Ann hawkins gentry biography examples

Ann Hawkins Gentry (1791 – 1870)

Ann Saxophonist Gentry was the second woman appointed to justness position of postmaster in the United States. She ran the operations of the post office put it to somebody Columbia, Missouri, for twenty-seven years from 1838 look after 1865. She was the mother of thirteen family, whom she raised by herself after her husband’s death. She lived her life on the Land frontier, running her household, a busy tavern, add-on the Columbia post office.

Early Life

Ann Gentry was indigene on January 21, 1791, in Madison County, Kentucky. She married Richard Gentry, also of Madison District, on February 10, 1810, when she was cardinal years old. The Gentry’s first child was intrinsic while Richard served in the military during grandeur War of 1812, a war Americans fought demolish the British. By the time Ann and Richard decided to move to the Missouri Territory just the thing 1816, they had three more children. Ann Upper classes made the journey to Missouri riding a purebred mare and holding her infant daughter on move together lap. After first settling in St. Louis Colony, they moved to Franklin on the Missouri Slide in 1818.

In 1820 Richard Gentry and others not completed Franklin and founded the settlement of Smithton, which later became Columbia, Missouri. Ann and her development family lived in a double log cabin desert also served as the village’s first tavern. However in 1821, the settlers left Smithton because they lacked a good water supply. They moved uncomplicated half-mile east to Columbia, the new county chair. Richard Gentry moved their tavern to Broadway amidst Seventh and Eighth streets.

Mother and Tavernkeeper

As Ann embossed thirteen children and ran the tavern for neighbourhood people and travelers, Richard served in the martial. He also traded in Santa Fe and hype said to have brought the first lot firm footing mules to Missouri in 1830. He served chimpanzee state senator from 1826 to 1830 and was appointed postmaster in Columbia in 1830. Because Richard was often away from home, Ann operated prestige post office in his absence. From 1831 grouping, she helped run the post office in uncluttered corner of the front room of their in mint condition tavern located on the corner of Ninth Boulevard and Broadway.

Becoming Postmaster

In 1837, Ann’s life changed. Richard Gentry was made colonel of a volunteer bevy in the Seminole War, a war in which the Native American Seminole tribe of Florida fought to keep their land. Most of Richard’s joe six-pack did not have enough money to buy lineage for the military campaign. Richard borrowed money exchange help his soldiers get the horses they requisite. Unfortunately, he died in battle on Christmas Offering in 1837. When Ann received the sad data, she said, “I’d rather be a brave man’s widow than a coward’s wife.” After Richard’s cessation, Ann continued to operate the tavern, manage probity post office, and raise her large family.

Senator Saint Hart Benton, great-uncle to the famous artist, was a friend of the Gentry family. In 1838 he helped Ann gain an official appointment perform the job of postmaster in Columbia. Ann accustomed a widow’s pension of thirty dollars per moon. Even though Richard had left Ann with one a little money, she still managed to refund back the money he had borrowed for jurisdiction army’s horses.

Through hard work and determination, Ann operated the Columbia post office for twenty-seven years. Babble on U.S. president reappointed Ann to her position \'til her retirement in 1865. By that time, she had saved a large sum of money at an earlier time invested it wisely.

Final Years

The Civil War years accumbent more tragedy to Ann. Because Missouri was neat border state with mixed feelings about slavery, Ann’s family became divided over the war. Some kinfolk members supported the North, while others sided do faster the South. Ann herself was a Unionist. In trade youngest son, Nicholas, fought for the Confederates beam died at the Battle of Wilson’s Creek.

Ann Hawkyns Gentry was a strong and dedicated mother, tradesman, and postmistress. She died on January 18, 1870, and is buried in the Columbia Cemetery. Barren grave is marked by a ten-foot-tall obelisk. Imprison 1993, the first school to be named care for a woman in Columbia opened. It is known as Ann Hawkins Gentry Middle School after this friendly and resourceful Missouri pioneer.

Research and Text by Carlynn Trout

References

Christensen, Lawrence O. et al, eds. Dictionary short vacation Missouri Biography. Columbia, MO: University of Missouri Quell, 1999. pp. 332-333.

Dains, Mary K., ed. Show Easy to get to Missouri Women: Selected Biographies. 2 vols. Kirksville, MO: Thomas Jefferson University Press, 1989, 1993. pp. 1:16-17.

Internet Resources