Douglass ALLEN

ALLEN, ALLISON, CASSITY, DAVIS, HART, LAWRENCE, PUTCAMP, VANCE, WALLACE, ZIMMERMANN

Posted By: Luise Poulton (email)
Date: 6/9/2005 at 14:18:18

The following is transcribed, with typos intact, from a typescript booklet given to me (Luise Poulton) by my mother, Luise PUTCAMP JOHNSON, who was given it to her by her mother, Luise ZIMMERMANN PUTCAMP. The title page is handwritten "Presented to Aunt Ursel ALLEN CASSITY By Vera ALLEN DAVIS - 1927." At the end of the last page is written, in a different hand, "Typed for Vera ALLEN DAVIS by her Mother Mrs. Arthur ALLEN.

The transcriber has put all surnames in caps.

Autobiography of Douglass ALLEN
Dictated to Carrie E. ALLEN, May 1, 1883
Axact Copy
La Grange, Iowa, May, 1, 1883

I, Douglass ALLEN son of Joseph and Frances ALLEN of Loudon Co. Virginia, was born Oct. 19, 1799. I was the sixth of a family of ten children and emigrated with my parents to Clark Co. Kentucky, in 1807. I remained with them until 1819, when I was married to Anna ALLISON, daughter of John and Ruth ALLISON of Montgomery Co. Kentucky. The marriage was celebrated on the 9 of December the bride being then twenty two years of age.
In 1821 we both professed religion and joined the Presbyterian church at Cane Ridge, Bowham Co. Kentucky. We remained in that state until 1837, when we removed to Putnam Co. Indiana where we resided seven years. At the end of that time we again turned westward, removing to what was then, Iowa Territory and settling in Davis Co. Remained in this county five years and from thence came to Lucas Co. Iowa.
We were among the earliest settlers of this ocunty, as there were said to be but nine families in the county at that time. There was not a school house, nor a church building nor organization within its boundaries. In the Spring of 1851, William WALLACE, a licenciate of the Cumberland Presbyterian Church of Davis Co. came to my house as he was traveling over the country seeking a place to administer to the spiritual needs of the scattered ones of Zion, and 'the lost sheep of the house of Isreal.'" I was not at home when the came but my wife opened the doors of our home to this worthy preacher and he left an appointment to preach at our house at intervals of two weeks during the summer, and in the Fall of that year Rev. William LAWRENCE came with him and they organized the first church in the county, in our home.
It was known as the "Lone Oak" congregation of the C.P. church. It consisted of twelve members, some of whom came several miles to avail themselves of church privileges. At this organization I was elected and ordained an elder. We used in those days to have a great many good and precious meetings.
My wife, by whom I had eleven children, died January 4 1863 aged 63 years. Eight of the children had gone before to the better world. Four were grown, of these, Joseph William and Ruth Maria were married and Sanford Ward and Andrew James were in the strength of young manhood. The other four, Thomas Morris, Louisa Prudence Ann, Oliver Franklin, and Elizabeth Margaret, were called away within one short month, their ages ranging from three to ten years.
Three are yet living. John Allison, aged 62 years, Frances Wright, 59 years and Milton Harvey, 53 years.
My second marriage was to Mrs. Azubah HART, aged 36, daughter of William and Harriet VANCE of Monroe Co. Iowa, and occurred Sept. 22, 1863. Her father and mother were members of the Presbyterian church. She had united with the Cumberland Presbyterian some time previous to this.
The fruit of this marriage was three children, Sylvia Jane, aged, aged 19 years, Harriet Ellen, 16 years, and Benjamin Russell, aged 14 years.

(Uncle Douglass's death occurred on May 4 1884)

The above sketch was dictated to me when Uncle Douglass had been for years to blind to read or write. He said at the time that he wanted it done so his children and grandchildren would know something of his early life.
Signed _____ Carrie E ALLEN.
[handwritten] "Copied for Vera ALLEN DAVIS - 1927."

Chronology of the Milton Harvey ALLEN Family

Milton Harvey ALLEN, son of Douglass ALLEN, was born at Lexington, Kentucky, on September, 14, 1829. He was one of the old pioneers of Iowa, having come to this state in 1844, locating in Davis Co. In 1848 he came to Lucas, Co. Iowa. and located on a farm about a mile north of La Grange, Iowa, where he spent the most active part of his life, being an industrious farmer, and living to see great changes in the country in which he did his part in its upbuilding. In 1898 he decided to retire from the farm. After spending a year in California he moved to Des Moines, Iowa, where he spent the rest of his life.

End of parial transcript. Other surnames mentioned in the entire document are: HAIR, WARFORD, BEEKMAN, WRIGHT, SWIFT, ANDERSON, JOHNSON, PICKERELL, CHAMBERS, THRELKELD, BRANDON, YOUNG, CASSITY, KNOWLS, BOWN, VINCENT