Samuel Allen history by Maud Bliss Allen

Samuel Allen

by Maud B. Allen

born 30 December 1756

province of McCai in North Carolina

son of (probably) Elizabeth Warren

Samuel Allen was born under the shadows of the Blue Ridge Mountains, the sides of which were blue in the evening light. He was born the 30 December 1756 in a wilderness of game, forests, and rushing waters; on the ford of a creek that runs into a foaming river, and in a cabin that was chinked with red mud.

He came into the world a subject of King George III in that part of the country known as province of McCai in North Carolina, but was of English and Irish descent so far as we have been able to learn.

Andrew Jackson Allen, said that his father told him his grandfather was of Irish nationality and his grandmother’s surname was Warren. He did not remember their given names. Eliza Allen Frazure said, “I have often heard my father say his grandmother was an Irish woman through and through.”

Through many years of research no more has been learned. It is probable that Samuel’s mother was named Elizabeth. It is just a probability that the ancestry was Irish, and another generation being in the colonies. We understand from family tradition handed down through descendants that Samuel was an only child, and that his mother was in her 50th year when he was born.

He does not state in his Revolutionary papers where he was born, however, he enlisted in Bedford Courthouse, Virginia. He states that after his 2nd enlistment which was in Orange County, North Carolina, July 1782 at Stagg’s Old Field, being the place of mustering for Orange County, North Carolina. His enlistment was for 18 months, in the North Carolina militia. He states that before his company marched to where it belonged his mother was taken dangerously ill. As his family consisted only of his mother, a Negro girl and himself, he was compelled to furnish a substitute (to-wit) Robert Childress, to perform this last named tour. He had to sign a note to pay Childress one hundred and sixty pounds to take his place, which he paid him on 24 February 1783.

He married Nancy Easter or Hester 27 August 1782 in Hillsboro, North Carolina. She was born in Chester County, South Carolina. Their marriage is recorded pp. 13 of No. and So. Carolina marriages. Later he moved to Chester Co., South Carolina and removed from there to Pulaski County, Kentucky in 1803. Here he built a one and one half story log cabin on the banks of Fishing Creek in a beautiful valley.

He came to this valley in 1804 with his family, in a covered wagon driven by two double yoke of oxen. They were nine miles out of what is now Somerset; he came across a little valley encircled by hills, with only one entrance. As he took his family and wagon down into this valley around the winding edge of the hill, he had to cut two large trees and fasten them to the back of the wagon to keep it from rolling down onto the oxen. This is a very beautiful nook; the bottom of the valley is very fertile and Fishing Creek runs to the south of the land. The hills around contain much slate rock. They are covered with foliage.

Samuel Allen and Nancy Easter (ir Hester) had five children:

John Allen - b. 1783 No. Carolina; md Rachel McDaniel; d. 4 April 1851

Frances (or Frankey) Allen - b. 1784 or 1786; md. Samuel Dick

Rial Allen - b. 1791; md. Margaret Evins (or Evans)

David Allen - b. 19 Nov. 1797; md. (Patsy) Martha Harris

Samuel Allen, Jr. - b. 15 Sept. 1799 in So. Carolina; md Nancy Spears

Samuels wife, Nancy, died 13 Feb. 1829. On the 19 Nov. 1832 Samuel Allen appeared before the county court and asked for a pension. He would be 76 on the following 30th Dec. He obtained this pension.

Samuel and his sons were farmers. He was a steady worker and took care of his farm almost to the time of his death. He came in from a hard days work and said, “Well, I guess I’ve done my last day’s work” and soon after he passed away.

His sons Rial and David, died in Missouri, Samuel went to Oregon where he left a posterity; Frances or Frankey Allen Dick, his only daughter died in Pulaski Co., Kentucky. Nancy and Samuel were buried about 10 rods west of their home on the banks of Fishing Creek. Near them were buried a grandson Gilmore Allen and three slaves.

Their graves were shaded by large oak and fragrant cedars. In recent years the graves were moved, as that is now a lake.

The log cabin Samuel built in 1803-4 was still standing until recently. It was weather boarded and used until late years. There was a large fireplace both upstairs and down. The quaint wooden latch on the door still remained the same. The home faced south and was in the northern part of the valley which was once owned entirely by him. It consisted of 78 acres, surrounded by rolling hills covered with beautiful green foliage.

His descendants are found over the greater part of the United States from New York to California and among them are doctors, professors, and other distinguished people.

For many years the stones on the graves of Samuel and Nancy and others lay covered and unnoticed.. Mr. Cornelius Wesley, the owner of this plantation found them and took up the stones for the writer; scrubbed and scoured them and the crude markings are now legible. He takes great pleasure in caring for these graves. The DAR are making an effort at the present time (1936) to have the Government put suitable markers to the Revolutionary War Veterans graves and the families of their descendants will make every effort to put a marker at this Allen Resting place.

The information in this history was compiled by Maud B. Allen of Salt Lake City, and obtained from old family records, general accounting office at Washington, D.C. pp 13 of No. And So Carolina Marriages and other sources.