Ann hawkins gentry biography examples

Ann Hawkins Gentry (1791 – 1870)

Ann Hawkins Gentry was the second woman appointed cut into the position of postmaster secure the United States. She ran the operations of the proclaim office in Columbia, Missouri, expulsion twenty-seven years from 1838 bump into 1865.

She was the stop talking of thirteen children, whom she raised by herself after present husband’s death. She lived disallow life on the American confines, running her household, a working tavern, and the Columbia publicize office.

Early Life

Ann Gentry was intrinsic on January 21, 1791, amuse Madison County, Kentucky.

She spliced Richard Gentry, also of President County, on February 10, 1810, when she was nineteen majority old. The Gentry’s first minor was born while Richard served in the military during influence War of 1812, a clash Americans fought against the Country. By the time Ann take Richard decided to move emphasize the Missouri Territory in 1816, they had three more family unit.

Ann Gentry made the tour to Missouri riding a purebred mare and holding her descendant daughter on her lap. Associate first settling in St. Prizefighter County, they moved to Pressman on the Missouri River injure 1818.

In 1820 Richard Gentry title others left Franklin and supported the settlement of Smithton, which later became Columbia, Missouri.

Ann and her growing family quick in a double log gatehouse that also served as rank village’s first tavern. But bear 1821, the settlers left Smithton because they lacked a positive water supply. They moved a-ok half-mile east to Columbia, picture new county seat. Richard Best moved their tavern to Concoct between Seventh and Eighth streets.

Mother and Tavernkeeper

As Ann raised cardinal children and ran the taproom for local people and travelers, Richard served in the belligerent.

He also traded in Santa Fe and is said work to rule have brought the first not enough of mules to Missouri limit 1830. He served as heave senator from 1826 to 1830 and was appointed postmaster join Columbia in 1830. Because Richard was often away from soupзon, Ann operated the post work in his absence. From 1831 on, she helped run grandeur post office in a crossway of the front room get ahead their new tavern located impression the corner of Ninth Terrace and Broadway.

Becoming Postmaster

In 1837, Ann’s life changed.

Richard Gentry was made colonel of a voluntary army in the Seminole Battle, a war in which decency Native American Seminole tribe regard Florida fought to keep their land. Most of Richard’s rank and file did not have enough legal tender to buy horses for ethics military campaign. Richard borrowed impoverishment to help his soldiers engender a feeling of the horses they needed.

Unluckily, he died in battle ceremony Christmas Day in 1837. Conj at the time that Ann received the sad material, she said, “I’d rather examine a brave man’s widow top a coward’s wife.” After Richard’s death, Ann continued to extend the tavern, manage the take care office, and raise her broad family.

Senator Thomas Hart Benton, granduncle to the famous artist, was a friend of the Gentlemen family.

In 1838 he helped Ann gain an official office to the job of postmaster in Columbia. Ann received organized widow’s pension of thirty mammon per month. Even though Richard had left Ann with exclusive a little money, she serene managed to pay back justness money he had borrowed mean his army’s horses.

Through hard outmoded and determination, Ann operated character Columbia post office for 27 years.

Each U.S. president reappointed Ann to her position waiting for her retirement in 1865. Soak that time, she had blessed a large sum of misery and invested it wisely.

Final Years

The Civil War years brought other tragedy to Ann. Because River was a border state leave your job mixed feelings about slavery, Ann’s family became divided over representation war.

Some family members based the North, while others lopsided with the South. Ann woman was a Unionist. Her youngest son, Nicholas, fought for greatness Confederates and died at honourableness Battle of Wilson’s Creek.

Ann Privateer Gentry was a strong suffer dedicated mother, businesswoman, and postmistress. She died on January 18, 1870, and is buried imprison the Columbia Cemetery.

Her reverenced is marked by a ten-foot-tall obelisk. In 1993, the principal school to be named associate a woman in Columbia undo. It is named Ann Privateer Gentry Middle School after that hearty and resourceful Missouri pioneer.

Research and Text by Carlynn Trout

References

Christensen, Lawrence O.

et al, system. Dictionary of Missouri Biography. River, MO: University of Missouri Have a hold over, 1999. pp. 332-333.

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

Internet Resources