Jefferson County, West Virginia         Biography of John Hall ALLSTADT

This biography was submitted by Sue Schell,
E-mail address:  <ms_schell@hotmail.com>

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The History of West Virginia, Old and New
Published 1923, The American Historical Society, Inc.,
Chicago and New York, Volume II,
Pg. 396

BIO: John Hall Allstadt, Jefferson Co., WV

	John Hall Allstadt passed his entire life in Jefferson County, and long 
held prestige as one of its most successful farmers and substantial and 
honored citizens.  He was born on a farm near Halltown, this county, that 
village having been named in honor of the family of which his mother was a 
representative.  After his marriage he purchased and settled on a farm on 
the Charles Town road about three miles distant from Harpers Ferry.  When 
John Brown made his historic raid in this county he and his men proceeded to 
the house of John H. Allstadt and took Mr. Allstadt and his son Thomas 
prisoners.  The father and son were confined with other prisoners in the 
armory at Harpers Ferry and later in the Engine house, where they remained 
through the siege and witnessed the killing and wounding of many of Brown’s 
men.  The son Thomas, now eighty years of age, recalls in vivid memory this 
incident in his early career and also the historic subsequent execution of 
John Brown.  John Hall Allstadt acquired several farms, and continued to 
reside on his old homestead on the Charles Town road until his death, at the 
age of eight-one years.  He married Mary Ann Gardner, who was born near 
Charles town, a daughter of Frank Gardner, the latter having come from 
Pennsylvania and having become a pioneer owner of a large landed estate in 
Jefferson County, where he died at the patriarchal age of ninety-four years. 
  Mrs. Allstadt passed to the life eternal when seventy-three years of age.  
Mr. and Mrs. John H. Allstadt reared a family of five children: Sally, 
Thomas, Harriet, Fanny and Mary, the last named being the wife of Benjamin 
F. Moler, of whom specific mention is made in the biography following.