Hannah Pauley, sometimes assumed to be called Mary Hannah Pauley, after her mother, Mary Hannah Workman, was born about 1829, in Tazewell, Virginia. She was the daughter of Henry and Hannah Workman Pauley. The Workmans, originally spelt “Woertman” came to America in the 1600’s, settling in what is known today as New York City; Flatbush.

George Washington Pridemore, her husband, was born on June 23, 1820, in Hawkins, Tennessee. He was the son of Hiram and Mary Rachel "Polly" Roberts Pridemore. The Pridemores also can date their genealogy back to the 1600’s. Rutger’s University in Middlesex, New Jersey, is said to have been built on Pridemore’s Swamp.


George Washington was a farmer. He came to Logan, West Virginia, after 1840. He married his first wife, Mahala Wallen (Walling), on November 6, 1843, in Logan, West Virginia. Mahala died about 5 years later, in 1848.

Her known children are:
. Hiram Pridemore
. Mary Pridemore
. John (twin) Pridemore
. Jonathan (twin) Pridemore
. Possibly one more, unknown

After Mahala died, he again married. Hannah Pauley was born about 1829, in Tazewell, VA.. She was married to George Washington for nearly 50 years. Together, George Washington and Hannah had 13 more children:

. William Pridemore (1852 - 1922)
. Isaac S. Pridemore (1853 - 1913)
. Alphonse / Elfonzo D. (1855 - bef. 1920)
. Lucy Penelope Pridemore (1857 - bef. 1860)
. Benjamin Hager Pridemore (1859 – 1935)
. Keziah J. “Kizzie” (1861 - bef. 1910)
. Peter M. Pridemore (1862 – 1937)
. Emily J. Pridemore (1866 – aft. 1900)
. Margaret “Peggy” Pridemore (1868 – aft. 1910)
. Nancy Pridemore (1870 – 1947)
. Sarah Innes Pridemore (1873 – 1932)
. Adelia Elizabeth Pridemore (1875 – 1938)
. Henry Pridemore (1878 – 1952)

On April 12, 1861, the American Civil broke out in Charleston, South Carolina. Tempers ran hot. 12 counties in Virginia seceded from Virginia to form the new state of West Virginia. Though Washington was considered to be an old man, “over 40”, in 1861 he enlisted in the Confederacy and became part of Avis' Virginia 129th Militia Infantry Regiment.

GW made his living as a farmer. Later in his life, he also raised horses. Though I don’t know the date, tragedy struck when Washington was killed by a horse when his suspenders got caught in the reins of a moving horse and dragged him to death.

After his death, Hannah lived together with her youngest son, Henry and her daughter, Margaret Qualls, also a widow, and her grandchild. That was the last census Hannah appeared in.