Advertisement

Richard Estes Gentry
Cenotaph

Advertisement

Richard Estes Gentry

Birth
Louisa County, Virginia, USA
Death
12 Feb 1843 (aged 79)
Madison County, Kentucky, USA
Cenotaph
Madison County, Kentucky, USA Add to Map
Memorial ID
View Source
This veteran has two burial places--it seems he was exhumed and buried in the Jefferson National Cemetery in St. Louis, becoming the only Revolutionary War veteran buried there. The son of David Gentry (son of Nicholas, son of Nicholas) and Mary Estes (dau of Richard Estes and Mary Yancey/Yancy). He was a Revolutionary soldier, enlisting from Albemarle Cty., Virginia, and serving first for two months as a private under Capt. William Dalton, at the age of 17. He was present at the capture of Cornwallis at Yorktown. Married (1) Jane Harris (in 1784)(dau of Christopher Harris and Agnes McCord); (2) Nancy Guthrie (in 1821)(dau of Nathaniel Guthrie and Nancy Jane Johns); had 19 children (seven with second wife), 16 of whom were sons. He was 'wealthy in lands and slaves' after the 1786 move from Virginia to Kentucky via the Cumberland Gap. His wife is said to have ridden the trip on horseback carrying her son Reuben in her arms. They settled at Boone's Fort, then established a plantation in Madison County. He boiled down salt water to salt and became wealthy in Kentucky, where salt was like money. Died on his estate in Madison County. (Some records give his name as William Richard.)(A 1929 cemetery listing for him said that he was born in Albemarle County, Virginia. Other sources have him born in Louisa County.)
This veteran has two burial places--it seems he was exhumed and buried in the Jefferson National Cemetery in St. Louis, becoming the only Revolutionary War veteran buried there. The son of David Gentry (son of Nicholas, son of Nicholas) and Mary Estes (dau of Richard Estes and Mary Yancey/Yancy). He was a Revolutionary soldier, enlisting from Albemarle Cty., Virginia, and serving first for two months as a private under Capt. William Dalton, at the age of 17. He was present at the capture of Cornwallis at Yorktown. Married (1) Jane Harris (in 1784)(dau of Christopher Harris and Agnes McCord); (2) Nancy Guthrie (in 1821)(dau of Nathaniel Guthrie and Nancy Jane Johns); had 19 children (seven with second wife), 16 of whom were sons. He was 'wealthy in lands and slaves' after the 1786 move from Virginia to Kentucky via the Cumberland Gap. His wife is said to have ridden the trip on horseback carrying her son Reuben in her arms. They settled at Boone's Fort, then established a plantation in Madison County. He boiled down salt water to salt and became wealthy in Kentucky, where salt was like money. Died on his estate in Madison County. (Some records give his name as William Richard.)(A 1929 cemetery listing for him said that he was born in Albemarle County, Virginia. Other sources have him born in Louisa County.)


Advertisement