John D. Allen

This subject is a progressive farmer, veterinarian and minister of the Gospel, living in Greene county, where he was born October 25, 1841. His father was Hu,oh Allen and his mother -Sarah (Owen) Allen, who enjoyed the distinction of being the first female white child born in Greene county. This was -on October 23, 1822. She died August I9, 1887: Hugh Allen was born in Tazewell county, Virginia, September 1, 1818. He came to Indiana from his native state in 1836 and died in 1856. Grandfather Owen was a native of North Carolina, who brought his family to Greene county, Indiana, about I814, Where he remained until his death in 1852, havin,a devoted his life to farming. The Allen family had no less distinguished ancestors than Ethan Allen, of Revolutionary days. Grandfather Allen died on the farm now owned by the subject of this sketch.

John D. Allen attended subscription schools in his native county when a boy. Being the only son, and his father having died when John was only fifteen years old, he was compelled to take charge of the home place, therefore he had but little opportunity to get an education. His mother remained a widow until she died in 1887. The subject has spent his entire life on the farm Where he was born. This farm of two hundred and eight acres was jointly purchased by the subject’s father and grandfather. The subject’s farm is only a part of the original, which he assisted to clear and improve. The farm now owned by John D. Allen and wife consists of eighty acres, which is regarded by his neighbors as being the best producing eighty acies of land in Highland township. It would sell for the sum of ten thousand dollars any time. It is second bottom land. Mr. Allen’s method of keeping the land in good! productive condition is by following crops of corn with clover and oats-in short, he is a believer in diversified farming. The land is now producing fully as much per acre as when it was first cleared. He feeds nearly all the corn raised on the place to hogs, which he prepares for market. He raises pure-blood Durham cattle and N0rman as well as registered traveling horses. At the present time (1908) he has a Norman filly three years old for which he can get two hundred and fifty dollars.

The house where the subject now lives, which was built in I868, is in first-class repair from cellar to garret. The farm is enclosed and cross-fenced with w-oven and barbed wire fences. All outbuildings are convenient and in good repair.

Mr. Allen was married in 1866 to Margaret M. Dixon. (A record of the Dixon family is to be found elsewhere in this volume.) Nine children have been born to the subject and wife, namely: Ethan, who lives in the state of Washington, is a graduate of the Worthington high schools possessing a three years’ license as tewzher when he left Greene county for Kansas in 1888, where he attended a normal school, receiving there a three years license as teacher. He spent the year of 1889 in California in the larger cities. Then he went by sea from San Francisco to Seattle, Washington. where he spent a few months. He secured a three years’ license to teach in that state. He taught there for thirty-three months out of a period of three years. He is a SuCcessful hunter of large game, being a high-grade marksman, having brought down ducks, bears and mountain lions. He was superintendent of schools in San Juan county, Washington, for seven years. He is now farming preparatory to opening up a large fruit farm. He has a wife and two children. Sarah Elizabeth, the second child of Mr. and Mrs. John D. Allen, is the wife of Winfield Van Devanter, a farmer of Greene county, to whom six children have been born; Miranda is the wife of Henry D. Watta, living in Oklahoma ; the fourth child of the subject died in infancy; John E., living in the state of Washington, is married and has one child; Hugh, living in Owen county, Indiana, is married and has one child : Margaret D., the wife of Henry Smith, of Worthington, has one child; Josephine is living at home: Clayon is training for a locomotive engineer.

Mr. and Mrs. Allen are active members of the Christian church. Mr. Allen has been an ordained minister of the Christian church for thirteen years. His wife has always taken an active part in church affairs. Mr. Allen is a member of the Grand Army of the Republic, having had a short war record. He was a member of Company H, Seventy-first Regiment, Indiana Volunteer Infantry, which was changed to the Sixth Indiana Cavalry. He was in the battle at Richmond, Kentucky, in 1862. He was honorably discharged May 1, 1863, on account of an injury received while in line of duty. He has never recovered from the injury. The subject is a Republican in political belief and was township road supervisor for twenty-six years.

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"Biographical Memoirs of Greene County, Ind. with Reminiscences of Pioneer Days", B.F. Bowen & Co., Indianapolis, IN, 1908, Vol. 2 pg. 733-5

Last updated 8.11.2009