Robert Scott Allen, 1797-1864

My great great grandfather, Robert Scott Allen, is the genealogical end of the trail in tracing back the Allen family. He was born in Virginia, and it appears that he died in Illinois during the Civil War. His life is a perfect picture of the pioneer spirit in America.

According to several sources, Robert Allen's father was John Allen, or possibly John Watson Allen, and his mother was Rebekkah "Becky" Scott, both from Virginia. In this reconstruction of his life, I hope to clarify my thinking and develop better questions for further research.

To find out what I learned about Robert Allen's father John Allen, please CLICK HERE.

Augustus D. Allen, son of Robert S. Allen and father of my grandmother, Teresa Allen
Augustus was born in Illinois in 1859, the youngest of nine children. His parents were Robert S. Allen of Virginia and Elizabeth Heylands of Ohio. Robert and Elizabeth Allen lived in Kentucky for many years before moving to Hancock, Illinois where Augustus was born. Summary of evidence of parentage:

• 1860 U. S. Census, Hancock, Illinois - parents Robert S., b. Va, and Elizabeth Allen, b. Ohio.
• 1870 U. S. Census, Hancock, Illinois - mother, Elizabeth Allen, 54, b. Ohio living with John W. Allen
• 1883 Illinois Marriage License - parents, Robert S. Allen (deceased) and Elis [sic] House.
• 1900 U. S. Census, Wichita, Kansas - parents both born in Kentucky* 
• 1910 U. S. Census, Wichita, Kansas - parents both born in Kentucky* 
• 1910 History of Wichita and Sedgwick County, Kansas - born in 1865 in Hancock, Illinois; "parents died when he was small."**

*The misinformation about Kentucky is understandable. Robert and Elizabeth were married in Kentucky and had their first seven children there. Augustus may not have known their actual birthplace. Ironically, his brother Harrison tells the census taker that both parents were born in Virginia.
** Augustus married a younger woman after he divorced my great grandmother Eva - possibly lied about his age? It is not true that both of his parents died - there is evidence that his mother Elizabeth was alive until 1895, but no indication that he ever saw her again after he moved to Wichita. 

Robert Scott Allen
Robert Scott Allen was born in 1797 in Lunenburg, County, Virginia. He moved to Kentucky, along with many others from Southside Virginia. He married Elizabeth Heylands (Highlands, Hilen) in 1834. Elizabeth was from Hamilton County, Ohio which is just across the river from Robert's home in Covington, Kentucky. Timeline and summary of sources:

• 1797 - Thomas/Steinhauser & Associated Family Genealogy (unverified source***) - Robert Scott Allen, born May 28, 1797 in Lunenburg, County, Virginia. Father: John Watson Allen; mother: Rebecca Scott, born November 25, 1795.
• 1797 - Historical Encyclopedia of Illinois, Volume 2 - Robert Scott Allen, born May 28, 1797. His father was John Watson Allen
• 1797 - Findagrave.com - Robert S. Allen, father of Harrison Perry Allen - born May 28, 1797 in Lunenburg County, Va. 
• 1812 - Historical Encyclopedia of Illinois, Volume 2 - Robert Scott Allen served in the war as a young boy (again, family lore).
• 1833 - Thomas/Steinhauser & Associated Family Genealogy (unverified source***) - Robert Scott Allen married Elizabeth Hilen, born 1815 (?) in PA (?) on Aug. 2, 1833 (?).    
• 1834 Hamilton County Marriage Records - Robert S. Allen and Elizabeth Heylands were married in Hamilton, Ohio by a Justice of the Peace on August 2, 1834 (ages not given, but Robert should have been about 37 and Elizabeth, about 26 - 29 years old).  
• 1850 U. S. Census, Kenton, Covington Ward, Kentucky - Robert S. Allen, 54, carpenter, born in Virginia; Elizabeth, 37, born in Ohio, Mardissa, 15, John/James (twins), 13, Sarah, 10, Rebecca, 8, Jacob (6).
• 1855 Illinois State Census, 1825-1865 Walker, Hancock County, Illinois - Robert S. Allen; one male under age ten (Augustus), three males under age 20 (John, James, Jacob), one male age 60-70 (Robert); two females age 10-20 (Sarah, Rebecca) , one female age 20-40 (Mardicia). Total in household=8; 2 in the militia. (Where was Elizabeth? She should have been about 42.)
• 1860 U. S. Census, Walker Township, Hancock County, Illinois - Robert S. Allen, 64, farmer, born in Virginia; Elizabeth, 45 (She should be 47. Is this a different Elizabeth?), born in Ohio, James/John, 23, born in KY, Sarah, 20, born in KY, Jacob, 16, born in KY, Harrison P., 8, born in Illinois, Augustus, 1, born in Illinois.
• 1864 Thomas/Steinhauser & Associated Family Genealogy (unverified source***) - Robert Scott Allen, died October 16, 1864 at Tioga, Hancock County, Illinois. Burial at Buckeye Schoolhouse, Tioga, Hancock County, Illinois.
• 1864 - Findagrave.com - died October 16 in Tioga, Hancock County, Illinois.
• 1864 - Illinois Infantry Roster - Robert Allen, enlisted in Springfield, d. 13 Sep 1864 in Memphis. (death date does not match other records which gives death date as 16 Oct 1864 - not positive this is our Robert S. Allen).
• 1864 U. S., Civil War Pension Index: General Index to Pension Files, 1861-1934 - Nov. 17, 1864 - Elizabeth J. (?) Allen, widow, Robert S. Allen, P.114, Illinois Infantry.
• 1865 Illinois, State Census Collection, 1825-1865 - Elisabeth Allen - one person under 10 (Augustus); one person between 10 and 20 (Harrison); two between 20 and 30 (Jacob, Rebecca); one between 40 and 50 (Elizabeth).  (Robert presumed deceased)
• 1870 U. S. Census, Hancock County, Illinois - Elizabeth, age 54 (should be 57?), born in Ohio, living with John W. and younger brothers.
• 1895 - Findagrave.com - Elizabeth A. Highland Allen, mother of Harrison Perry Allen - born 1815 in Ohio, died 1895 in Illinois. (Confirmation of this birthdate would have made her 29 years old at her marriage date).
• 1918 - Missouri Death Certificate, Harrison Perry Crawford Allen (brother of Augustus) - parents: Robert S. Allen and Elizabeth Hilen.

***Thomas/Steinhauser & Associated Family Genealogy -  I attempted to contact the researcher Jim Thomas but got no response. His information is not to be considered reliable until I can learn of his sources.

Note: Walker Township had two villages:  Tioga and Breckenridge. Tioga was established in 1855 on the former Mormon site, Yelrome (Morley Town). 

CAUTION:
There is another man named "Robert S. Allen" in Montgomery County, Illinois, who also received a land grant for service in 1854 around the same time that our Allen family moved to Hancock County. This other Robert S. Allen left a will dated in the 1890's, proving that he is could not be our Robert Scott Allen (d. 1864). Here is the land grant information for this other Robert S. Allen:

• 1854 Illinois, Public Land Purchase Records, 1813-1909, v. 340, p. 151 - Robert S. Allen - Sep. 29, 1854 - 40 acres ($5.20 @ .13/acre), township 08N, range 04W, meridian 3  (Montgomery County). 

I cannot find any record of a land grant for Robert S. Allen in Hancock County. I have exhausted the online records and scoured every landowner map I could find from the 1850's. I found a David Allen who owned property in the northwestern part of Walker Township, but it is nowhere near Tioga where Robert S. Allen lived.

Littleton, Schuyler County, Illinois 1872

The study of maps has definitely been helpful with genealogy research. Sometimes physical distance or proximity can make sense of a puzzling story. It can also offer new names and information to pursue.

Today I found an early map of Littleton, Illinois that brought together two different branches of my family tree.

Among the first settlers of Littleton were Orlando Marcus Bosworth, my 2X great grandfather, and Richard Pierce Applegate, my 3X great grandfather. Richard's daughter Eliza married Orlando. I also noticed that there are two Crawfords on this map. I don't know how they are connected to us, but I will certainly investigate! 

me < Virginia < Teresa Allen < Eva Bosworth < Eliza Applegate and Orlando Bosworth

Hancock County

Many researchers are out there spreading all kinds of misinformation. Anyone can go on the genealogy website and start a tree.  People grab information from other people's trees, but don't do their own fact-checking.  As a result, false information spreads like an epidemic.

Even historical books and documents contain false information. Much of what is in history books comes from family lore.  My great grandmother, Ada, who was a teacher and avid historian, wrote stories about our family history and about her experiences as an early pioneer in the midwest. Some "facts" were obtained from family lore and are just plain not true.  However, her stories are close enough to reality that it is easy to see how they could have become distorted. For instance, she said that our ancestors were first settlers at Lands End... in truth, they were the first at Graves End (Gravesend).  Similar name, easy to get confused over time.

A History of Hancock County tells of a Miss Rose Spitler who was orphaned at a tender age.  She was the daughter of Mardicia Allen Nash, my 2nd great aunt, and John Nash (of the Nashville family).  Rose became a foster child of Dr. Adam and Mrs. Carrie Spitler and assumed their last name. Rose learned through investigation that Robert Scott Allen (my 2nd great grandfather) was Mardicia's father, and John Watson Allen was her grandfather. According to her family lore, John Watson Allen was a close childhood friend of his famous New England relative, Ethan Allen*. This make a nice story, but I have found no connection between the Virginia Allens and the New England Allens.

Yet.


*I did find a connection between the Allens of Kentucky and Jack Jouett of Revolutionary War fame.  Perhaps this was the origination of the story?

Allen Family Dilemma

Sorry all for not posting in so long.  I am stumped by some of the DNA findings, and have been searching - so far in vain - for any information to solve some of the questions that have arisen.

The DNA tests have confirmed that we are descendants of the illustrious Allen - Lewis - Warner - Dozier families of Virginia, but there are some missing links, two to be exact.  I can trace the Allens back to Robert Scott Allen, my 2nd great grandfather, but the proven ancestry then skips back two generations.

In our family tree, I have established the two missing links, but have no documented proof other than other family trees (which also have no documented proof).

Here is the line of descent as I have it so far:

Teresa Zaun, b. 1954, Norfolk, full circle back to Virginia!
^
Virginia Crofford, b. 1932, Waukegan, Illinois
^
Teresa (nee Ethelyn) Allen, b. 1893, Illinois
^
Augustus Dozier Allen, b. 1859, Illinois
^
Robert Scott Allen, b. 1797, Lunenburg, Virginia (d. 1864 - Civil War?)
^
John Watson Allen**, b. ????, Lunenburg, Virginia
^
Turner Allen**, b. 1751, Lunenburg, Virginia
^
William Allen*, b. 1724, New Kent, Virginia - m. Mary Lewis, daughter of Col. Charles Lewis of The Byrd of Goochland County, whose mother was Elizabeth Warner of Gloucester, and whose father was John Lewis, both of whom are buried at Warner Hall.
^
Robert Allen, Jr.*, b. 1704, New Kent, Virginia
^
Robert Allen, Sr., b. 1680, New Kent, Virginia (records in St. Peter's Church registry)

                                                *proven by DNA **no documented proof

Here is the reasoning behind my conclusions about the two ancestors in doubt:

I believe that John Watson Allen is correct because he was married to Rebekah Scott, whose mother was a Dozier.  The Scott and Dozier links were confirmed by DNA and the names were carried on in the next generations.  I do not know where the Watson name came from and I'm not 100% sure that was his middle name.

I believe that Turner Allen is correct because he is the only son of William who stayed in Lunenburg County, Virginia, where Robert Scott Allen was eventually born.  I know that Turner had a son named John, but that name was pretty common in the Allen family. Sorting them all out is a challenge!

So, there you have it.  I believe I am correct, but as far a proof goes, I am stuck.  I may have to start using other resources than those that can be found online.

Places

I would love to plan a trip itinerary based on the principal locations that my ancestors lived.

New England

Providence, RI, and Newport
Hartford and New Haven, CT
Fort Lee, NJ
Barnstable, MA
Buffalo Gap, SD
Liberty, IN
Lancaster, NE
Fort Lincoln, ND
Newcastle, WY
Hancock, IL
Hampshire, UK
Cornwall, UK
Salisbury, UK
Isle of Wight,  UK

Wyoming, South Dakota, North Dakota, Illinois

Hampshire, Isle of Wight, Cornwall, Salisbury

Ok, so I threw in Salisbury.  Who knows, we probably have Druids in our ancestry somewhere....  [PS just found out (2/8/14) that my 8th great grandfather John Greene was born in Salisbury, and we have deep royal roots there.]

One more place:  Berkley Castle, Gloucester is the birthplace of my 12th great grandmother Muriel Berkley, 1516-1543