GENTRY, Benjamin, of Hart Co KY

Benjamin Gentry was born in Kentucky in 1822, the son of Joseph Oliver Gentry and his first or second wife, identified without sources as either Elizabeth Arthurs or Mary Martin. Benjamin died 22 Dec 1885 and is buried on the old Gentry farm now owned by Loretta Riordan.[1]

He was married about 1841, probably in Green County, Kentucky, to Emily Martin, daughter of Joseph and Diana Spicer (Wilcox) Martin.[2]

Emily was born about 1825 in Green Co KY and died 26 Apr 1889[3] in Hart County.

In 1836-38 Benjamin was in Hart County, as were his brothers Joseph and Solomon and a man named William Gentry, whose connection is unknown to me.[4]

Benjamin and Emily joined Three Springs Baptist Church, by letter 22 Sep 1865.

Their first census after marrying and starting a family was in 1850 in Hart Co KY, p 226, 682-692.[5] Emily’s name has been determined from her daughter’s death certificate, since she was called by a different first name nearly every census year.

In 1860 Hart Co KY, Dist #1, p 24, 249-244, she was called Ellen.[6] They were in Hart Co KY, Green River PO, p 303, 266-266, in 1870 with only two of their six children still with them.[7]

Their last known census was in 1880 in Hart Co KY, ed 84, p 17, 148-148.[8]

Children of Benjamin and Emily were:

1. James T GENTRY was born in 1842 in Hart Co KY. James T died probably in Howell Co MO, before the 1900 census. James married Mary Jane PRICE. Born in 1844 in KY, possibly the daughter of Merida and Frances Price, Mary Jane died in Howell Co MO, after 1900. They had the following children:

i. Laura F D (ca1864-)

ii. Nancy C (ca1867-)

iii.  Lucy Ed. (ca1869-)

iv. Granville (ca1872-)

v. Ira June (1875-)

vi. James B (1880-)

vii. Alta P (1884-)

2. Laura Frances GENTRY was born on 25 May 1844 in Hart Co KY. Laura Frances died in Green Co KY and was buried in Houk Cemetery, Hart Co KY. She received a letter of dismission from Three Springs Baptist Church, in March 1867. On 30 Sep 1858 Laura Frances married Lorenzo Dow HUFF, son of George Washington HUFF & Malinda DENTON, in Hart Co KY. Born on 12 Oct 1839 in Wayne Co KY, Lorenzo Dow died in Crail Hope, Hart Co KY, on 17 Dec 1912. They had the following children:

i. Mary T (1859-1924)

ii. Jane Cynthia (1866-1891)

iii. George Benjamin (1868-)

iv. daughter (1874-)

v. John Miller (1878-)

vi. Clarence Underwood (1880-1968)

3. Mary E GENTRY was born in 1846 in Hart Co KY. I have not identified her after 1860 when she was unmarried.

4. Lucinda GENTRY was born in May 1848 in Hart Co KY. Lucinda may have married Albert WHITLOW. Born in 1845 in KY, Albert died in Hart Co KY, befre 1900. If this identification is correct, Lucinda was living in 1920. They were four houses away from Benjamin and Emily Gentry in 1880. The Whitlow children in 1880 were Ermine, Richard E, Albert G, James R, Charles E, and Mary Jane, and after 1880, Martha S and Susie. In 1900, Lucy Whitlow was in Hart Co KY, widowed, mother of two, two living, she and father born KY, mother born NC, with Martha S, Jun 1881, and Leslie K, Jan 1884, granddaughter Effie C Huff, Dec 1888, and grandson Emmet G Whitlow, grandson, Feb 1900. She was two houses from Benjamin and emily’s son George Gentry. In 1910 Hart Co KY, Lucindy Whitlow, also mother born in NC, mother of 7 children, 7 living, with 27-yr-old daughter Susie and two grandchildren, Emmet G and Daisy. Emmet G and Goebel are probably the same boy. In 1920, Lucinda was a widow, 71, with daughter Martha S, 37, grandson Goebel, and great-granddaughter Viola Gentry, 9. This woman is identified without stated evidence at Ancestry.com as Lucinda Larimore. Possibly Lucinda was a widow when she married Albert ca 1880, and only the two youngest children were hers. Or the first wife was named Larimore. If the 1910 census is correct, she was mother of all seven children.

5. Nancy Jane GENTRY was born on 5 Jan 1851 in Hart Co KY. Nancy Jane married John T PRICE. Born ca 1848 in KY, he died possibly in Metcalfe Co KY, before 1900. They had the following children:

i. Edward (ca1869-)

ii. Lilly (ca1871-)

iii. George W (ca1873-)

iv. George S (ca1875-)

v. Annis B (1878-)

vi. Dalnel (1881-)

vii. Lillie B (1883-)

viii. John G (1886-)

ix. Bettie J (1888-)

x. Melrit M (1891-)

6. George N GENTRY was born on 29 Nov 1855 in Hart Co KY. George N married Sarah Stamps in KY, who was born in Nov 1845 in KY. Her 1900 census said she had no children. Their relationship to two “cousins” is unclear; these children were consistently with George and Sarah in censuses.[9] George is also buried at the old Gentry farm in Hart County.

[1] The Lile Family at Ancestry.com, owned by gardeniariordan, 2017.

[2] The most significant evidence pointing to Joseph and Diana as her parents, in addition to an unknown daughter in the census the same age as Emily and their proximity to Benjamin’s father in the 1840 census, is that Jane C Huff’s sister Mary married Tom Davis; Lucy (Atwell) Pedigo lived as a young motherless girl in their home. Art Alvis knew about “Uncle Tom Davis.” Tom and Mary are buried in the same cemetery in KY as Emily’s sister Sarah and her husband Daniel Bagby.

[3] Lile Family.

[4] Hart Co KY Historical Society Quarterly (OK Historical Society, 11 Feb 1999), II, 4, p 11f: 1836-38: Joseph Gentry, horse, etc., 2 children, $60; Solomon Gentry, horse, etc., 4 children, $100; Benjamin Gentry, horse etc., $20; William Gentry, horse, etc., $25. William is identified by “Lambeth Cantor Family History” at Ancestry.com as a son of Nicholas and Barbara (Hall) Gentry; this family was not closely related to Benjamin’s.

[5] Benjamin Gentry 28 farmer $400 KY cannot read or write, Elizabeth ditto 25 KY cannot read or write, James T ditto 8 KY attended school, Laura F ditto 6 KY attended school, Mary E ditto 4 KY, Lucinda A ditto 1 KY, John ditto 17 farmer KY. John was Benjamin’s younger half-brother.

[6] Benjamin Gentry 38 farmer $700 $500 ditto [=KY] cannot read or write, Ellen Gentry 35 ditto [=KY] cannot read or write, James T 14 KY in school, Mary E 13 KY in school, Lucinda A 11 KY in school, Nancy J 9 KY in school, George A 4 KY, Jefferson 14 KY in school. Daughter Laura’s marriage record to Lorenzo Dow Huff in Hart Co KY, 30 Sep 1858, is known.

[7] Gentry, Ben, 48 farmer 800 800 KY, can’t read or write, Emily, 46 keeping house, KY, can’t read or write, Lucinda 21 at home KY, can’t read or write, George N 14 farm hand KY, can’t read or write.

[8] Benjamin Gentry 59 married farmer TN TN TN, Emily 56 wife married keeping house KY KY KY. #150-150.

[9] 1880, George N Gentry 25, with Sallie A, 26, and Emit F, “cousin,” 3. 1900 Hardyville, Hart Co KY, with Sarah, “cousins” Emmet (Feb 1877) and Dick J (Jan 1881). 1910 Hardyville, Hart Co KY, Emmet F Gentry 34, single, head of household, with Sallie A, his widowed “mother,” 65.