Trying again to send this to the list. It keeps bouncing. Gina, please let me know if it goes through this time. Thanks - Karen A list of individuals interred in the Wright-Gentry-Whitesell Cemetery and preliminary archival research. Prepared by Amanda Kincaid and Ryan Peterson Based on review of the documentary evidence described below and on-site investigation of the present condition of the cemetery, the following represents known interments in the Wright-Gentry-Whitesell Cemetery. 1) Eliza I. Whitesell (Wife of Wilson) - Marker and Footstone Died Feb. 26, 1868, Age 36 years, 8 months, and 19 days 2) Margaret Whitesell (Daughter of ?) - Marker and Footstone Died July 22, 1864 - 4 months of age 3) Jessup Whitesell (Son of W. & E.) - Marker and Footstone Born December 10, 1853 Died October 14, 1857 Age: 4 years 2 mo. 4 days 4) Thomas P. Gentry (Consort of Paulina) - Marker and Footstone Died April 30, 1854, Age 38 years & 6 months 5) Paulina J. Gentry (Wife of Thomas) - Marker and Footstone Died July 6, 1863, Age 45 years & 10 days 6) Eliza R. Easterday (Wife of L. R.) - Marker and Footstone Daughter of T & P Gentry Died November 30, 1858; Age 19 years 9 months & 5 days 7) John W. Gentry (Son of T & P) - Marker and Footstone Died May 7, 1866, Age 19 years 7 months & 23 days 8) Charles W. Wright (Son of J.M. and R.) Died September 15, 1841, Aged1 year 3 months and 22 days 9) Joseph W. Wright (son of J. M. & R.) Died September 3, 1852 (?), Age (?) 10 years (?) 10) James B.? ( or Joseph B.) Wright - Marker and Footstone Died February 1855, Age 17? Years 11) John M. Wright - Marker and Footstone Died March 3, 1857, Age 43 years 2 months & 22 days 12) Ruhamah Wright (wife of James T.) - Marker and Footstone Born November 28, 1788, Died May 5(?), 1858 13) Reverend James T. Wright - Marker and Footstone Died November 23, 1859, Age 72 years 4 months and 8 days Four additional grave markers are present, but have no distinguishable markings. In addition, other areas within the cemetery exhibit slight surface depressions and may contain additional unmarked graves. Based on the archival materials presented below, it is reasonable to suspect the following individual may also be interred in the cemetery. 1) Wilson Whitesell 2) Jesse W. Wright 3) James T. Gentry 4) William B. Gentry The following resources that were examined to create the following narrative: · Deed Books from 1822-Present · Wills from relevant time period · Family files at Indiana State Library · County files at Indiana State Library · County histories at Indiana State Library · Marion County map collections at Indiana State Library · Cemetery files at Indiana State Library · Online catalogs for Indiana State Historical Society, Indiana University at Bloomington, Central Library in Indianapolis, Lawrence Township Public Library, "This Old Column" Indianapolis Historic Preservation Commission · Ancestry.com/ census records, family histories, county histories, newspapers ("*" indicates that are known to be buried in the cemetery the first time their name is mentioned.) In 1840, Daniel Yandes sold four hundred acres to *James T. Wright for $960. Three hundred and sixty acres were in Township 17, Range 4, Area twenty-three (Marion County Courthouse [MCC]: Deed Book [DB] K 579). This acreage contains the land on which the cemetery is currently located. Although this purchase was for only 360 acres James T. Wright bought vast amounts of land in the Castleton area throughout the following years. In 1850, James T. Wright was sixty-one years old and had in his household his wife *Rehamed who was also sixty-one years old. Also in his household were *Joseph B. Wright who is believed to be a grandson and *Eliza who is either his granddaughter or daughter. Wright also owned $3,000 worth of real estate which is more than twice as much value then all of his surrounding neighbors. This indicates that Wright was quite wealthy in terms of the value of land that he held (United States Federal Census 1850). Although he held this wealth of land, it does not mean that the family was wealthy in terms of money readily available to the family. Further research is needed to examine tax records in order to determine if their personal wealth equaled that of their land wealth. In 1851 and 1852, Wright started selling off parts of his land holdings to different members of his family, such as 152 acres to James Armentrout who was the husband of his daughter Margaret (MCC: DB: CC 64; BB 123). James T. Wright also sold land to *Thomas Gentry, husband of daughter *Paulina Wright Gentry and Wilson Whitesell who was the husband of *Eliza Wright Whitesell, who was previously mentioned. According to his Will that was put into record on November 1, 1859, his heirs included Elizabeth, Paulina Genty, Mary Lemmon, Margaret Armentout, Eliza Whitesell, Jesse Wright, and John Wright's daughter Sarah. All of the heirs were to receive equal shares in James T. Wright's estates. Eliza was not born until 1832 which would put her in the generation of John M. Wright's children. However, it never states who her father was and in James T. Wright's Will she is listed as an heir in her own right. The other heirs that are his grandchildren and not his child are listed as "Elizabeth, heir of Paulina Gentry" whereas there is no mention of Eliza being first an heir of her parent and then James T. Wright. Also, in the 1850 Census Eliza is living with James T. Wright but it is unclear whether she is his daughter or granddaughter (MCC: Will Book C: 246). Most of those buried in the cemetery were connected to James T. Wright either by blood or marriage. James T. Wright (1787-1859) was the husband of Rahamah (1788-1858). James T. was born in Pennsylvania and his wife was born in North Carolina (United States Federal Census 1850). His children included Paulina J. Wright Gentry, John M. Wright, Jesse W. Wright, Mary Wright Lemmon, Margaret Wright Armentout, and Eliza Whitesell. Eliza I. Whitesell (1832-1868) was the possible daughter of John M. Wright and the daughter or grand-daughter of James T. Wright and the wife of Wilson Whitesell. In 1850, Eliza lived with her father/ grandfather in 1850. James T. Wright sold property to Wilson Whitesell in 1851 but this land did not include the cemetery. The majority of the Whitesell property was in a different section, west of Castleton and the cemetery (MCC: DB: AA 407; Warner 1866). Eliza and Wilson Whitesell had at least one child who was born in 1853 and died in 1857 when he was only four years old and is buried in the cemetery. There are two of Wilson and Eliza Whitesell's children buried in the cemetery. Margaret E. Whitesell who died on July 22 1864 when she was four months old, and Jessup Whitesell who died on October 14, 1857 at the age of four years old. John M. Wright (1814-1857) was the son of James T. Wright and the possible father of Eliza Whitesell, and father of James B, Joseph W/B., Charles W and Sarah. He lived from 1814 to 1857. In 1840 he had two sons under the age of five. This would have been Joseph W/B and Charles W. John M. also lived in Hamilton County. Also, his daughter Sarah is not mentioned anywhere except in James T. Wright's Will that "John's daughter Sarah receive an equal share of his estate." The oldest known grave is from September 15, 1841 who belongs to Charles W. Wright who died at the age of 11. Paulina Gentry (1823-1868) was the daughter of James T. Wright and the wife of Thomas P. Gentry. Thomas P. Gentry (1814-1854) was born in North Carolina (United States Federal Census 1850). He bought land from James T. Wright in the vicinity of the cemetery in 1851 but it is likely that the land on which the cemetery is found was sold to Paulina Gentry in 1858 which was four years after her husband died (MCC: DB: BB 29; HH 428). She is also the mother of James T. Gentry, William B. Gentry, Margaret R. Gentry, John W. Gentry, Mary E. Gentry, and Paulina J. Gentry. In 1863, five years before she died, Margaret, John W. Mary E., Joseph H., and Paulina Gentry were under the age of 21. In her Will, Paulina Gentry stated that those children would be put into the Guardianship of William B. Gentry (MCC: Will Book C 489). William B. Gentry had at least one child who died young, at the age of three years and 9 months and was buried in the cemetery in 1868. This child's name was John Everette Gentry. James Gentry (1838-1858), son of Thomas P. and Paulina had a son that fought in the Civil War in the Company I. of the 26th Indiana Volunteer Infantry, John W. Gentry. The 26th Regiment was organized in Indianapolis on August 31, 1861 and was mustered out on January 15, 1866. John W. did not die until May 7, 1866(civilwarindiana.com). Considering that his death date is so close to the time the regiment was mustered out, it stands to reason that his death may have been related to his army service in some way. It is unclear whether he served until his regiment was mustered out. Further research is needed to determine the extent of James Gentry's service. There are approximately 17 known graves. The oldest known grave is from 1841 and the most recent is from 1868. There are several small stones that have initials engraved on them that were counted as possible graves in most previous cemetery inventories. These are likely footstones of other known graves. These footstones are "P.J.P" which is likely the footstone of Paulina J. Gentry, "J.W.G" which is likely the footstone for John W. Gentry, "T.P.G." which belongs with Thomas P. Gentry, "M.E.W." which belongs with Margaret E. Whitesell, "J.T.W." which belongs to James T. Wright, "C.W.W." which likely belongs with Charles W. Wright's grave and "R.W." which likely belongs with Ruhamah Wright. Another stone that is engraved with R.H.W is likely from the grave of Mr. John M. Wright, whose complete first name is unknown. There are possibly two graves that have an unknown connection to the Wright Family. These are "LOE Hays and J.M.M. Nates or Gates." LOE Hays is believed to be the daughter of JMM Nates or Gates. However it is likely that they are part of the Wright family through a daughter or granddaughter that married a Nates or Gates. There are also others likely buried in the cemetery whose gravestones are missing or have been to badly damaged. These people include Wilson Whitesell, Elizabeth Gentry (actually present in the cemetery as Eliza Easterday), Jesse W. Wright, James T. Gentry, and William B. Gentry. These are the sons and daughters of both James T. Wright and Thomas P. Gentry. Most of these have children and/or brothers and sisters in the cemetery and it is likely that they would be buried along side of them if they remained in the area. William B. Gentry and James T. Gentry were the last members of the known family to own the property on which the cemetery is located. They sold the complete property (they had bought all of the shares divided by both their grandfather James T. Wright and their mother Paulina J. Gentry) in February and March of 1870 to David Macy (MCC: DB: SS 228, 285). It is unknown whether or not Macy had any connection to the Wright/Gentry family. Thank you, Chris Christopher Koeppel Administrator, Cultural Resources Section Office of Environmental Services Indiana Department of Transportation 100 N. Senate Avenue, Room N642 Indianapolis, IN 46204 (317) 232-5161 phone (317) 233-4929 fax