John Allison(1839-1924)

ALLISON, PARKINSON, SNODDY, CAIN, BENTON, BANKS, KNEEN

Posted By: Anne Hermann (email)
Date: 8/13/2008 at 07:57:07

Jackson Sentinel
February 26, 1924

John Allison Passes Away Very Suddenly Saturday

John Allison, for many years a highly respected resident of Clinton and Jackson counties, passed away very suddenly at his home on South Second street in this city about two o’clock Saturday afternoon, death being due to heart failure. Mr. Allison was down town in the forenoon and was enjoying usual health, but now long after reaching home he suffered a heart attack, which resulted in death. Mr. Allison was a quiet, unpretentious gentleman, whose entire life had been devoted to honest activity and ambitions, and his death marks the passing of a good citizen and a Christian man.

John Allison was born near Nassagaweya, Ontario, Canada, March 9, 1839, and remained in his parental home of John and Jane Allison until reaching manhood. Of his father’s family, one brother and two sisters are still living. Two brothers and two sisters preceded him in death. His parents passed away many years ago in Canada. On Dec. 23, 1859, he was married to Miss Nancy Jane Parkinson, coming two months later to the United States, settling near Lyons in Clinton county. Because of the ill health of Mrs. Allison the family consisting of father, mother and two daughters decided to go back to Canada but returned to the United States in 1878. The family consisting of father, mother and eight children settled near Delmar and later established their home near Elwood. After seven years, they again resided near Delmar, remaining there sixteen years. The family moved to Maquoketa in 1903.

Mr. Allison was born in a religious home and was converted in early childhood and has been a faithful follower of his Savior all these years. He used to be class leader and steward in the church for many years. He committed several Psalms to memory after he was 80 years old, which were a great comfort to him in his last days. He leaves to mourn their loss the following children: Mrs. Jas. Snoddy of Olin, Mrs. Anna J. Cain of Waverly, Mrs. W. E. Benton, John J. Allison and Miss Margaret Allison of Maquoketa; Mrs. B. D. Banks of Santa Barbara, Calif.; Mrs. T. A. Kneen of Letcher, So. Dak.; Albert P. Allison and George T. Allison of Delmar, and J. Gould Allison of Longmont, Colo. His wife passed away in 1920. Two children, one daughter, Phoebe May, died in infancy, and one son, Obdiah, was killed May 18, 1898 during the great cyclone that destroyed their home near Delmar. There are also 25 grandchildren and eleven great grandchildren.

The funeral services will be held Wednesday, Feb. 27, at 1:30 at the house and 2:00 o’clock at the church. The remains will be taken to the mausoleum after the services and later taken to the Evergreen cemetery at Delmar.