James Pruden, Olive Tayloe & Easther Matthews

5-great – grandparents of R A Holloman III

James Pruden ca 1740 – 1823 | his parents
& Olive Tayloe ca 1745 – bef 1794 | her parents
& 1794 Easther Matthews d ca Dec 1823 | her parents
of Gates County, NC


This is my working hypothesis – the way I see it as of this moment!!


The Pruden farm, Swains’ Mill Road, Harrellsville, NC/

My great aunt who was born there had this picture of it.  The child in the picture is my Aunt Patricia, my mom’s sister.
This was the homeplace of William Dossey Pruden born in 1812, Gates County.   He was the son of Nathaniel Pruden and Marcella Newsom.  His wife was Martha Riddick.  He had several children and a prominent son who moved to Edenton NC.  Who  was also named William Dossey Pruden.
Im thinking the house was built somewhere after 1835 is when he brought the land on Swains Mill Road Harrellsville NC I believe.   It was on the civil war map of 1863.
I went to this house back in the late 70s and early 80s, me my grandmother, aunts and my mom we went and took a final tour before they tore it down.  the balcony had been removed on the front when the house was remodeled in the 50’s  The back of the house balcony and the two story kitchen was intact.  The house was amazing…you could open the windows like doors and walk through them onto the balcony.   The raise paneling at the bottom had a latch so you can walk through it onto the porch and balcony.  If I had a some sense about me back then I would have carried a camera!!
My great grandfather Simuel T Jones and Sallie Willie Pearce Jones…tenant farmed the land from about the mid 1920’s to the mid 1940’s.  My great great grandparents William C Pearce and Roxanna Pearce died on this farm.  My mom and some of her siblings were born here.
I drive by there  all the time, but noticed a couple of months ago my marker the big old pine tree has been taken down. You can still see the small cemetery which was behind where the house use to stand.  I’ve been settling my great aunts estate in Harrellsville.  She has some other pictures of the house in the back I can share with you if you like.  My great aunt had saved a beam out of the house and made a mantel for her house….I found the other half in the barn and I plan to use it for a shelf in my kitchen in a house I’m remodeling in Washington NC.
Sorry to ramble on, I love history.  Here’s a picture of the house.
BTW I love your site.

Sim Hodges



family tradition: The Pruden family emigrated from the South of England, around the time of the Revolutionary War. Winborne says latter part of the seventeenth century, or early in the eighteenth.

When Richard Tayloe of Bertie Co wrote his will in 1786 his daughter Olive was married to James Pruden.

Easther Matthews married James Pruden on 29 Dec 1794 in Gates County, North Carolina

Children:
1. David Pruden by 1763 –
married Bertie Co 27 Mar 1787 Sarah Sowell
Richard Taylor, Bm.
2.Mary Pruden d 1850
married bef 1788 Nathan Tart d 1826
3. Elizabeth Pruden ca 1766/72 –
married Gates Co 8 Mar 1787 James Thomas ca 1763 –
Luke Langston, Bm
4. Lodowick Pruden by 1773 – 1815 Bertie Co.
married Bertie Co. 1 Mar 1799 Ann [Anna] Outlaw [Tayloe]d 1831
David Pruden, Bm she was the widow of Kintching [Kinchen] Tayloe
5. Abraham Pruden
?married Martha will 1839 Bertie Co
6. Rev. Nathaniel Pruden 1781 Gates Co – ca Nov 1815 age 34
pastor of Middle Swamp Church in Gates County until his death
” one of the founders” of the NC State Baptist Convention

married 1st Marcella Newsome
married 2nd Absilla [Abigail] Newsome
she married 2nd Mr. Morgan
7. Jacob Pruden
married Gates Co 29 Aug 1799 Sally Savage
8. John Pruden
married Gates Co 16 Mar 1801 Nancy Dukes
9. Terecey Pruden
married Abel Savage ca 1778 – of Nansemond VA

Wills:
Bertie Co: Richard Tayloe, 16 June 1786 proved Nov Ct 1795
son Abraham Tayloe, daughter Olive wife of James Pruden, son James Tayloe, son David Tayloe, daughter Terese wife of Thomas Boswell, daughter Rachel wife of James Rice, grandson William Phillips, Ex: friend Watkin William Wynns, son David Wit: Richard Tayloe, David Pruden, William Tayloe

Gates Co: James Pruden 22 Feb 1816 proved Nov Ct 1823
wife Esther, heirs of Nathaniel Pruden dec’d, Rachel Rice [grand-daughter of Abraham Pruden], all of my children, sons David and John Exrs.

Gates Co: Esther Pruden, 8 Dec 1823 proved Feb Ct 1824
son David, Esther Bryce, Celia Pruden, Oliva Pruden, grand-son Luodovick Matthews, grand-children: Mary Rice, James Matthews, Luodovick, and John Matthews, David Riddick Exr. Test: A C Morgan, Willie Riddick

Bertie Co: Lodowick Pruden, 25 Oct 1815 – proved Nov Ct 1815
— wife Anna Pruden – lend a part of my land for her lifetime adj. James Tayloe, the Damn Branch, Major William Watford, Guys Hall Swamp, and Wright Williford’s former line.
— wife — Negroes Dinah, Hager, Winifred, Pearry and Hasty, mare, saddle, etc.
— sister Elizabeth Thomas — Negro Clarry
— sister Mary Tarte — $75
— to Rachel Rice [daughter of John Rice and grand-daughter of my brother Abraham Pruden, $100
— son-in-law David Tayloe – Negro Ben
— friend Wm. Hendrixen – $200.
— all my brothers and sisters except Abraham Pruden’s heirs — balance of property to be sold and proceeds divided
EXS: wife. brother David Pruden and Williamson Hendrixen
Test, Christopher Pritchard.

Bertie Co: Anney Pruden, 30 Aug 1830 proved Feb Ct 1831
Sally W Outlaw, Emilia Cherry, Rachel Cherry, nephew Wm. H Tayloe, Thos. Cherry’s heirs, David Outlaw, James Cherry Exr. Test: John Holder, John Rice.

Bertie Co: Martha Pruden, 7 Feb 1839 proved Aug Ct 1839
niece Sarah LeFellier and her mother

Grandchildren:

Children of David Pruden and Sarah Sowell:
1. Mary Pruden
married Zachery Champion of Bertie
2. Elizabeth Pruden
married John Mizelle of Kentucky
brother of Hez. Mizelle
3. William S Pruden
4. Lodowick Pruden
5. David Pruden
6. Sarah Pruden
married John Setellier

Children of Elizabeth Pruden and James Thomas:
1. Abraham Thomas 26 Nov 1799 – 13 April 1879
married Nancy Mitchell ca 1807 – bef 1870
dau of John Mitchell and Winnifred Saunders and sister of James S.
a. Mary Henrietta Thomas 1824 -1897
married 3 Feb 1842 Howell M Jones 6 Aug 1819 – 15 July 1865
b. Martha A Thomas 1826 – 1913
married ca 1845 Rev. William P Britton 1821 – 1852
Baptist preacher – killed by his horse – near Bethlehem
c. John Q Thomas ca 1836 – merchant at Vanndale, Ark
emig to Arkansas when young
married Josephine Robertson of Memphis, TN
d. Dr. Rascius P Thomas 2 Sept 1845 – 29 Oct 1916
married 1879 Mary Green Mitchell 1858 – 17 Feb 1928
of Franklin Co, NC Chowan grad. 1876
2. Mary Thomas ca 1801 – 1848
married James Saunders Mitchell ca 1800 – 1869
brother of Nancy
a. Mary Elizabeth Winifred Mitchell ca 1823 –
married William Watson Mitchell ca 1811 – 1897
b. Rev. Dr. John Mitchell
c. William H Mitchell
d. James W Mitchell ca 1835 –

Children of Lodowick Pruden and wife Ann Outlaw widow of Kinchen Tayloe
none that I have found
Child of Ann Outlaw and Kinchen Tayloe
1. David Tayloe/Taylor 1796 Bertie Co NC – 1883 Cass Co MO age 85 Baptist Preacher
married 1819 Susanna Simpson 1795 Pasquotank Co NC – 12 Oct 1857 Hartford Co IA
Tombstone reads….”Wife of D Tayloe Age 55 yrs 11 mo 23 days died 12 Oct 1857″
a. Mary Ann Taylor 1821 Bertie Co NC – 4 March 1900 New Lisbon, Henry Co IN
married Henry Co IN 24 Mar 1842 John Madison Swafford
b. Catherine Taylor living 1883 Cass Co MO
married John Gaddie
c. Joseph Taylor 1825 Bertie Co NC – 25 Nov 1923 at age 98 yrs 8 mo 8 days
listed as a trustee of Hartford Cemetery 1849

d. John W S Taylor 1829 Henry Co IN – living Jasper Co MO 14 June 1883
e. Rebecca J Taylor 1832 –
married Barkley Sanders living Boulder Co CO

f. Clarkey Benton Taylor 1833 – 24 April 1912 Johnson Co MO
married Warren Co IA 13 Nov 1851 Joseph Slack living 1883 Henry Co IN
i. Mary Elizabeth Slack
married Johnson Co MO 19 Dec 1873 Addison Ridings
ii. Sarah Ellen Slack
married 15 Jan 1879 Benjamin Bradson Chambers

iii. Lenora Slack
g. Thomas Jefferson Taylor 1838 – living 1883 Boulder Co CO
h. Lydia Ann Taylor 1841 – 1860
buried Hartford Cemetery Hartford IA

i. James Monroe Taylor 1843 – lived Boulder Co CO
j. David Frasier Taylor 24 Oct 1836 – 19 Oct 1914 Johnson Co MO
lived Cass Co Mo 1884
married 1865 Mary Jane Roberts
k. Amariah B Taylor living Cass Co MO 18 May 1882
— Above info from research of Etta Reid —-

Children of the Rev. Nathaniel Pruden and Marcella Newsome:
1. Lewis W Pruden ca 1814 – 4 April 1855
married 11 Oct 1838 Evelina M Harrell ca 1817-10 May 1845 [28th yr]
dau of John Harrell and Winifred his wife
a. John Lewis Pruden 20 July 1839 –
married 29 Nov 1860 Virgininna S Hayes
dau. of Willis R Hayes and Elizabeth his wife
b. William Nathaniel Pruden 7 Aug 1841 – 16 Nov 1849
c. Joseph Henry Pruden 18 April 1843 – 30 Jan 1918 [75th yr]
married 26 Mar 1874 Mollie J [Mary Josephine] Roberts
i. Evelyn [Evvie] Pruden 1877 -14 Mar 1906 [29th yr]
of spinal meningitis which also killed her baby
married Caleb Ward
ii. George L Pruden died 10 Dec 1880
on Barfield’s Farm, Tuscarora Beach, Winton, NC
iii. Mary Lillian Pruden Jan 1880 -15 Feb 1981 [aged 101 yrs 20 days]
married Millard Alonzo Ward
iv. Julian Paul Pruden 1883 – July 1950 aged 67
v. William Roberts Pruden 1884 – 15 Oct 1939 [55th yr]
vi. John Lewis Pruden 24 Sept 1887 – 24 Oct 1969 [age 82] dsp
vii. Albert Leslie Pruden 31 Aug 1890 –
viii. Nellie Lorraine Pruden 10 Aug 1893 – aft Feb 1982
married Thomas Ellis
ix. Cyril – –
x. Charles Norfleet Pruden 28 Aug 1899 – 4 Mar 1979 [age 79] dsp
d. Charles Norfleet Pruden 30 Jan 1845 – 23 Mar 1923 [age 78]
married 20 Jan 1869 Martha S Jones
dau of Howell M Jones and Mary H. his wife
married 30 Oct 1872 Nannie W Jones Askew
dau of Howell M Jones and Mary H. his wife
married 2nd 30 Oct 1845 Sarah Louisa King died 1870
dau of Thomas C King and Sarah his wife
she then married 2nd James Eley Newsome died ca 1865/66

e. Mary Julia Pruden 20 June 1850 –
f. Emma Eley Pruden 27 Sept 1851 –
married 1st Leander T Newsom her step brother
married 2nd Irving Preston Newsome his brother
g. Thomas King Pruden 15 Sept 1853 – 28 Feb 1858
h. Louisa Marcila Pruden 14 Jan 1855 – 1898
married 5 Nov 1872 William F Jones
son of Howell M Jones and Mary H. his wife
2. William Dossey Pruden 22 Feb 1812 Gates Co – 15 Jan 1874 ts Mill Neck
orphaned early, raised by his uncle Capt. Michael B Newsom, Hertford Co
despite being named for a leading Baptist he became a stanch Methodist
married 1835 Martha G Riddick 20 May1813 Hertford Co – 1867
died age 53 years ts
this Pruden family’s cemetery is about 1/4 mile up an old farming road by a big Pine Tree off Swain Mill Road very near Harrellsville -visited by Anne Laskin-Born May 04.
a. Aurelia A. Pruden ca 1837 –
married Horatio B Hayes ca 1829 –
b. William Dossey Pruden 2 Feb 1847 Harrellsville NC – 27 Mar 1918 Edenton NC
married Feb 1872 Mollie Norfleet d. 1889
married June 1892 Annie Wood
c. James N Pruden ca 1848 – 25 Dec 1868
died at the University of Virginia at age 20 ts
d. Alfred A Pruden ca 1853 – ca 1870 – died aged 17 ts – male
e. Martha [Pattie] S Pruden 4 Jan 1856 – 19 April 1877 ts- girl
3. Charles Norfleet Pruden –
4. Martha Pruden –
married Moses Newsome ca 1803 –
5. Celia M Pruden

Children of Abraham Pruden:
1. daughter
married John Rice ca 1786 –
a. Rachel Rice

Children of John Pruden of Gates County:
1. James Pruden
2. John Pruden
married 1st Rebecca Tayloe
married 2nd Rachel Spivey
John and Rachael came to Arkansas in 1849.
According to family lore, the reason they settled in Arkansas was because their daughter Ollie (Olive, maybe) became sick and died here. We have always been told that they were on their way to California.

Children of Terecey Pruden and Abel Savage:
1. Whitmel Savage
2. David D. Savage
3. Oliver Savage
4. Deborah Savage
married Micajah Pierce ca 1800 –
5. Abel A Savage
6. Teresa Savage ca 1813 –
7. Mary Savage

Children of Jacob Pruden and Sally Savage:
1. Lavinia Pruden dec bef 1838
married Britton Barr ca 1803 – of Gates Co
a. Susan Barr
b. Henry Barr
c. Isaac Barr
2. Kintchen T Pruden 1801 – Bertie Co
married Elizabeth ca 1787 –
a. Jacob Pruden Jr 19 May 1827 – 18 Feb 1878
married 20 Aug 1849 Mary L Hendrickson 25 Feb 1825 – 12 Oct 1888
i. Martha E Pruden 1850 –
ii. George T Pruden 12 Oct 1852 –
iii. Joseph C Pruden 20 Jun 1856 – 29 Mar 1915
married Elizabeth Jenkins
iv. Williamston Pruden
v. Erastus F Pruden 1860 –
vi. Charles M Pruden 7 Mar 1866 –
vii. E Frank Pruden 8 Feb 1860 -5 Jun 1910
viii. Laura Pruden
ix. WT Pruden 2 Mar 1858 –
x. others
3. Abram Pruden ca 1812 –
married Martha ca 1814 –
a. Nathaniel A Pruden ca 1846 –
4. Teresa Pruden ca 1810 –
married Thomas Hoggard ca 1808 – Gates Co
5. Christianna Pruden ca 1812 – Gates Co
married James Smith ca 1805 –

5 thoughts on “James Pruden, Olive Tayloe & Easther Matthews”

  1. I am descended from Sarah Ann Elizabeth Pruden (b. 1825 in N.C.) who married Joel Pierce. Her father is listed as Nodrick Pruden (b. 1800 in N.C.) in the 1860 Choctaw County, MS census living with them. Sarah’s son, my ancestor was named James Pruden Pierce. I strongly believe I tie into the James Pruden/Olive Tayloe family somehow. Can you help me make the connection? Thank you!

  2. I have a picture of the Pruden farm swains mill road, Harrellsville NC. My great grandparents tenant farmed the land and where several generations of my family lived. The old pine tree that marked the path has been recently taken down.

    I remember the old place, and hated to see torn down

    1. Hello, I would love to see the picture of the farm, Christianna Pruden was my ggg Grandmother, I have been doing research on this side of the family for several years, but I keep hitting a brick wall. Any info that you may have would be greatly appreciated!! My email is shpluvr@yahoo.com

  3. I am the 4th granddaughter of James Pruden and Olive Tayloe. James to John to David To james To Wesley to me.

    I did I lot of research in the 1980’s. I always felt like this was my line but could not make positive connections. Thank you.

    If I may ask where did you find the information on John and his family in Arkansas.

    1. Hello – I believe I am descended from James Pruden and Olive Tayloe, and am trying to connect Olive’s line back to the Tayloe/Taylor individuals in Jamestowne. If anyone has anything that makes that connection, please email me at kat525252@yahoo.com

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