Sixth Generation

363. Elvira FRY was born about 1813. She died before 1841 at the age of 28.

Elvira FRY and David GENTRY were married on 28 January 1830 in Marion County, Missouri. They were divorced. David GENTRY was born in 1801. He died on 14 July 1888 at the age of 87 in Palmyra, Marion County, Missouri.

1850 Census. Palmyra, Marion Co, MO, Hh 330
David Gentry, 49, Carpenter, b. VA
Marie Brooks, 40, Black
Josephine, 9, Mulatto
Henry C., 7, Mulatto

1960 Census. Palmyra, Marion, MO, Hh 904
David Gentry, 60, Carpentry
Maria Brooks, 60, Black, washer woman
Josaphine, 17, Mulatto
Henry C., 16, mulatto, day labor

1870 Census. Palmyra, Marion, MO, Hh 495
David Gentry, 69, Carpenter
Maria Brooks, 65, Black, keeping house
Rosa Howard, 26, Mulatto wash woman
Henry C. Brooks, 27, Black, laborer

1880 Census. Palmyra, Marion, MO, Hh 228
David Gentry, 80, widowed, carpenter
Harry Clay Gentry, 37, son (race was "M" but marked over "W")

Newspaper clipping:
David Gentry died at his home in this city last Saturday. For twenty-five or thirty years he had lived the life of a hermit and was rarely seen off his own premises. Years ago he associated himself with a Negro woman and two children by her, are, we understand, his heirs. At one time his standing in the community was good, but on account of his conduct he was ostracised by his own race.

FindAGrave #227998163
David Gentry had come to Marion County, Missouri as a young man. In the 1830s, Mr. Gentry married a woman named Elvira Fry. No records exist to tell us what happened to Elvira. By 1850, David Gentry appeared to have one male slave, aged ten, living in his household. He also had Maria Brooks, a forty year-old Black woman, living in the household as his wife. [NOTE: There are no relationships stated in the 1850 census - Maria was in his household as a washer woman - both children, Josephine 9 and Henry 7, were in the house - not listed as slaves but as Mulatto children.]
David and Maria had two children of their own, both listed as mulattos. In 1850, Josephine was aged 9 years, and her brother, Henry, was 7. Josephine and Henry both carried the surname of Brooks in their early years. Later they would take the surname Gentry.
When David Gentry died in 1888, he left his estate to his two mixed-race children.

Elvira FRY and William HAYDON were married on 24 May 1838 in Palmyra, Marion County, Missouri. William HAYDON¹¹⁷, son of Thomas HAYDON and Mary "Polly" KELLAR, was born in 1804. He died before November 1843 at the age of 39.

At a special term of the Court of Probate held at Rushville Schuyler County
Illinois on the 21st day of Nov. A.D. 1843
This day came Joseph Haydon and presented the Last will and Testament of William Hayden decd which had been duly proven and recorded in Marion County and State of Missouri, which is in fiqures and words as follows viz---
In the name of God Amen, I William Haydon of the County of Marion and State of Missouri being now of sound mind and memory, and knowing the uncertainty of life, do make and publish this my last will and testament; to wit, first, it is my wish and will that my Mother in law Rebecca Fry have all my Household and Kitchen Furniture which was received by my wife, and one hundred and fifty dollars in cash to have and to hold during her natural life and after her death to go to Pauline Stirnam. Second I give to my nephew James Thomas True fifty dollars in cash to be paid to him when he shall have arrived to the age of 21 years should he live so long, if he should not I wish it to be divided equally between My Sisters Martha Ann & Sarah Margaret Haydon and my Brother Sanford Haydon, also I give to my Sister Sarah M. Haydon one feather bed and one bay sucking colt-I give to my Brother Sanford Haydon one bay two year old Colt-it is my will that all the ballance of my household furniture be divided equally between my sisters Martha Ann & Sarah Margaret and my Brother Sanford Haydon, it is my will that all the ballance of my property in this State be sold within months after my death, my personal property once audit of twelve months, the real Estate, one fourth in hand, the ballance in one two and three years audit, the notes bearing said interest of Six per cent per annum from date my real Estate in Rushville Illinois to be Sold any time within five years as my Executor may think advisable, and the proceeds after paying my Mother in law Rebecca Fry one hundred and fifty dollars as above mentioned so soon as collected, and all my just debts, to be divided equally between My Sisters Martha Ann & Sarah Margaret & my Brother Sanford Haydon as they become of age or marry---and lastly I appoint my Brother Joseph Haydon my executor to carry this my last will into execution
Signed and acknowledged in presence of John Buster, John Campbell
Oct. 12th 1841

William Haydon

I believe that William Haydon had been married to a daughter of Dr. Jacob Fry and Rebecca Kellar - she would have been his first cousin. This couple is found in Liberty Twp, Marion Co MO in 1840. Dr. Jacob Fry has never been placed in the Fry family I research - he does not belong to the family of James Fry many of whose children did settle in Marion Co.