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James Edwin Gentry

James Edwin Gentry

Male 1869 - 1950  (80 years)

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  • Name James Edwin Gentry  [1, 2
    Birth 25 Mar 1869  Johnson County, Texas Find all individuals with events at this location  [1, 3
    Gender Male 
    Death 16 Jan 1950  Duncan, Stephens County, Oklahoma Find all individuals with events at this location 
    Burial Duncan Municipal Cemetery, Duncan, Stephens County, Oklahoma Find all individuals with events at this location 
    Notes 
    • Lynell Gentry notes that her father, the youngest son of James and Zada Gentry, "talked about living in Wise Co. Texas, when he was a youngster. That was probably between Dera's birth in 1899 and Elmer's in 1901. Bessie told Anna Laura that they came across the Red River to Oklahoma on New Year's Day 1900 and lived in Grady Co. before settling in Stephens Co. Although on the 1900 census they are at Township 2SR3W, the same as Zada's mother and unmarried siblings. That location is around Alma, Oklahoma, where my Dad [Delbert] said he was born in 1893. Zada's father died there in 1899 and is buried near John M. and Pamelia Gentry in the Alma Cemetery."

      Ken Harvey notes that in 1900 "We find four young unidentified Gentrys '[second] cousins [of Ed & Zada's children?]' living with Ed and Zada during the census of Indian Territory in 1900 and as a result they had to be enumerated there. They were presumably not on vacation as they were very young-perhaps their parents were starting to homestead in Indian Territory and were building their house having been there a few years. These youngsters were presumably the grandchildren of either James, Michael, Wesley or Abram-the sons of Preacher William Gentry.

      We only know for certain that Wesley and Abram emigrated to Texas with the family. They could easily have been Wesley or Abram's grandchildren. They are Mollie, Stephen, Cubie and Addie. Assuming they are all siblings their unknown Gentry father was born in Texas and their mother was born in Kansas. In addition there was an unidentified fourteen year old nephew, Mayfield Ladd b. Mar. 1886 TX, who was presumably on a working vacation."

      There were some Todd's in the area in 1900 but no Ladd's were found so it is not certain which name is correct.

      In 1919 the couple bought about 160 acres of Stephens Co. land from Ed's nephew Franklin Melton Gentry and his wife. This was on Nov. 22nd. and the lands legal description was Sec. 4 1S 5W. (Book 103, Page 139, Stephens County Courthouse).

      They sold this land to Bill Kirk in 1946 and moved to 2nd Street in Duncan.

      J.E. Gentry's obituary, from THE DUNCAN EAGLE dated 19 January 1950 reads as follows:

      "60 Year Resident of County, J.E. Gentry, Dies After Long Illness" Funeral services were held Wednesday afternoon for James E. Gentry, 80, 704 North 2nd, who died in a local hospital Monday night after a long illness. Gentry had been a resident of this county for the past 60 years, having moved to Alma in 1889. He was born in Wise County, Texas [Lynell thinks this is an error*] in March, 1869. G. W. McCollum, Minister, conducted the rites as the West Main Church of Christ with Rev. Roy V. Harp of the First Christian Church assisting. Burial was in the Duncan Cemetery under the direction of Rangley-Holden Funeral Home.

      Bearers were Bruce Ridley, V. K. McMasters, Jake Kirby, Gaylord Clark, M.E. Hitt and Bill Groppenbacher. Survivors include the widow Zada, five sons, A.L. of Duncan, Delbert of Duncan Route 3, Elmer and Jess of Duncan and Lloyd of Oklahoma City, three daughters, Ruth Gentry of the home address, Mrs. Bessie Payne of Oklahoma City, and Mrs. Dera Goodwin of Bell, California.

      *Lynell noted that the 1860 and 1870 census records were in Johnson County, Texas, and she believes he was born there.

      Ken Harvey further noted that he was known as Ed. He was a slow moving person.
    • (Research):Census Listings:

      1900 census
      Chickasaw Nation IT (Stephens Co. OK) ED 167 pg. 15 240/244
      Jentry, J.E., Mar. 1869, 31, married 9, TX KY TN Farmer
      Zadie, wife, Jan. 1875, 25, 6 children/6 living, KS TN KS
      Arthur, son, Jun 1893, 7, IT
      Delbert, son, Mar. 1894, 6, IT
      Bessie, dau., Apr. 1896, 4, IT
      Jesse, son, Apr. 1897, 3, IT
      Deria, dau., Apr. 1899, 1, IT
      Jentry, Mollie, cus., May 1896, 4, IT TX KS
      Stephen, cus., Feb. 1897, 3, IT TX KS Cubie, cus, female, M
      ar. 1897, 3, TX TX KS
      Addie, cus., Feb. 1898, 2, IT, TX KS
      Ladd?/Todd?, Mayfield, neph., Mar. 1886, 14, TX TN KS

      1910 census
      Grady Co. OK, Amber twn.,
      ED 90 pg. 11 B
      137/138
      Jentry, James E., 41, married 20, TX KY KY
      Elzada, 39, 7 children/7 living, KS TN TN
      Arthur, son, 17, OK Delbert, son, 16, OK Bessie, dau., 14, OK Jesse, son, 13, OK
      Dera, dau., 11, OK Elmer, son, 8, OK
      Loyd, son, 1, OK

      1920 census,
      Stephens Co. OK, Parks twp.,
      ED 250 pg. 14B.
      Gentry, James E., 50, TX TN TN
      Zada, 49, KS TN TN
      Delbert, son, 25, OK
      Dera, dau. 20, OK
      Elmer, son, 18, OK
      Lloyd R., son, 9, OK
      Ruth, dau., 7, OK

      1930 census
      Stephens Co. OK Parks Twp.,
      ED 69-21 Sheet 3A
      34/38
      Gentry, James E., MW 61 M 21 TX TN TN
      Zada, wife FW 59 M 19 KS MS MS
      Jess N., son MW 33 S OK TX KS
      Lloyd, son MW 21 S OK TX KS
      Ruth, dau. FW 17 S OK TX KS
    Person ID I5956  Strong Family Tree
    Last Modified 28 Feb 2021 

    Father John Melton Gentry,   b. 19 Dec 1827, Kentucky Find all individuals with events at this locationd. 3 Mar 1904, Alma, Chickasaw Nation, Indian Territory Find all individuals with events at this location (Age 76 years) 
    Mother Pamelia C Harpole,   b. 20 Mar 1827, Obion County, Tennessee Find all individuals with events at this locationd. 19 Jul 1903, Alma, Chickasaw Nation, Indian Territory Find all individuals with events at this location (Age 76 years) 
    Marriage Abt 1850  Tennessee Find all individuals with events at this location 
    • Fay Payne Yeager reports they had another daughter, named Mary. "She is not on a census but family history tells that John and Pamelia had a daughter named Mary that died young. An old saying was, "If a person is sitting by a window and a bird comes and sits on the window sill, that person is going to die." This happened to Mary." Ken Harvey is adament their is not daughter Mary. It was thought that a gravestone in the Oakland Cemetery in Johnson Co. TX that reads: "Sacred to the Memory of M. Mary Gentry Jan. ?, 18?5 (1865?) -- 1869" might be hers. However, an earlier transcription of the cemetery proves that this headstone was for the wife of Preacher William Gentry, whose date of birth was 1805, and who died in 1869.
    Family ID F164  Group Sheet  |  Family Chart

    Family Elzada Trawick,   b. 6 Jan 1871, Coffeyville, Montgomery County, Kansas Find all individuals with events at this locationd. 23 Jan 1951, Duncan, Stephens County, Oklahoma Find all individuals with events at this location (Age 80 years) 
    Marriage Abt 1891 
    • Lynell Gentry Cordell writes that "Zada Trawick's family was also in Wise Co., Texas in 1880. I wonder if John M. and Pamelia could have moved there after the 1880 census and Zada and Ed met and married there in 1890/91. Preacher William, possibly in need of care, his wife having probably died, could have been there around that time also." It is also possible that they married in Oklahoma, her obituary saying she had been a resident of Alma and Duncan since 1889.
    Children 
     1. Arthur Lemoyne "Al" Gentry,   b. 3 Aug 1892, Alma, Chickasaw Nation, Indian Territory Find all individuals with events at this locationd. 2 Jan 1961, Duncan, Stephens County, Oklahoma Find all individuals with events at this location (Age 68 years)
     2. Delbert "Bud" Gentry,   b. 5 Oct 1893, Alma, Chickasaw Nation, Indian Territory Find all individuals with events at this locationd. 30 Jul 1974, Duncan, Stephens County, Oklahoma Find all individuals with events at this location (Age 80 years)
     3. Bessie Bird Gentry,   b. 14 Dec 1894, Alma, Chickasaw Nation, Indian Territory Find all individuals with events at this locationd. 3 May 1958, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma County, Oklahoma Find all individuals with events at this location (Age 63 years)
     4. Jess Newton Gentry,   b. 7 Dec 1896, Stephens County, Indian Territory Find all individuals with events at this locationd. 10 Nov 1963, Duncan, Stephens County, Oklahoma Find all individuals with events at this location (Age 66 years)
     5. Dera Lois Gentry,   b. 25 Jul 1899, Stephens County, Indian Territory Find all individuals with events at this locationd. 13 Jan 1988, Garden Grove, Orange County, California Find all individuals with events at this location (Age 88 years)
     6. Elmer Fred Gentry,   b. 6 Nov 1901, Indian Territory Find all individuals with events at this locationd. 30 Mar 1984, Duncan, Stephens County, Oklahoma Find all individuals with events at this location (Age 82 years)
     7. Lloyd Raymond Gentry,   b. 8 Apr 1909, Amber, Grady County, Oklahoma Find all individuals with events at this locationd. 23 Jul 1967, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma County, Oklahoma Find all individuals with events at this location (Age 58 years)
     8. Ruth Cleo Gentry,   b. 29 Apr 1912, Alma, Stephens County, Oklahoma Find all individuals with events at this locationd. 28 Mar 1998, Meridian, Stephens County, Oklahoma Find all individuals with events at this location (Age 85 years)
    Family ID F1081  Group Sheet  |  Family Chart
    Last Modified 9 Dec 2006 

  • Event Map
    Link to Google MapsBirth - 25 Mar 1869 - Johnson County, Texas Link to Google Earth
    Link to Google MapsDeath - 16 Jan 1950 - Duncan, Stephens County, Oklahoma Link to Google Earth
    Link to Google MapsBurial - - Duncan Municipal Cemetery, Duncan, Stephens County, Oklahoma Link to Google Earth
     = Link to Google Earth 

  • Photos
    Gentry, James Edwin with wife, Elzada (nee Trawick)
    Gentry, James Edwin with wife, Elzada (nee Trawick)
    Appears to have been taken sometime prior to 1940 at their farm in Stephens County, Oklahoma
    _Gentry, James Edwin
    _Gentry, James Edwin
    Husband of Elzada Trawick
    B. 25 Mar 1869 Texas D. 16 Jan 1950 Oklahoma
    Gentry, James Edwin Farm House, Stephens County, Oklahoma
    Gentry, James Edwin Farm House, Stephens County, Oklahoma
    Taken at the Ed and Zada Gentry farm house sometime before 1940. Top row, left to right, Zada and Ed Gentry, Eva and Bud Gentry, Arthur Gentry, Jess Gentry. Bottom row (l to r), Ruth Gentry, Gracie (Gentry) Payne (ASSUMED), Harold Gentry, Myrtis (Burch) Gentry, Robert "Bobby" Perry Sanders III, Betty Jean Gentry, and Bessie (Gentry) Payne.

    PLEASE HELPS US CLARIFY THE UNKNOWN OR INCOMPLETE INFORMATION ABOVE.
    Trawick and Gentry Reunion, ca 1939
    Trawick and Gentry Reunion, ca 1939
    L-R: Emma (Green) & John Price Gentry, Mary (Trawick) Rennels, George and Belle (McCauley) Trawick, James Edwin and Zada (Trawick) Gentry, Columbus and Virginia (Gentry) Parsons, John O. and Susie (Trawick) McMinn, UNKNOWN, UNKNOWN.

    PLEASE HELP US IDENTIFY THE UNKNOWN COUPLE.

    Documents
    Gentry, William of Kentucky yDNA of direct male descendant
    Gentry, William of Kentucky yDNA of direct male descendant
    Certificate of Y-chromosome DNA testing from The Geneographic Project. Haplogroup I is widespread throughout southeastern and central Europe and most common in the Balkans. More information can be found at the Gentry DNA Project website. This sample matches those individuals that are proven descendants of Nicholas Gentry of Essex, England, an early immigrant to this country.

    http://www.worldfamilies.net/surnames/gentry/results

    William G. Gentry>John Melton Gentry>James Edwin Gentry>Private Gentry>Living Gentry>Living Gentry


    Headstones
    Gentry, James Edwin
    Gentry, James Edwin

  • Sources 
    1. [S390] State of Oklahoma, State Health Department, Delayed Certificate of Birth.

    2. [S207] 1870 United States Federal Census [Ancestry.com database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: The Generations Network, Inc., 2003., (United States. Ninth Census of the United States, 1870. Washington, D.C. National Archives and Records Administration. M593, RG29, 1,761 rolls. Minnesota. Minnesota Census Schedules for 1870. Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration. T132, RG29, 13 rolls. This database is an index to individuals enumerated in the 1870 United States Federal Census, the Ninth Census of the United States. Census takers recorded many details including each person's name, age at last birthday, sex, color; birthplace, occupation, and more. No relationships were shown between members of a household. Additionally, the names of those listed on the population schedule are linked to actual images of the 1870 Federal Census.), Shown as Edward Age 1 (Reliability: 3).

    3. [S207] 1870 United States Federal Census [Ancestry.com database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: The Generations Network, Inc., 2003., (United States. Ninth Census of the United States, 1870. Washington, D.C. National Archives and Records Administration. M593, RG29, 1,761 rolls. Minnesota. Minnesota Census Schedules for 1870. Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration. T132, RG29, 13 rolls. This database is an index to individuals enumerated in the 1870 United States Federal Census, the Ninth Census of the United States. Census takers recorded many details including each person's name, age at last birthday, sex, color; birthplace, occupation, and more. No relationships were shown between members of a household. Additionally, the names of those listed on the population schedule are linked to actual images of the 1870 Federal Census.).