MOGMWGentry
WILLIAM RICHARD GENTRY 1869-1959
Picture courtesy of Missouri Lodge of Research Archive
Grand Master, 1930-1931
BIOGRAPHY
From Missouri Lodge of Research:
William R. Gentry was born at Columbia, Boone County, September 28, 1889. He was the son of Thomas Benton Gentry who was born at Columbia, Mo. Thomas Gentry's father was Richard Gentry, a native of Kentucky, who gave his life to his country while leading the first regiment of Missouri Volunteers against the Seminole Indians in Florida on Christmas Day, 1837, who father was Richard Gentry, a native of Virginia who served as a soldier in the American Army in the Revolution of 1776. He was so determined that his service would not be forgotten that he exacted from his family a promise to have his tombstone engraved that he was present at the surrender of Lord Cornwallis at the Battle of Yorktown.
Brother Gentry was educated in the public schools at Columbia and the State University of Missouri and graduated with the degree of Bachelor of Letters. He had given special attention to the study of modern languages in his college courses and studied literature at the Sorbonne in Paris and German literature at the University of Berlin. While in Europe he was chosen by the Board of Curators to teach German and French at the University of Missouri. He gave up teaching to study law and graduated from the University of Missouri with the degree of LL.B in June 1896.
On December 26, 1908 he moved from Columbia to St Louis where he practiced his law profession. In May of 1930, the United States District Court of St Louis appointed Gentry receiver of a large manufacturing and wholesale shoe company. In thirteen months he paid off all the creditors and by doing so hept many hundreds of employees at work.
In politics Brother Gentry was a liberal Republican, always reserving the right at all times to vote for any candidate whom he believed to be dishonest or otherwise unworthy. He never held a political office but did appoint Harry S Truman, a Democrat, to the advancing line of the Grand Lodge.
William Gentry first saw Masonic Light in Bridgeton Lodge No 80 being initiated September 16, 1899, passed October 21, 1899 and raised February 10, 1900. He served the Lodge as Master for three terms. He was appointed Grand Orator of the Grand Lodge by Grand Master William Kuhn in 1903 and in 1920 Grand Master Garrell appointed him Chairman of the Jurisprudence Committee, In 1923 Grand Master Lee appointed him Grand Marshal and was elected Grand Master in 1930.
He was a member of the York and Scottish Rites, a member of the Shrine and a member of the Red Cross of Constantine.
Brother Gentry passed to his Eternal Rest, May 19, 1959.
