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*BIOGRAPHY ref: bios0032.txt by John Peck (A Rhoda Allen descendant) Re: [John] Rhoda Allen (ABT 1742- to 24 Aug 1820) last update 09 Mar 2003. From family oral history, Rhoda Allen's ancestor Thomas Allen [or Allin] was born in 1650 in Ulster Province, Antrim, Ireland. His wife was possibly named Sarah. Around 1690/92 he and his teenage son Robert Allen, born abt 1674, emigrated to Port Tobacco, in Charles County, MD, on the ship "Charles" Both were Indentured Cabinet Makers. Thomas may have shown up in the 1704 Rent Roll Census St. Peter & Paul of VA, but apparently died on 2 May 1733 in Charles Co., MD. Robert Allen may have married about 1699 into the McDonald clan in Charles Co., MD. Their 1st child Thomas was born about 1702 in Charles Co., MD, but probably about 1704 this family moved to land in VA and was listed on the 1704 census, and also in a 1749 land sale in Southhampton Co., VA. Robert must have returned to Charles Co., Md to die there about. 1775. Robert's son Thomas, a wood worker b about 1702, may have been a Captain in VA in 1724. He appears to possibly be the Thomas in the 1732 Md Probate records, the 1734 Charles Co. Tax rolls, then back to Southhampton Land in VA. He is believed to have died in Strafford Co., VA abt 1770/1775 [John] Rhoda Allen, Thomas Allen's son, was b about 1742 in Charles Co., Md. He reportedly had 4 brothers. He was said to have been a bonded servant but worked off his bond before getting married about 1765/69 to Mary Emily Ransom (b about 1744) of probably Strafford Co., VA across the river from Charles County. He was a wood worker and Methodist minister circuit rider, as were many of his sons. He was a master cabinetmaker, which craft he also passed on to his sons. A son Theophilus was born 1770 and a daughter Mary Emily born 1773, both supposedly in Charles County, MD. Rhoda reportedly moved his young family across the Rappahannock into Stafford Co., VA near Dumpries. Rhoda bought land in Edgecombe Co., NC in 1773. He served in the American Revolution in 1775 as a Private in NC. His son Nathan N.G. Allen was born in 1775 in Edgecombe Co, NC. An El Nino occurred from 1776 to 1778- yielding very cold weather during the Revolution. About 1790/93 he moved his family to Gallatin Co, TN. He is thus qualified for a First Family of Tennessee Certificate. He had moved to Sumner Co., TN by 1793 where he registered a brand, and on 8 Apr 1794 he had bought 70 acres from John Williams, and was on the Sumner tax list. The Allen family had 8 children:
Three El Ninos occurred from 1782 to 1790, each yielding weather lasting several years. Mary Ransom died 1790/1807. In 1810 Rhoda married a 2nd time to Lucinda Overby (b 1770) in Sumner County, TN. They had 4 children: Margaret N. (b 1811), John Wesley (b 1813) and William S. (b 1815.) In 1815, the deadliest volcano eruption in recorded history had led to the "year without a summer" in the eastern U.S. Rhoda was on the 1817, 1818, 1819 Sumner Co. Tax rolls. About 1819, Rhoda Organized a wagon train of 41 families, along with William Maxey, husband of daughter Mary Emily Allen, Rhoda's son, Rev. (John) Rhodam Allen II, and migrated to Shiloh Twp., Jefferson Co., IL with Lucinda and their three minor children. By 1820 he had bought 160 acres in Jefferson Co, IL and was in the census as one of the first families in Jefferson County. He was reported to be a Constable and Abolitionist in the County. On 24 Aug 1820, Rhoda reportedly died of a heart attack at age 78 while carrying a twelve foot long log to be used on a building he was erecting. He was the first to be buried in the Old Union Church Cemetery of Jefferson County. In 1854 part of Rhoda's land that passed to son N.N.G. Allen at Cherokee County, Texas was sold by son NNG Allen and wife to John Maxey in IL. Rhoda Allen and his 3 emigrant ancestors here may qualify for The Order of The First Family of Maryland for residence in Maryland prior to 4 July 1776.
SOURCE: From family oral history |
For corrections or additions, please contact me: Sandy Bauer