Miss Susie Gentry, founder of Old Glory Chapter NSDAR, was born July 31, 1860, in Shelbyville (Bedford County), Tennessee, to Dr. Watson Meredith Gentry and Martha Jones Gentry. Following the Civil War, the family moved to Franklin. In 1870, they made their home at Maplehurst, on the corner of 11th and West Main.
Miss Gentry was reared in an atmosphere of intellect and piety. Throughout her life she possessed a Christian faith – proudly claiming to have read the Bible 33 times. She taught Sunday school, loved the arts and was a writer, composer and artist.
With a rich family history, Miss Gentry descended from some of the South’s most noted families. Dr. Mark Sappington, her great-great-grandfather, was Nashville’s first physician who, in 1804, occupied a hewn log office on the corner of Summer and Cedar Streets. Her maternal ancestors included Colonel Joel Lane, founder of Raleigh, North Carolina and Colonel John Huston of the same place.
Many of her ancestors completed military service throughout our country’s history. One hundred eight of her ancestors have documented service – nineteen during the American Revolutionary War. It is no surprise, therefore, that she had a truly patriotic spirit. This spirit of patriotism and her dedication to support military personnel is evidenced in an article in the Nashville Banner, March 1918.
She gave of her time and talent to foster patriotism in the community and especially invested herself in the younger generation. She was intensely interested in education and offered medals and awards to the children of Franklin schools to stimulate interest in both history and patriotism.
As her interest in history grew, she sought to preserve the history of Williamson County. She was instrumental in marking local historic places and commemorating significant contributions by local individuals. She spent years documenting the location of all Revolutionary War soldiers buried in Tennessee and her work remains the definitive historical source of information at the Tennessee Archives.
Credited with celebrating the first Flag Day in Tennessee on June 14, 1895, Miss Gentry held the organizational meeting for what would become the Old Glory Chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution at her home in October, 1897. Along with the fifteen women who would become charter members, they chose the name “Old Glory.” In the chapter’s 1940 year-end report to NSDAR, Miss Gentry explained the reason for choosing the name of Old Glory.
“I should like to give the reason for the name Old Glory”, Miss Susie Gentry said. “I want you and The National Society Daughters American Revolution to know why, as the Organizing Regent, I gave it such a name. When John Paul Jones had his famous fight with the Seraphis the flagstaff was struck and the Flag was heading downward to the sea when a heroic sailor made a lunge for it saying as he rescued it, ‘Old Glory, she’ll never be lowered on land or sea!’ This is not to be confused with William Driver’s federal flag that he carried around the world and hoisted in the War Between the States.”
One of the chapter’s prized relics was the “Old Glory” Flag that had flown from the mast of one of Admiral Dewey’s vessels at the Battle of Manila. This was presented to the chapter September 1902 by Colonel John Spry Park of the United States Army, whose boyhood home was in Franklin. Miss Gentry gratefully accepted this gift and it was used in patriotic commemorations by the chapter for many years.
Miss Gentry passed away, November 11, 1944, and is buried at New Hope Cemetery in Franklin. Her enduring legacy is a source of pride and inspiration for the members of Old Glory Chapter Daughters of the American Revolution.