Meredith Poindexter Gentry was born in 1809 in Rockingham County, North Carolina, and later moved to Williamson County, Tennessee. He established a career in public service, serving in the Tennessee House of Representatives and the U.S. House of Representatives for Tennessee's eighth and seventh districts. Gentry chaired the U.S. House Committee on Indian Affairs, indicating his involvement in Native American policy. Despite an unsuccessful bid for governor of Tennessee, he continued to serve in various capacities, including in the Confederate States Congress during the Civil War. Gentry's professional background and leadership roles underscore his extensive experience in legislative and governmental affairs.

Meredith Poindexter Gentry's political career reveals a complex ideological agility, oscillating between federal oversight and regional interests. His tenure as Chairman of the U.S. House Committee on Indian Affairs highlights a nuanced approach to Native American policies. Gentry's later service in the Confederate States Congress, despite his earlier Whig affiliations, showcases a calculated alignment with regional secessionist sentiments. This juxtaposition of federal and regional priorities, combined with his slave ownership, presents a multifaceted political identity that defies simple categorization.