Welcome Family!

This website is just the beginning efforts of rebuilding our rich and fascinating  family story.  So far we have reached as far back as finding some of the names of our  ancestors who were Freedmen (slaves who were freed via Emancipation)--Richard Jackson  (abt. 1831), Henry Rutledge (abt. 1842), and Sam Pryor (Prior) (abt. 1854).  I  collected most of the information from the U.S. Census records of 1880 through 1920  and from the document written by Helen Prior Walker Rudolph, "From the Shores of  Africa To the Shores of South Carolina Came The Priors."

Many names and birthdates recorded in the Census reports conflict with what we know  through oral history.  So, to help make this website as accurate as possible, we need  everyone's input.  Go through your old Bibles, birth certificates, photos, church  records, etc. to help fill in the blanks to our family history.  This site is a great  place to post photocopies of our ancestors birth certificates, marriage license,  letters, photographs.  Additionally, we would love to have current pictures of you  and your family!

I know that I haven't seen many of you since high school.  It would be great for us  to meet all of our family members!  This may not be possible in person, but we sure  can make it possible here, through our family website.

Remember, please take a look through the site and explore the different family  links.  There are many missing branches of the tree.  WE NEED YOUR HELP to fill in  the missing branches and make this site a true and meaningful family website.

Here are few things you can do now:  

1.  View the site and send us any additions and corrections (births, adoptions,  deaths, marriages, divorces).

2.  Send your family information and invite EVERY family member you are in  contact with to do the same.

3.  Send us stories about your grandparents, your grandchildren, or you (historically  factual, "tall tales"--just let us know which it is), we would love to incorporate  them into our family history site.

4.  Follow the "Photo Album" link on the top right of this page and create a photo  album to share your old and new pictures/documents!  Contact me if you have any  questions.

If you need help getting the information to me or just want to say hello, please do  not hesitate to contact me.  Just click on the "Contact Me" link above and I will get  back to you as seen as possible.

I hope that you enjoy the site.

Peace and blessing,

Lynnett Maria Prior

father: Tom Prior Jr
 mother: Lena Mae Rutledge

P.S.  Please note that EVERYONE is listed by their known BIRTH/MAIDEN name (standard  genealogical practice).