CHARLES GENTRY, TENNESSEE PIONEER

by
Willard Gentry
Revised 2014, 2015

Abstract
A family of at least three sons and possibly a fourth is proposed for Charles Gentry, son of Robert Gentry, both among the first white settlers in eastern Tennessee. These sons are suggested to be Jesse, William, Charles, and perhaps David, all of whom are briefly mentioned in the early records of Tennessee and Kentucky.

Introduction
During the early years of the Revolutionary War, the newly-established General Assembly of North Carolina in 1777 took the time to assert control over the lands on its western border by creating Washington County in what is now Tennessee. By 1779, the influx of settlers had grown to the point where it was necessary to divide the original county in two, the northern half becoming Sullivan County. The first members of the Gentry family to settle in the area were Robert Gentry of Albemarle County, Virginia and his family. Robert and his two oldest sons, Charles Gentry and Jesse Gentry probably traveled together or within a short time of each other, but each of the three settled independently on their selected land holdings. The documentary references to Charles Gentry are spotty. During his early years in Tennessee, there were a variety of references to Charles generated primarily by land deeds in which Charles was a participant or an adjoining land owner. In later years, after he moved to Kentucky, then back to Tennessee, only a few references exist.

The early records begin in 1778 when Charles settled in what was referred to as the Nolichucky Settlement in Washington County, North Carolina. The last eastern Tennessee records were in 1793 when deeds for land along the French Broad River in what was then Greene County referred to the adjoining lands of Charles Gentry. Fragmentary references pick up again for presumably the same Charles Gentry in Clark County, Kentucky, between 1794 and 1801. Finally in 1802, Charles was included in the list of tithables in Jackson County in central Tennessee. Charles was named as a beneficiary in his father's will, dated 1811<1b>, so he was living at that time but we have no indication of when or where he may have died.. There is no record of him in the 1820 census so presumably he died some time in that interval. In none of the records relating to Charles is there any statement as to his children. Who were these children? We will explore these questions below.

Charles Gentry in Virginia
Charles, his brother, Jesse and his three sisters Elizabeth, Sarah and Mary first appeared in Virginia documents in 1761 when they were included in the will of their grandfather, Philip Joyner of Albemarle County. Philip left each of his grandsons 200 acres of land in Albemarle County (land incidentally which later became the property of the University of Virginia)<1a>. The failure of Philip to mention any of the other children of their father, Robert, indicates clearly that these five were the only ones living at the time.

Charles next appeared in Virginia records in 1775 when he and his wife, Elizabeth Joyner (who is mentioned by name and was presumably his first cousin), sold 200 acres at the head of Meadow Creek, on the south side of the Rivanna River in Albemarle County<2>. Coincidentally Charles witnessed a deed at the same time for a sale of land on Ivy Creek which adjoined that of his father, Robert. Between this date in the fall of 1775 and the spring of 1778, both Charles and Robert moved from Albemarle County to Washington County (then North Carolina, later Tennessee).

Charles Gentry in Eastern Tennessee
Charles entered a claim in 1778 for land on the waters of Big Limestone Creek (a tributary on the north side of the Nolichucky River) in Washington County<3>. By 1784, he had moved to Kendrick's Creek, in Sullivan County<4> (see map, Figure 1), an area that was known as the Watauga Settlement. This creek flows north into the South Fork of the Holston River just below the present Fort Patrick Henry Dam near Kingsport. He sold this land in 1787 and moved south to the French Broad River before 1790<5a>. This area had been carved out of Washington County and established as Greene County in 1783. While living there he was named as an adjoining land owner in several land grants<5b>. The various refences to Charles can be summarized:

There are no further references to Charles in any of the counties in eastern Tennessee after 1793.

Figure 1. Eastern Kentucky, 1800
(Charles' locations circled)

Charles Gentry in Kentucky
Beginning in 1791, there are a series of references to a Charles Gentry in Clark County, Kentucky, that we have concluded are for our same Charles<6>. In 1793, there is a record of a deed for an unspecified amount of land purchased by Charles Gentry "of Clark County". In 1794, 1796, 1797, and 1800, Charles was listed in enumerations of taxables in Clark County as liable for one white poll. Finally, in 1801, Charles and his wife Elizabeth "of county of Clark" signed a deed for the sale of 138 acres of land. The next reference and last reference to a Charles Gentry in Kentucky is for the marriage of a Charles Gentry to Susannah Ware in 1803 in neighboring Madison County<11>. We presume this refers to Charles' son, not to the senior Charles.

Charles Gentry in Central Tennessee
We believe that Charles Sr. must have moved westward from Kentucky and was included in the initial enumeration of taxables in 1802 in Jackson County, Tennessee, shortly after that county was created<7>. In addition to the tax list record, in 1806, a Charles Gentry signed a petition to the General Assembly to build a road from Jackson County to Knoxville<8>. Beyond that point, we find no further records of Charles. In 1806, Jackson County was divided to form Overton County. There was a Charles Gentry who was living in Overton County at the time of the 1820 census but his age was not appropriate for this Charles, rather was a younger Charles and was undoubtedly the son of Charles Sr<15b>.

Figure 2.   Counties of Kentucky and Tennessee in 1810

Children of Charles - Speculation
Children of Charles have never been documented, but there are three unidentified Gentrys, Jesse, William, and Charles jr. who lived in Kentucky and northern Tennessee who probably were children of his. A fourth, David, appears in only one reference and may possibly also been a son. [I have referred to such individuals in previous articles as "orphans". Patricia Hatcher, a professional genealogist who writes articles for Ancestry.Com, calls them "leftovers".] We will consider these probable children in turn.

Jesse Gentry

– born about 1772, Albemarle County, Virginia;
– died before census of 1830, probably in Todd County, Tennessee;
– married Elizabeth (maiden name unknown).
	Children of Jesse:
	i?.	Tabitha Gentry (Speculation) born about 1794 in Kentucky; married 8 Jul 1810, Overton County, Tennessee to Thomas Williams, moved to Arkansas.
	ii.	Daughter, born 1794-1810.
	iii-vi.	Four Sons, born 1800-1810, one of whom was still with his mother in 1830.
	vii.	Daughter, born 1800-1810.
	viii.	Daughter, born 1810-1815, with Elizabeth in 1830.

A Jesse Gentry who appears several times in close association with Charles Gentry's family is believed to be a son of Charles. In 1807, after the formation of Overton County from Jackson County, Jesse bought land on a branch of Wolf River within about a mile of the boundary between Overton County and Kentucky and close to where Charles is believed to have settled<9>. Jesse appears in only one census, that for 1810 in Cumberland County, Kentucky (just across the state border from Jackson and Overton Counties, Tennessee<15a> (see map, Figure 2) (see also discussion below concerning conflicts in census listings in 1810 between Kentucky and Tennessee). A deed of sale in 1820, after Jesse moved to Todd County, Kentucky, probably was for the property he bought in 1807. A census entry in 1830 in Todd County, Tennessee is believed to be for Jesse's family, with a widow Elizabeth Gentry as head of household<15c>.

Tabitha Gentry has been proposed as a daughter of either Jesse or his brother William and either of these two cases are possibilities. She has also been proposed as a daughter of David Gentry, the Revolutionary War veteran of Overton County, Tennessee. This is much less likely. Arkansas census records in 1850 give her age at that time as 55 which suggests a date of birth of 1795. Considering her marriage date in 1810, if this was so she would have been only fifteen at the time (although very young marriages were rather common in Tennessee). A birth date of a year or two before 1795 is most likely. That she was not the daughter of Jesse who was born 1794-1800 listed in the 1810 census is supported by her marriage before the date the census was actually compiled which was in January of the following year.

It is easy to confuse this Jesse with other Gentrys by the same name. Within the Robert Gentry Sr. family, Robert had a son, Jesse, who spent most of his life in Knox County, Tennessee. A second Jesse was a nephew of Charles, son of Charles' brother Bartlett and a grandson of Robert Sr. This Jesse was listed in the 1820 Jackson County census along with his brother, a third-generation Robert. Bartlett's son, Jesse, moved from Jackson County to Smith County, Tennessee, before 1830, but was back in Jackson County by 1850. Also in Jackson County, in 1820, was a third Jesse Gentry who was part of a completely different family, a son of David Gentry the Revolutionary War veteran, living in a different part of the county from Robert and his brother. [The 1820 Jackson County census has adjoining entries for David and his son Jesse with the "G's" and Robert and his brother Jesse as adjoining entries with the "J's".] Finally we have the situation where our subject Jesse's nephew (the son of William, below) who moved to Fentress County and then to Arkansas, was also a Jesse.

William Gentry

– born about 1774, Albemarle County, Virginia;
– died perhaps after 1850, probably in Fentress County, Tennessee;
– married at least twice judging from census records, last wife named Elizabeth(?)
	Partial listing of children (Speculation):
	i.	Daughter, born about 1794 - 1800.
	ii.	Jesse Gentry, born about 1801, Jackson County, Tennessee, present in 1820 Fentress County census, then moved to Crawford County, Arkansas about 1835.
	iii.	Elizabeth Gentry, born about 1804-1806, Wayne County, Kentucky(?); married Joseph Kanatzer.
	iv.	Daughter, born 1804-1810.
	v.	Daughter, born 1810-1815.
	vi.	William Gentry, born about 1813-1816, Overton County, Tennessee; married Sarah Hicks; present in Fentress County, Tennessee 1830 through 1880.
	vii	Daughter, born 1815-1820.
	viii-x	Two sons, one daughter, born after 1820.

William has somewhat arbitrarily been assigned as the second son of Charles. There is little to distinguish between him and Jesse. In the 1810 census in which both appeared, Jesse had six and perhaps seven children born before 1810 whereas William had only four which suggests that he was the younger of the two. If the one reference to a 75-year-old William in the 1850 Fentress County census refers to this William, his date of birth would have been about 1775, and Jesse may have been born a couple years before that.

The composition of William's family is based upon inferences drawn from census records. William may have remained on his father's property in Tennessee for a number of years before leaving to join him in Jackson County, Tennessee (see David Gentry below). A William who appeared in the 1810 census for Wayne County, Kentucky is believed to be this William. He also was in the 1820 census for Overton County, and in the Fentress County census for 1830<15a,b,c>. (The latter county was created in 1823 from Overton and thus presumably there was no physical move involved in the change in counties) (see map, Figure 2). He does not appear in the 1840 census but his wife may have been living with William Jr. A William Gentry, age 75, born in Virginia, is in the 1850 Fentress County census. If this is the same William there is some uncertaint;y about the wife, Elizabeth, living with him at the time. She is listed as age 74, born in North Carolina. This age does not correspond to the age of William's wife in the 1830 census (born 1780-1790), nor to the possible same wife living with William Jr. in 1840. Was this a third wife?

William Jr. and his children are described in two histories of Fentress County, one written in 1916 and the other in 1987 (the later book largely depending upon the earlier book). They have William Sr. settling originally along the Wolf River but at a much later time than we propose. Both books mistakenly identify William Sr.'s father as David Gentry, who was living in central Overton County at the time William was living in the extreme north on Wolf River. They further identify David as coming from South Carolina for which there is absolutely no evidence. This misconception was apparently shared by William Jr. when he was listed in the 1880 census because he identifies both of his parents as being born in South Carolina. The identification of this William as a son of Charles Gentry instead of David Gentry rests entirely on geography, because of the presence of David simultaneously in Overton County. We can argue that William's census listing in Wayne County, Kentucky, and in the north of Overton County, where the rest of Charles' family was located are support for the proposal that William was indeed a son of Charles.

Charles Gentry, Jr.
– born about 1776 -1777, Albemarle County, Virginia;
– married 26 Oct 1803, Madison County, Kentucky, to Susannah Ware;
– died probably soon after 1820, Overton County, Virginia..

Charles Jr. is listed in the 1820 Overton County census as having been born before 1775. His wife is listed as born 1775-1794. At that time he had three daughters born 1804-1810 and one son born probably shortly after 1810. Nothing further has been found on this family. Considering the date of his marriage in 1803, it is probable that Charles' date of birth was a little later than 1775. His marriage ten years or so after those of his brothers, William and Jesse, marks him clearly as the youngest of the three. Aside from the reference to his presumed marriage to Susannah Ware, and the census report of 1820, there is no direct record of him. Long-time Tennessee historian, Dr. Ruth Gentry Osborne, believes Charles was with the rest of his family along Wolf River initially, then moved farther south to central Overton at the time of the census<12>. It is quite possible that Charles was living on the land owned by Jesse and his move in 1820 was occasioned by Jesse selling the land in that year. Dr. Osborne believes Charles died about 1821-1824.

David Gentry
In 1803, in Greene County, a David Gentry and a William Gentry appear in marriage bonds within a few days of each other, which suggests that they were closely related – probably brothers. David married Delphy Bridgewater, William served as bondsman for another marriage<10>. There are no further references to either one in Greene County and we can find no further reference anywhere that can be ascribed to David. (A David Gentry who signed a petition in Grainger County in 1806 was probably a different David. Another David Gentry who was in the Clay County, Kentucky, census for 1810, can also be identified with a different family.) We conclude that the Greene County David must have died a few years after his marriage and certainly before 1810.

Can this pair of Gentrys be tied to the Charles Gentry family? At first glance one might wonder. Although the William that was a son of Charles spent his early life in Greene County, the fact that his father moved to Kentucky in 1791 and to Jackson County in about 1801 leaves one wondering what William was doing in Greene County. If William and David had stayed behind after their father left, why was there no record of them in the meantime. It turns out that there is a possible explanation. Charles was living in Tennessee as late as 1791 on the north side of the French Broad River in Greene County (see Fig. 1) and apparently was still a land-owner in 1793. The French Broad runs through the middle of present-day Cocke County and would have become a part of that county when it was created in 1797 (see Fig. 2). Greene County, being adjacent, would have been easily accessible from Cocke County for short-term activities such as marriage and serving as a bondsman. The problem lies in the fact that all of the early records of Cocke County – deeds, tax lists, court records, and the like – were lost when the courthouse was destroyed during the Civil War. This leaves a gap in records that might otherwise have shown William and David Gentry remaining on Charles' land in Tennessee, while Charles and his son Charles Jr., and possibly Jesse moved north to Kentucky. This is by no means without precedent. Some forty-odd years earlier Samuel-II Gentry left his home in Louisa County, Virginia, and moved south to Lunenburg County. The majority of his family accompanied him or followed soon after. But part of the family remained in Louisa County for another dozen years before finally selling the property there and joining the rest of the family. We have no way of knowing what happened in the present instance, but based on the lack of any other identification for David Gentry, we tentatively have assigned him to the Charles Gentry family, primarily because of this association of time and place with William.

Summary of Children
We have proposed here a speculative yet very reasonable family of sons for Charles Gentry, pioneer settler of eastern Tennessee. To recap, these sons are suggested as follows:

Proposal for Family Movements (Speculation)
Based upon the scanty records and our proposed family structure above, we can imagine a scenario of movement of these family members as follows. Charles Sr. and his father, Robert, first came to Tennessee to seek land in Washington County in 1778, Charles settling on Big Limestone Creek north of the Nolichucky River. By 1784, he had moved to Kendrick's Creek, farther north in Sullivan County on the south side of the South Fork of the Holston. In 1787 he sold that land and moved south to the French Broad River in what was then Greene County. There is no record of the sale of his land there. By 1791 Charles had moved to Clark County, Kentucky, but he apparently still owned at least some of the Greene County land in 1793. He bought an indeterminant amount of land in Kentucky and sold 138 acres in 1801, whether this was all of his property or only a part, we do not know. In the following year and in one reference in 1806, Charles was idenified as being in Jackson County, Tennessee. There is no further record of him. He must still have been living in 1811, however, for Charles was included in the will of his father, Robert, written in 1811.

We propose that Charles Jr. accompanied his father in the latter's move to Kentucky. He apparently stayed behind in Clark County when his father left for Tennessee because he was married in 1803, in adjacent Madison County. Perhaps Charles Sr. had not sold all of his Kentucky property when he left, and Charles Jr. continued to live on a residue of this property. Eventually Charles Jr. went to join his father, we assume before 1810 because he does not appear in any Kentucky census for that year. If it is true that Tabitha Gentry was a daughter of Jesse, it follows that Jesse also moved to Kentucky with his father for Tabitha identified her place of birth as Kentucky.

In the meantime, we suggest that when Charles Sr. went to Kentucky, William and David remained behind, living on Charles' property on the French Broad River. This became a part of Cocke County in 1797 when Greene County was divided. While in Cocke County, David had occasion to travel to Greene County to get married. William probably was living in Cocke County also and accompanied David in order to serve as a bondsman for a different marriage. Nothing more has been found in any records for David.

In 1807, Jesse bought property in Overton County, Tennessee, and we assume William sold his property in Cocke County, and moved west to join their father shortly before then. Jesse settled on Lick Creek, a branch of Wolf River, within about a mile's distance of the Kentucky border, and in an area which Kentucky claimed as a part of Cumberland County, Kentucky. William apparently settled a little father east on the Wolf River in an area claimed by Kentucky as a part of Wayne County, Kentucky. We speculare that both brothers were counted by zealous Kentucky census-takers, and appeared independently in the 1810 census for these two Kentucky counties. Whether they were also included in a Tennessee census is not known because the 1810 census records for Tennessee have all been lost. We assume that Charles Sr. and presumably Charles Jr. were living in an area separate from Jesse and William because they were not counted in any Kentucky census.

Eventually, Jesse moved from Overton County to Todd County, Kentucky, but he retained his land in the former county. He did not sell this until 1820. Jesse continued to live in Todd County but is assumed to have died before 1830 when his widow and family were listed in the census for that year. It is quite possible that Charles Jr. moved onto Jesse's Overton County land after his father died, and his move to a new location farther south in Overton County in about 1820 was the reason for the property being sold. Charles and William were both in the 1820 Overton County census, but Charles Jr. disappeared from sight before 1830. William continued to live along the Wolf River, and when that area became a part of Fentress County in 1823, William became a resident of that county. References to William and his family continued for many years more in Fentress County. There is no record of William in the 1840 census – only his son William Jr. The presence of a William Gentry in the 1850 census, 75 years old and born in Virginia, can only logically be explained by this being William Sr. He was not in the next census so presumably died in that interval.

Figure 3. Evolution of Jackson, Overton, and Fentress Counties
Border Counties as of 1830
 

References

1a. Ruth and Sam Sparacio, "Albemarle County, Virginia Wills 1752-1764", abstracted, The Antietam Press, 2000.
(p.83)	Bk(2-120)	Will of Phillip Joyner, signed 12 Feb 1761
	I, Phillip Joyner of Saint Ann Parish, Albemarle County give and bequeath: To my dear and well beloved Wife Elizabeth Joyner, all lands and tenements with the stocks of cattle, hogs, horses and sheep etc., during her natural life and after her decease the said lands to be equally divided between my two Grans [sic] Sons, viz. Charles Gentry and Jesee [sic] Gentry giving Charles Gentry two hundred acres with plantation wheron I now live and the remaining two hundred acres to fall to the said Jesee Gentry.
Item	[And after my said Wife's decease] I give and bequeath to my Grand Daughter Elizabeth Gentry, one feather bed with furniture thereto belonging and also one cow and calf.
Item	I give to my Grand Daughter Mary Gentry one feather bed and furniture thereto belonging and one cow and calf and also one heffer.
Item	I give to my Grand Daughter Sarah Gentry one feather bed and furniture thereto belonging likewise one cow and calf.
Item	And the residue of my Estate and Chattles be equally divided amongst my other Grand children according to the discretion of ... my wife Elizabeth Joyner and Charles Winkfield whom I appoint Executor and Executrix of this my Last Will and Testament.
Witnessed: Alexander Mackenzie, Robert Gentry, Joyn Waples.
	1b.  Amos Gentry, "The Will of Robert Gentry", transcribed from Jefferson County, Tennessee Wills, 1811 - 1826, p.9-12, published in "Gentry Family Gazette and Genealogy Exchange", vi, 193-194, Sept. 1987.
	"I, Robert Gentry, of the State of Tenn., and County of Jefferson... give and devise to my beloved wife Rachel Gentry...to my son, Martin Gentry...to my granddaughter Molly Shelton...to my sons Charles Gentry, Jesse Gentry, Bartlett Gentry and Martin Gentry, the three daughters and two sons of my daughter Elizabeth Murror...the children of my daughter Sarah McGork...my grandson Robert Drake and his two sisters, Sarah and Prudence... And I do hereby nominate, constitute and appoint my beloved wife Rachel Gentry, Thomas Galbraith and John Seaborne, executrix and executors of this my last will and testament." (Signed 9 May 1811, Witnessed by William Moon, John Parrott).
	2. Ruth and Sam Sparacio, "Virginia County Court Records, Deed Abstracts of Albemarle County, Virginia, 1772-1776 (Deed Book 6)", The Antient Press, McLean, VA, 1992
1775	Oct 12	Bk(6-466)	(p.123)
	Charles Gentry & Elizabeth Joyner of Albemarle Co. to Russel Jones of said Co., 200 ac on the head of Meadow Creek on S. side of Rivanna ... E. side of Piney Mtns. Signed Charles Gentry & Elizabeth (her mark) Joyner; (no witnesses). Livery and seisen delivered by Charles Gentry and Elizabeth Joyner to Russel Jones. Signed (by same); Witness John Lewis, Thos. Radell, Henry Carter. Acknowledged at Albemarle Oct court 1775 by Charles Gentry and Elizabeth his wife (relinquishing right of Dower).

3. A. B. Pruitt, "Tennessee Land Entries: Washington County 1778-1796", 3 Vol, 1997
1778	Dec 22	Entry #807
	Charles Gentry, 250 ac in Washington Co., on waters of Big Limestone Cr; border: joins Adam Wilson on S, Joseph Gentry on E and Alexander Campbell on W; warrant issued 2 May 1779 by John Carter; 250 ac surveyed 8 Jul 1779 for Charles Gentry by James Stuart CS; 250 ac entered by Charles "Gentery" on entry-takers report.
[Multiple references not cited here relating to these entry claims, surveys and warrants and others citing Charles as an adjoining land owner on Big Limestone Creek.]
1779	Sep 3
	Charles Gentry 500 acres Sullivan Co on branch of Kendrakes Creek includes large spring and the plantation of Jno. Stuart who transferred to C. Gentry.

4. Shelby Ireson Edwards, Sullivan County, Tennessee Deed Books 1 & 2", 1985
1787	Jan 7	Bk(1-293)	[p.59]
	Chars. Gentry of Green Co., NC to Nicholas Howser, £265 for 500 ac by estimation in Sullivan Co., NC on a branch of Kendricks Creek including said Stewart's plantation. Beg. on a spring branch ...[adj John Waldrope, John Crawford & Ambron Wheeler]. /s/ Chas Gentry Wit: L. Poirporert, Nathaniel Davis.

	5a. Goldene Fillers Burgner, "North Carolina Land Grants in Tennessee, 1778 - 1791", compiled by Southern Historical Press, Greenville, SC 1981. Introduction:    "This list of land owners and/or settlers constitutes the only substitute for a 1790 census of the part of North Carolina which became Tennessee in 1796."
Washington County			(grant)	(acres)
1782	p.9	Charles Gentry	#202	250	On a branch of Big Limestone Cr
1782	p.11	Charles Gentry	#255	250	On an east branch of Big Limestone
Sullivan County
1784	p.48	Charles Gentry	#1297	510	On a branch of Kendricks Cr
Greene County
1791	p.88	Charles Gentry	#2465	400	On the north side French Broad River

	5b. Goldene Fillers Burgner, "North Carolina Land Grants Recorded in Greene County, Tennessee", Southern Historical Press, Easley, SC 1981. Abstracts of North Carolina Land Grants, Greene County Court House, Greene County, Tennessee, vol I
1790	Nov 24	Grant #842	Bk(III-114) [p.107]
	Michael Coons - 640 acres on French Broad River where Coons now lives, adjoining Charles Gentry, Hugh Kelso, Robert Carson. Alexander Martin; granted at Fayetteville.
1791	Dec 26		Bk(III-201) [p.115]
	David Lyle - 320 acres on north side French Broad River, adjoining Charles Gentry, William Bryan. Alexander Martin granted at Newbern.
1793	Jul 29	Grant #1247	Bk(III-348) [p.129]
	Benjamin McFarland - 200 acres on north side French Broad River, adjoining Charles Gentry, Hugh Kelsey. Richard Dobbs Spraight; granted at New Bern.
6.  Clark County, Kentucky Deeds
1793	Feb 1		Deed Bk 1-45
	William Ledgwood(?) deeds land to Charles Gentry of Clark County.
1796	Jul 21		Deed Bk 1-708
	James Quisenberry and Chas Gentry make bond for marriage (name of couple not given).
1801	Jan 7		Deed Bk 4-133
	Charles Gentry and wife Elizabeth of county of Clark, state of Kentucky for $2000 deeds to George Gordon Jr of Tennessee a parcel of 138 acres land in Clark county. Signed by Charles Gentry and Elizabeth (her mark) Gentry Witnessed by Benjamin Smith & Robt Gordon Recorded 27 Jan 1801.

7. Sistler, Byron and Barbara, "Index to Early Tennessee Tax Lists", Evanston, IL, 1977
Jackson County
1802	Charles Gentry

8. "Fentress County Historical Society", vol 1, p.19 (1989)
1806	Apr 1
	Petition from the Eastern part of Jackson County and Stockton Valley to the General Asembly for a turnpike road to Knoxville. Signatories include Charles Gentry.
9. Mrs. John Trotwood Moore, sponsor, "Records of Overton County Record Books, Deeds", copied by WPA, 1936.
1807	Jun 20	Bk(A-190)
	Deed from John McDonnald of Overton Co. to Jesse Gentry same County, for $100, tract of land in Overton Co. on Lick Creek branch of Wolf R. [this is roughly a mile south of the Kentucky border in present Pickett County] beginning at an elm ...until it strikes Polk's NE corner. Reg'd 30 Jul 1807.
1820	Mar 6	Bk(E-329)
	Jesse Gentry of Todd Co., KY deeds land in Overton County to James Campbell.

	10. Goldene Fillers Burgner, "Greene County, Tennessee Marriages, 1783-1868", Southern Historical Press, Easley, SC, 1981 [Greene County formed in 1783 from Washington Co. Covered roughly almost entire eastern boundary of TN with NC.] Marriages listed sequentially by date, taken from original licenses and bonds in County Court Office of Greeneville, TN.
Date		Groom	Bride	Bondsman/Security
1803	Apr 23	West, Charles	Sarah Phillips	William Gentry bd(#879) Dennis Conway
1803	Apr 26	Gentry, David	Delphy Bridgewater	Edward Stephens bd(#881)
	11. "1790-1844 Marriage Records of Madison Co., KY" (Transcribed by Charlotte Ramsey) http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.com/~cramsey/madco_g.html (Rechecked by writer against Tennessee State Library and Archives microfilms)
Date		Groom	Bride	Bondsman/Security
1803	Oct 26	Charles Gentry	Susannah Ware	Linsey Ware
1810	Jun 28	Elijah Gentry	Eliz. Ware	James West

12. Private communication with Dr. Ruth Gentry Osborne, of Cookeville, Tennessee (a long-time Tennessee historian).

14. The "Walker Line" Controversy
The border between Kentucky and Tennessee was contested from early Colonial times until a final settlement by the Supreme Court in 1893. It began with a Royal Charter by King Charles II setting the parallel of 36° 30' as the boundary between Virginia and North Carolina. In 1779, survey teams led by Thomas Walker for Virginia, and Richard Henderson for North Carolina, set out to carry the boundary line farther west to the Mississippi River. Due to imperfect instruments and effects of magnetic variation, the survey line drifted farther north than intended until by the time they reached the Tennessee River there was a ten-mile error from the true parallel of latitude. The controversy was inherited by Kentucky and Tennessee when they became states. In 1820, Kentucky agreed to accept the "Walker Line" as the boundary as far west as the Tennessee River. From there on, the more southerly line was followed but in return Kentucky was given title to any vacant land in the disputed territory.

15a. 1810 Federal Census
Page		Born: / Sex	1800- 1810	1794- 1800	1784- 1794	1765- 1784	Bef 1765
Cumberland Co., Kentucky
175	Jesse Gentry	M F	4 1	0 1	0 0	1 1	0 0
Wayne Co. Kentucky
362	William Gentry	M F	1 2	0 1	0 0	1 1	0 0

15b. 1820 Federal Census
Page		Born: / Sex	1810- 1820	1804- 1810	1802- 1804	1794- 1804	1775- 1794	Bef 1775
Overton Co. Tennessee
2	Charles Gentry	M F	1 0	0 3	0	0 0	0 1	1 0
17	William Gentry	M F	1 2	0 3	1	1 0	0 0	1 1

15c. 1830 Federal Census
Page		Born: / Sex	1825-   1830	1820-   1825	1815-   1820	1810-   1815	1800-   1810	1790-   1800	1780-   1790	Bef 1780
Todd County, Kentucky
365	Elizabeth Gentry	M F	1 0	0 0	0 0	0 1	1 1	0 0	0 1	0 0
Fentress County, Tennessee
007	Jesse Gentry	M F	1 1	0 1	0 0	0 0	1 1	0 0	0 0	0 0
011	William Gentry	M F	1 1	1 0	1 1	0 1	0 0	0 0	0 1	60-70 0

11/3/04, Major additions and rewriting, August 2014, further revisions, June 2015

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