06, 1882, Whetstone Cemetery, Anderson, IN

Fact 1: buried in Whetstone Cemetery, Anderson, Madison Co., IN; unmarked grave; memorial stone;

Fact 2: picture;

Fact 3: probably brought father's Bible with her when moving to IN;

Fact 4: husband John Henry Kuhn made notes in Pryor bible as to death and funeral;

Fact 5: Peter Whetstone officiated at funeral; read Psalm 34;

Fact 6: LDS "family search" http://www.familysearch.org;

Notes for JOHN HENRY KUHN:

***For Kuhn genealogy, go to the Kuhn-Schroyer page.***

from Wolfsville, MD, genealogist Leah Spade:

      "Rev. John Caspar Bucher, at age 30, baptized John Henry on July 23, 1834, in the Valley Church at Jerusalem, 6 miles SW of Wolfsville, MD. The church was a "union church" used by both German Reform and Lutherans. Services were in German. Rev. Bucher (1804-1888) was a circuit rider, preacher, lived in Middletown (from 1830-1843) and rode horseback to pastor several country churches."

John Henry recorded in Kuhn/Pryor family bible the date, the speaker Peter Whetstone, and psalm used at Hannah Cornelia's funeral Whetstone Church, 1882, Anderson, IN: Psalm 34, "I will bless the Lord at all times..." A modern gravestone was placed on a Sikes lot at Whetstone Cemetery by descendents in 2004 commemorating Hannah Cornelia Pryor, John's wife. Notes from family bible and receipt for purchase of Sikes lot at Whetstone was evidence to the Whetstone Cemetery Committee that allowed placing of stone.

Family story asserts that John Henry Kuhn named the Pleasant Walk Cemetery on Madison Ave. north of Whetstone Church/Cemetery in Anderson, IN, after the Pleasant Walk Cemetery near his Wolfsville, Maryland, home--where his mother Susan Schroyer is buried.

 John Henry Kuhn's love letter to Hannah Cornelia Pryor (with original spelling, capitalization, punctuation, spacing, etc.):

More About JOHN HENRY KUHN:

Fact 1: wrote love letter to HCP in Washington Co., MD;

Fact 2: purchased lot 38 in Whetstone Cemetery, Anderson, IN, from Mr. Sikes;

Fact 3: wrote in Benjamin Pryor's bible;

Fact 4: Madison Co., IN, 1920 census living with daughter Hannah Virginia and William E. Main;

Fact 5: listed on June 15, 1870, census for Frederick Co., MD;

Children of HANNAH PRYOR and JOHN KUHN are:

More About ROBERT PRYOR:

Fact 1: 1 daughter;

Fact 2: second marriage to Urilla Draper;

Fact 3: lived on 8 acres of Hannah Pryor's land;

Occupation: shingle maker;

Child of ROBERT PRYOR and SARAH TRACY is:

More About SAMUEL C. PRYOR:

Fact 1: 8 children from 1st marriage;

Fact 2: second marriage to Ida Ellen Swope; 6 children

Children of SAMUEL PRYOR and LOUISA KLINE are:

More About PETER COLUMBUS PRYOR:

Fact 1: 7 children

Children of PETER PRYOR and CATHERINE SENSENBAUGH are:

Child of JOHN PRYOR and MARY SHUFF is:

More About HANNAH VIRGINIA KUHN:

Burial: East Maplewood, Anderson, Madison Co., IN

Fact 1: buried in East Maplewood, section 12 with family;

Fact 2: parents moved from MD after 1870;

Fact 3: pictures;

More About WILLIAM E. MAIN:

Burial: East Maplewood, Anderson, IN

Fact 1: buried in East Maplewood, Madison Co., IN, section 12 with family;

Fact 2: pictures;

Fact 3: lived in Lowman brick house built in 1876 on 32nd St., Anderson;

***For Main genealogy, go to the Main page.***

Children of HANNAH KUHN and WILLIAM MAIN are:

Child of STANLEY MOODY PRYOR is:

More About ROOKLYN PRYOR:

Fact 1: 12 children

Fact 2: occupation: teacher at Middlepoint School;

Children of ROOKLYN PRYOR and ELSIE BRANDENBURG are:

More About NELLIE RUTH MAIN:

Burial: Bronnenberg Cemetery, Chesterfield, Madison Co., IN

Fact 1: buried in Bronnenberg Cemetery, Chesterfield, Madison Co., IN;

Fact 2: attended Terre Haute Normal College (for teachers);

Fact 3: taught school grades 1-8 at Hughel School on Rangeline Rd., before marrying;

Fact 4: had a faith-healing experience; on Christian radio program because of healing;

Fact 5: one of the first members at South Meridian Church of God, Anderson, Madison Co., IN;

More About ADDISON LEWIS DILTS:

Burial: Bronnenberg Cemetery, Chesterfield, Madison Co., IN

Fact 1: buried in Bronnenberg Cemetery, Chesterfied, IN;

Fact 2: in Coast Guard artillery for three years before WW I;

Fact 3: "good conduct, faithful" on service record at discharge;

Fact 4: occupation: general foreman at Delco Remey, division of General Motors;

Fact 5: lived at 3207 Hamilton Place, Anderson, Madison Co., IN;

***For Dilts genealogy, go to the Dilts page.***

Children of NELLIE MAIN and ADDISON DILTS are:

Notes for THAMAR MAIN:

lived to be 101 years of age;

graduated from Anderson High School: pictured on track team;

graduated from Indiana State Normal School;

taught industrial arts for a total of 44 years in Mishawaka, Muncie, and Middletown;

member of Masonic Lodge 433, Delaware County Farm Bureau, Selma Christ United Methodist Church;

Boy Scout Master of Troop 17 and 22;

Children of THAMER MAIN and DONNA PURSLEY are:

Child of RUSSELL MAIN and MARTHA SAMPSON is:

More About JOHN DYSON MAIN:

Burial: East Maplewood, Anderson, IN

Children of JOHN MAIN and MARY HODGES are:

Child of ROBERT LEE PRYOR is:

Child of FRED PRYOR is:

Child of HOMER PRYOR is:

More About KATHERINE VIRGINIA DILTS:

Fact 1: studied music at Anderson College, nursing at Ball State before marrying;

Fact 2: attended & graduated from Anderson University after she was 60 years old;

Fact 3: she and John have been on European vacations 20+ times & 5 times to Israel;

Fact 4: taught piano in home; homemaker;

Fact 5: pictures;

More About JOHN PHILLIP SUMMERS:

Fact 1: in Army Air Corps during WW II; in African & Italian campaigns;

Fact 2: reconnaissance and tail gunner;

Fact 3: tool maker at Delco Remy for 31 years; learned to fly and owned Cessna;

Fact 4: in retirement, locally famous painter of water colors;

Fact 5: president of Del-Ray Toast Masters, Valley Grove PTA, Highland Band Boasters;

Fact 6: tour host for Educational Opportunities (travel company);

Fact 7: lay-minister at South Meridian Church of God;

Fact 8: pictures;

***For Summers genealogy, go to the Summers page.***

Children of KATHERINE DILTS and JOHN SUMMERS are:

Child of WILLIS DILTS and CELIA HOPPES is:

More About ALLAN DEAN BRUMFIELD:

Burial: Bronnenberg Cemetery, Chesterfield, Madison Co., IN

Children of JACKIE DILTS and PHILLIS SLONE are:

28.  PAUL⁶ PRYOR (HOMER⁵, ROOKLYN⁴, JOHN EMMANEL³, JACOB², "REDS"¹ ELLIOT) was born 1943. He married JERRIE HAINES. She was born June 06, 1944.

More About PAUL PRYOR:

Fact1: [phone call asking about Kuhn/Pryor bible]

Children of PAUL PRYOR and JERRIE HAINES are:

Children of HERBERT MAIN and BETTY are:

Child of CAROL DILTS and RAY ALLRED is: