SONS OF NICHOLAS GENTRY, IMMIGRANT

Part 1. Samuel-II Gentry (continued)

By Willard Gentry
Revised October 2013, May 2018

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, Samuel and Nathaniel Gentry.

Nicholas Gentry

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, Virginia, was probably made on the occasion of their marriage<2a>. In addition, he was the first of Samuel's children to sell his land in Louisa County and buy land in Lunenburg County, Virginia..

[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 his will and 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]. Unfortunately, once faulty information has spread, it becomes very difficult to correct.]

Nicholas and Mary sold their Louisa County land in 1746<2b> and joined other members of the family of Mary's father, Richard Brooks, in moving south to new land opening up in Lunenburg County which was formed from Brunswick County in 1746. Richard, his sons Elisha Brooks and Richard Brooks Jr., two sons-in-law, Nicholas Gentry (husband of Mary Brooks) and David Gentry (husband of Sarah Brooks and Nicholas' uncle), and a brother, Robert Brooks, with their respective families all moved within a span of a few years beginning in 1747. Nicholas probably had a prior arrangement with Robert Brooks for the latter to obtain a land grant in Lunenburg County<1e> and then sell a portion of it to Nicholas. In any case, he did buy from Robert, 108 acres of land on the North Meherrin River at the mouth of Reedy Creek<3a> (see Figure 1).

Figure 1. Map of Lunenburg County with streams and location of land grants<1>

Nicholas may have been accompanied by his younger brother William from the start, or William may have joined him a year or two later. In any event, both Nicholas and William were listed in the first Lunenburg County tax lists along with David Gentry, and Robert and Richard Brooks<4>. It may have been further pre-arrangement within the Samuel Gentry family for Nicholas and William to move south, scout out the land, and send word back if the rest of Samuel's family should join them. As discussed later in the description of Joseph Gentry, this did indeed occur.

Nicholas was living close enough to upper Reedy Creek where his brother Joseph later bought land that he could witness a number of deeds involving both Joseph and members of the Brooks family. 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<3b,c> where vacant land was becoming available. 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.

Figure 2. Border Counties, North Carolina and Virginia, 1770

In 1768, Nicholas was listed in a Rowan County, North Carolina tax list along with Joseph Gentry<30b>, but they were probably living far apart. Nicholas, and his brother, Richard, appear to have settled briefly near the Arafat River on the north side of the Yadkin River. Richard was involved in a Rowan County Court order in 1768<17> that involved road layout along the entire length of the west-to-east-running portion of the Yadkin, including the mouth of the Arafat River. In 1771, shortly after Surry County was formed from Rowan County, Nicholas witnessed two deeds on the north side of the Yadkin River near the Ararat River<5a>. That same year he appeared in Surry County tax lists and was taxed for three tithes (Nicholas plus his sons Allen and Artha) along with Samuel (his son?) and Richard<30c,d>. There is no indication from the tax list as to whether he was still living north of the Yadkin or had moved farther south. The following year, in 1772, Nicholas, Samuel, and Richard appear to have been located somewhere in the Deep Creek area. Nicholas was taxed for one tithe for himself plus one for his son, Artha. His son, Allen, was listed separately. Succeeding year tax records are missing until the end of the Revolutionary War. Thereafter, Nicholas was recorded repeatedly along with members of his family in the Surry County tax records<30e>.

Both Nicholas and Richard probably traveled down the Yadkin to Deep Creek, then went upstream along the south branch of that creek. Richard went on to the headwaters of Deep Creek before finding land (see Richard below) while Nicholas stopped at Fisher Creek, a small tributary of South Fork Deep Creek. He settled on land there for which he received title in 1784<5b> (see Figure 3). He later sold this land, part of it to his son Artha (referred to as "Arthur" later in South Carolina, but spelt in North Carolina with variations of "Artha", "Athe", etc.). In 1789 he received two more grants of land nearby on Deep Creek<5d,e> where he lived until his death, presumably in 1800. (He signed two deeds in June and July 1800 transferring the last of his property to two sons, Allen and John<5g,h> but he was not in the 1800 federal census which was completed in April 1801.) There is no mention of his wife Mary in any North Carolina references where relinquishment of dower rights was not required in deeds, but she appears to have been still living at the time of the 1790 federal census.

Figure 3. Map of Surry County, 1770 - 1800

Joseph Gentry

Joseph died April 1813, Surry County; Agnes died about 1826, also in Surry County. We can reason that Joseph was next in age to Nicholas among Samuel's children and older than his brother Allen even though the latter may have married before Joseph and appeared to have children older than his. This reasoning is based on the fact that when Allen first came to Lunenburg County in 1752 (according to testimony of his son Meshack<31a>), presumably with Joseph, he appears to have lived with Joseph until 1755 when Allen acquired land of his own

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<6>. Prior to that, it is this writer's proposal that Joseph became the focal point for movements by Samuel's family in following Nicholas and William to Lunenburg County. Joseph's name can be found in a wide variety of references in the county -- deeds, tax lists, parish records, court records, etc. (only a portion of which are listed in the reference section of this article). In 1752 he purchased a rather large area of 490 acres on Reedy Creek originally granted partly to Michael Mackey and partly to Abraham Cocke<7a>. We speculate that the size of the purchase may have been partly to accommodate his brother Allen's family which probably accompanied him to Lunenburg County, but also in anticipation of a follow-up move by his parents and younger brothers from Louisa County.

[Samuel sold parcels of land in 1752 and 1753 which coincided with the departure of Joseph and Allen's families and presumably there was no longer a need for this land. Between then and 1757 when he sold an additional portion of land, Samuel himself and younger members of his family had moved to Lunenberg County and was identified as a resident there in the 1757 deed. We suggest that Samuel's son, Richard, remained on the family plantation in Louisa County until 1762 when the final sale of land occurred, then Richard also moved. None of them purchased land so we presume that they moved in with Joseph (and perhaps pushed Allen out to find land of his own).]

In 1756, Joseph sold 274 acres of his Reedy Creek land to William Shelton who was living in Albemarle County<7b>. Shelton is believed to have been his wife's grandfather and apparently did not use the property personally for he resold it in 1762 while still living in Albemarle County. Shelton may have subsidized the land's use by Gentrys during that time. By 1762, the land Joseph originally purchased may no longer have been needed as different family members moved away to other locations. Joseph continued to occupy at least a part of his land along Reedy Creek until 1766 when he moved to North Carolina as evidenced by a county court summons that noted he was no longer a resident of Lunenburg County<8>. He returned in 1770 to complete the sale of the last of his land in conjunction with his brother Allen and wife Mary who were listed as co-owners. An interesting little tidbit of history is that Agnes was unable to travel at the time (pregnant?) and her waiver of dowry rights was handled in Surry County, North Carolina<7g,h>.

In North Carolina, Joseph was listed in 1768 in two Rowan County tax lists in the period just before Rowan County was divided to form Surry County<30a,b>. He settled first along the north-south portion of the Yadkin River where he received a license in 1772 to operate a ferry service across the river<9>. He bought the land where he was living in 1774, and sold part of it to his oldest son, Samuel. Another part he sold to Matthew Brooks, son of Robert Brooks of Lunenburg County. Matthew had witnessed one of Nicholas Gentry's final land sales in Virginia and had probably moved to North Carolina at the same time as Joseph<10a,b,c>. He is thought to have been the father-in-law of Joseph's son, Samuel. (The ferry location later became known as Matthew Brooks Ford.) In 1787 Joseph received a grant for land along the Fisher River, on the north side of the Yadkin, an area that later became a much reduced Surry County<10>. Not long after, he and Samuel sold the last of the Yadkin River property to Brooks and to Joseph's son-in-law, John Ridings. Samuel remained on the south side of the Yadkin along Dills Creek and Forbush Creek. Joseph's younger son, Shelton, moved with his father to property of his own north of the Yadkin and his family remained there long after Joseph's death in April 1813. Joseph left a will, written much earlier, naming all his family<11>, and his widow, Agnes, also left a very abbreviated will in 1826.
 

Allen Gentry

Allen died in 1802. He left a will, written a few months earlier, which was received for probate in Halifax County, Virginia<15>.

The timing of early moves by Allen's family is found in testimony given by his son, Meshack, in applying for a Revolutionary War pension<31a>. 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). However, 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 and that Allen lived with Joseph when he first moved to Lunenburg County.

Unlike Nicholas and Joseph who picked spots in Lunenburg County to settle then stayed there until they left the county, Allen moved around to several locations. According to Meshack's timetable, Allen arrived in Lunenburg County in 1752, probably living initially with Joseph on Reedy Creek. From Lunenberg deed records<12a-h> we can deduce most of his further movements. In 1755, he bought land from David Allen on Crooked Creek, farther east in the county. This was probably brought about by the arrival of his father, Samuel's remaining family from Louisa County to stay with Joseph, displacing Allen. In 1759 Allen Gentry and David Allen joined together in selling their adjoining holdings on the creek. Allen then moved a little farther east along the Meherrin River to Flatrock Creek where in 1761 he bought from his cousin, Hezekiah, land adjoining that of his brother-in-law, French Haggard (and close to land held by David Gentry, William Gentry and John Brooks). He sold this in 1764 but in the meantime, in 1763, he bought the 50 acres of adjoining land owned by his brother William. Allen moved back in 1768 to his brother, Nicholas' former plantation, when he bought 80 acres that Nicholas had sold the previous year. Allen then turned around and sold it plus an additional 20 acres in 1769. During his final years in Lunenburg County, Allen presumably moved onto what was left of Joseph's land where his parents were probably still living. In 1770 Allen joined with Joseph, who had left Virginia in 1766, in selling this property. (One wonders if this might have been brought about by the death of his mother.)

Allen did not appear in any more Lunenburg records after that, but instead settled in Caswell County, North Carolina. He visited briefly in Surry County in 1772, staying just long enough to appear in the 1772 tax lists for that county<30d>. Allen may have been enumerated in more than one location for that list because there are more Allens than can be accounted for. His son, Meshack, was also listed. One of the Allens included two taxables in the household, one of whom we may guess was his son Abednego.

[This excursion was probably prompted by the aftermath of the North Carolina "War of the Regulation" which culminated in the Battle of Alamance in 1771. A large group of dissidents (who came to be called "Regulators"), primarily located in the western frontier counties, were unhappy with illegal fees charged by officials and other misconduct by the colonial government of Governor Tryon. A loosely-organized gathering of these dissidents was dispersed by disciplined colonial militia troops which crushed the rebellion. As a consequence, a large number of settlers in the western counties moved to Kentucky or Tennessee. By 1772 about 1,500 had left and others were waiting only to sell their land before joining them. This wholesale opening of land available at cut-rate prices attracted prospective buyers from far and wide.]

Allen did not find what he wanted so returned to Caswell County. 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 initially on the North Carolina side of the Virginia border, although records are lacking. Allen, his son, Shadrack and presumably his father, Samuel were included in a 1777 tax list in the first year of Caswell County' s separation from Orange County. Allen and Shadrack were listed again in 1780 and 1784<13>. Allen was not in Virginia in 1789 when Meshack was listed in a Halifax County tax list but he and his son Abednego were in the 1798 list<14a,b>. Allen and Abednego must have moved back to Virginia during that period of time. It is unfortunate that census records are of little help. All of the Virginia census records for 1790 were destroyed. State census records for 1786 and 1790 federal census records for North Carolina both are missing Nash district of Caswell County (which became Person County in 1792). 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 the family of Andrew and Mary Buchanan (Allen's daughter) living there.

Allen's wife, Mary, outlived him and was named in his will. She presumably moved in with her son, Abednego, after Allen's death. They apparently moved soon after Allen's death back to Person County where Abednego bought land in 1806 from his brother-in-law, Andrew Buchanan. This may have been an attempt to move closer to the rest of Allen's family. Abednego moved from Person County to Surry County, joining his brother, Meshack, in about 1807, a date which may have coincided with his mother's death. He sold his Person County land the following year in 1808.
 

Simon Gentry

Simon died 1792, Cumberland Co., Virginia, leaving a will<21b>.

The name Simon is not a common one in the Gentry family, but interestingly both Samuel and his brother David had a son by that name. It became a more common one in Samuel's family as Richard, and Allen's son Shadrack both had a son named Simon. It may have had some Virginia origin, or it may have linked back to the proposed ancestors of Nicholas the Immigrant in Essex, England, where there were a succession of Simons, and a Simon is thought to have been a brother of Nicholas.

This Simon's name appears infrequently in records in connection with Samuel's family. He probably moved from Louisa County to Lunenburg County along with other members of the family after Samuel sold a rather large portion of his land in 1753. We can speculate that he lived on a portion of Joseph's land along with his parents and younger brothers. He was named twice in Lunenburg County documents. In 1756 Simon and David were charged with laying out a new road to Reedy Creek Church<20a>. Then in 1757 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<20b>.

Simon's marriage to Susannah Brown was 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. He returned to Louisa County in 1762, long enough to witness the sale of the last of his father's land, and to probably help in moving the last of any horses or other livestock and any household or farm equipment to Lunenberg County. He returned to Lunenburg County in 1763 to appear in court in a case involving disclaimer. For the rest of his life, he appeared 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<21a>. 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

John died about 1761, leaving leaving probably two orphan sons, Richard and Joseph.

In a Lunenburg County Court order of October 1761, "Joseph Gentry, orphan son of John Gentry" was bound to Samuel Gentry<25>. One must assume that this Joseph was a young child, both of whose parents had recently died. ["Bondage" was the appropriate legal action taken to provide care for a minor who did not possess property; "guardianship" was reserved for the latter.] This Joseph has never been heard of since, so we may further assume that Joseph died before maturity. 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, none of Samuel's sons was old enough to have been his father. The logical conclusion is that he was an otherwise undocumented son of Samuel-II. There has been speculation as to whether a John Gentry who witnessed a deed in Johnston County, North Carolina in 1759<26> was this son of Samuel. If so, it would be a case of John accompaning his uncle David when the latter moved temporarily to Johnston County at that period of time. It is more likely that the John who was witnessing was David's son by the same name who was of the same approximate age as Samuel's John.

[Added May 2018] There are persuasive reasons to believe that an older son of John may have been the Richard Gentry who later moved to South Carolina, participated in the Revolutionary War, then moved to Surry County, and eventually to Rockcastle County, Kentucky. In this scenario, Richard is proposed to have gone to live with his uncle, Nicholas, after the death of his parents, and then accompanied Nicholas' family to North Carolina. Richard is further proposed to have joined his cousins, Nicholas Jr. and Samuel (Nicholas Sr.'s sons) in their travels to what became Spartanburg District, South Carolina.

Richard Gentry

Richard died 1811 or 1812, Surry County, North Carolina, leaving a short will<19>. His wife was still living at the time of his death and was listed in his will, but not by name. There is speculation that she may have been a daughter of Richard Haggard with whom Richard Gentry was closely associated on several occasions.

Richard's name appears in 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 David Gentry. This was a somewhat unusual deed in that both principals were living out of the county at the time. Richard was among those who witnessed the final sale of his father's land in Louisa County in 1762<6>. This writer believes that Richard probably 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. His next Lunenburg reference was in 1765, when he was assigned by the County Court to assist in road maintenance along with Nicholas and Joseph among others<16>. There is no record of Richard buying land in Lunenburg County, he probably moved in with Nicholas. This is especially likely because Nicholas and Richard appear to have travelled together from Virginia to North Carolina. Richard's last Lunenburg record was in 1766 and 1767 when he was a witness at the final sale of Nicholas' land<3b,c>.

Richard first appeared in North Carolina records in 1768 when he was assigned by the Rowan County (the predecessor of Surry County) Court to assist in a (road?) project that stretched along the north bank of the Yadkin River from the Mitchell River junction to the point where it turned south at the junction of the Little Yadkin River<17> (see Figure 3). This passed by the Ararat River where his brother Nicholas witnessed a deed in 1771. We can speculate that Richard and Nicholas were together in that locality from 1768 to 1771 before moving across the Yadkin River into the south part of Surry County. Richard and Nicholas first appeared in Surry County tax records beginning in 1771 when they were listed in the first assessment for that county<30c,d> which was only for a poll tax and not for property. It may have been then or shortly afterwards that Richard filed for 180 acres of land on the head waters of Deep Creek near a hill called Fox Knob (or Fox Nob). He received title to this in 1784<18a>. Thereafter he appeared frequently in deed references as a witness, but was not a principal again until 1810 and 1811 when he sold his property<18b,c> not long before he died. Beginning with the post-war tax lists of 1784, Richard, and later his sons, appeared regularly with frequently one or another of his sons being assessed the tax for all or a part of the property<30e>.
 

William Gentry

William died about 1773, Surry County, North Carolina, probably by drowning.

William first appeared in any records in 1750, living with David Gentry in Lunenburg County at the time of one of the first tax lists<4>. His brother, Nicholas was included in the same tax list but enumerated separately. The year before, Nicholas and David were both listed for the first time - but without William. This may have been a case where William became liable for tax in 1750 [which was age 16 at the time], suggesting his birth in 1734. Two years later, in 1752, William was listed next to Nicholas Gentry while David was listed in a different enumeration district. The name of his wife, Lucy, appears once in Lunenburg County Court records in 1759 [or 1758? -- the records are not clear about the date] when William and Lucy participated as plaintiffs in a suit for debt<22>. His oldest child, Claiborne, was born in 1761 according to testimony many years later by Claiborne when he applied for a Revolutionary War pension in Tennessee<31b>. William bought land for the first time in 1760. He sold this land in 1763 and did not appear in any Lunenburg records after that<23>. He is presumed to have moved to North Carolina at about that time.

William was in Surry County, North Carolina, in 1772, living along the Yadkin River, near or with Joseph. William was a carpenter and an interesting part of his history is his presence in the records of the Moravians of Old Salem. He was hired to build a bridge across Muddy Creek on the road from Salem to the Yadkin River. The Moravian records show this bridge to have been completed by the end of 1772. They then hired him to build an extension of this bridge but within a few months, William had died of drowning, perhaps in connection with the building. Lucy, who eventually remarried in 1787, was named in May 1773 to administer his estate<24> and was left to raise a family some of whom continued to live in that same area for many years afterwards.
 

Samuel Gentry

Samuel died about 1799-1800, Spartanburg District, South Carolina.

Samuel-III 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<27>. 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 had probably accompanied him on this expedition. There is also a brief reference in 1767 when apparently this same Samuel witnessed a deed for land on the south side of the Meherrin River opposite Gentry holdings on the north side. This was recorded shortly after Mecklenburg County was separated (in 1764) from Lunenburg County<28>. It is interesting that this particular deed involved land that William Allen had earlier obtained by a trade which was witnessed by David and Hezekiah Gentry, with John Daniel of Johnston County, North Carolina, in exchange for similar property Allen held in Johnston County. This was the same William Allen of Johnston County who is thought to be a brother of the David Allen and Reynolds Allen mentioned in the Johnston County surveys.

There have been speculations that Samuel was married to a sister of the David, William and Reynolds Allens with whom he associated. The same speculation is true for Allen Gentry and for the first wife of David Gentry. This would in part explain the association Samuel had with William Allen, both in Johnston County, North Carolina, and in Mecklenburg County, Virginia. It might also be a clue to what happened to Samuel between 1767, the last reference in Virginia, and 1780, the first reference in Surry County, North Carolina. If the relationship was true, it would be reason for Samuel to have remained with the Allens instead of joining his Gentry siblings when they left Virginia.

Whatever the connection of Samuel with David Gentry and the Allen family, he appears to have followed the Gentrys that moved to Surry County rather than following David's family to South Carolina when he left Virginia.. Accordingly, one must conclude that the younger Samuel was a brother of the Surry County Gentrys. Moreover there is no record of the name Samuel being found among the immediate descendants of David, whereas understandably, it was a common name in the family of Samuel-II. Samuel was probably living with his mother on his brother, Joseph's, plantation during most of his time in Lunenburg County and left about the time Joseph sold this land in 1770. Samuel-III is found in scattered references in Surry County, the earliest probably being in 1777 when a "Samuel Gentrey, Auther Gentrey, and Saml Jentery" signed a petition dealing with land entries. [It is very difficult to distinguish between references to Samuel-III and Samuel-IV (son of Joseph) in Surry County records]. Samuel had settled on 400 acres on Fox Knob, close to Richard Gentry, when he filed for a state grant in 1780. He was taxed for the use of this land in 1781 when tax lists were resumed following the war and appears to have been taxed again in 1782 and 1786<30e>. He did not receive title to the land until 1792<27a,b> by which time he had left Surry County, moving to Spartanburg District, South Carolina. Whether his land was unsuitable for farming, or for whatever reason, Samuel apparently abandoned it until it was sold after his death by his four sons in 1801 as heirs of their deceased father<29c>. Samuel and his family appeared in the 1790 South Carolina census. His sons were in the 1800 census but Samuel and his wife were missing so Samuel is assumed to have died shortly before then. 
 

Nathaniel Gentry

  (Added February 2015)
We now believe that Samuel Sr. had one more son, Nathaniel, who joined Samuel Jr. in South Carolina, then left and moved north to Kentucky. He is discussed in detail in later journals (Gentry Journal issue B, November 2011).
– Born in perhaps 1740, Hanover County, Virginia, he lived nuch of his life in Spartanburg District, South Carolina.
Nathaniel died after 1810, probably in Pulaski County, Kentucky.

Even less so than his brother, Samuel, Nathaniel does not appear in any Virginia references. He may have stayed in Lunenburg County after his brothers left, but at some time he moved to South Carolina, ending up in Spartanburg District where other members of the Samuel-II family also settled. There are a number of land and court records referring to him there and he appeared in the 1790 census. Some time before 1800 he apparently moved, for the only other reference after that time was in 1810 in Pulaski County, Kentucky where he is presumed to be the Nathaniel Gentry that was recorded there.
 

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 in their life in Virginia. One group of potential cousins were the Allens. 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 her. In addition, it is possible that David Gentry's hypothetical first wife was an Allen, possibly Agnes Allen who is said by some family members to have been born about 1707 in Hanover County, and died about 1730, spouse and children unknown. She is said to have been a sister of David, William and Reynolds Allen all of whom had dealings with the Gentrys.

Whatever the relationship, the Allens and Gentrys had strong and continued personal and business connections. David Allen sold land to Allen Gentry in Lunenburg County, then later Allen Gentry and David Allen jointly sold their adjoining properties. 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 or great-grandfather, Richard Allen.

Another group of cousins and in-laws were members of the Brooks family. 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. Both Richard Jr. (Richard-II) and Robert (Robert-II) had close ties to the Gentrys.

Richard-II Brooks (wife Elizabeth)

Robert-II Brooks (wife Tabitha)

Coming Articles
As indicated in the introduction, this and the previous article have addressed the question of evidence relating to Samuel-II, including his birth, marriage, and death, and also an identification of his children. The next article in this series will review the evidence relating to Samuel's brother 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. We will then 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 about his other sons and discussing individual members of his family more in detail.
 

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

1.  Lunenburg County Original Land Grants
Denis Hudgins"Cavaliers and Pioneers, Abstracts of Virginia Land Patents and Grants", "Vol IV (1732-1741)" and Vol V (1741- 1749), published by Virginia Genealogical Society, Richmond, 1994

1. 1740 Sep 16    Vol IV p.229    (Patent Bk 18, p.778):
   William Irby , 130 acs Brunswick Co. [Lunenburg Co. after 1746], S side of the Nap of Read's Cr., opposite to Jones.
2. 1740/41 Mar 24    Vol IV p.240    (Patent Bk 18, p.931):
   Col. Henry Embry , Gent. 400 acs Brunswick Co. [Lunenburg Co. after 1746] on the ridge bet. the Nap of Reeds Cr. and Couches Cr.
   1743 Jun 30    Vol V p.55    (Patent Bk 21, p.350):
3. Michael Mackey , 350 acs. Brunswick Co. [Lunenburg Co. after 1746] on the S side of the Nap of Reeds Cr., over & up the Great Br., adj. Irby & Mason.
4. 1747 Jun 25    Vol V p.308    (Patent Bk 28, p.82):
   Robert Scott , 400 acs. Brunswick Co. [Lunenburg Co. after 1746] on both sides of Maherrin Riv. to an Elm in a small Island in sd Riv.
5. 1747 Jun 25    Vol V p.308    (Patent Book 28, p.76):
   "Robert Brooks , 630 acs. Brunswick Co., on both sides of Maherrin Riv., adj. Scott & his own Line."
6. 1747 Oct 1    Vol V p.321    (Patent Bk 28, p.229):
   Abraham Cocke , 448 acs. Brunswick Co. on both sides of the Reedy Cr., adj. Embry & his own line.
7. 1747 Oct 1    Vol V p.322    (Patent Bk 28, p.234):
   Henry Embry , 237 acs. Lunenburg Co. on the N side of Couches Cr. adj. his own old line.
8. 1749 Sep 5    Vol V p.296    (Patent Bk 27, p.398):
   Richard Taliaferro , 783 acs. Lunenburg Co. on the N side of Meherrin Riv. on the S side of the Beaver Br. to a corner marked "[DB overlaid]" [for David Bray] on flatt Rock Cr., adj. Buller Herbert.

Nicholas Gentry

2. 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 sold 100 acres in Fredericksville Par...Wit: Thomas Lankford, John Chrisholm. Signed: Nicholas (N) Gentry. Mary, his wife, gave consent...

3. Lunenburg County Deed Book

1. 1747 Jun 4    Bk(1-329)
   Robert Brooks to Nicholas Gentry, both of Lunenburg Co VA, for £12, 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, 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 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.

4.   Landon C. Bell "Sunlight on the Southside, Lists of Tithes, Lunenburg County, Virginia, 1748-1783", 1974, Genealogical Publishing Co., Baltimore.

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
	Ritchard Brooks (adj Nicholas)	1 tithe
	David Gentry and Robert Brooks	2 tithes
1750   p.158-59	List of Richd. Witton
	Nicholas Gentry	1 tithe
	David Gentry and Wm. Gentry	2 tithes
1751	[no Gentrys]
1752   p.180	List by Lyddall Bacon
	Nicholas Gentry	1 tithe
	William Gentry	1 tithe
p.210	List by Richd. Witton
	David Gentry	1 tithe
(Only selected years following 1752 reported)
1764  p.236	List by Henry Blagrave (alphabetical -- not necessarily adjacent)
	Allen Gentry	1 tithe     50 acres
	Joseph Gentry	1 tithe    118acres
	Nicholas Gentry	1 tithe    108 acres

5. Surry County Deed Books

1. 1771 Jul 20    Bk(A-9)
   John Bryan to Valentine Vanhouser 459 ac ... on north side of Yadkin River, two miles above Arrarat Creek ... by the mouth of Hogan's Creek ... Wit: Robt. Lanier, Nicholas Gentry.
2. 1784 Nov 3    Bk(C-156)
   State to Nicholas Gentry 200 ac ... on the south side of the Yadkin River ... west, then south ... to the south side of Fishing Creek [presently Fisher Creek, not to be confused with Fisher River in current Surry County], on a small branch, thence down the meanders of the said branch to the said creek and down the said creek thirty-three chains to Garrot's Corner...on said river bank, thence up the meander of said river to the beginning.
3. 1787 (??)    Bk(F-99)
   Nicholas Gentry to Blunt Garrett 100 ac ... being part of a tract of land surveyed for the said Nicholas Gentry containing 200 acres on the south side of the Yadkin River [at Fishing Creek] ... adjoining the said Garrot's plantation. Wit: Artha Gentry, James Badgett.
4. 1789 May 18    Bk(E-68)
   State grant to Nicholas Gentry 240 ac ... on south fork of Deep Creek at SW corner of his former survey, then west, then north crossing the Big Branch, then east crossing a branch, then to the bank of said creek, then down the meander of said creek to stake in Hudspeth's line, then south to beginning.
5. 1789 May 18    Bk(E-68)
   State to Nicholas Gentry 150 ac ... on the waters of Deep Creek, then north, then west, then south, then east crossing creek to the beginning.
6. 1792 Aug 10    Bk(F-98)br Nicholas Gentry to Artha Gentry 100 ac ... being part of a tract of land surveyed for the said Nicholas Gentry, containing 200 acres on the south side of the Yadkin River...to south side of Fishing Creek on a small branch, then down the said branch to the said creek to Garrot's line on the river bank, then up the river to the beginning. Wit: James Gadgett, Blunt Garrot.
7. 1800 Jun 10    Bk(I-115)
   Nicholas Gentry to Allen Gentry 150 ac Deep Creek including land on both sides of Creek. Wit: John Gentry, Airs Hudspeth.
8. 1800 Jul 22    Bk(I-126)
   Nicholas Gentry to John Gentry 240 ac ... for natural love and affection of parents for child...on waters of south fork of Deep Creek, beginning at SW corner of his former survey, including both sides of a big branch and returning to the bank of said Creek, then along meander of Creek to Hudspeth's line, and along said line to beginning. Wit: Thomas Wright, William Elliott.

Joseph Gentry

6. Louisa County Deed Book

7. Lunenburg County Deed Book

1. 1752 Dec 5    Bk(3-147)
   Joseph Minor, Planter of Lunenburg Co VA to Joseph Gentry, for £165, sold 490 acres on south side of Reddy [sic] 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, sold 274 acres on Reedy Creek. Wit: Geo Walton, Simon Gentry, Nicholas Gentry... [Sold 1762 by William Shelton -- still of Albemarle Co.]
3. 1758 Aug 2    Bk(5-293)
   Joseph Gentry to Moses Cockerham, both of Lunenburg Co VA for 20 pounds, sold 60 acres on lower side of Reed Creek and both sides of Horsepen Branch; ... Wit: Thomas Pettis, John Hix. Signed: Joseph (J) Gentry. Recorded 1 Aug 1758.
4. 1760 May 6    Bk(6-39)
   John Hanna of Lunenburg Co VA to Joseph Gentry for 4 pounds, sold 8 acres on Horsepen Creek, a branch of Reedy Creek ... Signed: John Hanna Smith
5. 1762 Feb 2    Bk(7-152)
   Joseph Gentry, Planter, to Moses Cockerham, Planter, both of Lunenburg Co VA for 20 pounds, sold 68 acres ... Wit: Thos Pillas?, Trans Barnes. Signed: Joseph (his mark) Gentry.
6. 1762 May 5    Bk(7-104)
   Daniel Mason of Dinwiddie Co VA to Joseph Gentry of Lunenburg Co VA for 15 pounds, sold 60 acres on south side of Horsepen Branch, adj. Minor's line...Hawkin's corner...Recorded 5 May 1761.
7. 1770 Dec 13    Bk(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 ... sell 118 ac in Lunenburg Co. on the lower side of Ready Creek ... 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.
8. 1771 Sep 27    Bk (12-108)
   To Jacob Bonn and James Marck, Esq. Gentlemen of Surry Co. NC, greeting. Joseph Gentry & Agness, his wife, and Allen Gentry, & Mary, his wife, by their deed of Dec. 13, 1770 sold to Samuel Jeter 118 acres in Lunenburg Co. on Reedy Cr. Agness, the wife of said Joseph Gentry, cannot conveniently travel to our county court to make acknowledgement of the deed. You are therefore authorized to go to Agness to receive her acknowledgement.    Signed 11 Jul 1711: Wm. Taylor.    [Agnes was apparently pregnant, waiting the birth of their youngest daughter, Sarah.]
   Agness relinquished her right of dower. Signed 27 Sep 1771: Jacob Bonn, James Merck. Recorded 9 Apr 1972.

8. Lunenburg County Court Order Books

9. Jo White Linn, "Abstracts of the Court of Pleas and Quarter Sessions, Rowan County, North Carolina, 1763-1774", Salisbury, NC, 1979. Transcribed from microfilm copies of the original minutes.

10. Surry County, NC, Deed Books

1. 1774 May 21    Bk(A-91) Robert & Joseph Farbis to Joseph Gentry 331 ac on south side of the bank of Yadkin River below Eagleton. Wit: William Ridings, Samuel Gentry , John Wood.
2. 1774 Aug 9    Bk(A-76)
   Joseph Gentry to Samuel Gentry 50 ac land that the said Joseph now has ... on the bank of the south side of the Yadkin River.
3. 1775 Feb 15    Bk(A-182)
   Joseph Gentry to Math. Brooks 181 ac S. side of Yadkin R.
4. 1787 Nov 9    Bk(C-377)
   State grant to Joseph Gentry 150 ac ... on east side of Fishers River.
5. 1789 Apr 9    Bk(D-425)
   Joseph & Samuel Gentry to John Ridens (Ridings), 110 ac ... on s. side of Yadkin River ... Wit: Sarah Gentry , Math. Brooks, Andrew Speer.
6. 1789 [......]    Bk(I-325) Joseph & Agnes Gentry to Math. Brooks 40 ac on the Yadkin River at the mouth of Jacobson (?) branch. Wit: John Ridens, Zachariah Martin.
   
7. 1799 Dec 17    Bk(H-234)
   State grant to Joseph Gentry 50 ac ... running southwesterly from his line.

11. Surry County, NC, Will Books

1. 1813 May Court    Bk(3-107)
   Will of Joseph Gentry, written 17 Nov 1804. 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.)
2. 1826 Feb Court    Bk( 3-169)
   Will of Agness Gentry, written 30 Sep 1813. Names son Shelton ... to have negro Jemima, left me by my husband...granddaughter, Nancy Gentry, daughter of Shelton ... Wit: Matt. M. Hughes, Archd Hughes. Proved by former...

 

Allen Gentry

12. Lunenburg County Deed Book

1. [Lunenburg County Court, Book 4, p.32:
   1755 Nov Court: Indenture of sale from David Allen & Martha his wife to Allen Gentry recorded (no corresponding deed record) (presumably part of the 100 acres sold jointly by both parties in 1759)].
2. 1759 Oct 1    Bk(5-489)
   David Allen of Johnston Co NC and Allen Gentry of Lunenburg Co VA to Richard Haggard, for £30, sold 100 acres on Creeched (Crooked) Creek, adj. Johnson's line, Black, Butler, and [Elisha?] Brooks...
3. 1761 Apr 6    Bk(7-11)
   Hezekiah Gentry to Allen Gentry for £20, sold 73 acres granted 5 Sep 1749 to Richard Taliaferro, adj. French Haggard and Joseph Simpkin's corner.
4. 1763 Dec 8    Bk(9-337)
   William Gentry to Allen Gentry , both of Lunenburg Co, for £40, sold 50 acres ... on north side of Merrin River at mouth of John Brock's (Brooks?) spring branch ... to line of Roger Atkerson (Atkinson) [on Flatrock Creek?] ... down the branch to the river .
5. 1764 May [blank]    Bk(8-268)
   Allen Gentry of Lunenburg Co, to Roger Atkinson of Dinwiddie Co., for £50, sold estimated 73 acres, purchased of Hezekiah Gentry in Lunenburg Co, Cumberland Parish, near the mouth of Flatrock Creek ...
6. 1768 Aug 11    Bk(11-188)
   Thomas Murry [Maury] to Allen Gentry , both of Lunenburg Co. for £40, 80 ac in Lunenburg Co. on N side of Maherrin Riv.; part of a grant to Robt. Brooks and conveyed to said Murry [by Nicholas & Mary Gentry, 1767], adj. Richd. Brooks at river ... Signed Thomas (X) Murry.
7. 1769 Aug 10    Bk(11-288)
   Allen Gentry to Charles Gravett, both of Lunenburg Co., for £50, 100 ac in Lunenburg Co. on N. Maherrin Riv. Signed Allen (A) Gentry .
8. 1770 Dec 13    See reference 7(c)

13. Caswell County, NC, Tax Lists

1. Tax List Nash District (published by Kendall): 1777
   Allen Gentry, Samuel Gentry, Shadrick Gentry... Arthur Brooks, David Brooks, John Brooks, Thomas Brooks...
2. Tax List Nash District (published by Kendall & Donaldson): 1784
   Shadrack Gentry 0 - 1 - 0, Allen Gentry 0 - 1 - 3... [acres of land - white polls - black polls]

14. Halifax County Tax Lists
<http://www.binnsgenealogy.com/VirginiaTaxListCensuses/>
(from microfilm image copies of original)

a.	Personal Tax List B, 1789
		Meshack Gentry	1	0	0	3
b.	Personal Tax List B, 1798, June 21
		Ebednego Gentry	1	0	0	3	0.27
		Allen Gentry	1	5	0	4	2.11
	[Listed in order: white tithes, black male adults, black males 12-15, horses, amount of tax]

15. Halifax County Court Book

 

Richard Gentry

16. Lunenburg Court Order Book

17. Jo White Linn op. cit., "Abstracts of the Court of Pleas and Quarter Sessions, Rowan County"

18. Surry County, NC, Deed Books

1. 1784 Nov 3    Bk(C-198)
   State to Richard Gentry 180 ac ... on Deep Creek [adjoining Fox Nob] ....
2. 1810 Jun 5    Bk(N-34)
   Richard Gentry to William Brewer 40 ac on head waters Deep Creek ... Wit: William Gentry, Joel Patterson. Rec. Feb 1814.
3. 1811 Jan 5    Bk(M-458)
   Richard Gentry to Robert Ashley 80 ac head waters Deep Creek ... adjoining Meshack Gentry ... Wit: David Day, William Ashley. Ack. Feb 1812 by Wm Ashley.

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

 

Simon Gentry

20. 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.

21. 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.

 

William Gentry

22. Lunenburg County Order Book

23. 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] ...

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

 

John Gentry

25. Lunenburg County Order Book

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

 

Samuel Gentry

27. 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 20.]

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

29. Surry County, NC, Deed Book

1. 1784 Jan 29    Bk(B-303)
   Michael Henderson to Frederick Miller 800 ac...600 acres on Fox Nobbs adjoining Moses Woodruff's, Samuel Gentry's and John Swim's plantations...and 200 acres called Deer Lick branch, adjoining Fox Nobbs tract on the east side of headwaters of Deep Creek, both surveyed by Henry Speer. [Samuel occupying land long before title granted.]
2. 1792 Dec 24    Bk(E-195)
   State grant to Samuel Gentry 400 ac ... on the head waters of Deep Creek on the north side of Fox Nob Mountain, beginning in Michael Henderson's line, then ... [adjoining Moses Woodruff] ... to the beginning.
3. 1801 Feb 16    Bk(I-147)
   Allen Gentry, 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
30. Surry County, NC, Tax Lists
Gentry references in 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[-IV?] 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
   	[ ? ] Gentry [torn]

3. "The North Carolinian", vol 3, p.342 (1957)
   1771 [Surry Co NC Taxable list]: (Published by Johnson) (tithes assessed),
           Samuel Gentry 1,   Richard Gentry 1,   Nicholas Gentry 3.
4. "The North Carolinian", vol 4, p.398 (1958)
   1772 [Surry Co NC Taxable list] (tithes assessed):
   
   Nicholas Gentry 2,   Allen Gentry 1,   Richard Gentry 1,   Allen Gentry 2,
   Samuel Gentry 1,   Allen Gentry 1,   Mezhi (Meshack) Gentry 1.
5. Transcriptions from the originals by author:
   
   1775 - 1780: No records (war years)
   Nicholas Gentry: 1782, 1784 - 1786, 1788 - 1796, [son John: 1797 - 1800]
   Joseph Gentry: 1782, 1783, 1785, 1786, 1788, 1789, 1791, 1792, 1794 - 1797, 1799, 1801, 1802, 1806, 1807
   Richard Gentry: 1782, 1785, 1786, 1790 - 1796, [son William: 1797 -1800], 1801, 1802, 1804
   Samuel-III Gentry: 1781, 1782, 1786

31. Revolutionary War Pension reference, National Archives microfilm copies

1. File R3974: Meshack Gentry, of Monroe Co. TN [son of Allen-III Gentry]
   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 [son of William-III Gentry]
   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.

Major revision Oct 2013, revised May 2018

Return to Top