Alfred and Lena Gentes were born in Illinois, both of German immigrants. Alfred was born around 1882. Lena was born May 22, 1879, and died October 28, 1968. They lived most of their married life on farm at Amity, Livingston County, Illinois. Deloss, son of Alfred and Lena, was born March 28, 1914, and died February 21, 1998.

The Gentes collection consists of one box containing one folder of biographical material, three school workbooks from the 1890s, and six five-year diaries.