Blake and Florence were the parents of two daughters, Patricia and Pamela.Patricia married Merlin Koenig 3 Nov 1945. They farmed for several years in Bloomfield Twp. before moving to Decorah in 1973. They were the parents of 5 children: Darwin, Cynthia, Randall, Donna and Paul. Randall died 2 Oct 1964. Merlin died 21 Nov 1980.

Pamela married David Breitsprecher20 Oct 1962. They live in Ossian. David is a cattle buyer and auctioneer. They are the parents of two sons, Shawn and Troy.

Albright, Martin and Maria (Garvin)

(Florence Albright)

Martin Albright was born 8 Feb 1833 in River Rogue, St. Argentile Co., Quebec Province of Canada. He married Maria Garvin 14 Jun 1859. Maria Garvin was born 4 May 1840 at Chatam, St. Argentile Co, Quebec, Canada. They came to Winneshiek Co. and settled near Castalia in 1864. They were the parents of 6 children.

Maryann (b. 1860) married Jacob Helmer. They later lived in Lubbock, TX. William (b. 15 Jun 1862) married Mary Allen. “Aunt Molly” was born 10 May 1869, the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Isaac Allen. William worked at various trades during his lifetime. They farmed; he worked at the co-operative creamery that was started by Phineas Banning along the Centennial Road; later he bought and shipped livestock; and they ran the hotel in Castalia from about 1918-1919. William held the office of Mayor of Castalia at one time. Uncle Will and Aunt Molly had no children. Lavina (b. 4 Feb 1867) married Isaac Allen, son of Stephen and Marietta (Cole) Allen. They were the parents of Lynne, Mable, Marie, Iva, Mildred, Ethel and Esther. Carrie first married Charles Birdsell. Her second marriage was to Lincoln Shaffer. Charles (b. 11 Dec 1873) married Clementine McMullen. She was the daughter of Calder and Maria McMullen. Charlie and Clemme Albright farmed on various farms in Bloomfield Twp. Their days were saddened when Ralph, their son, died after a few days of illness at the young age of 16, on 25 Jan 1917. Another son, Walter, also died at the age of 16 after an operation, on 30 Mar 1926. A son, Blake L., was born 12 Aug 1905. Elzie (b. 1886) never married. He died in Fayette, IA.

Allen Family History

(Vernon Allen)

John Allen and Susan Darrington were married in England in 1865. They came to America in 1874 with their 3 children: Anna, age 7; Susan Jane (Jennie), age 5; and John Thomas, age 3. They landed in New York City and traveled by train to Winneshiek Co. to settle in a small log house on the Joseph Darrington farm in Highland Twp. John paid for the family’s passage to America by working for Joseph, who was his wife Susan's brother. John helped build the large brick house on the Darrington farm. This house remains in use as a residence today. The Allen’s fourth child, Fred, was born in 1874, soon after they arrived in Winneshiek Co. The family remained on the Darrington farm for a few years and the children at-

John Allen

Susan Darrington Allen

tended the nearby country school. Anna, the eldest daughter, later taught in that school.

Four more children were born: Albert, in 1876; Amy, 1879; Grace, 1882; and Esther, 1884. The family moved to the village of Hesper, where John was employed as janitor in the public school. The children were educated in the Hesper school. John and Susan were the parents of 11 children, 3 of whom died in infancy. Susan died in 1909 at the age of 67 and John died in 1928 at the age of 88. Both are buried in the Hesper Public Cemetery.

Anna married Gilbert Tabor; they lived in Hesper and later in California. Jennie married David Welch; they farmed near Mabel, MN. J.T (Tom) married Emma Forde; they farmed in Highland Twp. Fred lived in Hesper and worked as a laborer. Albert married Agnes Gagen; they farmed near Caledonia, MN. Amy married Oscar Reed; they lived in Austin, MN. Grace married Hugo Noecker; they farmed in Hesper Twp. Esther married Fred Johnson; they lived in Boulder, CO.

Golden Anniversary, 1956. Left to right: Esther Henningsgaard, Doris Newgard, Vernon Allen, Tom Allen, Irvin Allen, Emma Allen, Lester Allen, Bernice Henningsgaard.