General Amasa Allen, Aaron Allen and James Allen families from Walpole As It Was and As It Is (1880) Contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by MLM, Volunteer 0000130. For the current email address, please go to http://www.rootsweb.com/~archreg/vols/00001.html#0000130 Copyright. All rights reserved. ************************************************************************ Full copyright notice - http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm USGenWeb Archives - http://www.usgwarchives.net ************************************************************************ Surname: ALLEN Source: Walpole As It Was and As It Is by George Aldrich, The Claremont Manufacturing Co., Claremont, N.H., 1880, pages 186-189 ALLEN, Gen. AMASA, came to this town from Pomfret, Ct., soon after the evacuation of Boston by the British, in 1776. He was at Dorchester heights at the time of the evacuation, and was one of the number who worked through the night of the 4th of March, 1776, in fortifying the place. When he came to town he commenced business as a merchant, in a store that stood a little west of E. E. Seabury's, but he subsequently built the " Britton " store, and was a merchant during his active life. He had partners in business, from time to time, but was himself the master spirit. Although he came into town poor, he left, at the time of his death, which occurred July 1,1821, at the age of seventy, $75,000. He was twice married, but had no children. His first wife died in 1811, and in 1812 he married the widow Sarah S. Gordon, whose maiden name was Dixon, and who was the mother of Mrs. William Buffum. He represented the town in the Provincial Legislature in 1786-'7-'8-'9-'90-'1, and in 1806, after the State Constitution was adopted. He was also a State senator in 1802-3, and a leading man in the affairs of the town, for many years. He gave the church organ formerly used by the Unitarians to the old town society, and was present when the old church bell was cast, and dropped in the silver composing a portion of it. He built the house now owned by Mrs. Philip Peck, which was his home. He was a man of sanguine temperament, florid complexion, with light blue eyes, and was rather stout than otherwise. He was very popular with his townsmen, although decided in his opinions,-public-spirited, yet grasping; jovial at times, at other times the opposite; but on the whole a good citizen. His funeral was one of the largest ever known in town. He was a staunch Republican of the old school. ALLEN, AARON, was from Mansfield, Ct., and was one of the early settlers of Walpole. His wife's name was Sarah. He purchased a tract of land lying somewhere in the vicinity of the Taggard farm, according to a survey and map projected by one William Hayward, of the lands lying in the south part of the town, at an early date. It appears, by the records of the town, that he was a prominent man, if correct judgment can be formed by the number of important offices he held, in the town's early settlement. Besides multifarious town offices held, he was chosen to represent the town in the Provincial Assembly at Exeter, in the years 1788 and 1789. He had seven children, the oldest of whom was I. Levi, born March 12, 1771, who married Phebe Flint. Levi built the house where O. H. P. Watkins now resides and owned the farm. He became greatly interested in the ministrations of Elder Rollins, and was actively instrumental in building up the Christian church and society in the Hollow. A little incident occurred at the time Elder Rollins commenced his labors in town. Mr. Allen was greatly interested in his preaching and applied to Mr. Dickinson to allow Mr. Rollins to occupv his pulpit one Sunday, that the people of his congregation might hear him speak. Mr. Dickinson very blandly replied, "I should be most happy to accede to your wishes, Mr. Allen, but I can't have my pulpit defiled by such a man as Elder Rollins." His remark had a tendency to further the boilding up of Mr. Rollins' society:-it was just the food for opposition to feed upon, and the best use was made of it. Mr. Allen was a very honorable, high-minded citizen, and very popular with his townsmen, who kept him in office year after year for a long period. He also settled a large majority of the estates of deceased persons. He neglected his farm to do business for others, and his charges were so moderate, fearing unpopularity, that he pecuniarily ran behindhand, and he, with his family, went west and spent his remaining days. Ch.1st. Ira, b. July 6, 1795. He was a Baptist preacher and editor, and died in Philadelphia. 2d. Almira, b. April 13, 1797; m. Samuel Fifield Sept. 7, 1818. 3d. Charlotte, b. Nov. 15, 1800; m. a Fifield. 4th. Amasa, b. March 6, 1803; m. Martha Hutchins June 20, 1824. II. John, b. Dec. 22, 1772. III. Mary, b. Nov. 10, 1774; m. Dr. George Sparhawk, Dec. 2, 1802. (See Sparhawk.) IV. Artemas, b October 2,1776; d.1777. V. Clarissa, b. May 29, 1788. VI. Aaron, jr., b. April 17, 1780; m. Catherine, dau. of Samuel Salter, Nov. 12, 1800. He built the house once the residence of Henry P. Foster, but never occupied it, he dying at the time, of lock-jaw, resulting from the kick of a vicious horse, Sept. 16, 1815. He left a wife and seven children. She afterwards married Amos Phillips, and died March 11, 1837, aged 58 years. Ch. lst. John, b. June 5, 1801; m. Jan. 13, 1827, Mary, dau. of Jeremiah Robbins, b. in Westminster, Vt., Apr. 13, 1807. Ch. (1) Mary A., b. Sept. 9, 1827; m. March 18, 1856, in Boston, Cyrus Church, b. in Hinsdale, N.H. July 22, 1826. (2) John R., b. July 12, 1832; m. Rhoda Jane Clutts, Jan. 22,1855; his only child, Charles Homer, b. March 5, 1857, was drowned June 8, 1864. (3) Hubbard A., b. Dec. 12, 1841; m. Martha A. Newton of Hinsdale, N. H. Oct. 5, 1865: issue: one son, Chas. A. Two children of John and Mary Allen, named Levi and Martha A., d. in infancy. He d. Sept. 8, 1850. 2d. Catherine, b. May 30, 1803, m. April 24, 1826 Clement White of Tunbridge, Vt: issue, 2 ch. 3d. Mary S., b. Feb. 7, l805; m. James H. Fuller of this town, Oct. 23, 1823. Ch. (1) William T., b. March 4, 1827. (2) Hubbard B., b. Oct, 22, 1829. (3) John H., b. Sept. 9, 1831. (4) Sarah L., b. Dec. 2, 1835. (5) Harriet S., b. Dec. 17, 1838. (6) Mary Adeline, b Dec. 22, 1840. (7) Marshall R., b. March 2, 1842. (8) Eliza P., b. March 2, 1844. (9) Levi D., b. July 25, 1846. 4th. Adeline, b. March 21, 1807; m. Oct. 31, 1832, James S. White, a Christian preacher; he d. April 9, 1874: issue, 2 ch, one living, George. 5th Aaron, jr., b. April 9, l809; he resides at the West and has a family. 6th. Clarissa, b. March 17, 181l; m. Samuel Ladd Dec. 24,1866; he d. April 8, 1876. 7th. George, b. April 5, 1813; m. Charlotte, dau. of William Mitchell, Sept. 6, 1838, and has one daughter, Grace. Aaron Allen, sen., d. April 8, 1804, aged 62; his wife Sarah d. Aug. 17, 1819 aged 73. ALLEN, JAMES, came from Connecticut and settled on the place now owned by Henry Fletcher, very early in the town's settlement; but very little can be gathered in relation to the family. They were Baptists in religious views, and consequently very little can be gathered from the church records in town, for they had no sympathy with the church here. He was a mechanic and had a shop near by his house on the sand knoll, where he made spinning wheels for woolen and linen. He married Irene --- and had five children. I. James, jr., m. and went to Warren, Vt. II. Royal, m. Fanny, dau. of Nathan Bundy, sen., and had four boys and two girls, who removed to Osselock, NY III. Diadama, m. Simeon Lyman (See Lyman.) IV. Lavinia. V. Cynthia, m. Hugh Dunshee. (See Dunshee.) VI. Molly, m. James Holden. Ch. 1st. Dana, m.a Pierce. 2d. Simon, was a manufacturer at Drewsville. 3d. Lucina, m. a Burton. 4th. Marion, lives in Ripton, Vt. James Allen died Nov. 28, l813, aged 73; his wife died Feb. 2, 1812, aged 62.