John Showell Allen

Notes:

Said to have married Ruth Linton, and to be the father of Caroline Elizabeth Allen, the wife of Robert James Pembrook McCants of Abbeville District, SC

http://www.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~scorange/records/bible/bible_janemccants.htm

Tombstone Inscription:

"Born in Mecklenburg Co., Virginia; Departed this life in Chambers County, Ala."


Tuck Wilson provided the following timeline of his ancestor:

Timeline
1787 - Born in Mecklenburg County, Virginia, the first child born to 22 year old Arva Allen and Polly Clarke.
1789 - Family moves to Abbeville District, South Carolina
1814 - Marries next door neighbor 19 year old Ruth Linton when he is 26.
1815-1835 - They have eight children.
1827 - Elected Justice of the Peace. History of Lowndesville, SC; Carlisle; p 237
1835 - Ruth dies from complications of childbirth.
1838 - Trustee for the Lowndesville Academy, a co-ed private school.
1840 - 16 Jan, John Showell Allen marries Mrs. Charlotte Simmons in Edgefield District SC
1843 - John is being sued by __________ in Charleston and Sidney Linton, farm is threatened. John buys
goldmine on Kings Mountain NC and makes enough money to pay off his debts and keep the farm.
1843 - Goldmine 1 & 2 letters written. John misses both Alex and Laurinda's wedding while working the mine.
1849 - John sells the plantation, clearing $11679
1849 - John is living at the Benson Hotel in Anderson, SC when news reaches him that his daughter Caroline's
husband has been murdered by a slave. He writes his son George. See GWAllen papers 28 Sept 1849
1850 - Census living in Anderson, SC with wife Charlotte, son John C. Allen, age 9, and 10 teenage girls who
have seven different last names.
1852 - John has moved to Cartersville, Bartow County, Georgia where he owns the only hotel. Alex visits him
and writes George that Pa is slipping mentally and wants him to move close to either him or George. GWAllen
Papers 27 July 1852
1855 - dies at son George's place 7 Feb 1855. There were letters to the effect that he was to be buried in Smyrna
Cemetery next to his first wife Ruth Linton but he is not on a list of graves from that place.

(Research):
Census Listings:

1850 Anderson County, (Western Div.) SC Census:

#H518

John S. Allen 62M Farmer R$3,000 (20-Slaves) Born VA
Charlotte Allen 49F Born SC
John C. Allen 9M Born SC
Mary A. Simmons 19F Born SC
F. E. Simmons 15M Born SC
Sarah C. Monday 16F Born SC
Susan E. Monday 13F Born SC
Columbia J. Ashley 15F Born SC
Virginia V. Ashley 13F Born SC
Mary E. Mason 14F Born SC
Virginia White 14F Born GA
Mary E. Shaw 16F Born SC
Elizabeth Bush 17F Born GA

(Courtesy of Tuck Wilson)

John married Ruth Linton on 30 Jun 1814. Ruth was born about 1795; died on 4 Feb 1835; was buried in Smyrna Cemetery, Lowndesville, Abbeville County, South Carolina. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

1. Caroline Elizabeth Allen was born on 22 Mar 1816 in South Carolina; died on 12 Oct 1890; was buried in Moses Wheat Cemetery, Lee County, Alabama.
2. George Washington Allen was born on 31 Mar 1823 in South Carolina; died on 14 Jan 1891 in Alabama; was buried in Elmwood Cemetery, Birmingham, Jefferson County, Alabama.

Notes:

Tuck Wilson, a descendant of Arva's eldest son, John Showell Allen, provided the following biography of Arva:

"Arva Allen was born around 1765 in Mecklenburg County Virginia. The date is established by the following:Arva paid taxes on the Purchase of a horse in 1785 when " he is not yet 21 years of age" and he paid his first "head tax" levied on persons 21 years or older the next year , 1786. He married Polly Clarke in 1786, Bolling Clarke, surety. Arva and Polly lived in Mecklenburg Co. as evidenced by the head tax that he paid in 1787, 1788 and 1789 and then they moved to Abbeville District, South Carolina, a trip by wagon train of over 300 miles. Their first two children, John Showell Allen and Banister Allen were born in Virginia and their third child, Charlotte Allen was born in Elbert County Georgia in February 1791. They made their home here for a number of years, surrounded by large numbers of Allen relatives.

The Allen family was not in the 1800 census of Abbeville District. In 1799, they moved to Elbert County, Georgia and were living on Beaver Dam Creek for two years before returning to Abbeville. Family tradition states that Arva was a millwright. This could have been the reason for their living there for two years. There was a water mill on Beaver Dam Creek until the 1930's, perhaps built by Arva. Arva also had property on Coldwater Creek in Elbert County in 1804 - Elbert County, Georgia Deed Books K-R, 1806-1819, Abstracted and Indexed by Michal Martin Farmer; Farmer Genealogy Company, Dallas, TX, 1997. Elbert Co., Ga. Deed Book R, 1818- 1819: p. 72. 2 Feb. 1804, Samuel Means, Sen., & Margret, his wife, to Joshua Jinkins, all of Elbert Co., for $300, on a branch of Cold Water Creek in sd. co., supposed to be 100 acres, adj. Hugh Means & Arva Allen, John Beard & others, in fee simple. (signed) Samuel Means, Margret (/) Means. Wit: Micajah Farrel, Jno. Cunningham, J/P., Hugh Means, W. Martin. Rec. 4 May 1818. I believe Allen family kept the property for many years as grandsonson George W. Allen used it as his address while he attended Franklin College and grandson Alex went there to visit father John Showell Allen and his second wife in 1843.

The 1810 census has them in Abbeville again. It lists 2 males, 16 - 26 (John Showell Allen and Banister Bolling Allen), 2 males under 10 (Thompson and Leroy Allen), 1 male 45 and up (Arva Allen) , 3 females 10 - 16 (Charlotte, Polly and Nancy Allen) and 1 female 45 and up (Polly Clark Allen).

The 1820 census has no mention of Arva or his family in Abbeville and no one knows for sure what happened to them. One conjecture is that Arva, Polly, and the four younger children moved to Alabama after 1810. There is an Arva Allen, living alone, in Pickens County Alabama in the 1830 census. It is possible that Arva went there to pursue his trade, the building of grain mills. Family tradition says Arva died and is buried in Huntsville, Madison County,Alabama but I can find no evidence of that. Some researchers feel he died in Covington County, Mississippi.

The Allen family migration to Alabama & Mississippi included several family members, Charlotte Allen Porter and her husband James M. Porter, Thompson Allen, Leroy Allen, Banister Allen's son Byrd Oliver Allen, and John Showell Allen's son, Samuel Linton Allen (a few years later).

Charlotte Allen Porter got Arva's bible after his death but tracking this family has been difficult. I have not found them in the 1830, 1840 or 1850 census but James M. Porter bought or sold property in Huntsville, Madison County Alabama in 1839 and 1840. Their son 2 Arva Allen Porter is in Holmes County Mississippi in in 1850 listing 5 children born there since 1839. Thompson and Leroy Allen are separate head of households found in Winston County Mississippi in 1840. Leroy Allen also buys (or sells) property in Huntsville, Madison County, Alabama in 1840. Byrd Oliver Allen is found in Noxubee County MS in 1840. Samuel Linton Allen is in Sunflower County MS during the mid 1840's and 1850's from letters.

Arva could be buried anywhere in Alabama or Mississippi from the evidence I can collect. James Porter and Leroy Allen had property in Huntsville at about the right time. As to when he died, Alexander Arva Allen (grandson) writes 16 March 1843: " News had arrived when I was over (at Uncle Banister's) that Grandpa Allen was dead obtained through Bird's (Bird is Arva's grandson and Banister's son) writing to Uncle Banister. Uncle LeRoy (Arva's son) had obtained the Power of Attorney from him before his death, gone to Virginia, received the legacy and pocketed it safe enough, a great piece of rascality indeed having enclosed in the Power of Attorney a deed of gift to the legacy." This says quite a bit. Most importantly, Arva had a legacy in Virginia and likely we can identify his father and family. Also, grandson Bird was living in Choctaw County Alabama at the time, suggesting Arva died in western Alabama. It also establishes Arva's death in about late 1842 as Bird's letter arrives while Alex is visiting in early 1843 and Uncle LeRoy had already gone to Virginia to obtain the legacy.

The Allen plantation was located on a hill overlooking the Rocky River in Abbeville District. There is such a place shown on the 1820 Mills Atlas (conveniently next to a water mill) that may be the old homestead although it could also easily be Banister or John Showell Allen's place. Rembert Allen , in "The Arva Allen - Polly Clark Family of Virginia, South Carolina and other Southern States" says that the original plantation was three miles southeast of Lowndesville and it became the home of Bannister Allen. John Showell Allen had a place three miles southwest of Lowndesville, close to Samuel Linton's " Mt. Pleasant" home, near the Savannah River.

Diane Click writes that Mecklenburg was cut out of Lunenburg VA in 1765.

Christine Allen Bevans emailed, in August 2020 that:I believe that Arva Allen is Arvey Allen. I have a copy of the original Marriage Surety Bond for Arvey Allen to Polley Clarke 08/01/1786. Secured by Bolling Clarke.



(Research):In March 2014, Tuck emailed that some Public Member trees on Ancestry.Com show that Arva's father was Richard Allen. Most have this Richard dying in Cumberland County Va 1832 and had two known sons Arva and Henry. Some have Arva Allen listed as Alfred Arva Allen, a name that I have seen as Thompson Allen's youngest (although it is A. Arva Allen in the census).

The following is a summary of public member trees on Ancestry.com. If you have anything to add, I would appreciate haring from you.

Public Member Tree '96 Davis Family Tree. In this tree , Richard Allen 1740-1825 has two sons,Arva 1764-1842, and Henry Allen 1760-1830.
Henry Allen is living in Halifax County Va. In 1783, unknown spouse, has child that is Lawson R. Allen Sr. 1783-1861. No proof offered.
Lawson Allen m. Nancy Clark, Halifax Co. in 1806. This Nancy Clark is thought to be related to Polly Clark. They moved to Williamson Co. Tn with 8 Clark head of households and a number of grandchildren of Bolling Clark d. 1809 Dinwiddie Co. Doug Tucker wrote me in 2005 "Here's a couple of possible leads for your search for Arva's parents. You already know that Bolling Clark's daughter married a Lawson Allen in Halifax Co., VA in 1802. My research notes show that Lawson Allen's father may have been a Henry Allen and that his grandfather may have been named Richard Allen. I don't think that Henry and Richard came directly from my research, but rather from another Allen researcher who may have been swayed by Lawson naming his oldest son Richard Henry Allen. There is ample reason to look hard at this and I did but other than the connection of Lawson Allen back to Bolling Allen d. 1809 Dinwiddie, the records have not been much help. There is no Henry Allen in Halifax WB 0,1,and 2 1782-1792 (as far as I went). There is no Henry Allen in the 1782 Continental Census Halifax or "Records of State Enumerations 1782 Halifax. Also for 1783, and 1785. There are no marriages of Henry Allen in Halifax, in "Some Virginia Marriages" '96 Wulfleck, " Virginia Marriages1740-1850"- Ancestry.com or "Virginia Marriages 1660-1800" Ancestry.com."

Public Member Tree Charles Robbins Harris Tree '96 same as above but no proofs.

Public Member Tree '96 Jenkins In this tree, Richard Allen is b. in Hanover Co. va. Nov 21 1741 of parents James Allen (1699-1771) and Anne Anderson (1706-1776). Richard dies in Cumberland Co. Virginia in 1832. Richard Allen has two sons, Henry Allen (1760-1830) and Alfred Arva Allen (1764- 1842). No evidence is provided except for unnamed Ancestry.com trees. Searching thru the Cumberland County Will books 6-11, 1817-1852, there is no Richard Allen will or estate and he is not mentioned as a legatee in another Allen will. A Richard Allen is mentioned twice as the administrator of a William Allen dec'd. who apparently died in 1841 and his estate ran to 1846. Also no Arva or Henry appears in these willbooks at all.
What is in the Jenkins tree is a detailed list of children of James Allen d. 1771 Hanover Co. , supposed father of Richard.

Public Member Tree '96 Cohn Family Tree states Richard Allen b.741 Hanover, d. -1832 Cumberland has son Alfred Arva Allen b. 1764. Offers no proof.

Public Member Tree '96 Wilson Tilquist Allen Family. States that Arva Allen is the son of a Richard Allen (abt 1740-abt 1825) and does not claim Henry or claim to know where Richard died. No proof

(Medical):


yDNA results

A direct male descendant of Arva Allen's (through his son Thompson Allen and grandson William Washington Allen), born with the Allen surname, volunteered to submit a yDNA sample to FamilyTreeDNA.com.

His kit number, in the name of William Allen, is 237184.

The results showed that he was in the R1b1a2a1a1b haplogroup.

He was a 37 marker match to the following :

Samual Doyle Allen Jr (Ancestor Ephraim P. Allen, b. 1820 North Carolina)
Ronald Lee Allen (Ancestor Edmond Allen)
Henry Walton Allen (Ancestor not indicated)
Jerome Brady (Ancestor Richard Brady b. ca. 1805 Co. Caven or Claire, Ireland)
Williams Adams (Ancestor William Adams b. 1816)

Bill Adams emailed the following about his "Adams" lineage: "I can trace my lineage back to William Adams born in Mecklenburg, VA in 1816 or 1820. I know his mother was Sarah/Sally "Adams". (And I think he may have had brothers Alfred and James). I cannot determine who his father was. His grandfather appears to be James Adams who fought in the Revolution. Sarah/Sally having a last name of "Adams" is weird.

Due to the exact match between us, I am wondering whether Sarah/Sally actually had a husband named "Allen" who died or something. Maybe Sarah/Sally went to live with her "Adams" dad for this or some other reason and the kids were raised with an Adams last name. I sayy this because it seems weird to me that Sarah/Sally's husband would also be the same last name of "Adams".

You show your earliest ancestor being 1820, but I do know that the "Adams" in Mecklenburg lived on "Allen's" creek. Also, one of them married an "Allen" (maybe it was William, I can't remember for sure.) I know there were "Allens" living in close proximity to the "Adams" in Mecklenburg, VA."

Arva married Polly Clarke on 19 Aug 1786 in Mecklenburg County, Virginia. Polly was born about 1765 in Mecklenburg County, Virginia; died on 4 Jul 1835 in Alabama. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

Tuck Wilson writes that "Family tradition has it that Polly Clark was a "Bolling". The Bolling family was quite prominent and so although she was a Clark, her grandmother was a Bolling (Penelope) , thus she was known by her famous family name. An important clue to her lineage is that Bolling Clark stood surety for her marriage. Records were destroyed by Tarleton when the British troops burned the Louisa County courthouse." Tuck addes that Bolling Clark's daughter married a Lawson Allen in Halifax Co, VA in 1902.

Notes:

Married:
Bolling Clarke was shown as their second (witness?). They also had two sons and one daughter that died as infants.