Berrien County GaArchives Biographies.....Allen, John T. 1823 - 1911 ************************************************ Copyright. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://www.usgwarchives.net/ga/gafiles.htm ************************************************ File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by: Linda Ward Meadows lmeadows@surfsouth.com July 14, 2004, 5:05 am Author: Linda Ward Meadows John T. Allen 1823-1911 John T. Allen was born in Lowndes County GA on 25 Oct 1833, the son of John and Eliza Allen. The family Bible records John T. Allen's marriage to Emily Susan Zeigler on 6 Aug 1856. Emily Susan was the daughter of Joseph C. H. and Emily Zeigler, natives of Barnwell District, SC. John T. Allen's wife was born 25 April 1842, in South Carolina. Her date of birth is according to her tombstone. We know that Emily Susan Zeigler's parents brought her to what was then Lowndes, but is now Echols County, while she was a child. John T. Allen and his wife, Emily Susan, produced 11 children over a 23 - year time span, including: John H., born in 1857, married Mrs. Emily Hall Hansell W., born in 1859, married Kate Berryhill Eliza Augusta, born in 1860, married Lyman C. Carter, son of Isaac Laura Belle, born in 1862, married Manassah Sirmans, son of E.J. Thomas E., born in 1865, married Kizzie Rentz, daughter of Charles Emma, born in 1866, married Daniel B. Lott Walton, born in 1868, married Harris A. Tomlinson Charles M., born in 1873, married Beady Lott, daughter of Daniel B. Hattie, born in 1875, married John A. Shaw Norton O., born in 1877, married Estelle Nelson, daughter of John Golie E. born 1880, died single, 16 May 1895; Golie was the first person buried in Lakeview Baptist Church Cemetery. Her grave lies near that of her parents. After their marriage, Mr. Allen and his wife made their home in district 1058 of what was then Clinch County, on the east side of the Alapaha River. Nearby was the Troublesome Post Office , which later became the town of Statenville. It was there that John T. and Emily Susan Allen engaged in farming and operating a small country store. John T. was also involved in civic duties, as he served as justice of the peace for his district from 1857- 1858. John's land was cut into the new county of Echols in December 1858, and he continued serving his community as a Justice of the Inferior Court, a position which he held until 1861. John T. Allen was observant of the economic development going on in South GA. The coming through of the A & G Railroad between 1850-1861, induced Mr. Allen to move to Stockton in 1861. This was a new town on the rail line in Clinch, now Lanier, County. At his new location, he continued to operate a mercantile business and made Stockton his home until the close of the War Between the States. According to Emma Bertha Allen Arden, granddaughter of John T. Allen, John T. Allen was sent home at the close of the War due to illness. He had seen service with Johnson's 11th Cavalry State Guards from Clinch County, GA. John T. Allen's highest rank was that of 2nd Lieutenant. He served from the 1052nd District, Clinch County, receiving his commission as 2nd Lt. on 28 June 1862. When the State Militia was called out to defend GA against invasion in 1864, 2nd Lt. John T. Allen served in the Atlanta Campaign. John had 3 brothers, who also served from GA during the War Between the States. They included: Hansford, Barzilla, and James. Following the close of the War, John T. Allen again moved his family, this time to a farm near Naylor, in Lowndes County. There he lived until 1887. Again economic motivation enticed John T. Allen when he learned of the fine farm lands on the line for the new GS & F Railroad that was to be built to connect Macon to Valdosta. John T. sold out his Lowndes County holdings and moved to what was then Berrien, County. Those new lands were cut into Cook with its formation in 1919. It was here on the pine lands of Old Berrien County that John T. and Emily Susan built their last home. A year after they moved to this area, the railroad was built through in 1888, and a station was established within a mile of their home. A townsite was laid out, which became Lenox. Ever vigilant in his religious and civic duties, Mr. Allen erected a building to serve as a combined church and school building. This structure became known as Lakeview Baptist Church. Mrs. Allen was among the charter membership, moving her membership from Good Hope Baptist Church near her old home. Later, John T. Allen also became a member on profession of faith and was baptized. Mrs. Emily Susan Allen died on 6 Dec 1910 and Mr. Allen followed on 11 June 1911. After almost 54 years together together as man and wife, their earthly remains rest side-by-side in Lakeview Baptist Church Cemetery. Emily Susan faced the responsibility of holding a family together while her husband was away fighting. John T. Allen and his brothers served with courage and dedication. It is to honor that service that we meet today to show our appreciation for their suffering and sacrifice. By placing an Iron Cross at the grave of 2nd Lt. John T. Allen, we leave a lasting reminder, so that all the world will know that we are proud of our heritage and the unselfish dedication of our forefathers. Compiled by Dixie Chapter No. 2576, UDC® chapter president, Linda Ward Meadows from data submitted by Harry W. Shaw III and Linda Wilkins Murphy, descendants of John T. Allen. Among sources cited in their records were Census records from Echols County 1860, and Lowndes County 1870. File at: http://files.usgwarchives.net/ga/berrien/bios/bs236allen.txt This file has been created by a form at http://www.poppet.org/gafiles/ File size: 5.8 Kb