Abstract
A brief summary of each of the sons of Samuel-II Gentry is continued from the first half of this article. The individuals covered include: Nicholas, Joseph, Allen, Simon, John, Richard, William, and Samuel Gentry. The question of relationship of Nathaniel and other Spartanburg District, South Carolina, Gentrys is left unresolved.

Nicholas Gentry
   - Born about 1717 in Hanover County, Virginia, in the vicinity of Stone Horse Creek.
   - Married about 1743, Louisa County, to Mary Brooks, daughter of Richard and
     Elizabeth Brooks.
   - Nicholas died about 1800, Surry County, North Carolina.

We can guess only very roughly the date of Nicholas' birth, or for that matter, that of any of Samuel's children. Nicholas' placement in the order of Samuel's children is suggested by a date of marriage apparently earlier than any of his younger brothers. A gift, by Nicholas' father-in-law Richard Brooks, to Nicholas and Mary, of 100 acres of land along Dirty Swamp in Louisa County, was probably made on the occasion of their marriage^(16a). In addition, he was the first of Samuel's children to sell his land in Louisa County and buy land in Lunenburg County. (Comparing ages of children is not helpful in the case of Nicholas for there is a curious gap after the date of his marriage until the apparent date of birth of his first confirmed child.)

Samuel-II's son Nicholas is clearly identified as the husband of Mary Brooks in the deed of gift from his father-in-law. He was distinguished in Louisa County land records by the appellation "the younger" in distinction to Nicholas "Senior", who was Nicholas-II and his son Nicholas "Junior".

[Note. It has been mentioned in this Journal before, but bears emphasizing again that Mary Brooks was NOT the wife of Samuel-II's brother, Nicholas-II, in spite of repeated assertions to the contrary in genealogical literature of every imaginable variety. Nicholas Sr.'s wife Jane is mentioned in a Louisa County deed dated 28 Nov 1776 [Book E-124], "Nicholas Gentry and wife Jane of Trinity Parish and Louisa County, deed land" [at a time when Samuel's son was in North Carolina], and Nicholas Jr. appears in deeds such as that of 26 May 1752 [Book A-462], "Edward Stringer deeds to Nicholas Gentry Jr. and wife Elizabeth [daughter of Edward Stringer], 70 acres of land on which Nicholas Gentry now lives on Gold Mine Creek." [On the occasion of their marriage?]. Unfortunately, once faulty information has spread, it becomes very difficult to correct.]

Lunenburg County showing land grants and watercourses

Nicholas and Mary sold their Louisa County land in 1746^(16b). Within a year after that, Nicholas bought land from Mary's uncle, Robert Brooks, in Lunenburg County on the North Meherrin River at the mouth of Reedy Creek^(17a). Nicholas was listed in Lunenburg County tax lists for the years immediately following his move, in close association with Robert and Richard Brooks⁽¹⁸⁾. Nicholas was living close enough to upper Reedy Creek that he could witness a number of deeds involving both members of the Brooks family and also his brother Joseph. Nicholas and his brothers Joseph and Simon were living close enough together in 1757 to be assigned by the County Court to maintain a road in their vicinity. In 1765, he was assigned road duty again, this time with Joseph and Richard Gentry. Nicholas and Mary sold their land in two installments, in 1766 and 1767, shortly before leaving Lunenburg County to live in Surry County, North Carolina^(17b,c). Nicholas' brother, Richard, witnessed both of these deeds, and it is very possible that he was living on a part of Nicholas' land prior to its sale (Richard is not known to have had any of his own) and then joined Nicholas in moving to North Carolina.

In 1768, Nicholas was listed in a Rowan County (the precursor to Surry County), North Carolina tax list along with Joseph^(38b). His Surry County record begins with 1771 when he witnessed two deeds and was taxed along with Richard and Samuel^(38c,d). Thereafter he appears repeatedly in Surry County records, along with members of his family. He lived along Deep Creek in the southern part of the county until his death, apparently in 1800. (He was assessed for 142 acres in the 1800 Surry County tax list, but was not in the 1800 federal census, and was included in no later tax lists.) There is no mention of his wife Mary in any North Carolina references where relinquishment of dower rights appear not to have been as important as in Virginia, but she appears to have been still living at the time of the 1790 federal census.
 

Joseph Gentry
   - Born about 1720, Hanover County, Virginia;
   - Married about 1747, Louisa County, to Agnes Shelton(?)
   - Joseph died April 1813, Surry County; Agnes died about 1826, also in Surry County.

Joseph's only appearance in Louisa County records was as a witness in 1762 to his father's final deed of sale of the family's Dirty Swamp property. But like his older brothers, Joseph's name can be found in a wide variety of references in Lunenburg County. Joseph apparently lagged behind David and Nicholas in moving to Lunenburg County, since the first reference to him was his purchase in 1752 of 490 acres on Reedy Creek originally granted partly to Michael Mackey and partly to Abraham Cocke^(19a). In 1756, he sold 274 acres of this land, witnessed by Nicholas and Simon, to a William Shelton who is believed to have been his father-in-law^(19b). We can reason that Joseph was next in age to Nicholas among Samuel's children even though his brother Allen may have married before Joseph and appeared to have children older than his. This reasoning is based on the fact that Allen was in Lunenburg County for at least three years before he acquired land of his own, suggesting that Allen probably lived with Joseph during those first years. Joseph continued to occupy at least a part of this same land along Reedy Creek until finally selling the last of it in 1770^(19c). Interestingly, his brother Allen and wife Mary were listed as co-owners in the final deed of sale, and Allen may have provided part of the original money for it even though not listed in the title. As mentioned for Nicholas, Joseph lived close enough to his brothers Nicholas and Simon in 1757, and to Nicholas and Richard in 1765, to be included in the same road maintenance gang. Since neither Simon nor Richard were ever recorded as owning any land in Lunenburg County, either or both of them may also have lived with Joseph at those particular times.

Like Nicholas, Joseph moved to North Carolina about 1768 when he was listed in two Rowan County tax lists in the period just before Rowan County was divided to form Surry County^(38a,b). He and his family were in Surry County records repeatedly from 1771 onwards until his death in April 1813. Joseph left a will naming all his family⁽²⁰⁾, and his widow, Agnes, also left a very abbreviated will in 1826. The wealth of references to Joseph in both Virginia and North Carolina records will not be further covered in this article where the focus is on his father Samuel.
 

Allen Gentry
   - Born about 1723, Hanover County, Virginia;
   - Married about 1745, Louisa County, to Mary (maiden name unknown)
   - Allen died in 1802. While his will was received for probate in Halifax County, Virginia, it seems more likely that he was living just across the North Carolina border in Person County prior to his death. Mary may have died about 1807 in Person County, shortly before her son Abednego (with whom she was probably living after Allen's death) moved to Surry County, North Carolina.

Note. Despite the fact that GFA lists Allen as "Allen A. Gentry", there is no evidence that he had a middle name. Rather, the mark that he used in signing his name to documents, namely the letter "A", has been confused with a middle name. The same is true of Joseph who is sometimes listed in genealogy sources as "Joseph G. Gentry".

The timing of moves by Allen's family is found in testimony given by his son, Meshack, in applying for a Revolutionary War pension^(39a). Meshack stated that he was born in Louisa County, Virginia (about.1748 based upon his age at time of testimony), and moved to Lunenburg County when he was 4 (about 1752). He lived there until he was 25 (about 1773), when he moved to Caswell County, North Carolina. Since Meshack's brother, Shadrack, was presumably older than he, we can estimate Shadrack's birth as being roughly 1746, and Allen's marriage perhaps 1745. This date of marriage and subsequent birth of Allen's children appear to have been somewhat earlier than Joseph's (the latter's oldest son, Samuel was born about 1748). On the other hand, Joseph appears to have taken a lead role in moving from Louisa County and in purchasing land in Lunenburg County, as might be expected of an older brother. Accordingly, we have already suggested that Joseph was the older of the two.

Allen bought land of his own in 1755⁽²¹⁾, some distance to the east of Joseph on Crooked Creek. Allen sold at least a part of this land in 1759⁽²²⁾ but turned around and bought more land (from Hezekiah Gentry and William Gentry in 1761 and 1763) on Flat Rock Creek, part of the Richard Taliaferro grant. Cumberland Parish processioning reports locate Allen along with William and David in 1760^(23a), and back at Reedy Creek in 1768^(23b-d). We have already mentioned that in 1770 he joined with Joseph in selling the last of the latter's land along Reedy Creek. Allen does not appear in any more Lunenburg records after that, but moved briefly (with his son Meshack) to Surry County in 1772, staying just long enough to appear in the 1772 tax lists for that county^(38d). Thereafter, he went his own way, separate from his brothers, moving to Caswell County, North Carolina. We have commented earlier that Allen's father, Samuel, may have been living with him until at least 1779. While Meshack lived for a number of years after his war service, in Halifax County, Virginia, Allen and the rest of his family appear to have lived on the North Carolina side of the Virginia border, although records are lacking. It is unfortunate that census records are of little help. All of the Virginia census records for 1790 as well as the Nash district of Caswell County, North Carolina (which encompassed what later became Person County) were destroyed. Accordingly, we have no record from that source of the location or composition of Allen's immediate household nor the families of his children. The 1800 records for Virginia are also missing, but the 1800 census for Person County (which is not complete) shows Shadrack's family, and Andrew and Mary Buchanan's family (Allen's daughter) living there. Regardless of his actual residence, Allen's will was received for probate in the Halifax County Court in 1802⁽²⁴⁾.
 

Simon Gentry
   - Born perhaps 1727 to 1730, Hanover Co., Virginia.
   - Married 9 May 1760, Cumberland Co., Virginia, to Susannah Brown.
   - Simon died 1792, Cumberland Co., Virginia.

Whatever the origin of the name Simon in the Gentry family, it became a common one as David, Richard, and Allen's son Shadrack all had a son named Simon. The elder Simon's name appears infrequently in records in connection with Samuel's family. He was living in Lunenburg County in 1756 in proximity to David when Simon and David were charged with laying out a new road to Reedy Creek Church^(25a). Then after the road was approved Nicholas and Joseph, along with Simon were included in a County Court order to provide manpower for maintaining the new road^(25b). Since he owned no land of his own at the time (nor did David), it was probable that he was living with one of his brothers. It is difficult to estimate his age other than that he was undoubtedly younger than the four oldest of Samuel's sons, and probably younger than his sister Ann. The fact that he appears in various records before Richard, suggests that Simon was older than Richard.

Simon's marriage to Susannah Brown appears to have been somewhat later in life than many marriages, but it is possible that Simon had a first wife, in Lunenburg County, who died without record. We have no way of knowing what led Simon away from his family to Cumberland County where he was married in 1760, and where he lived until his death in 1792^(26b). He returned to Louisa County in 1762, long enough to witness the sale of the last of his father's land, and he may have returned to Lunenburg County in 1763 to appear in court in a case involving disclaimer (although the Simon named in the suit may have been David's son). Thereafter, he appears in a series of Cumberland County Court citations in which he was involved with inventorying estates, appraising estates, or serving as an executor for estates^(26a). Simon's activity with legal matters connected with estates leads one to wonder if he became a lawyer, or at least was closely connected with paralegal activities.
 

John Gentry
   - Born perhaps 1728 to 1732, Hanover County, Virginia
   - Died about 1761, leaving an orphan son, Joseph.

In a Lunenburg County Court order of October 1761, a "Joseph Gentry, orphan son of John Gentry" was bound to Samuel Gentry (see refr 6a of previous Journal issue). ("Bondage" was the appropriate legal action taken to provide care for a minor who did not possess property, "guardianship" was reserved for the latter.) One must assume that this Joseph was a young child, both of whose parents had recently died (undoubtedly from illness). This Joseph has never been heard of since, so we may further assume that Joseph also died before maturity. His parent, John, probably was the John Gentry who appeared in court in 1754 to answer a claim for debt⁽²⁷⁾, which suggests he was born within a year or two before or after 1730. Who was this John? The fact that the orphan Joseph was bound to Samuel rather than any of Samuel's sons suggests that John was not a son of any of the latter. Moreover, of Samuel's sons, only David was old enough to be a likely father, and he already had a son John, (younger than this John), who went on with David's family to South Carolina. The only logical conclusion is that this John was an otherwise undocumented son of Samuel-II. It is possible that John lived for a time with his brother David, for in 1759, a John Gentry witnessed a deed in Johnston County, North Carolina⁽²⁸⁾. This was at a time after David had moved to Johnston County, at least temporarily, and while it may have been David's son, John, who served as a witness, the latter was younger than would be expected to be chosen as a witness. The fact that this presumed son John appears in two references before there are any references to Richard Gentry suggests that he may have been older than Richard.
 

Richard Gentry
   - Born perhaps 1730 to 1735, Hanover County, Virginia.
   - Married about 1763, Lunenburg County; his wife's name is unknown.
   - Richard died about 1812, Surry County, North Carolina. His wife was still living at the time of his death and was listed in his will, but not by name.

Richard's name appears in the Virginia records mostly as a witness. The first mention of Richard occurred in Lunenburg County in 1759 when he joined with Joseph in witnessing a deed for his brother David. He was among those who witnessed the final sale of his father's land in Louisa County in 1762⁽²⁹⁾. Whether he was living in Louisa County and left there briefly to witness the Lunenburg deed, or whether he was living in Lunenburg County at the time and returned to Louisa County for the 1762 witnessing is not clear. It is possible that Richard stayed in Louisa County on Samuel's land after the rest of the family moved, until the time came for the land to be sold.

In 1765, he was assigned by the County Court to assist in road maintenance along with Nicholas and Joseph among others⁽³⁰⁾. We have already suggested that he may have been living with Nicholas at the time. Richard's last occasion for serving as a witness in Lunenburg County was in 1766 and 1767 at the time of the final sale of Nicholas' land^(17b,c). Richard, Nicholas, and Samuel Gentry appeared in Surry County, North Carolina records beginning in 1771 when they were in the first tax lists for that county^(38c,d). Richard and Samuel both received land grants in the western part of Surry County, in what is now Yadkin County, near a hill called Fox Knob (or Fox Nob), at the headwaters of Deep Creek. Richard spent the rest of his life there until his death in about 1812⁽³¹⁾.
 

William Gentry
   - Born probably 1733 to 1734, Hanover County, Virginia.
   - Married probably 1759, Lunenburg County Virginia to Lucy [Claiborne?]
   - William died about 1773, Surry County, North Carolina, probably by drowning. His wife outlived him by many years.

It is by no means certain that William was a son of Samuel Gentry rather than David Gentry with whom he is often linked in genealogical records. The latter possibility arises from the fact that in 1750, William was living with David in Lunenburg County at the time of one of the first tax lists (see refr 12 in previous issue of Journal) but was this as a son or a younger brother? He was not included in 1749, the first year of the listings, which suggests that if he was living with David at that time he was not sixteen in that year (when he would first be liable for a poll tax), but reached that age the following year. To confuse matters, however, in 1752 William was no longer with David, but was listed next to Nicholas Gentry in a different enumeration district.

In view of his later association with Joseph Gentry in Surry County, North Carolina, rather than with the members of David's family in South Carolina, this writer is of the opinion that he was a brother, not a son of David. In either case, he had very close associations while living in Lunenburg County with David and with Allen Gentry. They bought and sold land from each other, and witnessed deeds--all in the vicinity of Flat Rock Creek, on the eastern side of Lunenburg County⁽³³⁾. The name of his wife, Lucy, appears once in Lunenburg County Court records in 1759 when William and Lucy participated as plaintiffs in a suit for debt, probably soon after they were married⁽³²⁾. William bought land for the first time the following year. A son, Claiborne, was born in 1761 in Lunenburg County, according to testimony many years later by Claiborne when he applied for a Revolutionary War pension in Tennessee^(39b).

William was in Surry County in 1772, living along the Yadkin River, near or with Joseph when he was hired by the Moravians of Old Salem to build a bridge across Muddy Creek on a road from Salem to the Yadkin River. The Moravian records show this bridge to have been completed by the end of 1772, but within a few months, William had died perhaps of drowning in connection with building an extension of this same bridge. Lucy was named to administer his estate⁽³⁴⁾ and was left to raise a family which continued to live in that same area for many years afterwards.
 

Samuel Gentry
   - Born perhaps 1736 to 1739, Hanover County, Virginia
   - Samuel died about 1799-1800, Spartanburg District, South Carolina.

Samuel-III was very likely the youngest of Samuel-II's children. He is not mentioned in any of the Louisa County or Lunenburg County records. The earliest apparent reference to him is in Johnston County, North Carolina in 1761 and 1762, where a Samuel Gentry served as a chainbearer for the surveying of two plots of land⁽³⁵⁾. This physically demanding task must surely have been undertaken by a younger man than Samuel-II, who at that time would have been approximately 70 years of age. Thus, it appears that the chainbearer Samuel must have been Samuel-III. This was at a time when David Gentry was involved in Johnston County, and Samuel was probably living with him. There is also a brief reference in 1767 when apparently this same Samuel witnessed a deed recorded shortly after Mecklenburg County was separated (in 1764) from Lunenburg County⁽³⁶⁾. The man who purchased this land, appears to be the same William Allen of Johnston County who acquired what must have been closely neighboring land for which David and Hezekiah Gentry served as witness in 1759 and probably a brother of the David Allen and Reynolds Allen mentioned in the Johnston County surveys.

Whatever the connection of Samuel with David Gentry in Johnston County, he appears to have followed his other Gentry siblings to Surry County rather than following David's family to South Carolina. Accordingly, one must conclude that the younger Samuel was a brother of the Surry County Gentrys. Samuel is found in scattered references in that county, most importantly in connection with a land grant on Fox Knob, close to Richard Gentry. He is probably the Samuel included in tax lists for 1768 to 1772^(38a,c,d), then again after the war, in a number of tax lists beginning in 1781. Whether his land was unsuitable for farming, or for whatever reason, Samuel apparently abandoned it and by 1790 was living in Spartanburg District, South Carolina. Samuel died shortly before 1800. His family and their location in South Carolina are documented in an 1801 Surry County deed where his four sons, as heirs of their deceased father, disposed of his property on Fox Knob⁽³⁷⁾.

[Note. Between 1790 and 1800 there were three Samuel Gentrys in Spartanburg District, namely Samuel-III, whom I will identify in this context as Samuel Sr., his son Samuel Jr., and a third Samuel whom I will identify as Samuel the Younger. Samuel Sr. was in the 1790 census under the name "Sam'l Jentry" and included Samuel Jr. in his family. Samuel the Younger was listed under the name "Samuel Gentry". The latter and Samuel Jr were present in the 1800 census, both as "Samuel Gentry", but Samuel Sr. was missing.]
 

Nathaniel Gentry
We would be remiss if in considering the possible children of Samuel-II, we did not include the Gentrys who eventually settled in Spartanburg District, South Carolina. It is a subject that is much too complicated to cover here and deserves more detailed discussion at another time. Briefly, however, in the years preceding the 1790 census, there were a Nathaniel Gentry (whose 1790 listing included an adult son and family besides Nathaniel and his wife), Samuel Gentry the Younger (mentioned above), and an Isaac Gentry. In addition, a Richard Gentry had enlisted in the South Carolina militia in 1780 from Union District, South Carolina. Richard may have returned there after the Revolutionary War but was not present in 1790. In testimony applying for a Revolutionary War pension, Richard testified that he had been born in Lunenburg County, Virginia in December 1755^(39c). This latter statement, together with the presence of the other Gentrys who can reasonably be expected to have been closely related, raises questions that have never been fully resolved. It certainly seems probable that all of this group had lived at one time in Lunenburg County, where the only identified Gentrys were part of the family of Samuel-II. One must ask, "How were these South Carolina Gentrys related to Samuel?". Yet considering the apparent age of Nathaniel, why was there no mention of him in any Lunenburg County records? For the moment, this description of Samuel's family will tentatively suggest that Nathaniel was one of the younger sons of Samuel-II, and the other Gentrys mentioned were a part of Nathaniel's family. An alternative possibility is that he was one of David's older sons who did not remain with the younger sons and their widowed mother. These conclusions have been challenged by the distinguished Gentry historian Leland Gentry on several points but that is another story. For the present we will leave the question unresolved.
 

Gentry Family Cousins and In-Laws
This is an appropriate place, before leaving the Samuel Gentry family completely, to say a word about the cousins and in-laws that played so much a part of their life in Virginia. If it is true that Samuel-II's wife Ann was an Allen, then there is good reason to believe that the Allens that were in Lunenburg County, Virginia, and Johnston County, North Carolina were related to the Gentrys. David Allen sold land to Allen Gentry in Lunenburg County, then later Allen Gentry and David Allen jointly sold this land (and perhaps adjoining land). In Johnston County, we have Samuel surveying land belonging to David Allen which adjoined Reynolds Allen. Land owned by William Allen in Johnston County was traded for land in Lunenburg County and additional land was later bought by William nearby. These Allens, namely David, William and Reynolds are said to be sons of Robert Allen of Hanover County who in turn was a brother of Richard Allen Jr and a son of Richard Allen Sr. of New Kent County, Virginia. Samuel's wife, Ann, may have been a sister of these two Allens which would place Robert's sons as first cousins of Samuel Gentry's sons. A final possible connection with the Allen family, other than the naming of Allen Gentry, may be the naming of Richard Gentry for a grandfather, Richard Allen.

The number of Gentry in-laws in Louisa and Lunenburg County was much larger than the number of possible cousins. By the terms of the will of Richard Brooks Sr. of St. Paul's Parish in 1731, we know that he had a wife Mary, and sons Richard Jr. and Robert among other heirs. Richard Jr. and his wife Elizabeth were the parents of Sarah and Mary Brooks who married Gentry brothers, and it was Richard Jr. who sold part of his land along Dirty Swamp to Samuel Gentry when the latter obtained his first grant of land in Louisa County. On moving to Lunenburg County, Richard Jr. became known as Richard Sr. He in turn had a son who was the Richard Jr. of Lunenburg County records and who died prematurely in 1757. David Gentry served as a bondsman for this Richard's widow, Susannah, and Samuel Gentry was assigned by the courts to inventory the estate. Other sons of the elder Richard were Elisha (who accompanied his sister, Sarah Gentry, to South Carolina and whose wife was named Frances), probably Matthew (who accompanied Joseph and Nicholas Gentry to North Carolina), and probably John (who bought land from David Gentry in Louisa County and then followed the other Brooks to Lunenburg County). All of these are found repeatedly in Lunenburg County records. (A daughter of Matthew Brooks may have been the first wife of Joseph Gentry's oldest son, Samuel. They were neighbors in Surry County, North Carolina at the time of Samuel's marriage and Samuel's oldest son was named Matthew.)

The brother of Richard Sr of Lunenburg, Robert Brooks, was the partner of Nicholas Gentry in first acquiring land along the Meherrin River in Lunenburg County. He also had a son Richard Brooks ( who can be distinguished from the other Lunenburg Richards by the name of his wife Lucretia). One further Brooks, Artha, was probably a son of Robert as the latter sold land to him before Robert left Lunenburg County to move to Halifax County, Virginia.
 

Coming Articles
As indicated in the introduction, this present article has addressed the question of evidence relating to Samuel-II, including his birth, marriage, and death, and also an identification of his children. The discussion of these children has for the most part been limited to their time together in Virginia, with very little consideration of their later life. The next article in this series will review the evidence relating to Nicholas-II. While much is known about his family from the book "The Gentry Family in America", for the sake of completeness, there is still much to be said concerning his life. Finally, we will go back and pick up the oldest son of Nicholas-I, namely Joseph Gentry. In doing so, we will try to piece together some of the loose ends of a group of Gentrys living in Hanover, Henrico, Louisa, and Albemarle Counties that have not been tied into the main trunk of the Gentry family tree. At some time in the future, we will return to Samuel's family with articles discussing individual members of his family more in detail.
 

Selected References (continued)
(Note. These are references that are only representative of the much larger body of references to the various members of Samuel Gentry's family)

Nicholas Gentry
16. Louisa County Deed Book

1. 1743 Jun 13 Bk(A-77)
   Richard Brooks of Fredericksville Par., Louisa Co., Planter, for paternal affection to my son-in-law, Nicholas Gentry, the younger, and his wife, Mary Gentry, my daughter...100 acres on Dirty Swamp. Signed. Richard (R) Brooks. Wit: John Venable, John Clark. Ack. 13 Jun 1743 by Richard Brooks.
2. 1746 Sep 23 Bk(A-249)
   Nicholas Gentry, the younger, & Mary, his wife, to Thomas Lane Junr. of St. Martin Par., Hanover Co, for 30 pounds sold 100 acres in Fredericksville Par...Wit: Thomas Lankford, John Chrisholm. Signed: Nicholas (N) Gentry. Mary, his wife, gave consent...

17. Lunenburg County Deed Book

1. 1747 Jun 4 Bk(1-329)
   Robert Brooks to Nicholas Gentry, both of Lunenburg Co VA, for 12 pounds, sold 108 acres on both sides of Meherrin River, granted to said Robert Brooks and adj. to said Brooks. Recorded 6 Jun 1748.
2. 1766 Oct 9 Bk(10-319)
   Nicholas Gentry and Mary, his wife, to Aaron Droman, both of Lunenburg Co VA, for 16 pounds, sold 28 acres, being part of a grant to Robert Brooks sold to said Gentry...Wit: Matthew Brooks, Richard Gentry. Recorded 9 Oct 1766.
3. 1767 Aug 8 Bk(11-59)
   Nicholas Gentry and Mary, his wife, to Thomas Maury, both of Lunenburg Co VA, for 40 pounds sold 80 acres, being part of a grant to Robert Brooks, since sold to said Gentry, adj. Richard Brooks...Wit: Richard Gentry, Daniel Murray, Allen Gentry.

18.   Landon C. Bell, op. cit. The entries for Nicholas include:

1748   p.60	Hugh Lawson District ["Between Hounds Crk and Meherrin"]
	Nicklas Jentrey	1 tithe
1749   p.102	Hugh Lawson District ["being on the north side of the Meherrin River"]
	Nickles Gentrey	1 tithe, 6 "heads & scalps"
	Ritchard Brooks (adj Nicholas)	1 tithe
1750   p.158-59	List of Richd. Witton
	Nicholas Gentry	1 tithe
1751	[no Gentrys]
1752   p.180	List by Lyddall Bacon
	Nicholas Gentry	1 tithe
	William Gentry	1 tithe

Joseph Gentry
19. Lunenburg County Deed Book

1. 1752 Dec 5 Bk(3-147)
   Joseph Minor, Planter of Lunenburg Co VA to Joseph Gentry, for 165 pounds, sold 490 acres onž south side of Reddy creek, being part of 350 acres granted to Michael Mackey, 13 Jun 1743 at Williamsburg and the other being part of 448 acres granted 1 Oct 1747 to Abraham Cocke at Williamsburg...Wit: Paule Covington. Recorded 5 Dec 1752.
2. 1756 Oct 29 Bk(4-335)
   Joseph Gentry and Agness, his wife, to William Shelton of Albemarle Co VA for 77 pounds, sold 274 acres on Reedy Creek. Wit: Geo Walton, Simon Gentry, Nicholas Gentry...
3. 1770 Dec 13 Book(11-423)
   Joseph Gentry of North Carolina, Agness Gentry his wife, Allen Gentry, Mary Gentry his wife of Lunenburg Co. and Cumberland Parish to Samuel Jeter of the same county, for 100 lbs ... sell 118 ac in Lunenburg Co. on the lower side of Ready Creek ...; said tract of land part of a larger parcel originally granted to Michael Macey [Mackey] and conveyed to Joseph Minor and by him conveyed to Joseph Gentry. Signed: Joseph ("X") Gentry, Allen ("A") Gentry. Wit: Wm Jeter, Francis Degraffenreidt, Wm Jeter Jr. Ack by Joseph Gentry and Allen Gentry; Mary on examination relinq. her dower rights. [Balance of original land sold in other transactions.]

20. Surry County, NC, Will Book
1813 May Court, Bk(3-107)

Will of Joseph Gentry (written 17 Nov 1804) received for probate. (Lists wife Agnes, sons Samuel and Shelton, daughters Elizabeth, Anna, Agnes, Judith, Sarah and Susannah, and a daughter Mary of a deceased son William. Disposition of slaves Charles, Jemima and Hannah included in will.)

Allen Gentry
21. Lunenburg County Order Book
1755 Nov Court, Bk(4-32)

Indenture of sale between David Allen & Martha his wife, and Allen Gentry proved by oath of 2 witnesses and ordered to be certified. [Acreage and location not indicated.]

22. Lunenburg County Deed Book
1759 Oct 1 Bk(5-489)

David Allen of Johnston Co NC and Allen Gentry of Lunenburg Co VA to Richard Haggard, for 30 pounds, sold 100 acres on Creeched (Crooked) Creek, adj. Johnson's line, Black, Butler, and [Elisha?] Brooks...Wit: John Hanna Smith, John Colson, Elisha Brooks...

23. Landon C. Bell, "Cumberland Parish, Lunenburg County, Va, Vestry Book 1746-1816", Richmond, VA, 1930. (includes among other entries):

1. 1760 Mar 1 (p.505); Procession returns.
   Land of Allen Gentry - present Wm & David Gentry
2. 1763/64 (p.518): Procession returns.
   John Prices, Daniel Prices, Nicholas Gentry, Wm Cockerhams, Tscharner Degraffenreidts lines - present Nicholas Gentry
3. 1768 Mar 29 (p.528): Procession returns.
   Line between Joseph Gentry & Jeremiah Glen - present Allen Gentry.
4. 1768 Mar 30 (p.529-30): Procession returns.
   - Line between William Cockerham & Allen Gentry; line between William Cockerham & Tscharner DeGraffenreidt; line between Wm Cockerham & Wm Embry.
   - Line between Allen Gentry & Tscharner DeGraffenreidt, and between Allen Gentry & Abraham Maury - present Allen Gentry to show the lines.

24. Halifax County Court Book

26 Jul 1802 Will of Allen Gentry (signed 21 Dec 1801) received for probate. (Lists wife Mary; sons Shadrack, Meshack and "Obednigo" (Abednego); daughters Mary Buchanan and Agnes Whitmore; and grandson Shadrack, son of "Obednigo". The will provides for the disposition of slave men Jack, Toney and Toby, three negro women Lucky, Hanna and Amy, and two negro children Hanna and Enos.)

 
Simon Gentry
25. Lunenburg Court Order Book

1. 1756 Sep Court, Bk(4-201)
   Petition ... for a road to be laid and cleared the best and most convenient way from Reedy Creek church to the forks of Witton's Road. John Bacon, David Gentry & Simon Gentry to view and examine the way and report to the next court.
2. 1757 Aug Court, Bk(4-343)
   John Hix appointed surveyor of road leading from Cal'v Wittons Road to Reedy Creek; ordered that Simon Gentry, Joseph Gentry, Richard Brooks, Elisha Brooks, Nicholas Gentry [among others] clear and keep in repair the said road.

26. Katherine Reynolds, "Abstracts of Cumberland County, Virginia, Will Books 1 and 2, 1749-1782", Southern Historical Press, Easley, SC, 1985.

1. References to Simon include:
   Inventory of estate: 1763, 1769, 1781, 1791
   Appraisal of estate: 1764, 1769, 1770, 1771, 1775, 1786
   Creditor of an estate: 1769
   Security for executor Jehu Meador: 1780
   Witnessed will: 1791
   Executor of wills: 1772, 1783, 1789.
2. Will signed 8 Nov 1790, recorded for probate 29 May 1792.
   Leaves bequests to his wife, daughters Betty Thompson and Nancy Hatcher, and two grandsons William Thompson and Thomas Hatcher.

 
John Gentry
27. Lunenburg County Order Book

1754 Jun Court, Bk(3-93)
William Craddock Plt vs John Gentry & Charles Spradlin, Defts. - in Debt. Suit dismissed.
[Was Charles a son of Mary and John Spradling of Hanover Co., and a possible first cousin of John Gentry?]

28. Weynette Parks Haun, "Johnston County, North Carolina, Abstracts of Deed Books A-1 to D-1, 1759 thru 1771", Durham, NC, 1981.

1759 Apr 23 Bk(A1-40)
John Gentry witnessed deed of sale by Tibetha Keeton to Runell Allin of land on Richland Cr., Johnston Co.

 
Richard Gentry
29. (See JGG, vol 1, issue #7, references 13c and 5g for record of Richard witnessing deeds for David Gentry in 1759, and Samuel Gentry in 1762.)

30. Lunenburg Court Order Book

1765 Jun Court, Bk (11-73)
Everard Dowsing apptd Surveyor of the Road in Precinct of John Nix, following hands apptd a gang to work on said road and keep it in repair, to wit: [among others - William Embry, dec'd his estate, Joseph Gentry, Nicholas Gentry, and Richard Gentry].

31. Jo White Linn, "Surry County, North Carolina, Will Abstracts Vol I-III, 1771-1827", Salisbury. NC 1974, p.107

1812 Feb Court, (Bk 3-100)
Will of Richard Gentry ( written 8 Jan 1811): To dau. Mary Ashley and wife; witnessed James Hanks, William Ashley, Jonathan Sparks; proved by Ashley.

 
William Gentry
32. Lunenburg County Order Book

1758 Jul Court, Bk(5-95B)
William Gentry & Lucy his wife, Plt vs Henry Cox, Deft - in Debt. Deft ordered to pay debt and costs.

33. Lunenburg County Deed Book

1. 1760 Jul 12 Bk(6-342)
   Francis Ray of Johnston Co NC to William Gentry of Lunenburg Co VA, for 25 pounds, sold 50 acres, adj. Andrews' Rock...Wit: William (A) Allen, Allen (A) Gentry, David (D) Gentry. Signed: Francis ( ) Ray.
2. 1763 Dec 8 Bk(9-337)
   William Gentry to Allen Gentry, both of Lunenburg Co, for 40 pounds, sold 50 acres, adj. William Andres [Andrews] rock on north side of Merrin [Meherrin] River at mouth of John Brock's [Brooks?] spring branch, line of Roger Atkerson [Atkinson] ...

34. Mrs. W. O. Absher and Mrs. Robert K. Hayes, "Surry County, North Carolina, Court Minute Abstracts", Vol I (1768-1785)

1773 May 14 Vol I, p.4:
Lucey Gentry posted bond [for administration of William Gentry estate]...

 
Samuel Gentry
35 Margaret M. Hoffmann, "The Granville District of North Carolina, 1748-1763", The Roanoke News Co., Weldon, NC., 1987.

1. Vol II "Abstracts of Land Grants" (covering Granville, Halifax, Hyde, Johnston, Northampton, Orange and Tyrrell Counties).
   1761 Jul 22 #3308 p.211 Patent Book (14-244)
   John Spencer granted 700 ac in Johnston County on the south side of Neuse River ... Surveyed 5 May 1761; chainbearers Millington Blaylock, Saml Gentry; Charley Young surveyor.
   (Plat for this survey included in Vol V below, p.88)
2. Vol V "Abstracts of Misc Land Office Records"
   1762 Jun 7 #4404 p.40
   Plat for David Allen, 520 ac in Johnston Co. on both sides of Neuse River, joining Reynold Allen. Chainbearers: Saml Gentry, Robt Cook; Charles Young, surveyor. [Note. "Reynold Allen" probably the same as "Runnel Allin" in refr 28.]

36. Katherine B. Elliott, "Early Settlers Mecklenburg County Virginia, Vol II", reprinted Southern Historical Press, Easley, SC, 1983, p.133:

1767 Oct 5 Mecklenburg County Deed Book (1-538)
James Vaughn to William Allen, for 93 pounds, 200 ac on Mountain Creek and Meherrin River ... Wit. John Williams, Turner Allen, Samuel (S) Gentry. Recorded 14 Mar 1768.

37 Surry County, NC, Deed Book
1801 Bk(I-147)

Allen Gentryy, Nicholas Gentry, Jeremiah Gentry and Samuel Gentry, joint heirs of Samuel Gentry, dec'd, of the State of South Carolina, ... to Humphrey Cockerham of Wilkes County... sell [400 ac] .. lying in County of Surry ...on the Fox Knob mountain...

 
Other References
38. Surry County, NC, Tax Lists
Journals (with successive changes in title) published by William P. Johnson, and transcriptions by this author from originals on file in North Carolina State Archives, Raleigh, NC

1. "North Carolina Genealogical Society Journal:, p.45 (1982),
   Tax List of William Spurgin for Rowan County [Surry County divided 1770] that apparently included Surry County residents of 1765-1770 period:
   

   	Joseph Gentry + negro Ned	2 taxables
   	Samuel Gentry	1 taxable

2. "North Carolina Genealogical Society Journal" p.210, (1983)
   Tax list of Gideon Wright (about 1768?) for Yadkin Area of Rowan Co.
   

   	Joseph Gentry	2 taxables
   	Nicholas Gentry	2 taxables
   	[Hezekiah?] Gentry [torn]

3. "The North Carolinian", vol 3, p.342 (1957)
   1771 [Surry Co NC Taxable list]: (Published by Johnson),
          Samuel Gentry 1,  Richard Gentry 1,  Nicholas Gentry 3.
4. "The North Carolinian", vol 4, p.398 (1958)
   1772 [Surry Co NC Taxable list]:
          Nicholas Gentry 2,  Allen Gentry 1,  Richard Gentry 1,  Allen Gentry 2,
          Samuel Gentry 1,  Allen Gentry 1,  Mezhi (Meshack) Gentry 1...

39. Revolutionary War Pension reference, National Archives microfilm copies

1. File R3974: Meshack Gentry, of Monroe Co. TN
   Meshack Gentry appeared in Monroe County court, TN, on 29 Aug 1836, age 88 years. Testified that he served as a Captain of NC mounted Riflemen, entering service at Caswell County Courthouse in Caswell Co. NC, in 1777. Served for frequent short intervals, including battles of Rudolph's Mill in 1780, Hanging Rock, and Eutaw Springs. Discharged in 1781 at Hillsborough, NC. Stated that he was born in Louisa Co. VA, [about 1748], moved at age 4 to Lunenburg Co. VA, where he lived until he was 25 [about 1773], then moved to Caswell Co. NC. "A few years after the end of the war", he moved to Surry Co. NC where he lived until 1818. Then lived 2 years in Greene Co. TN, 2 years in Bledsoe Co. TN, 2 years in McMinn Co. TN, then finally moved to Monroe Co. TN where he resided until the time of his application.
2. File S3391: Claiborn Gentrey, of Davidson Co. TN
   Appeared in Davidson County court, TN, 8 Feb 1833, age about 72 years [born about 1761], to testify as to military service. First enlisted in Surry Co. NC on 10 Oct (year not recalled but near the start of the war). Discharged and re-enlisted several times, in NC militia units, then volunteered for Continental service in 23rd Regt where he served until the end of the war. Took part in battle of Shallowford, on Yadkin R. Served in NC, SC, and present at the surrender of Cornwallis at Yorktown.
3. File W8844, (BLWt 26713-160-55): Richard Gentry
   Richard Gentry appeared in Rockcastle County court, KY, 12 Sep 1832, age 77 years as of next Dec. 27th [born 27 Dec 1755]. Testified that he had first volunteered for service in SC militia from Union District, SC, near the Tyger River. Was present at battles of King's Mountain, NC, and at Cowpens, in both cases assigned to guard baggage train during the battle. On questioning, he gave his birthplace as Lunenburg Co. VA, and had lived three years in Lincoln Co. KY before moving to Rock Castle Co.

© 2001, W.M. Gentry - All rights reserved. This article may be reproduced in whole or in part for non-commercial purposes provided that proper attribution (including author and journal name) is included.