I am not a history buff, but in the search for my Allen Gentry b. 1792 SC I find that studying the history of an area really helps to understand the why- when-where our people went. Since I was typing this all out to try and make sense of it, I thought I would share it. In 1790 - 1800 census the Georgia Territory stretched from S.C. to the Mississippi River. A narrow southern strip of what became AL and MS was claimed by both the U.S. and Spain. In 1800 census this was the Mississippi Territory. Not until the 1810 census was Georgia defined as a state. AL and MS were known as MS territory. A large portion of this land was Indian land and I think some of these pioneers in order to avoid the area went up and around through Tennessee and consequently appear there breifly or some of their children show that as a birthplace. It is hard to imagine these families moving in this territory as early as 1810-1820, but they did. In my search for information on the early GENTRY who moved out of SC into Georgia I found on the Jackson Co.,GA website, hosted by Sheila Forester, a wonderful history of the formation of that county from parent Franklin Co. in 1796. This information shows the other counties that formed out of Jackson and I then realized that . . 1. Jackson Co. court records for Cain and John Gentry dated 1796 . . . these men were probably already living there and previous records of them would be in Franklin Co. records! Jackson Co. records BEGAN in 1796. 2. Elisha, Elijah Gentry (prob sons of David & Sarah Brooks Gentry) appear early in Wilkes Co. (next to Jackson) which was an original Co. formed 1777. Elisha later lived Clarke Co. which was formed from Jackson in 1801, so had not moved. The tax records published in the Augusta Chronicle 1790-1797showing Elisha as delinquint in Wilkes Co, may merely indicate that he had moved to Clarke by that time. His will, naming his children, was filed in Clarke Co., GA 1803. Elijah may have been the brother or a son of Elisha. The son moved to Bledsoe Co., TN. There are no census records for GA or the land called Mississippi Territory that became Alabama and Mississippi before 1820, but there are some early tax lists which show on the LDS AIS index search. Franklin Co., GA - 1808 Tax List _ _ _ _ ? GENTRY 1800-1801 Tax list - Tyree GENTRY 1816 Tax List Reason GENTRY 1809 Petition - Washington Dist. Mississippi Terr. - James and Elijah Gentry sign 1810 TX List - Washington Dist in Alabama/Miss Territory - Simon and Jesse Gentry (Washington District in the SWcorner of AL) 1816 TX list - Alabama - James Gentry is in Clarke Co. and Elijah Gentry in Monroe Co. both which are in what was called Washington Dist. Miss.Terr in 1800. 1818 TX list - Alabama - Daniel Gentry is in Bibb Co. where on the 1820 census appear Daniel and Isaac Gentry (sons of Simon Gentry who was son of David and Sarah Brooks Gentry) In Dec 1818, Jackson Co. GA was again cut up to make 3 more counties . . Walton, Gwinnett and Hall. So now on the 1820 census we find these two sons of Elisha Sr. in Walton Co. . . Elisha Gentry - (?m. Elizabeth lived Fayette Co.) Martin Gentry ( ?m. Elizabeth - lived Caroll Co.) Other sons of Elisha - Cain, Micajah and David moved together to Rhea/McMinn Co.,TN by 1823 where Cain, Allen, William & Neoma, David, John and Shedrick are names that appear on tax records. Cain, Micjah and David later went to Benton Co,AR before 1840. Shedrick went to AL then AR. Allen stayed - who was he? Not all of the above men were brothers - Cain, Micajah, David were sons of Elisha Gentry. William Gentry died and left widow Neoma and possibly their son was the Shedrick who then appears and marries Rebecca Ballard in 1825 he was in War of 1812. There were 3 Allen Gentry on the 1830 census in McMinn TN - who were they, where did they come from and where did they go? By looking at all the other Gentry who moved out of SC and at their migration and their children's migration I hope to find the answer. Pamela Geisler Smith Gresham, OR