Luke Pryor

Luke Pryor (July 5, 1820  August 5, 1900) was a U.S. senator from the state of Alabama. He was appointed to fill the Senate term left by the death of George S. Houston and served from January 7 to November 23, 1880, when a replacement was elected. Pryor was a Democrat. He is interred at City Cemetery in Athens, Alabama.[1]

Luke Pryor
United States Senator
from Alabama
In office
January 7, 1880  November 23, 1880
Preceded byGeorge S. Houston
Succeeded byJames L. Pugh
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives
from Alabama's 8th district
In office
March 4, 1883  March 3, 1885
Preceded byJoseph Wheeler
Succeeded byJoseph Wheeler
Personal details
Born(1820-07-05)July 5, 1820
Huntsville, Alabama
DiedAugust 5, 1900(1900-08-05) (aged 80)
Athens, Alabama
Political partyDemocratic

Biography

Birth and Parentage

He was born in 1820 in Alabama to parents Luke Pryor and Ann Batte Lane. His father's first marriage was to Martha Scott, a sister of General Winfield Scott. His brother was the noted race horse trainer John Benjamin Pryor of Natchez, Mississippi.[2]

Life in Alabama

Pryor married Isabella Virginia Harris.[3] They were the parents of 8 children, all born in Alabama. Luke Pryor lived at the Sugar Creek Plantation, in Athens, Alabama, for 40 years before his death.[4] Pryor House, built in 1836, stands as a historic building in Limestone County, Alabama. Pryor studied law and was admitted to the bar in 1841.[5] On the 1850 United States Census his occupation was recorded as "lawyer."

Luke Pryor was a slave owner. On the 1840 Census 6 free blacks under the age of 10 were recorded in his father's household, as well as 1 male slave child under 10 and an older female between the ages of 55 and 100. By 1850, Luke Pryor was recorded with 39 slaves between the ages of 70 years old and as young as 4 months; however in 1860 only two slaves were recorded in his household. The American Civil War did not begin until April 12, 1861 and slavery was not completely abolished until 1865 after the ratification of the Thirteenth Amendment.[5]

References

  1. "The Political Graveyard". Retrieved 2006-12-23.
  2. "Alabama - Counties E - L • Tennessee Pryors". Tennessee Pryors. Retrieved 2018-06-02.
  3. "Tennessee Pryors, Alabama Census Extractions". Archived from the original on 2007-09-29. Retrieved 2006-12-23.
  4. "Biographical Directory of the United States Congress". Retrieved 2006-12-23.
U.S. Senate
Preceded by
George S. Houston
U.S. senator (Class 3) from Alabama
1880
Served alongside: John T. Morgan
Succeeded by
James L. Pugh
U.S. House of Representatives
Preceded by
Joseph Wheeler
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives
from Alabama's 8th congressional district

1883–1885
Succeeded by
Joseph Wheeler


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