New Article: Who Was J. Prior?

January 19, 2024

The Winter issue of the Tennessee Genealogical Society’s Ansearchin’ News is ready for readers. It includes my article “The J. Prior in Nashville Penitentiary in 1860 Was Jonathan Pryor (born 1820-1830).” See the TNGS website. Jonathan’s life was troubled, but through his troubles evidence exists to connect him from just the initial J to his full name and his Pryor family.

FEATURED IMAGE: Vanessa Wood, Tennessee State Flag, digital image, 2021.

About Author

Vanessa Wood is a genealogical researcher and writer specializing in American family history, with particular depth in Southern states, California, and families with roots in the United Kingdom. She is a member of the Association of Professional Genealogists (APG) and the National Genealogical Society (NGS), and holds a Certificate in Genealogical Research from Boston University. She is a First Prize winner of the 2026 Montana Family History Writing Contest and has 25+ published articles in journals including the National Genealogical Society Quarterly. Vanessa is the author of Pryor Wives: Stories of Family, Fortune, and Fiasco (2023), Board in Venice (2025), and The Kinship Papers, Vol. 1. Her books are available on Amazon.com. She can be contacted via email.