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.