Allen Family

Allen is a poplar English surname meaning originally dwelt near the Allen or “green plain.”[1]

William Allen was born before 1770 (based on the 1820 Grayson County, VA census) He purchased 400 acres in 1791 in Grayson County. William married Ann Stuart. William died between 12 July 1823 (date of will) and September 1823 (will probated). His wife Ann was found in the 1830 Logan County, Virginia (now West Virginia) census. William and Ann had eleven documented children. One being Carr Allen born about 1786 in Grayson County.

Carr Allen married Temperance Daniel on 10 March 1815 in Patrick County, Virginia. Carr was living in Carroll County, Virginia in 1850. By 1860, he was in Raleigh County, Virginia and he may have died there. Carr and Temperance had eight known children, one being John Allen born 29 January 1817 in Grayson County.

John Allen married Sarah Johnson 26 November 1840 in Mount Airy, North Carolina. John was listed in the 1870 Raleigh County, West Virginia census which included his wife Sarah and four of his children. Evidently, John moved to the Alum Spring area of Little Walkers Creek, Pulaski County shortly after 1870. From Dr. R. A. Brock’s book, Virginia and Virginians (1888), “John Allen served in Pulaski County as the district clerk from 1871-1875 and was constable from 1876-1880”. John Allen wife Sarah and daughter Margaret were listed in the 1880 Raleigh County, West Virginia census, Clearfork District, page 129; son John was living next door. [Even though Dr. Brock says John Allen lived in Pulaski, no land records have been found to validate this information.] John and Sarah Johnson Allen had eight children, one being William Carr Allen.

William “W. C.” Carr Allen was born 07 February 1845 in Carroll County, Virginia. He was married three times. He first married Eliza J. Combs on 28 October 1866 in Raleigh County, West Virginia. Eliza’s father was John Combs and Peninah Beller. Like the Allen family, John Combs moved from Carroll County to Raleigh County and on to Pulaski County. After the death of wife Eliza, W. C. married Lucy J. Morris 12 February 1885, daughter of Samuel and Rachel. Lucy died 05 February 1886. W. C. married third Susan S. Morris 22 May 1886. She was the daughter of Jesse Morris and Caroline Beller. W. C. died 21 April 1906.[2]

On November 10, 1879, the J. W. White heirs conveyed a tract of land on Little Walkers Creek to William C. Allen. It was located between the lands of Nancy Johnson and William Miller. Acreage not given.[3]

W. C. Allen bought land from M. J.. and H. E. Combs. The land was conveyed December 6, 1888 and contained 55 acres. Bounded on the east John Combs which he had bought of James Johnson and bounded on the west of David Millirons. Known as the Johnson tract.[4]

John Combs and wife Phebe R. conveyed to William C. Allen a tract of land which was located at the corner of the original corner to Hiram Davis patent land. Dated October 25, 1889.[5]

On February 19, 1898 Bertha Mineral Company conveyed 67.82 acres to William C. Allen…”corners to the Shannon grant and Davis grants to a corner of William Millirons…”.[6]

On November 25, 1903, William C. and Susan S. sold 67 acres of land to Mary J. Tynes of Wythe County bounded on the east by William Miller; by the west Nancy Johnson; north and south by the Bertha Mineral Company and known as the Isaac Johnson tract.[7]

W. C. and Susan conveyed 3 tracts of land, a total of 152 acres, to W. J. Allen on January 9, 1904. The first conveyed to W. C. by M. J. Combs and wife, 55 acres. The second was conveyed to W. C. by John Combs, 45 ¼ acres. The third tract was conveyed by Bertha Mineral Company, 67. 82 acres. W. C. further transfers the following personal property: “…2 horses, 4 cows, 1 yoke of oxen, 6 yearlings, 4 calves, 20 sheep, 1 wagon and gears, 2 buggies and gears, 2 mowing machines, 1 rake, 3 plows, 7 stakes of hay, 100 bushel of corn, 9 head of hogs, 1 organ, 1 sewing machine, 1 cooking stove and utensils, and all beds and bedding, bureaus, chairs, tables and all other personal property and all household or kitchen furniture, fixtures and appliances.[8]

On March 11, 1913, Ms. Launia Suthers wife of Charles R. of Wytheville conveyed 67 acres to Susan S. Allen; it being the same land Ms. Suthers bought of Mary J. Tynes unmarried of Bluefield, West Virginia on January 5, 1911.[9]

Near the lower end of the Allen property is a house which once served as a parsonage for the pastor of the Millirons Methodist Church (located about half a mile up the road). Next to this home is the Allen Cemetery, with about fifteen tombstones. Included are the markers for W. C. Allen, his third wife Susan, and his son James H. Also there, although without a tombstone, is the grave of Benjamin Franklin Allen, father of Jack—Submitted by George Allen

Children of William and Eliza:[10]

1.       Benjamin Franklin “Frank” born 22 October 1867 in Raleigh County, West Virginia married Mary Ella Blackwell on 21 December 1893 in Fayette County, West Virginia. He died in Pulaski County on 07 April 1903. Frank died four months after his youngest son was born; his son were reared by various relatives.[11] He was living in Pulaski in 1900 with wife and children:

1.1.        Charles Edward born August 1894.[12]

1.2.        James Franklin born about 1897 and died before 1900.

1.3.        William Carson born April 1898.[13]

2.        Joseph L. born 06 March 1869 in Raleigh County; died 26 February 1885 in Pulaski County.

3.       Mary Magdalene born 06 March 1871 in Raleigh County married 1st John D. Runions and 2nd John Quincy Barton. She died 02 November 1935 in Fayette County, West Virginia.

4.        Sarah A. born 21 March 1873 in Raleigh County; died 13 September 1884 in Pulaski County.

5.        Ida Catherine born 30 April 1875 married first George Fletcher, son of Madison Allen Fletcher and Martha Esther Sands. Ida and George divorced. She married second, George’s brother Joseph Walford.

6.        John A. born 09 April 1877 in Pulaski County married Flora L. Stafford on 12 September 1894 in Giles County, Virginia. He died 08 April 1915.

7.       James H. born 09 March 1879 in Pulaski; died 06 July 1945.

8.       William Jackson born 29 November 1881 married Cherrie Elizabeth Musser. He died 11 February 1959 in Richlands, Virginia.

Child of William and Lucy:

9.        Margaret May born 27 November 1885 in Pulaski married Floyd Newton Hamblin on 06 September 1902 in Pulaski. He was the son of John M. Stafford Hamblin and Sarah Catherine Croy. She died 29 May 1978 in Albany, Georgia. *See Hamblin Family.

Children of William and Susan:

10.     Martha Alice born 06 April 1887 in Pulaski married John Frank Smith 28 October 1902 in Bristol, Sullivan County, Tennessee. She died 14 December 1961 in Wythe County.

11.   Samuel Walice born 01 June 1889 in Pulaski; died 21 March 1891 in Pulaski.

12.   Albert Asa born 14 September 1894 in Pulaski married Bessie Owens Woodyard 03 March 1918 in Pulaski. She was the daughter of Andrew Grayson Woodyard and Mary Jane Morris. Bessie was born 17 September 1898 and died 22 February 1972 in Dayton Ohio. Albert died 16 January 1974 in Mercer County, West Virginia. Albert and Bessie are buried in the Hunter Cemetery, Little Walkers Creek, Pulaski County, Virginia.

13.     Jesse McKinley born 06 November 1896 married 1st Gertrude Spackner; married 2nd Gladys Shewey. Jesse died 16 December 1981.

14.   Hubert Troy born 17 September 1899 in Pulaski married Gladys Elizabeth King 10 July 1910 in Pulaski. Gladys was the daughter of Isaac Henry King and Bessie May LeFew. Hubert died 04 Oct 1995 in Pulaski.[14]