Individual Details
Richard Gentry
(September 26, 1763 - February 12, 1843)
In 1786 Richard Gentry joined a party of emigrants for Kentucky, and settled in Madison County, Kentucky. He served as a Revolutionary soldier in Capt. Benjamin Harris's company. He was a General in the Revolutionary War, fought in the Battle of York Town (April 19, 1783 Cornwallis surrendered). Got his start making salt and trading with the emigrants." ("Rommel" by Barbara Brown.)
"Richard Gentry died on his estate in Madison County, Kentucky on 12 February 1843. He was a Revolutionary Soldier and enlisted in Albermarie County, Virginia. He served first for two months as a private under Capt. William Dalton in the fall of 1780 at the age of 17. He probably served as a substitute for Bezaleel Brown. In May 1781, he enlisted and served under Captains John Miller, Benjamin Harris and Woodford, and under Colonels Richardson and Boyer, until after the surrender of Lord Cornwall is at Yorktown, when he was discharged at Fredericksburg after serving six months. He made application for a pension 13 August 1832, which was granted. After returning from the war, he spent a year on his father's farm and on 5 April 1784, he married Jane Harris, a daughter of Christopher Harris and grandaughter of Major Robert Harris of Albermarle County, Virginia. She was born 18 Sep 1763 and died 17 Sept 1821. He rented some land from Bezaleel Brown, broke it up and put in a crop of tobacco. He had a hard stuggle with the weeds and the tobacco worms, until his friend, Bezaleel Brown, discovered his trials and put his gang of negroes into young Dick's tobacco patch for a day and cleaned it up in good shape for him. He raised a fine crop of tobacco, and by the help of Mr. Brown in marketing it, he made enough money to outfit and join a party of imigrants for Kentucky, the next spring. They made the journey to Kentucky by way of the Cumberland Gap and the Wilderness Route. His young wife Jane rode on horseback and carried her baby, Reuben, in her lap. Richard walked and led or drove another horse, packed with all their worldly effects except his faithful hound and rifle, which he carried on his shoulder. The trip was made without special incident, danger or hardship. On reaching Kentucky they stopped for about a year at Boone's Fort in Clark County, Kentucky. In 1787 he secured 300 acres of land in Madison County, Kentucky and in the midst of a rich canebrake he would build his cabin. His second son, David, was born in Clark County at Boone's Fort and his third son Richard, who afterwards became Major General Richard Gentry of Missouri, was the first child born in the new cabin home in the canebrake. He got his start making salt and trading with the emigrants. There was no money in the country, and salt was scarce and in great demand, and took the place of circulating medium. It became a measure of value as tobacco did in Virginia. Realizing the value of salt, he provided himself with two brass kettles, and with his two horses and his rifle he traveled west to Logans Fort and Harrods Station, and thence via Bullits trace to Bullitts Salt Lick, a total distance, through Indian country, of about 75 miles. He made salt by evaporating the salt water and when he had made about six buschels of salt, a load for his two horses, he would return to his home and trade with the emigrants. A peck of salt was the price of a yearling calf, and it was in such demand that he soon had fifteen to twenty head of cattle and he repeated his trips to the Salt Lick. In a few years he had aquired a large number of cattle, which he fattened on the cane and wild peavine. His mark was a crop and underbit in each ear, and was known in Kentucky and Missouri for many years as the Old Gentry Mark. A government fort was established in a few years near where Cincinatti now is, and a government agent bought from him a large number of cattle for beef for the soldiers, paying him the first money he had found since coming to Kentucky. He left his wife and babies at the settlement at Boone's Fort and went back to Virginia and brought out to Kentucky his father's family, consisting of his father David, his brother David, and sisters Winnie and Onie, and three negroes, Issac, Pompey and Patsie. He continued to prosper, bought more land and more negroes, and in 1804 built the large two story brick residence which is still standing on his estate. It was the third brick house built in Madison County, Kentucky. In the early days in Kentucky he made portholes in his cabin to shoot through in case of Indian attact, and his wife was taught to use the rifle. There were no mills in those days. Hand mills were used to grind the corn for bread, and hominy was made in a mortar. The baby's cradle was made by cutting it out like a sugar trough. General Richard Gentry, his third son, loved to boast in his political campaigns in Missouri, "that he was born in a canebrake, rocked in a sugar trough, and raised in good democratic style." Richard Gentry often spoke of his early American ancestor and his brother as the two old "British Red Coats." Richard Gentry was proud of the fact that he had been a soldier of the Revolution and an American patriot. He religiously celebrated the Fourth of July as a holiday for all his family as well as his slaves. The drum and the fife were played by his negroes, while he waved the flag as a formal part of the anual ceremony, in which all had to take part. He loved to relate that he was one of the guards that marched off the British prisoners after the surrender of Cornwallis at Yorktown, and tell how his heart swelled with pride while the ragged, barefooted Colonial troops marched off, with their prisoners, the splendedly uniformed British Regulars. He was for many years a member of the Baptist Church, but left it with most of his family in 1833, to join the new church of Alexander Campbell. He continued to prosper until he owned over 1000 acres of blue grass land and a great many slaves. He traded largely in mules, cattle and hogs, which he collected and sent to market on foot, driven by some of his sons, either to Cincinatti, Louisville, Richmond, Virginia or Charleston, South Carolina." (Gordon Price.)
"He was the father of 19 children, 16 sons and 3 daughters, and all but one lived to be grown and married. Twelve children by his first wife, Jane Harris, and seven by his second wife, Nancy Guthrie, whom he married when he was 58 years old. She was the daughter of Nathaniel Guthrie, who came to Kentucky from Amherst County, Virginia in 1805, where she was born 12 April 1799 and married Richard Gentry 12 October 1821. He died 12 February 1843 and she married 25 March 1854, Michael Farris, who died 1 April 1857. She applied for a pension 23 March 1858, as the former widow of Richard Gentry, which she was allowed. She died in Sedalia, Missouri 16 Dec 1881. He was buried on his estate, in what was known as the old Gentry graveyard. Green Kerley, a warm friend of the family, had charge of the burial. A brick vault was made in the grave, and large flat rocks covered the coffin. Mr. Kerley's wife was Sadie Hawkins, a sister of Ann Hawkins Gentry, the wife of General Richard Gentry. Richard Gentry had light hair and blue eyes, and was of a florid complection. He was over six feet in height, and weighed about 220 pounds. He was a great hunter, and most all his sons loved the hounds and the chase. Eight of his sons settled in Missouri before it was a state, and reared large and influentual families. Reuben in Pettus, David, Richard and James in Boone, Rev. Charles and Rodes in Ralls, Joshua in Marion, and William James in Ray County." (Cemetery Records Vol. II by Bill and Kathy Vockery 1999. The cemetery where Richard Gentry (born Albemarle County, Virginia, 26 September 1763 - died 12 February 1843) is located west of Calest Road and south of State Hwy 52. Calest Road runs north and south west of and parallel to I-75. Remarks say that there was no longer a stone in 1998. So, the were dates probably came from another source. Walker/Gentry Cemetery is the name and it was originally surveyed by a Rodney Ray and by the Vockerys in 1998.)
"Richard Gentry died on his estate in Madison County, Kentucky on 12 February 1843. He was a Revolutionary Soldier and enlisted in Albermarie County, Virginia. He served first for two months as a private under Capt. William Dalton in the fall of 1780 at the age of 17. He probably served as a substitute for Bezaleel Brown. In May 1781, he enlisted and served under Captains John Miller, Benjamin Harris and Woodford, and under Colonels Richardson and Boyer, until after the surrender of Lord Cornwall is at Yorktown, when he was discharged at Fredericksburg after serving six months. He made application for a pension 13 August 1832, which was granted. After returning from the war, he spent a year on his father's farm and on 5 April 1784, he married Jane Harris, a daughter of Christopher Harris and grandaughter of Major Robert Harris of Albermarle County, Virginia. She was born 18 Sep 1763 and died 17 Sept 1821. He rented some land from Bezaleel Brown, broke it up and put in a crop of tobacco. He had a hard stuggle with the weeds and the tobacco worms, until his friend, Bezaleel Brown, discovered his trials and put his gang of negroes into young Dick's tobacco patch for a day and cleaned it up in good shape for him. He raised a fine crop of tobacco, and by the help of Mr. Brown in marketing it, he made enough money to outfit and join a party of imigrants for Kentucky, the next spring. They made the journey to Kentucky by way of the Cumberland Gap and the Wilderness Route. His young wife Jane rode on horseback and carried her baby, Reuben, in her lap. Richard walked and led or drove another horse, packed with all their worldly effects except his faithful hound and rifle, which he carried on his shoulder. The trip was made without special incident, danger or hardship. On reaching Kentucky they stopped for about a year at Boone's Fort in Clark County, Kentucky. In 1787 he secured 300 acres of land in Madison County, Kentucky and in the midst of a rich canebrake he would build his cabin. His second son, David, was born in Clark County at Boone's Fort and his third son Richard, who afterwards became Major General Richard Gentry of Missouri, was the first child born in the new cabin home in the canebrake. He got his start making salt and trading with the emigrants. There was no money in the country, and salt was scarce and in great demand, and took the place of circulating medium. It became a measure of value as tobacco did in Virginia. Realizing the value of salt, he provided himself with two brass kettles, and with his two horses and his rifle he traveled west to Logans Fort and Harrods Station, and thence via Bullits trace to Bullitts Salt Lick, a total distance, through Indian country, of about 75 miles. He made salt by evaporating the salt water and when he had made about six buschels of salt, a load for his two horses, he would return to his home and trade with the emigrants. A peck of salt was the price of a yearling calf, and it was in such demand that he soon had fifteen to twenty head of cattle and he repeated his trips to the Salt Lick. In a few years he had aquired a large number of cattle, which he fattened on the cane and wild peavine. His mark was a crop and underbit in each ear, and was known in Kentucky and Missouri for many years as the Old Gentry Mark. A government fort was established in a few years near where Cincinatti now is, and a government agent bought from him a large number of cattle for beef for the soldiers, paying him the first money he had found since coming to Kentucky. He left his wife and babies at the settlement at Boone's Fort and went back to Virginia and brought out to Kentucky his father's family, consisting of his father David, his brother David, and sisters Winnie and Onie, and three negroes, Issac, Pompey and Patsie. He continued to prosper, bought more land and more negroes, and in 1804 built the large two story brick residence which is still standing on his estate. It was the third brick house built in Madison County, Kentucky. In the early days in Kentucky he made portholes in his cabin to shoot through in case of Indian attact, and his wife was taught to use the rifle. There were no mills in those days. Hand mills were used to grind the corn for bread, and hominy was made in a mortar. The baby's cradle was made by cutting it out like a sugar trough. General Richard Gentry, his third son, loved to boast in his political campaigns in Missouri, "that he was born in a canebrake, rocked in a sugar trough, and raised in good democratic style." Richard Gentry often spoke of his early American ancestor and his brother as the two old "British Red Coats." Richard Gentry was proud of the fact that he had been a soldier of the Revolution and an American patriot. He religiously celebrated the Fourth of July as a holiday for all his family as well as his slaves. The drum and the fife were played by his negroes, while he waved the flag as a formal part of the anual ceremony, in which all had to take part. He loved to relate that he was one of the guards that marched off the British prisoners after the surrender of Cornwallis at Yorktown, and tell how his heart swelled with pride while the ragged, barefooted Colonial troops marched off, with their prisoners, the splendedly uniformed British Regulars. He was for many years a member of the Baptist Church, but left it with most of his family in 1833, to join the new church of Alexander Campbell. He continued to prosper until he owned over 1000 acres of blue grass land and a great many slaves. He traded largely in mules, cattle and hogs, which he collected and sent to market on foot, driven by some of his sons, either to Cincinatti, Louisville, Richmond, Virginia or Charleston, South Carolina." (Gordon Price.)
"He was the father of 19 children, 16 sons and 3 daughters, and all but one lived to be grown and married. Twelve children by his first wife, Jane Harris, and seven by his second wife, Nancy Guthrie, whom he married when he was 58 years old. She was the daughter of Nathaniel Guthrie, who came to Kentucky from Amherst County, Virginia in 1805, where she was born 12 April 1799 and married Richard Gentry 12 October 1821. He died 12 February 1843 and she married 25 March 1854, Michael Farris, who died 1 April 1857. She applied for a pension 23 March 1858, as the former widow of Richard Gentry, which she was allowed. She died in Sedalia, Missouri 16 Dec 1881. He was buried on his estate, in what was known as the old Gentry graveyard. Green Kerley, a warm friend of the family, had charge of the burial. A brick vault was made in the grave, and large flat rocks covered the coffin. Mr. Kerley's wife was Sadie Hawkins, a sister of Ann Hawkins Gentry, the wife of General Richard Gentry. Richard Gentry had light hair and blue eyes, and was of a florid complection. He was over six feet in height, and weighed about 220 pounds. He was a great hunter, and most all his sons loved the hounds and the chase. Eight of his sons settled in Missouri before it was a state, and reared large and influentual families. Reuben in Pettus, David, Richard and James in Boone, Rev. Charles and Rodes in Ralls, Joshua in Marion, and William James in Ray County." (Cemetery Records Vol. II by Bill and Kathy Vockery 1999. The cemetery where Richard Gentry (born Albemarle County, Virginia, 26 September 1763 - died 12 February 1843) is located west of Calest Road and south of State Hwy 52. Calest Road runs north and south west of and parallel to I-75. Remarks say that there was no longer a stone in 1998. So, the were dates probably came from another source. Walker/Gentry Cemetery is the name and it was originally surveyed by a Rodney Ray and by the Vockerys in 1998.)
Events
| Birth | September 26, 1763 | Louisa County, Virginia | |||
| Marriage | April 15, 1784 | Albemarle County, Virginia - Jane Harris | |||
| Death | February 12, 1843 | Madison County, Kentucky |
Families
| Spouse | Jane Harris (1763 - 1821) |
| Child | Christopher Gentry (1790 - ) |
| Child | Nancy Harris Gentry (1795 - 1863) |
| Child | Joshua Gentry (1797 - ) |
| Child | Joseph Gentry (1799 - ) |
| Father | David Gentry (1724 - 1813) |
| Mother | Mary Estes (1730 - 1821) |
| Sibling | David Gentry Jr. (1761 - 1813) |
| Sibling | Winifred Gentry (1765 - ) |
| Sibling | Oney Gentry (1767 - ) |