Biography of G L Gentry, Greene Co, AR

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Submitted by: Michael Brown
        Date: 5 Sep 1998
Copyright.  All rights reserved.
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Biographical and Historical Memoirs of Northeast Arkansas

page 138

G. L. Gentry, a successful planter residing near Paragould, Ark., was born
in 1841 in Weakley County, Tenn., being the eighth of twelve children born to the
marriage of J. R. Gentry and Sarah Nance, the former a native of Tennessee and the
latter of Virginia. In 1858 they located near Gainesville, Ark., in which the father
died in 1884, having been a prominent resident of the county. The mother is still
living, and resides at Paragould. G. L. Gentry was reared to manhood [p.138] on a
farm in Tennessee, and in 1858 came to Greene County, Ark., enlisting from this
county, in 1861, in Company K, Fifth Arkansas Volunteers, under Col. Cross, and went
into service at Columbus, Ky. He was a member of a scouting party along the Red
River, and in 1862 was honorably discharged at Bowling Green, Ky. After his return
home he joined Gen. Marmaduke, and was with him for some time. In 1869 he was married
to Miss Angeline McWhirter, of Tennessee, a daughter of John and Matilda (Yarber)
McWhirter, who were also born in that State, coming to Arkansas at a very early day,
in which State they both died. After his marriage Mr. Gentry settled near
Gainesville, and in 1873 bought a partly improved farm of 200 acres, but sold it some
time later and went to Paragould, where he engaged in the saw-mill business (in
1881). Three years later he embarked in grist-milling, and also operated a cotton-
gin, which he sold in 1887, and returned to the farm. Sixty acres of his 100-acre
farm are under cultivation, and on it he raises cotton and cereals. By his wife, who
died in 1883, he became the father of the following children: Joseph W., Laurettie,
Oney, Gilbert W., Albert and Willis, all of whom are at home. In 1884 Mr. Gentry
married his present wife, whose maiden name was Frances Drollender, of Tennessee, a
daughter of William and Elizabeth (Bond) Drollender, of Tennessee, both of whom are
deceased, the latter dying in Paragould in 1887. Mr. Gentry has seen a vast change in
the country since his boyhood days, as it was then in a very wild and unsettled
condition. He is a member of the A. F. & A. M., and was Worshipful Master of
Gainesville Lodge for a number of years, and in 1887 filled the same position in
Paragould Lodge No. 368. He is a member of the Agricultural Wheel, and although a
Democrat, is not very active in polities. A station on the Iron Mountain Railroad,
midway between Paragould and Gainesville, is called Gentry in honor of our subject.