Samuel Allen and Rial Allen by Maud Bliss Allen

SAMUEL ALLEN was born "Under the shadows of the Blue Ridge Mountains in that"--I am starting this from memory but will refer to grandfather Andrew Jackson's own words in his Journal.  "Andrew J. Allen's grandfather, Samuel Allen was born under the Blue Ridge the side of which is blue in the evening light.  He was born in a wild land, of game, forests, and rushing waters.  Here on the ford of a creek that runs into a roaming river is a cabin that was chinked with red mud.  He came into the world a subject of King George III in that part of the realm know as the province of No Cai, but was of English and Irish descent so far as we have been able to learn."  This is the exact quotation from Andrew Jackson's record.  "My father said his grandfather was of Irish nationality and his grandmother's surnames was ---- Warren.  I did not remember their given names.  From Granddaughter 75 years of age with perfect memory and faculties, Mrs. Eliza Frazure, "I have often heard my father say his grandmother was an Irish woman through and through."

RIAL ALLEN was the third child, second son of Samuel and Nancy (Easter) Allen.  He was born in North Carolina, probably in Orange County as Samuel Allen's war record says he (Samuel) was married in Orange County, N.C., although he enlisted in Bedford Co., Va.  The record of Andrew Jackson Allen, written by himself, says that Rial Allen was born in N.C. in 1791.  It would appear that a son ought to know the year of birth of his father, however, if this is correct, his wife, Margaret Moore Evins was seven years his senior as she was born in 1784 in Knox Co., Tenn., and James Allen his first child was born in 1807.  SO if the date 1791 is correct he certainly married very young, James being born when he was 16 years of age.

We only have two positive dates as far as Samuel Allen's children are concerned, Frankey his first daughter born 6th May 1784 and his last child Samuel Jr., was born the 15th of Sept 1799.  Between August 27, 1782 the marriage of Samuel and Nancy recorded in the North and South C. marriage records (page 13) and the year of Samuel's birth there were five children, John, Frances or Frankey, a girl, Rial, David and Samuel.  As David is the only child between Rial and Samuel there has always been a doubt in mind as to Rial's year of birth.

When Samuel Allen applied for a Pension he said he was born the 30th day of December 1756, did not state where, but enlisted in Bedford Court House, V.  He stated his second enlistment was after he moved to Orange County N.C., where he was married in 1782.  Research in Bedford County for Allen residents and emigrants has so far proved unsuccessful.

At some period after his marriage he went to South Carolina to live.  In reply to a letter from me to the General Accounting Office asking for the last date of payment of pension the following information was obtained:

"On September 7, 1841, the pensioner certified that the had resided in Pulaski County, Kentucky, for the space of thirty-eight years past, and that previous thereto he was a resident of Chester County, South Carolina."

The parents of Samuel Allen have remained a mystery so far, as research has been able to give us nothing definite.  In answer to letters to Somerset, Pulaski Co., Ky., where the family has lived for over one hundred and thirty-two years there is a an elderly lady, 2nd cousin of Rial, close to eighty years who says that her father often told her Samuel Allen's mother's last name was Warren, but he did not know the first name, or the mane of Samuel's father.  I had a responsible gentleman go see this cousin, that he might find out if she could be relied upon.  He writes me that she was very amiable, very intelligent and bright, and could be relied upon as to what she said for she seemed to know what she was talking about, had a very good memory, and was willing to help in anyway she could to straighten out these records.  Andrew Jackson Allen named all of his children family names.  One son he named Thomas Warren Allen.

Rial Allen died the 26th of September, 1865 in St. Joseph, MO.  I have traced five or six of the grandsons of Samuel to Missouri; whether any of Rial's brothers went, I have not yet ascertained.  Rial Allen was not a member of the church.  His son James, had him baptized 6th July 1870 and endowed 20th of Sept. 1882 in the St. George Temple at which time the three brothers, with some of their families did ordinance work for their dead.

Rial's wife, Margaret Evins was the daughter of Jon Evins, perhaps spelled Evans, and Margaret Mary Moore Evans.  There is very little in the library of Tennessee.  She was born in 1784 according to her son's record.

Rial Allen was baptized by proxy the 6th of July 1870 and sealed to his wife Margaret Evins the same day.  She was baptized also the 6th of July.  These baptisms were in the Endowment House in Salt Lake City.  She was endowed the 21st of Sept. 1879 by her daughter Martha Allen Marshall.  These records can be found in Andrew Jackson Allen's personal record pages 55 and 70.

Rial Allen went to Missouri and spent his life there farming.  The family had always been farmers, and successful ones too.  They had a nice two-story home in Missouri.  (the home he had in Somerset Pulaski County, it is said he moved room the bed of the creek up on a bank, and then he sawed the corners of the eaves off, so that the witches would stay away.)  In this home in Missouri he lived with his daughter Betsy and her husband, Sprankle Snyder.  This couple never had any children.

Andrew Jackson was the first to come to Utah, but not the first to join the church.  In Wilford Woodruff's journal he tells of baptizing five the 17th day of November 1835 while he was a guest of Brother James Allen.  They were baptized in the Creek near their home, while he was on his first mission.  So the church was very young when James was baptized.  Lewis was baptized the 31st of May 1836 in Calloway County, KY, by whom we do not know, but is most likely by Brother Woodruff also.  Andrew Jackson Allen was not baptized until April 1846 in Nauvoo, Ill., by A.O. Smoot.  His wife was baptized the same day.  One year later they started on their long western journey with the Saints.  They arrived in Salt Lake City the 26th of Sept. 1847.  Abram O. Smoot was the captain of the fifty smaller companies and Captain Samuel Turnbow's Ten.  (Father stated in one place it was Wallace's Ten.)

Lewis and James Allen came west together.  They were very comfortably fixed as farmers and hog and stock raisers.  James and wife with their complete family, Lewis and wife and all their family except Mary who was born in Washington, Utah.  They started on the 29th of May 1861, the birthday of Lewis; daughter, Sarah, for the West.  There was one horse team in the crowd.  Lewis had three covered wagons, driven by oxen.  James had two covered wagons, pulled by oxen, and one buggy with a span of horses.

There were plenty of horses to drive the cattle.  There were approximately fifteen head of milk cows, two young colts, almost old enough to wean.  The weather was wonderful.  Grandfather Rial went over to see them and they all felt like they wanted to stay just one more day with their loved ones, but James had gone on one day ahead, and so the felt like they must go.  Grandfather Rial said he and Aunt Betsy and Uncle Sprankle would go part way with them that day so it would seem easier and not so hard to part with them.  McKelly, a sweetheart of Lewis' oldest daughter went also horseback with them.

It was weeks after they left before they saw an Indian.  He came up with a large feather in his headgear.  He was on horse.  They could not understand him.  Later they had many Indians come to their camp many many times to beg.  When they reaches the Mississippi River they were ferried across by a boat and the oxen were taken across by the boat also, but the cattle swam through.  One night a herd of buffalo passed.  It was just towards dark when they saw them.  Uncle James and Lem followed them but they did not get any.  At different times they saw many antelope.  They could always buy dried buffalo meat which was for sale at the stores.  When they arrived in Colorado they picked up Uncle Jim's oldest boy who had been working at Pike's Peak.  He had been working in the mines there and was glad to be reunited with his family and come West with them.

They came leisurely across the many miles of country on their long journey to the West.  They had a pleasant trip and arrived in the late fall when the melons were ripe.  They went directly to the home of their brother Andrew Jackson at what was then the South Willow Creek, but was later names Draper, and spent the winter with him.  Here Margaret and Sarah went to school.

In the Spring of 1862 Lewis Allen went to the Dixie Country and took up land, but on account of the lack of water it was unsuccessful, so he bought a home in Washington County for his family and lived there about four years.  He then went up to Nevada on the Muddy, called West Point.  His wife died the first winter.  He stayed there one more year and then the Government took it up for an Indian Reservation called Yapa, and all the white people had to move out.  He next bought Moccasin Springs and lived here till he joined the United Order in 1876 in Orderville, Utah, and lived there till his death.  The Indians never bothered the people there at the settlement but would take stock and drive them away.

Aunt Betsy and husband Sprankle always lived with their father Rial.  Rial Allen was not very big but was straight, and was not too heavy, but was fleshy, something of the build of James and was of a very kindly disposition, was of medium complexion, and was going grey, his eyes seemed hazel.  He was comfortably fixed, perhaps not rich, but they were comfortable.  He was building a fine eight-room house which was hardly finished at the time of his sons' departure. - description by Sarah Allen Lervy

Lafe Irwin was not a Mormon but he made the trip West with Lewis and James.  He was the husband of James oldest daughter, Rachel Mahaley who died the 3rd of June 1860.  They had two children, May and Lyle.  He brought them with him.  He wished to marry the next daughter Margaret, but she would not have him, so he went back East with his two children.  He would neither take sides with the North or the South.  He was met by a band of soldiers and was shot within a few miles of his home. They then took the children to their grandmother, his mother.  As he would not take sides in the War, they branded him as a deserter and sent him to his death.

References:- Andrew Jackson Allen's Family record which he wrote himself. 

Washington War Records,

Pension Records, Washington D.C. Census records.

Virkus American Genealogy. 

History of Utah,

Correspondence with Eliza Frazure, KY., R. Roy, California

Cornelis Wesley, Pulaski Co., KY,

Mr. Ervine, Tenn.,

personal visits to Joseph Owens and to Sara Allen LeRoy.

Joseph Owens, son of Martha Owens Marshall, daughter of Rial Allen

Sarah LeRoy, daughter of Lewis Allen of Moccasin Springs.

Maud Bliss Allen