Return to Family Index

THE STORY AS I KNOW IT

Benjamin Allen was born the 4th day of 8th month of 1742 -  US Quaker Meeting Records, London Grove MM Hicksit, 1681-1935 pg6, I believe that translates to Oct. 4th, 1742 using the Quaker system of dating at that time  His parents were John Allen and Emey Cox.
The Quakers changed to the current calendar construct in 1752.

The Allen family were in Chester County early in the 18th century when  John Allen, a bricklayer, settled there at least by 1719 when he wed Emey Cox.  On the 1700-1730 Map of "Lands Around London Grove Meeting", a John Allen is shown to own 63 acres on the East edge of London Grove next to the northwest corner of New Garden. When John Allen's will was probated the 63 acres contained a corn/grist mill and a saw mill.  So it had to be on White Clay Creek near Avondale.  Benjamin was the youngest of 9 children.

Also on page 136 of the London Grove Meeting Records, on 1764, 12.20 {Dec. 20, 1764) Benjamin Allen wed Hannah Greenfield, daughter of James Greenfield also of London Grove.

London Grove is roughtly bounded by Street Rd, Newark Rd and 141.   The London Grove Meeting house is in the north east corner

Benjamin & Hannah Allen are believed to have 8 children.   The names and dates given to the children of Benjamin Allen in Genealogy of the Allen and Witter Families by Asa W. Allen, page 200& 201.  It was written in 1872 and is now an online book.  We assume that Hannah was the mother of all the children, though there is a longish space between John W. and the youngest child Jesse Allen.    The notes re each child came from the book.

Elizabeth         1765 - 1791 wed William Millison of Redstone
Isaac                1767 - 1815 wed, moved to Ohio and had 8 children
James              1769            wed, moved to Ohio and had 7 children
Emey               1770            wed Isaac Gregg and had 6 children
Hannah           1774
Benjamin Jr.   1777- 1860 no children
John W.           1780 - 1850  wed, moved to Ohio and had 9 children
Jesse                1783 - 1868  wed, moved to Ohio and had 2 children

It is very likely that all the sons that moved to Ohio did so as a unit.   That would have been the safe way.  With time to look at all the census it may be easy to discover. 

We do not know what kind of work Benjamin did, yet.  He may have worked in the mills, or had a farm. 

In 1771 Benjamin's father, John Allen died.   His will was probated Nov. 5, 1771, and there was a lot of land distributed.   Our Benjamin was granted land in New Garden, but not how large a piece it was.  It is very likely that the family lived or moved to that land.  New Garden is just to the east of London Grove. The 63 acres with the mills noted above when to Benjamin's brother William Allen.

Find a Grave is puzzling.  It states Benjamin Allen died Sept, 23rd day, 1792 in Chester County PA and was buried in Holly Springs Friends Meeting in Ramseur, Randolph county North Carolina.  I flatly don't believe the burial site.  A better guess would be the cemetery at  London Grove Meeting  or the New Garden Meeting.

When he died he was just 50 years old, and a will has not come to light.  Hannah would easily have had 3 or 4 children still at home.  Jesse would have been just 9.   I have not found that Hannah remarried.   I also do not know when she died.

If you know the answer please CONTACT US

Return to Top of Page

Maier_Associates: © Copyright 2022

Doc; gpall020.html
created 9/22/2022