My Genealogy Home Page:Information about Sarah Gentry
Sarah Gentry (b. WFT Est. 1779-1801, d. WFT Est. 1822-1890)
Notes for Sarah Gentry:
From Personal family account of Nicholas Money Tunnel:
When these children were nearly all grown and about grown – some of them, the mother took the collery (which in those days was a very dangerious and fattel desease). The Cholera had broke out in Kentucky and became an epedemic in that place in which they lived. She never told them she had it but kept away from the rest of them by staying out of doors, until she was nearly dead before they knew she had it. They all went 5 miles to church. They all stayed for night services. On one Sunday morning, she bade the children good bye as they started off for Sunday School. She sat on the step shading her eyes with her hand and watched them as long as she could see them. Then, she made her way into the house and laid down upon the bed.
Nicholus went to ask her what was the mater and if she were sick. She said I have the chollery and am going to die, and requested that he put the best quilt around her and buirry her, soon as she died, in a grave on their place and to burn flax, toe, and tar in the house, so none of the rest of them would take the dread desease. She died in a few minnuets after she had told him. He went to get someone to help him to buirrey his wife but could get no one to come, as everyone was so afraid they would not go near. He then got his dead wife's brother to come and stand away off and hold a lantern (after they had dug the grave), while he wraped her in the quilt, carried her to the grave, and placed her in it, and covered her up with dirt.
In those days, there were no churches where one could go to church and sit comfortabul through meeting, and Sunday School. They did not live close together as in these days, and they had Sunday School and meeting in the homes, and they would walk or go a horse back or in wagons and some went behind an ox team, and they went 5 miles or more and stayed for night services. So, it happened that the children of Sarrah (Gentry) Tunnel did not know that their Mother was dead and buierried untill they reached home, and their Father told them what had happened. He had burned flax and tar in the house and no one took the desease.
A neighbor had the cholary and she had gone to see him with out them knowing she went. As she went to see her brother, on the way back – she went in to see him (the neighbor). Nicholes warned her not to stop there but she did, but never told any of them. The Chollery spread in their neighborhood and became an epidemic, and grandfather (Nicholas) thought he would come to Illinois, as he heard it was a good farming country and that there was no cholery here. So he sold out and came to Illinois. They came in covered three covered wagons with their household goods - cows tied on behind – other stock and so forth and some a horseback.
More About Sarah Gentry:
Burial: Unknown, Their Farm in Kentucky.245
More About Sarah Gentry and Nicholas Money Tunnell:
Marriage: Abt. 1817, Washington County, Tennesee.245
Marriage Notes for Sarah Gentry and Nicholas Money Tunnell:
Children of Sarah Gentry and Nicholas Money Tunnell are:
- Nancy Tunnell, b. 1810, Kentucky, d. 1844.
- Sarah Tunnell, d. date unknown.
- Martin Luther Tunnell, b. Abt. 1812, Kentucky, d. Aft. 1847, Bethel, Morgan County, Illinois.
- Kizzie Keziah Tunnell, b. 1815, Kentucky, d. date unknown, Murryville, Illinois.
- +Susan Tunnell, b. Abt. 1818, Kentucky, d. January 04, 1864, Williams, Josephine County, Oregon.
- Perry Tunnell, b. February 21, 1821, d. October 24, 1847, Morgan County, Illinois.
- Stephen Andrew Tunnell, b. December 17, 1823, Kentucky, d. date unknown, Chapin, Morgan County, Illinois.
- Hannah Boone Tunnell, b. October 09, 1824, Kentucky, d. November 22, 1905, Athensville, Illinois.
- Jesse Tunnell, d. date unknown.