SCHLEY COUNTY, GA - BIOS - Allen Family Copyright. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm This file was contributed for use in the USGenWeb Archives by: Harris Hill http://www.genrecords.net/emailregistry/vols/00011.html#0002514 and Debra Crosby Table of Contents page: http://www.usgwarchives.net/ga/schley.htm Georgia Table of Contents: http://www.usgwarchives.net/ga/gafiles.htm ALLEN FAMILY I came across this letter to the editor of the Schley County News recently and I couldn't resist researching it a little. I love doing research and this one I got lucky on. I don't know what should be done with it. At first, I thought it might be suitable for our Migrations section, and it still may, but as I worked on it, it seemed to become a little bigger than that. Maybe you have an idea as to it's best placement. You will note that these are the same Allens on the 5th Ga. roster we have been working on. I came to a dead end early on and I put out a plea for some help to the Schley list. I was in hopes of finding an Allen researcher who could give me some clues. I didn't find an Allen researcher but Debra Crosby responed. I had a lot of what she was able to come up with, but she kept finding those little things that lead to others. She should share in any credit. This was a lot of fun. Maybe someone else will see it and fill in the blanks. I'm eternally hopeful of getting a little more envolvement from the list. Harris. This migration story revolves around the Thomas Allen family of Schley Co., and principally his son, Henry H. Allen. I was inspired to research them as a result of the following letter and reference to letters in old editions of the Schley County News. The Schley County News Thursday, August 31, 1905 Vol. XV No. 36. A letter received this week from Mr. Frank S. Allen, who is now at Davis, Indian Territory, states that the cotton crop through that section is almost a complete failure caused from damage done by the boll weevil and the boll worm. The Schley County News Friday, January 26, 1906. A LETTER FROM INDIAN TERRITORY Makes Mention of Schley County People, and Gives An Idea of the General Condition of Affairs. Davis, Indian Territory, Jan. 22, 1906. Editor News: Captain H.H. Allen, a native of famous Schley County, Georgia, and his young nephew, Frank, recently arrived from Ellaville, living here, I thought it no more than right to comply with the request and write to you a few lines about this locality. Full blood indians seldom come on the streets of Davis, in fact, it looks as though the Choctaws and Chickasaws are pretty well mixed with the Caucasian race, or white washed. Those indians are pretty wealthy, each of them gets over 600 acres of land and about $6000 in cash. Most of the land and money, of course, will ultimately be owned by the white people. The farming is all done by the whites. Only about one half of the exceedingly fertile Washita Valley has ever been tickled by a plow. Congress will, no doubt remove most of the restrictions from the Indian lands this winter. A new era will commence here after the 6th of March when tribal government will go out of existence. This town was started fourteen years ago. It is located on a slopping prarie, one mile east of the Washita river. Davis has about 1800 inhabitants, mostly from Texas and other Gulf states. A large majority are Democrats. We have six churches, 592 school children and seven teachers. We have two banks, one local paper, many merchantile establishments and no saloon. Davis is located on the main line of the Santa Fe railroad from Kansas to Texas. The Lexington--Davis--Sulpher Springs railroad is under construction. A motor road to romantic Turner Falls, six miles from here will be builded this year. The adjacent Arbuckle mountains contain lots of different minerals, and mining operations will be conducted there in the near future. We have no whiskey here, but lots of very good water, $25,000 water works will be constructed here this season. Lots of cotton and corn is raised in this region. Thousands of cattle and horses are feeding on the naturally cured grass in the nearby mountains. Captain Allen, the staunch Schley--Bryan democrat, is doing fine. He is one of our foremost citizens. He still keeps the Allen Cottage Hotel, the best in Davis. Frank acts as chief clerk in his uncle's confectionary and fruit store. Frank often thinks about the sweet Ellaville girls and the venerable Captain often talks about the land of his childhood and Schley county which was named after one of the very best men that ever breathed. Matt Duhr The Schley County News Friday, April 27, 1906 We have before us, the Davis News, published at Davis, Indian Territory (Oklahoma) and the home of Capt. Tip Allen, brother to A (Aurelius) and Wm. Allen (former Sheriff) of this place. Judging from the many evidences of prosperity and natural advantages that the News holds out for the Territory, it must certainly be the coming section of the Union. Henry H. Allen was one of four sons born to Thomas and Dolly(Murray) Allen. 1860 Schley census pg. 35 232 ALLEN, Thomas 59 M farmer Dolly 59 F William 25 M farming Augustus 22 M farming Henry 19 M farming Orreleius 16 M student All four of the Allen brothers enlisted in Co. G, 5th Ga Inf. All but Augustus survived the war. MUSTER ROLL OF COMPANY G, 5th REGIMENT GEORGIA VOLUNTEER INFANTRY ARMY OF TENNESSEE C. S. A. Allen, Augustus E.- private May 11, 1861. Elected Jr.2d Lieutenant April 30, 1862. Died of typhoid fever at Canton, Miss. June 23, 1862. Allen, Aurelius-- private May 18, 1862. Appointed Corporal. Surrendered Greensboro, N. C. April 26, 1865. Allen, Henry H.-- private May 11, 1861. Discharged, disability, July 5, 1862. Reenlisted June 22, 1863. Roll for December 31, 1864 , last on file, shows him present. No later record. Allen, William-- private May 11, 1861. Wounded at Bentonville, N. C. March 18, 1865. Paroled at General Hospital in Thomasville, N. C. May 1, 1865. Of the three remaining brothers, William and Aurelius returned to Schley and began families there. 1880 Schley Co. Ga., GMD 961 Ellaville, 9 June 1880, pg. 24, image 24/5. 222/213 Allen, Wm. w/m 47 farmer Ga(all) Mollie E. w/f 37 wife keeping house T???(smudged) w/m 6 son Chas. T. w/m 4 son Dollie w/f 2 dau Mollie w/f 4/12 dau. 1900 Schley Co. Ga., 28 June 1900, sheet 24a, image 47. 394/399 Allen, William head w/m May 1833 67 wd. Ga(all) sheriff(note: 1894-1900) Dollie dau w/f June 1879 20 S(this is not the same Dollie in 1920/30 OK census, but a cousin, she was Ellaville postmistress from Oct. 1914 to March 1925 and a founding member of the Sarah E. Hornady Chapter of the Daughters of the Confederacy.) Frank R. son w/m June 1883 16 S clerk & ???(this is nephew referred to in letter) William had an older son, Chas. T., found on 1880 census. This excerpt from the Schley County News, dated June 15, 1906, tells us a little more about him. FROM TEXAS Mr. William Allen received a letter this week from his son, Charlie, of Stanton, Tex., bearing the news of his recent marriage to Miss Mary Elam, of that place. Charlie's friends will remember him as a mere lad when leaving Ellaville some fifteen years ago, for the west, where he has since lived and attained success in the cattle business. William died in 1919 and is buried in Ellaville cemetery. Ellaville Cemetery Allen, William(Co. G 5 Ga. Inf. C.S.A.) Georgia Death Index, 1919-1927 Name: William J. Allen Death Date: 02 Dec 1919 Gender: County of Death: Schley Certificate: 18671-A Age: Comments: William's daughter Dollie is found on the 1920 census. 1920 Schley Co., Ga. GMD 961 Ellaville, 8 Jan 1920, sheet 4b, image 8. Broad St. 92/104 Allen, Dollie head owns f/w 42 S Ga(all) post mistress. Aurelius married Susie V. Tondee, 21 Nov 1869, but had no children that I have been able to locate. 1880 Schley Co. Ga., GMD 961 Ellaville, 9 June 1880, pg 21B, image 22. 191/185 Allen, Aurelius w/m 37 grocer(?) Ga(all) Susie V. w/f 32 wife keeping house 1900 Schley Co. Ga., 28 June 1900, sheet 25b, image 50. 428/454 Hornady, Sarah E head w/f Jan 1837 63 wd. 3/4 landlord Mary dau w/f Jan 1862 39 S postmistress Mary ?? dau-in-law w/f Sept. 1870 29 M 5 2/1 Minnie D. grand-dau w/f Jan 1895 5 S Allen, Aurelius boarder w/m March? 1843 57 M 30 farm ??? ??? wife w/f Feb 1848 52 M 30 0/0 ???(Mrs Allen was known to operate a ladies' millinery shop) I believe that at this time Aurelius was Commander of the W.T. Black Camp of the United Confederate Veterans. 1920 Schley Co., Ga., GMD 961 Ellaville, ? Jan 1920, sheet 2b, image 4. College St. 39/42 Allen, A.A. head owns m/w 76 M Ga(all) merchant gro.store Susie wife f/w 71 M 1930 Schley Co., Ga., GMD 961 Ellaville, 7 Apr 1930, sheet 4b, image 8. College St. 111/118 Allen, Susan B.(V.) head owns $2500 f/w 82 wd. Ga(all) Aurelius and his wife Susie are buried in Ellaville cemetery. Ellaville Cemetery Allen, Ameleis 3-01-1843 10-16-1923 Allen, Susie Valeria Tondee 2-21-1848 5-15-1935 There is more about this family in the Schley archives, see Bibles, Peter Tondee. I can't account for Henry from 1865 to 1880, but it would appear that he went to Texas after the war. The 1880 census finds him in Kimble Co., Tx as a boarder on the farm of Bruno J. McKeever. He lists his occupation as stock raiser. He married in Tx about 1889 and had a daughter Dollie(his mother's name) in Jan. of 1890. 1880 Kimble Co., Tx, precinct 2, taken 11 June 1880, pg 273, image 8. 32/36 McKeever, Bruno J. w/m 62 M farmer NY MA CT Lucretia w/f 57 wife M keeping house NY VT VT Laura w/f 20 dau S at home TX NY NY Hugh w/m 18 son S working on farm TX NY NY Ida(?) w/f 12 dau S at home TX NY NY Hamilton, ??? w/m 26 boarder S at home IN OH IN Grantman, John w/m 29 milk rai??? M stock raising TX AL AL Mollie E. w/f 20 wife M keeping house TX -- MS Jessica w/f 1/12 dau TX TX TX Allen, Henry H. w/m 39 boarder S stock raising GA -- -- The Allens are not found on the 1890 Oklahoma Territory Census Index, it would seem that they are still in Tx. Dollie would have been born in 1890 in Tx. By June of 1900, Henry and his family are in Davis township, Indian Territory, Chickasaw Nation(Oklahoma). They are operating a small hotel/boarding house on First street in Davis. 1900 Indian Territory Chickasaw nation census Davis Township 11 June 1900 Sheet 19b image 38 314-Allen, Henry head m/w Oct 1840 59 M 11 Ga Ga Ga Hotel Keeper Amy wife f/w July 1850 39 M 11 1/1 Ms Sc Al Dollie dau f/w Jan 1890 10 S Tx Ga Ms plus 1 boarder, 1 housekeeper, 1 cook, 2 waiters 1910 Murray Co. Oklahoma census Davis town taken 25 Apr 1910 Sheet 9b image 18. East side First street 179-Allen, Henry H. head m/w 69 M 38? Ga Ga Ga Commercial Hoisery House Amy C. wife f/w 49 M 21 1/1 Ms SC Al ??? Hotel Dollie M. dau f/w 20 S Tx Ga Ms Milliner ??? Keller, John C. son-in law(wf) m/w 25 M 2 Ok Tx Tx Agent ??? Ruby niece(wf) f/w 24 M 2 Tx Ms Ms None Plus 7 boarders, it's apparent they are operating a hotel/boarding house. Henry's wife Amy died in September of 1917. He and Dollie continued to run the boarding house until his death in 1923. 1920 Oklahoma Murray Co. Allen Township page 15a 308- Henry H. Allen 79 head widow m/w Ga Ga Ga Proprietor Rooming House Dollie M. 26 dau single f/w Tx Ga Ms The 1930 census finds Dollie living with a cousin in Oklahoma City. 1930 Oklahoma Oklahoma Co Oklahoma City page 12b 328-Bell, William W. head m/w 43 M 23 Tx Tx Tx salesman retail shoe store Mabel H. wife f/w 39 M 20 Tx Tx Ms saleswoman retail dry goods Messic, Susan mother-in-law 73 Wd. Ms Sc Sc Allen, Dollie M. cousin f/w 42 S Tx Tx Tx bookeeper state Dollie died September 18, 1970. She is buried along with her parents at Green Hill Cemetery in Davis, Murray Co. Oklahoma. Green Hill Cemetery, Murray Co., Davis, Oklahoma Allen, Amy C. July 9, 1859-Sept. 13, 1917 Henry H. Oct. 22, 1840-Nov. 6, 1923 Dollie May June 26, 1890-Sept. 18, 1970 Notes:Thor Egede-Nissen ThorSr1@aol.com Thomas Allen and Dorothy Murray had eight children,: 1) John Stephen Allen, born in Burke County, GA in 1826, married on 29 May 1849 in Houston County to his cousin (her grandfather was James Patrick Allen, Thomas Allen's first cousin) Sarah Rebecca Ellison. There is a book called, I believe, "The history of Talbotton County" which contains information, mostly but not entirely correct about this Allen family. You may also want to read the book "Kindred Murrays" by Alton J. Murray, which covers Dorothy Murray's family. 2) Martha Allen, born in 1829. 3) Seaborn Allen, born in 1830, presumably in Burke County, married on 18 Dec. 1850 to Cattiann A. Norwood. 4) William, whom I have born 1833/1835 5) Augustus E. Allen, born in 1838 and dead on 23 Jun 1862 of typhoid fever while serving with Confederate forces in Mississippi. 6) Henry H. Allen, born 1840/1841, about whom you have written. 7) Aurelius (Cullen or Henry) Allen, born 1 Mar 1843 in Houson County, Ga, married to Valeria S. "Susie" Tondee on 21 Nov 1869 in Ellaville. 8) Mary Jane Allen, born in Burke County, GA (she must have been born about 1828), married on 21 Dec 1849 in Houston County by the Rev. James Murray to Frederick West. This Allen family begins with a John Allen who lands in Savannah on board the ship "Hopewell" in about 1769 in a party of largely literate and financially secure if not wealthy Irish immigrants who settle in the "Irish Tract" in what was then Burke County and is today Jefferson County. Another member of that party was a Joseph Beatty, to whose daughter Jane, John Allen was married. It would appear that John and Jane had nine children, including: 1) James Patrick Allen, Sr., born in Belfast, Northern Ireland, 31 Aug 1750, dead 2 Mar 1841 in Burke County. He married Frances Simmons. They were the parents of Lucretia Allen, Sarah Rebecca Ellison's mother, above. 2) Jane Allen, married first to a James McConkey and second to Louis Dunn. 3) unknown Allen, married to Robert Fleming. 4) John Allen, Jr., wife unknown, father of Thomas Allen, above, and Martha Allen, who married James Murray, the brother of Dorothy Murray who was married to Thomas Allen. I believe that this James Murray is the Rev. James Murray, above. 5) William Allen, born in Belfast. According to family tradition, this William Allen migrated to Louisiana where his son William, Jr. became a physician. 6) Elizabeth Allen, born 28 Oct 1868 in Belfast, dead 28 Jun 1840 in Mabelvale, Pulaski County, Arkansas, married in 1784 to John Martin, born in 1753 Belfast, dead Jul 1808 in Cape Girardeau, MS. 7) Nancy Allen, born 1760. 8) Isabell Allen, born 1762. 9) Mary Allen, born 1759. This is assembled with very little evidence, based on family traditions, census data and the books mentioned above. I would like to know who Thomas Allen's mother was and would welcome additional information or contradictions. Thor Egede-Nissen ==================== I'm descended from Thomas Allen through his daughter, Mary Jane who married Frederick West. I was very surprised to learn that one of Mary Jane's brothers lived in Oklahoma. I know very little about Frederick and Mary Jane(Allen) West. A cousin and I have been working on Frederick for over 10 years now. Though I do know that Mary Jane's parents were Thomas and Dorrity (Dolly) Murray Allen. Dolly's family has been fairly well researched in a book called "The Kindred Murrays". There is a copy of that book online. Frederick and Mary Jane are married on December 20, 1849 in Houston County, Georgia. I found the following mention of their marriage in the Georgia records and also in a January 2, 1850 Macon Messenger blurb: "Frederick West, of Dooly County to Miss Mary Jane Allen, daughter of Thomas Allen, formerly of Burke County. They are enumerated in 1850 Houston County living on West road in the Haynesville District. In 1860, they are enumerated in Sumter County, Americus P. O. with their children: West, Frederick 36 schoolteacher Mary Jane 36 George Thomas 9 John F. 8 William M 6 James Allen 4 Aurelious Henry 2 Julious Q. 9/12 I can't find Frederick or Mary Jane beyond this census. My g- grandfather is Aurelious and I know they moved to Oklahoma in 1902. James Allen moved to Oklahoma in either 1899 or 1900, prior to Aurelious and family. I've been able to track my line down from Aurelious and portions of James A. The names I've listed out above are information we obtained from a family bible, that unfortunately doesn't show anything before Frederick and Mary Jane. I do know that they had all sons and had no daughters. Family lore is that they travelled to Galveston, Texas from Georgia by boat. James A. Obit says that was in 1874. The only place I find any sort of lead on Frederick is in Wise County, Texas, listed as a boarder and a schoolteacher; that being in 1880. I do believe I've located some of the boys in the 1880 census in Texas. I have the record, just don't have my records with me here at work. That's unfortunately about all I know. The name Aurelious has always perplexed me, and that's why I feel that Mary Jane is a member of the Thomas Allen family. Susan West swok34@cox.net