John F. Allen Dies At Age 94; Rites Thursday Came from Tennessee at Age 6 After Civil War Split Family

John F. Allen of Waltonville, one of Jefferson county's best liked citizens, died at 2:00 p.m. yesterday at the home of his daughter, Mrs. Wesley W. Hart, north of Mt. Vernon. Mr. Allen was 94 years and five months of age.

Mr. Allen, a retired farmer, resided in the Waltonville community for 88 years.

The history of Mr. Allen's family is one of the many stories of the sturdy Americans who settled Jefferson county. Mr. Allen was a lad of six years when we came from Tennessee to the Waltonville neighborhood with his family.

He was born January 29, 1860 in Meigs county, Tenn., the son of R.J.D.W. and Elzirah (Smith) Allen.

Shortly after the outbreak of the Civil War, Mr. Allen's father and his brother, Pete, discussed their allegiances and fight on the side of the North, his brother for the South. Mr. Allen's father left a family of ten children at home when he went away to war. The brothers father left a family of ten children at home when he went away to war. The brothers fought on opposite sides in the Confederate retreat from Chattanooga after the Battle of Lookout Mountain. Both survived the war and returned to their homes in Tennessee. Not long afterwards, though, when Mr. Allen was a six-year-old boy, the family started the trek to Illinois. The trip took 29 days, with the father driving a team given to him by the U.S. government. The family settled in the Waltonville community and Mr. Allen's father bought a farm, where he raised his family.

On April 3, 1890 Mr. Allen was married, in Jefferson county, to Margaret Kolinsky, who preceded him in death August 9, 1951.

Mr. Allen, a member of the Methodist church at Sesser, was one of the founders of the Dryden Methodist church there. He remained a healthy, vigorous man into his 90's.

On his 92nd birthday he held "open house" for his friends at Waltonville. At that time he was a rabid Mt. Vernon Ram fan. Unable to attend the games, he listened to each game the local basketball team played and rooted for the home team. In the summerime he followed major league baseball and backed his favorite team, the St. Louis Cardinals.

At one time he operated an automobile sales agency in Mt. Vernon.

Mr. Allen is survived by one son, Joe Frank Allen of Mt. Vernon; a daughter, Mrs. Katie Mae Hart of Mt. Vernon; one granddaugter; and a sister, Mrs. Susan Smith of Mt. Vernon.

Funeral services will be held Thursday at 2:00 p.m. at the Brayfield Chapel in Sesser and burial will be in Dryden cemetery. Friends may call at the chapel at any time until the funeral hour.

Source: Mt. Vernon Register News
Submitted by: Cindy Ford