Madison County Biography - Zadock Montgomery Allen Submitted by: Donita Allen Hamilton dahamilton@surfnetnc.com Copyright. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm ZADOCK MONTGOMERY ALLEN Zadock Montgomery Allen was born Feb. 7, 1824 in Casey Co., Kentucky to James and Frances Jones Allen. He had three brothers and six sisters. His father was the county surveyor and owned a plantation on the Green River. He married Rachel Mann Oct.28, 1845 at Lincoln, Casey Co., Kentucky. She was the daughter of John and Sarah Bryant Mann of Green Co., Kentucky. She had eight brothers and four sisters. Zadock and Rachel's first two children, William (Feb. 4, 1847) and Sarah (Feb. 6, 1849) were born in Kentucky. Zadock and Rachel moved to Newton, Jasper Co., Iowa. They bought land there. He is listed on the 1850 census as a farmer, he also did survey work, and was part owner of a store. James was born Nov. 20, 1851 and John Flowers Aug. 4, 1854. Rachel died Nov. 20, 1854. After Rachel died Zadock sent the two younger boys back to his parents in Kentucky. On Sept. 21, 1857 Zadock married Almira Osborn, daughter oz Samuel and Hanna Meekens Osbsorn. Their first three daughters, Inez, Julie and Francis were born in Iowa. During this time Zadock made five trips West, taking supplies to the mining camps in Colorado and Montana. In 1866 Zadock brought his children back from Kentucky. In May they loaded the whole family in wagons and headed west, probably with the Dr. Woodruff train. Zaddock was an advisor during the entire trip because of his experience as a freighter on earlier trips. He was referred to as "Dad" Allen and it was because of his insistence that the train used oxen to pull the wagons. There were 15 wagons in the train. Leaving Newton, Iowa they crossed the Missouri River at Council Bluffs on the ferry, then they followed the Oregon Trail West. They followed the south bank of the Platt to Forts Kearney and McPherson then crossed and followed along the South bank of the North Platte River to Scotts Bluff. At Fort Laramie they joined the Army train and headed North on the Boseman Road. They left the Army train at the Big Horn River. From there they crossed the Clarks Fork River then the Yellowstone at Bensons Landing and went over the Boseman Pass to Boseman and on to Willow Creek. They arrived in Jefferson City, Mont. October 9, 1866. That night their daughter Helen was delivered by a neighbor woman in the log home of a friend of Zadock's. The winter of 1866-67 they lost all of their cattle. His oldest daughter Sarah taught school that year. She was the first school teacher in Jefferson. The next winter they moved to Unionville where they kept a boarding house for about 60 men . After two years they moved back to Jefferson City. Two sons were born there, Luman in 1868 and Charles Edward in 1869. Zadock then decided that they should move to Salt Lake, Utah. When they got to Silver Star the men there coaxed him to stay and work as a blacksmith. They promised to build him a house. They never went to Salt Lake. The next year Zadock was able to get 360 acres for a homestead. Their last four children were born on the ranch. He was listed on the 1870 Census: Post Office. Virginia City, Madison Co., Mont. as a Blacksmith. His wife, Almira and 10 children are listed. The first home on the homestead was a four-room log cabin with a slat roof, it burned to the ground in 1878 and was replaced with a two story log home. The second structure was still in use in 1980 having been remodeled. In 1873 three of his children, Sarah, John and Inez, and a friend Alfred Meyers went through Yellowstone Park. The entire trip was made by saddle horse and took two months. It is possible that the two sisters were the second white women to visit the park. Mrs. H. H. Stone was the first in 1872. In 1877 his son John F. Allen was one of the local civilian volunteers at Virginia City who served a packers and guides through the park. They transported horses and supplies that had been purchased by Gen. O. O. Howard to the Army at Henry Lake. Zadock maintained his blacksmith business at Pony until the mines were worked out of placer. In 1879 he sold the business and moved back to the farm. He died there Aug. 14, 1888.