Allen, Robert 1835-1916 & Hannah Bowering and Family

ALLEN, BOWERING, BANBURY, ALLIN

Posted By: Wilma J. Vande Berg - volunteer (email)
Date: 5/25/2023 at 15:18:42

Allen, Robert 1835-1916 & Hanna Bowering and Family

The Biography for Grant Township, Sioux County Iowa pioneer, Robert Allen and wife Hannah Bowering along with their children’s families was compiled by Wilma J. Vande Berg of the Greater Sioux County Genealogical Society. Information from one source to another can vary, information was entered as recorded in the cited source.

Robert Allen was an early settler of Grant Township, and moved to California before 1900. Some excerpts from county books are listed below. No published biography was found.

In the book ‘Story of Sioux County’ by Charles Dyke page 482. Early Day of Grant Township pages 482-486.
About 1871 Robert Allen and family were listed as having come in the spring of 1871 – ‘Most of the settlers who came before April 9 were staying at Mr. Follet’s while building shanties on their claims. Mr. Robert Allen and family were camping on their homestead, located on the west half of the northwest quarter of Section 10, in an emigrant wagon, when on the evening of April 9, a blizzard swept down from the northwest and lasted until the morning of the first, when Mr. Allen made his way through the drifts to Mr. Follet’s for aid to move his family to Mr. Edminister’s dugout on the west half of the northeast quarter of Section 14.’
Page 283. First Marriage of Mr H S. Palmitere and Miss Sirlecta Berray were the first couple to be married in the Township; they were married March 28, 1872 by Robert Allen.
Page 485. During the year 1888 the Illinois Central Railroad ran a branch through Grant township and located a town which they called Maurice, the only town in th township; shortly after, its name was changed to Matlock by Robert Allen, after his home town in England, because of the confusion with the larger town in Sioux County of the same name.

The book ‘Siouxland: A History of Sioux County Iowa’ by Nelson Nieuwenhuis on page 140 states the same record of Mr. Robert a large landowner near the railroad, name the town Matlock after his native town in England.

RESEARCH NOTES: From a family report on ancestry.com public member trees submitted by other family.
Robert Allen was born 10 Jun 1835 at Pinxton, Dergshire, England and died 10 Jan 1916 at Pamona CA. He was the son of William Allen 1807-1880 and Mary Susan Banbury 1813-1896. Robert married Hannah Bowering 9 Jul 1856 at Chinguacousy, Ontario, Canada.
Hannah Bowering was born 7 Mar 1836 Pinxton, Derbyshire, England and died 6 Dec 1907 Pamona, CA Her parents were John Bowering 1798-1871 and Hannah Allin 1800-1857.
Their children were:

1. Elizabeth L. Allen born 31 Aug 1857 Melville, Caledon, Peel, Canada and died 10 Jan1944 at Sheldon, IA buried Greenwood cemetery at Matlock IA. She married James Brewster 1831-1900 (see Brewster Bios) They had children John A. Brewster 1879-1961, Ann Edith Brewster 1881-1963, James Robert Brewster 1883-1951, William George Brewster 1884-1942, Lewis Joseph Brewster 1886-1960, Richard Maxwell Brewster 1889-1958, Elizabeth Bessie Brewster 1890-1957, Norman Thomas Brewster 1891-1951, Ivan Duncan Brewster 1893 – 1952, Allen Roy Brewster 1894, and Henry Alfred Brewster 1894, and Henry Alfred Brewster 189

2. William B. Allen 1860 Melville Caledon, Peel Canada died 15 Jun 1929 Los Angeles CA He married Josephine Becker 1860-1937, They had children – Ethel Pauline Allen 1894-1971, Mabel Josephine Allen 1896-1986, Miles Dewey Allen 1898-1960. They lived in Grant Township 1880-1890s

3. Joseph Allen born 14 Jan 1862 Orangeville, Ontario Canada died 15 Jan 1937 Onalaske, Lewis WA. He married Martha Ann Savelsberg 1863-1904 They had Children Frank Richard Allen 1883-1969, William Bowering Allen 1886-1965, Alvin R. Allen 1892-1962, Joseph R. Allen 1894, Daniel S. Allen 1896, Martha Allen 1898, Harriet Hattie Allen 1902-1969.

4. Racheal Allen born 21 Dec 1869 Iowa died 6 Jan 1902 Beaver Creek, Rock MN Her husband was Herbert C. Connell 1858-1914. Children Fredrick W. Connell 1891, John M. Connell, 1892, Forrest H. Connell 1894-1969 and Elsie M. Connell 1897.

5. John Morris Allen born 8 Feb 1872/1873 Mongona, Boone Iowa, died 18 Dec 1940 Eugene OR Wife was Edith Maria Allen born 1874-1952, Children Harold Forester Allen 1901-1955, Elsie May Allen 1904-1987, Jessie M. Allen 1907-1956, and Burton William Allen 1914-1991. (submitter question that John Morris Allen was born in Boone county IA as they were in Sioux County Iowa as early as 1871).

6. Ellen ‘Nellie’ Allen born abt 1876 Iowa. She was living with her family in Grant Township Sioux County in 1880. Because of the many like names in the records the submitter has not been able to trace her. In 1885 she with her family was 9 year old and living in Arapahoe CO.

Time Line:

1854 immigrated to the USA
1870 census of Pleasant, Hardin, Iowa Robert Allen age 35 wife Hannah age 34, Children Elizabeth 12, William 10, Joseph 7 and Rachel (?).
1880 census of Grant Township, Robert Allen age 45, a farmer born England, Wife Hannah age 44 born England, with children William 20 born Canada, Joseph 17 born Canada, Rachel 11 born Iowa , John 4 and Ellen 4. Living with them was father William Allen age 70 born England
1885 census of Arapahoe, CO Robert Allen was 50 born abt 1835 England wife Hannah 49 , Children Racheal 16, John M. 12, and Nellie (Ellen) 9.
1900 census of San Jose LA CA Robert Allen age 64 born Jun 1835 England wife Hannah age 65, Children John Allen 37 and his wife Edith Allen 24.

OBITUARIES - Since Robert and his wife Hannah Allen died in California, no obituaries were found in the local archives for either of or most of their children.

The pictures of Robert and Hannah Allen were taken from the ancestry.com public member trees submitted by other family members.

Sioux Biographies maintained by Linda Ziemann.
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