Levenes Van Allen Biography


	This biography appears on pages 334-337 in "History of Dakota Territory" 
	by George W. Kingsbury, Vol. IV (1915) and was scanned, 
	OCRed and edited by Maurice Krueger, mkrueger@iw.net.

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				LEVENES VAN ALLEN. 

	Levenes Van Allen, a resident farmer of Gayville precinct, 
Yankton county, his home being on section 3, has been identified with 
the interests of the Missouri valley since 1875, making his home at 
Green Island, Nebraska, until 1883. He was born in Michigan and during 
his early childhood his parents, Richard and Mariette (Douglas) Van 
Alien, removed to Wisconsin, the father engaging in farming near Racine 
for a number of years. They thence went to Grinnell, Iowa, and in 1875 
took up their abode at Green Island, Nebraska. 

	Levenes Van Allen, who was born February 11, 1856, devoted the 
early years of his life to the acquirement of a public-school education 
and to farm work and also learned stationary engineering before the 
removal of the family to Nebraska. While at Green Island, living on the 
river, he spent several seasons in firing on steamers plying the upper 
waters of the Missouri. After the flood of March, 1881, swept Green 
Island off the map, the father rebuilt on the old home lot, as several 
other citizens of the town had done, but in a few years it became 
evident that the town would never be rebuilt and the Van Allens 
accordingly abandoned their dwelling and established a home at Aten, 
Nebraska. 

	In the fall of 1883 Levenes Van Allen was employed at Herrick, 
Nebraska, running the engine of a sawmill, and in the spring of 1885 he 
came to Dakota territory, running the Pierson ranch west of Yankton 
until the fall of 1886. For a year he rented a farm east of the mouth 
of the James river and then purchased the farm on which he has since 
resided, taking pose session thereof in the spring of 1887. His life 
has since been devoted to general agricultural pursuits, and that the 
years have been active and busy ones is shown in the excellent 
appearance of his farm, which is devoted to the general cultivation of 
the crops best adapted to soil and climatic conditions. Good harvests 
are annually gathered and Mr. Van Allen is today recognized as one of 
the substantial agriculturists of his community. 

	On the 3d of July, 1883, Mr. Van Allen was united in marriage to 
Miss Kate Van Osdel and their united efforts have resulted in the 
accumulation of the fine body of land of eight hundred acres which they 
now own in the fertile James and Missouri river bottoms. Mrs. Van Allen 
is a daughter of Dr. Abraham Van Osdel, one of Dakota's pioneer 
citizens. He was born in Indiana and wedded Anna E. Ribby, a native of 
New York. They removed from Indiana to Minnesota before the Civil war 
and pushed on to the outer frontier, arriving at Yankton, July 7, 1862, 
having crossed the border of the territory two days earlier. Mr. Van 
Osdel was the first physician in Yankton but soon abandoned regular 
practice. He purchased a farm on the east side of the James river, 
where the lower bridge is now located, and there established a cable 
ferry - the first on the river. This was operated until 1868. After the 
family located on their claim on the James river the Indians became 
hostile and committed some depredations. A friendly Indian, whom the 
Van Osdel children called "Uncle Joe," slipped away from camp at night 
and gave Dr. Van Osdel warning of an intended raid and told him to take 
his family and hurry to town. The Doctor had cured Uncle Joe's squaw, 
who was dangerously ill in their camp a year before, and, true to the 
Indian nature, the man did not forget the favor and took this occasion 
to show his gratitude. Mrs. Van Osdel taught the first school in 
Yankton, a tuition school held in a private house, the session 
beginning on the 1st of December, 1862. Thus the family was closely 
connected with various events which have left an impress upon the 
annals of Yankton county. Dr. Van Osdel removed to Chelsea, Kansas, 
where he passed away in January, 1871. The mother then returned to 
Yankton, where she passed away in May of the following year. 

	Mrs. Van Allen has the distinction of being the first white girl 
born in Yankton, her natal day being March 10, 1863. She was only about 
eight or nine years of age when left an orphan, subsequent to which 
time she made her home with her grandmother, who had married Milton 
Morey for her second husband. Mrs. Van Allen found a good home with 
them. They gave her the best educational advantages of the times and 
she became one of the most capable teachers of Yankton county. She 
taught the first school established at Irene and was the second teacher 
in the school in the Inch district. An aunt taught the first school at 
Mission Hill. It was on Friday before the great flood that Mrs. Van 
Allen dismissed her school for the year and returned to her home on the 
James river at the time when the valley was swept by the memorable 
torrent. In her father's family were six sons and daughters who yet 
remain in Yankton county: Abraham L. Van Osdel, now living at Mission 
Hill; William T., a resident of Yankton; Samuel F., farming in Gayville 
township; Elizabeth, the wife of Clark S. West, of Fullerville; Mrs. 
Kate Van Allen; and Lynn W., who is proprietor of the elevator at 
Gayville.  

	To Mr. and Mrs. Van Allen have been born four children, of whom 
but one survives, Flossie L., who gave her hand in marriage to Chris 
Christienson, of Lynch, Nebraska. They also have two adopted children 
upon whom they have bestowed parental love and care: Clover, who is now 
the wife of Perry Rees and is living two miles north of the Van Allen 
farm; and Arthur J., who is yet with Mr. and Mrs. Van Allen. 

	Of the notable events of the early days Mr. and Mrs. Van Allen 
can relate many personal experiences of interest. During the flood in 
the spring of 1881 Mr. Van Allen and his brother rescued the Mortons, 
father and daughter, from the attic of their house after it had started 
to the gulf on the crest of the flood. In a light skiff the two young 
men rowed out to the floating dwelling, chopped a hole in the gable and 
drew the imperiled captives out into the boat. They were in the upper 
part of the attic, with not room enough to stand, and were up to their 
waists in the icy waters when sitting on the rafters of their enforced 
prison, without light, as there were no windows nor openings in the 
attic above water line. Mr. Van Allen's father spent a number of days 
in a skiff rescuing settlers from their submerged dwellings and getting 
cattle and horses to the higher ground in the Nebraska hills. Just a 
few days after returning to her grandmother's on the James river, after 
closing her tern, of school, Mrs. Van Allen was one of a party of 
thirty-eight who found refuge in the upper part of the granary for 
several days until rescued by Captain Lavender in a launch which landed 
them on the porch of the large brick house now owned by Otto Yeaggie. 
The water was eight feet deep over the Morey home. Great have been the 
changes which have been brought about in the intervening years to the 
present time, and with the work of substantial development and 
improvement in their locality Mr. and Mrs. Van Allen have been actively 
connected. They are today owners of one of the fine farm properties of 
Yankton and in all their business and social relations they have 
commanded and won the respect and confidence of all who have known 
them.