52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks
Week 44
September 16 – 22, 2024
Challenging
John Allen
John Allen was one of my first paternal ancestors that I began to research in earnest when I became serious about building my genealogical family tree. I also planned to use his information for membership into the Daughters of the American Revolution.
His life was interesting to me, yet it also became challenging in the fact that another person had applied for and received DAR membership . The surname of Allen was a common one in colonial America, then add in his given name of John and it becomes more complicated.
And, since my blog posts for the year of 2024 all feature one of my ancestors, I will discuss the long life of John Allen, Revolutionary War Veteran.
Since the start of commercial photography was not until the 1840s, I have no photograph of him, but I do have pictures of his gravestone, his grave plot, digital pictures of his obituary, census records, land and death records, and most interestingly digital pics of the handwritten deposition in submission for a Revolutionary War pension application.
I authored an article as an assignment when I was taking a genealogy course through Boston University. Rather than rewriting the information that I learned about him I am adding the actual article that I composed.
Note that this blog post is a relatively long and includes citations particular to the article that I have authored.
Here is the actual article that I wrote about John’s life and about the confusion around his identity when I began my process of application to the DAR.
Genealogical research question:
Was John Allen’s (here to fore referred to as John Allen #1) information, born 1757 in Ireland and died in Madison Township, Columbia County, Pennsylvania on 27 June 1845, used incorrectly as the information submitted on the DAR membership application of John Allen’s (here to fore referred to as John Allen #2) descendants, who was born 23 March 1757 in White Deer Township, Northumberland County, Pennsylvania and died 25 March 1845 in Butler County, Pennsylvania?
Two John Allens: Revolutionary War Soldiers from Pennsylvania
By Deborah Allen Morgantini
Common surnames and given names in the Colonial Period of
America can prove to be difficult when discerning which Revolutionary
War Soldier may be your ancestor. Ages, birth and death dates and dates of
service were often remarkably similar.
Incorrectly reported information to a lineage society application may have been submitted for the wrong John Allen’s Revolutionary War Service. Applications for the Daughters of the American Revolution written and cited in the 1900’s for membership inclusion may have been erroneously analyzed and correlated. The person or persons who submitted the content of the researched information, one hundred years ago or less, may have used information that belonged to another person with the same surname and given name. This narrative will address that fact.
Was John Allen’s (heretofore referred to as John Allen #1) information, born 1757 in Ireland and died in Madison Township, Columbia County Pennsylvania on 27 June 1845, used incorrectly as the information submitted on the DAR membership application of John Allen’s (here to fore referred to as John Allen #2) descendants, born 23 March 1757 in White Deer Township, Northumberland County, Pennsylvania and died 25 March 1845 in Butler County, Pennsylvania?
There are many similarities in the recorded details in the Revolutionary War Pension Applications for the two men. By analyzing and correlating the information about each man the attempt will be made to apply the itemized information to the correct John Allen thereby enabling the DAR membership application for John Allen’s #1 of Columbia County, Pennsylvania descendants to be correctly submitted, recorded and accepted.
JOHN ALLEN #1, MADISON TOWNSHIP, COLUMBIA COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA RECORDS:
The Revolutionary War Pension and Bounty-Land Application (survivor’s pension application) of John Allen #1 of 11 November 1832 filed in the Court of Common Pleas of Pennsylvania, Danville, Pennsylvania, number S.23,511, directly documents that he was born in Ireland in 1757. He came to America at the age of 5 years, as he was informed, in 1762 with his father (his father’s name was never stated). He moved to Juniata County, Pennsylvania with his father’s family when he was approximately ten years old and lived there for five years.[1]
John Allen #1 stated in his survivor’s application that after he came to America, he lived in several areas of central Pennsylvania including Northumberland County, Juniata County and Madison Township, Columbia County. Also stated were specific areas of those locations including Chillaquaque Creek, where he served as a scout “to watch and protect the country from the Indians.” He also served after the Wyoming Massacre on the Susquehanna River in northeastern Pennsylvania in 1778 after the battle with the Tories.[2]
The officers under which John Allen #1 served are listed as Captain Casper Snively, Colonel Curtis Grubb, Captain Thomas Gaskins, Colonel J. Kelly, and Captain J. McMahan. The application submits that John Allen #1 served from August 1776 to October 1780 in the rank of private during those recorded dates. He also stated that he volunteered into service for his first tour and for the following tours he was drafted.[3]
His pension was granted, and he received a total of $164.92 in March of 1833, of which $131.94 was for an arrears amount and $65.97 was granted as his per annum amount, of which $32.98 ½ was issued for his semi—annual allowance. His total months and days of service was 19 months and 15 days.[4]
Affidavits were received of John B. Patterson, clergyman of Columbia County, and Daniel Pursel of Columbia County. Listed as knowing John Allen #1 were Col. John Murray, Samuel Bond, Judge William Montgomery, and James Laughin of Columbia County, as well as Judge Jacob Gerhart and Judge Henry Shaffer of Northumberland County. David Allen of Walker Township, Juniata County, Pennsylvania was transcribed and sworn by Justice of the Peace, John Knox that “John Allen of Madison Township and Columbia County served 2 months in 1776 in the Continental Army under the command of Col. Curtis Grubb and Captain Casper Snively.” This information was transcribed on 21 December 1832 by William Kirk, Prothonotary in Juniata County, Mifflintown, Pennsylvania and sworn 1 January 1833.[5]
The U.S. Census of 1840 for Madison Township, Columbia County, Pennsylvania has collected information listing that John Allen was born in 1757.[6]
John Allen #1’s will list David Allen and James Allen as executors of his estate.[7] James Allen was born in 1789 in Pennsylvania.[8]
His tombstone is in the former Derry Presbyterian Cemetery, now the Derry Mennonite Cemetery at White Hall, Pennsylvania. It reads, “JOHN ALLEN 1757-1845.” A veteran’s marker reads, “War of 1776.” There are several other reported family member tombstones in
the same plot. They are those of Mary Allen, his wife, James Allen, one of his sons, Wilson Allen, a grandson, and others.[9] No tombstone or record of John Allen’s #2 tombstone has
been located through the author’s research channels.
JOHN ALLEN #2, PARKER TOWNSHIP, BUTLER COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA RECORDS
The Revolutionary War Pension and Bounty-Land Application (survivor’s application) for John Allen #2 was transcribed, dated, and sworn in front of John Parker, Esq. on 8 December 1832. The court was the Court of Common Pleas in Butler County, Pennsylvania, application number 22,622. Butler County is in western Pennsylvania.
The pension application of John Allen #2 was approved 23 March 1833. He received $107.14 for payment as an ensign and private. Arrears of $214.28 were paid and $53.57 was his semi-annual pension amount.[10]
John Allen #2, according to the Sons of the Revolution membership application submitted by Perry S. Allen, grandson of John Allen and Mary Van Dyke, was born 23 March 1757 in White Deer Township, Northumberland County, Pennsylvania and died on 25 March 1845 in Parker Township, Butler County, Pennsylvania.[11]
This membership application for SAR was filed on 29 April 1905 in Pennsylvania. Perry S. Allen also said that his great-grandfather was Samuel Allen, John Allen’s father. This application sets forth that John Allen #2 was an Ensign in Capt. Samuel Gray’s Co. in Antis’ Regiment in 1778 and served as an Ensign in Capt. Foster’s and Col. Kelley’s regiment. He also served in the rank of private during some of his military service. John Allen #2 had stated in the application that he was listed as present at Trenton, Princeton, Ash Swamp, Piscataway and Quibbletown and other smaller skirmishes during the Revolutionary War.[12]
Affidavits and men known to John Allen #2 as listed in the Revolutionary War Pension and Bounty-Land Application were submitted by and/or listed as James Buchannan, Gideon Gibson, Wm. Redick, Walter Lawne (Lavine), and Robert McGarraugh. It was also transcribed that he was associated with the Ebenezer Baptist Congregation.[13]
According to the Daughters of the American Revolution membership website, John Allen #2, Patriot number A001663, was born in 1757 and died in 1845 and received a pension in 1832 for service as a private in the Pennsylvania troops under Colonels Grubb and Kelly. This membership further states that he was born in Ireland and died in Pennsylvania. The women’s names who filed the applications for membership in the DAR as John Allen’s ancestors were Mrs. Alice Catherine Dilsaver Farquhar, Wilma Chandler Wardle (Wardlex), and Winifred Chandler Myers. All three women listed Aaron Allen, born 23 November 1785, as the son of John Allen #2. All three women’s’ memberships use the Patriot number A001663 as attributed to their ancestor, John Allen.[14]
The 1840 U.S. Census lists a John Allen as a resident of Parker Township, Butler County, Pennsylvania.[15]
A man by the name of John Allen is enumerated on the 1840 Pensioners’ list in Butler County, Pennsylvania. He is listed as being 85 years old. [16]
William D. Allen, a son of John Allen #2 submitted a letter regarding his father’s pension on 2 September 1885 to Grover Cleveland, President of the United States, requesting his father’s pension be continued to him as his son. The request was denied.[17]
Conflicting Evidence of the two John Allens
John Allen # 1 and John Allen #2 | Dates of Birth and Death; Place of Birth and Death | Military Service | Officers and Others Listed | Documents, Dates and Places of Submission |
John Allen #1 | b. 1757, Ireland; d. 27 June 1845, Madison Twp., Columbia Co., PA | Rank: Private Dates of Service: August 1776 – 2 months, volunteered; September 1777 – 2 months, drafted; April 1777 – 3 months, 15 days, drafted; April 1778 – 6 months, drafted; April 1780 – 6 months, drafted Pension granted: 19 April 1833 Amount: $164.92 in total[18]
| Officers: Capt. Casper Snively, Col. Curtis Grubbs, Capt. Thomas Gaskins, Col. J. Kelly, Capt. J. McMahan Affidavits and Known Persons to John Allen #1: Col. John Murray, Samuel Bond, Judge William Montgomery, James Laughlin, Judge Jacob Gerhart, Judge Henry Shaffer, John B. Patterson, Daniel Pursel, David Allen[19] | U.S. Revolutionary War Pension and Bounty-Land Application Files, 1800-1900
7 November 1933 Danville, PA
|
John Allen #2 | b. 23 March 1757, White Deer Township, Northumberland Co., PA; d. 25 March 1845, Parker Twp., Butler Co., PA [20] | Rank: Private, Ensign Dates of Service: 1776 & 1777, 6 months, 20 days; 1778, 6 months, 5 days; 1779-1780, 4 months as Indian spy; May 1781, 3 months Pension granted: 25 May 1833 Amount: $267.85 total [21]
| U.S. Revolutionary War Pension and Bounty-Land Application Files, 1800-1900
11 September 1832, Butler Co., PA | |
|
|
| Officers: Capt. Wm. Gray, Col. Potter, Col. Kelley, Col. Antis, Capt. Samuel Young, Capt. Clark, Capt. Foster, Lt. Walter Clark, Capt. Robert McNair [23]
| Sons of the American Revolution - 29 April 1905 |
|
|
| Officers: Capt. Casper Snively, Col. Curtis Grubbs, Capt. Thomas Gaskins, Col. J. Kelly, Capt. J. McMahan Descendants: Mrs. Alice Catherine Dilsaver Farquhar, Winifred Chandler Myers, Wilma Chandler Wardle (Wardlex) [24]
| Daughters of the American Revolution – unknown dates of submission |
Correlation and Resolution of Conflicting Evidence
The information used as evidence for the DAR membership application for John Allen #2 by the three previously listed women applicants was incorrectly harvested from the U.S. Revolutionary War Pension and Bounty-Land Application Files of John Allen #1.
The dates and places of birth of the two men are different, although both deaths occurred in Pennsylvania, but in different locations.
The military ranks, places and dates of service are different for each man on censuses, pension applications, and lineage society memberships.
The officers and known men listed on the U.S. Revolutionary War Pension and Bounty-Land Application Files are different for each man.
Amounts of pension funds for each man are different.
The DAR membership application and the SAR membership application cited different dates, officers, and places of service.
The son of John Allen #1 (James Allen) and the son of John Allen #2 (William Allen) are not the same people.
The three women listed as applicants for the DAR descendent memberships of John Allen #2 have no listed ancestral relationship to John Allen #1 as exhibited on Ancestry.com family trees.[25]
No DAR membership application was filed as evidence of John Allen #1’s military service possibly because the family members of John Allen #2 had already used the Revolutionary War information attributing it to the wrong John Allen.
Conclusion:
Conflicting evidence creates a plausible conclusion that John Allen #1 was not the same man as John Allen #2. It seems to have been quite easy to confuse the two men as the name John Allen was common in Pennsylvania during the Colonial Period of America and of those who served in the military service of the Revolutionary War. In addition, there were several John Allens from Pennsylvania who filed for survivor’s pensions all having different application numbers assigned to them. The family of John Allen #1 is not the same family as John Allen #2 as no evidence of a common Revolutionary War ancestor was found during the author’s research. Family members of John Allen #1 have credible and researchable information to file for a DAR membership based upon his documented Revolutionary War service information as well as the dates and places of birth, residences, known associates, and dates and places of death.
So, the challenges of researching a colonial American ancestor with such a common surname and given name are problematic and difficult as illustrated in the above article.
What I have been able to discern about John Allen, my paternal 4th great-grandfather is that he may have been born in Ireland according to what he had been told by older family members, or according to a number of digital documents that I found he may have been born in Dorset, England. He came to the American colonies in 1762 with his father, whose name I believe to be John Allen, Sr. His mother Elizabeth Lillington died in England in 1758 along with two infant siblings, Mary Allen, b. 1757, d. 1757, and David Allen, b. 1758, d. 1758, according to various digital documents from the Dorset, England, Church of England Baptisms, Marriages, and Burials.
Young John immigrated to America with his father who was listed as living in Puddletown, England, and was counted among the Poor Law Settlement and Removal Records in 1757. The document, although difficult to read, seems to say that his father agreed to “labor” for one year for a gentleman named Gaylord Wrigly along with his wife, Mary, who was indebted to “labor” for three years. His wife Elizabeth may have also used the given name of Mary.
However, Elizabeth or Mary died by 1758 leaving her husband John with one child, also John who had been born in 1757.
By 1762 John and his young son, John, immigrated to the American colonies with other family members. His father, nor his mother, were never named in the testimony that a much older John, age 75 years, gave in 1832 in Columbia County, Pennsylvania. He testified that he came to the colonies in 1762 with family members to Chillisquaque Creek in Northumberland County, Pennsylvania at the age of five years. He later moved to Juniata County, Pennsylvania with family members, his father was not among the members of the family in 1767.
In the 1820 U.S. Federal Census of Madison Township, Columbia County, Pennsylvania, John Allen’s name appears along with his son, James Allen, and then again in the same township on the 1830 and 1840 censuses.
In 1832 John traveled to Danville, Pennsylvania, a journey of approximately eleven miles to give his testimony regarding his Revolutionary War Pension. He was 75 years old.
John was finally granted his pension in 1833 from serving in the U.S. Revolutionary War. He was granted $131.94 in arrears to 1831 and $65.97 annually until his death in 1845. In today’s money the $65.97 per year is equal to approximately $1600.00 per year.
His wife, Mary Nelson, b. November 1765, d.10 September 1845, whom he married in 1781 in Juniata County, Pennsylvania was probably the daughter of Major John Nathan Nelson (Neilson) and Margaret Simonton. Again, the name John Nelson was a common one, as was the name Major John Nathan Nelson who served in the Revolutionary War.
John's children were as follows: Joseph Allen b.1781- d.1845, Hugh Albert Allen, b.1783, d. unknown, David Allen, b. 1785 d. 1871, James Allen, b. 1789 d. 1856, Jacob Seidel Allen, Sarah Nelson Allen, b. circa 1799-1801 d. 1859, and Mary Allen, b. 1810 d. 1893.
John lived a long life of 88 years, quite impressive for the 18th and 19th century! He passed away on 27 June 1845 having been an immigrant to the American colonies, a militia member, and a scout during the America Revolution, a husband, and a father, and eventually a farmer in central Pennsylvania.
The challenge discussed in this blog post highlights the difficulty that may be encountered while researching ancestors who have common surnames and common given names. As for my research, I am reasonably confident that the John Allen in my family tree is the same John Allen that another family has claimed as their ancestor in their application and acceptance into the Daughters of America organization. I am working on having it changed in the DAR through my research that I have presented in the article that I authored.
Citations:
[1] Revolutionary War Pension and Bounty-Land Application Files 1800-1900, John Allen, survivor’s pension application file S.23,511; Danville, PA, Department of Veteran Affairs, Record Group 15; NARA microfilm publications M804 2760 rolls, 102-120, digital images (https://www.ancestry.com : accessed 17 March 2019), National Archives, Washington, D.C.
[2] Revolutionary War Pension…Application Files, John Allen, S.23,511.
[3] Revolutionary War Pension…Application Files, John Allen, S.23,511.
[4] Revolutionary War Pension…Application Files, John Allen, S.23,511.
[5] Revolutionary War Pension…Application Files, John Allen, S.23,511
[6] 1840 U.S. Census, Columbia County, Pennsylvania, Madison Township, population schedule, enumeration district, page, sheet 222 [stamped], household, line, John Allen, digital image, Archives.gov ( http://1840census.archives.gov : accessed 17 March 2019, citing NARA microfilm publication M704, roll 58.
[7] Pennsylvania Probate Records 1683-1994, Index to Wills and Administration, Columbia County Orphans Court, Bloomsburg; Allen, Page 5 Col. 31, Microfilm 954833 Penn4 16A, digital images (www.familysearch.org : accessed 17 March 2019), 28 February 1974.
[8] 1850 U.S. Census, Montour County, Pennsylvania, Madison Township, page 394 [stamped] sheet, illegible [handwritten], dwelling 164, line 34, James Allen, digital image (www.ancestry.com : accessed 17 March 2019) NARA, Washington, D.C. 1850 M432.
[9] Headstone of John Allen, Held in the Photograph Collection of Deborah Morgantini, photographed 6 March 2006, Montour County, White Hall, Pennsylvania, Derry Mennonite Cemetery (formerly Derry Presbyterian Cemetery).
[10] Revolutionary War Pension and Bounty-Land Application Files 1800-1900, John Allen, survivor’s pension application file S.22,622; Pittsburgh, PA, Department of Veteran Affairs, Record Group 15; NARA microfilm publications M804 2760 rolls, digital images (https://www.ancestry.com : accessed 17 March 2019), National Archives, Washington, D.C.
[11] Sons of the American Revolution, Membership Applications 1889-1970, Louisville, Kentucky. Pennsylvania Society of the Sons of the American Revolution. SAR membership 17518, application date 29 April 1905. Microfilm 508 rolls, digital images (www.ancestry.com : accessed 17 March 2019).
[12] Revolutionary War Pension…John Allen, file S.22,622.
[13] Revolutionary War Pension…John Allen, file S.22,622.
[14] Daughters of the American Revolution, Genealogy, Washington, D.C., The National Society of the Daughters of the American Revolution, Washington, D. C.; members, Alice Dilsaver Farquhar, member no. 161355, Winifred Chandler Myers, member no. 402434, Wilma Chandler Wardle ,member no. 283927; John Allen, Patriot no. A001663; digital image (https://services.dar.org : accessed 17 March 2019).
[15] 1840 U.S. Census, Butler County, Parker Township, Pennsylvania, John Allen, revolutionary veteran, NARA microfilm publication M704, 580 rolls, Records of the Bureau of Census, Group 29, National Archives, Washington, D.C. digital image (www.ancestry.com : accessed 17 March 2019).
[16] 1840 U.S. Census, Butler Co., PA, John Allen, age 85 years.
[17] Revolutionary War Pension and Bounty…Files, John Allen S. 22,622.
[18] Revolutionary War Pension and Bounty…Files, John Allen S. 23,511.
[19] Revolutionary War Pension and Bounty…Files, John Allen S. 23,511.
[20] Revolutionary War Pension and Bounty…Files, John Allen S. 22,622.
[21] Revolutionary War Pension and Bounty…John Allen S. 22,622.
[22] Revolutionary War Pension and Bounty…John Allen S. 22,622.
[23] Sons of the American Revolution, John Allen, application no. 17518.
[24] Daughters of the American Revolution, John Allen, Patriot no. A001663.
[25] Ancestry.com, Provo, UT, USA, Allen and Lord Family Tree, on-line publication, (www.ancestry.com/family-tree/person/tree/1179748 : accessed 17 March 2019), 2004.
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