In A BICENTENNIAL TRIBUTE TO VETERANS OF 1776
I would like to add a correction to the Amasa Allen you have listed on your website. I have been researching our Allen family - and other Allen's, and corresponding surnames of interest in New York State and New England - for over 32 years. In short you have what appears to be an error in the recording of data pertaining to the Amasa Allen on your website. I will explain.
My lineage is as follows (back to my ancestor Amasa/Amzi Allen, Sr.):
Mark E. Allen (me) > Robert Earl Allen (1919-1990) > Horace Hobson Allen (1898-1958) > Ernerst Chauncy Allen (1872-1900) > Jerome Amasa Allen (1843-1890) > Chauncy Amasa Allen (aka: A. Chauncy; Chauncy; Chauncey Allen) (1813-1895) > Amasa Allen, Jr. (1781-1834) > Amzi/Amasa Allen, Sr. (1749/50-1820) Revolutionary War veteran.
Amasa Allen Sr. was born 7 Mar 1749/50 at East Windsor, CT. Son of Samuel (1701/02-1771) and Elizabeth Booth Allen (1705-1751). He was the last known child born to Samuel and Elizabeth (Booth) Allen. Amasa was a soldier for the patriot cause during the American Revolution of 1776. He engaged in fighting forces at or near Phillipstown, Putnam Co., NY in 1776. He was also present at the battles of Trenton and Princeton according to his written account made in 1818 at Genesee Co., NYS. According to the 1824 Gazetteer of NYS (Spafford) the village area known as Phillips or Phillipstown was "a large and mountainous post-township of Putnam County, opposite West Point" on the (East side of the) Hudson River. It is 12 miles long...8 miles wide...bounded by Dutchess, Kent, Carmel and Westchester Counties. This town was situated in an area that is very mountainous and rugged in the heart of the Hudson Highlands, nestled among such notorious natural landmarks as Sugarloaf Mountain, Bull Hill and Breakneck Mountain where the mysterious image known as "Anthony's Nose" can be seen. In the late 1700's this area was moderately populated along the Hudson River, although the farther West one traveled, the more remotely populated it became. This area had several springs, streams and brooks that ran throughout. According to Spafford's 1824 Gazetteer, Fort Constitution was located at Phillipstown during the American Revolution. Washington's encampment was located at New Windsor, NY, which is located in the Hudson Valley/River area just north of West Point, NY and on the West side of the Hudson River.
This information may be more accurate as to where he disembarked service. Springfield, NY is located along the old route of the Cherry Valley Turnpike, and is near Cooperstown, NY.
Amasa married to Alice Lord, the daughter of Jeremiah and Sarah (Pease) Lord of Enfield, CT. In an early western migration attempt into New York State, in the spring of 1791, Sarah Lord died on March 5, 1791 "en route to Chenango County...at the age of 62 years" as recorded in an account written by her husband Jeremiah Lord in the Amasa Allen Family Bible. This bible was removed from the courthouse at Charlestown, MA, near Boston, by Amasa Allen when the building was being burned by the British, about 1777; the Battle of Bunker Hill was fought at Charlestown, MA on June 17, 1775 when Charlestown was completely burned to the ground, not a building left standing. Based on preponderence of information regarding this historical event, and with the family history information taken into account, it was more likily that Amasa was at the Battle of Bunker Hill in 1775; most of the Allen clan that were related to Ethan Allen were "patriots" during the Revolution - although many never "officially" entered the United States Armed Services, some like our Amasa, enlisted at a later date. The date in the bible was 1770; Published at Edinburgh, Scotland by Colin Mac Farquhar. The bible was last known to have been in the possession of the late Miss Strong of 2436 West Flourney, Chicago, IL in 1927.(RE: Allen Fam. Bible Rec.: Amasa Allen: 1927 translation by DAR Registrar of the Te-car-na-wun-na Chapter, Frances M. Witmer; translation on file and currently (1998) located at Holland Land Office Museum, Batavia, NY). According to family correspondence (RE: J. Milton Russell Probate Estate matter 1917-1919, Batavia, Gen Co., NY Probate Ct. Rec. and personal correspondence) from Marian D. Allen, she claimed that Mrs. Elizabeth Dobson of Chicago, IL was the then owner of the bible...in 1919. According to the Albert McVean Collection, housed at the LeRoy Hist. Society, Batavia, NY (RE:Wilfred Vasile, 1994 correspondence) Miss Stevens was doubtlessly the daughter or granddaughter of Alice L. Allen Strong Stevens; b. Oct 4 1855 at LeRoy, NY, died June 30, 1924 at Chicago, IL.; from a letter dated July 12, 1926 to Mrs. Eells (sic).
Amasa is located by letter dated September 20, 1803/05 at East Werners, Connecticut. He writes to his son Amasa Jr. whom the letter is addressed to, at Hamilton, New York. He speaks of his wife Alice who was very ill with asthma, and that all were awaiting Amasa Jr's return from Hamilton to assist them in moving, but as Alice was so ill they may have to postpone their "trip." According to R. W. Cutter (Genealogical and Family History of Western New York; V1, p200) Amasa Sr. resided at East Windsor, CT in 1806, and that same year moved to Chenango County, New York. Chenango Point was an area of destination for most travelers into this part of New York State. It may be here that he first stopped before moving on. Chenango Point is know known as Binghampton, New York. In 1810 Amasa Sr. is located at Seneca County, New York (RE: Amasa Allen bible rec.) which was then located between Seneca Lake and Cayuga Lake, New York. In 1810 Amasa Jr. and his spouse Lucinda (Loomis) Allen were residing at Union Corners, New York. Union Corners is now located within the township of Pavilion, Genesee County, New York. Amasa Sr. settled at Union Corners-Covington, NY in 1811, with his son Amasa Jr. and several other of Amasa Sr's children, according to J. H. French (French's 1860 Gazetteer of New York State). Later in 1819 Amasa Jr. purchased land from the Holland Land Company at Covington-Union Corners, New York.
According to the Amasa Allen Sr. family bible records, his wife Alice died August 2, 1816 in the 55th years of her life. This death date, and age does not correspond with other genealogical data, but I consider it to be an accurate account, as it appears to have been recorded at about the time it occurred in 1816, as translated in 1927 by F. M. Witmer. Alice can not be found to be buried at the family plot in the Maplewood Cemetery in Covington, now Pavilion, NY. She may have been buried in an unmarked grave elsewhere, or in a cemetery in Wyoming County, which the southern part of Covington was made a part of in the mid 19th century.
Amasa Sr. applied for his pension benefits on May 2, 1818 and later received his benefits in 1819. $178.77 was the amount stated that the U.S. Government reimbursed Amasa Sr. for his service in the American Revolutionary War. According to these records of application, Amasa Sr. was very destitute and indebted to his son Horatio Allen for $10.00; did not own any realestate and was residing with his sons Amasa Jr., Horatio and Issachar Allen at Covington, Genesee Co., NY. He was considered by the U.S. Government as a "cripple" due to the fact that he had no use of his left hand. Amasa Allen handcrafted several chairs - but it is not certain that it was Amasa Sr. or Amasa Jr. as both were coopers by trade. Mrs. Nancy Ornce of Chaffee, NY has one of these chairs, as well as Tom Atwood, PhD of Canton, Ohio who has two of these chairs.
A translation of the appeal before the Court of Common Pleas at Batavia, New York before the Judges,Hon. John H. Jones, Hon. Moses Haydon, Hon. Isaac Wilson, and Hon. Richard Smith on June 16, 1820: "...appeared before them Amasa Allen aged 64 years and a resident of Covington (Genesee Co) New York...(service of) three years in Captain Parson's Company in Colonel Webb's Regiment of the Connecticut Line...(Amasa) was discharged in the spring of 1780...that his declaration was dated May 2nd, 1818 and his certified number is 9.791." Inventory and schedule of belongings as follows: "...real-estate, I have none...personal property...two coopers joiners, one coopers adz(?), two shaving knives, one hand saw, one croze, four tress hooks, one shaving bench, one iron pot, two tea kettles, one old frying pan...Indebted to Horatio Allen ten dollars...cash on hand a part of my pension of four dollars and fifty cents...Cooper by occupation, but he is a cripple being principally deprived of the use of his left hand and is not able to (provide) hard labor...no family to provide for and is wholly dependent upon his children for support who are all in low conditions and that wearing apparrel and bedding being one old bed, does not exceed thirty dollars in value...sworn and subscribed the 16th day of June, 1820 before me S. Cummings, Clerk of Genesee County Common Pleas in Open Court...(signed) Amasa Allen."
Amasa Sr. died on December 20, 1820 at Covington, Genesee Co., NY. He is buried at Maplewood Cemetery, Pavilion, Genesee Co., NY. His grave is marked by a plaque placed by the DAR about 1927 in honor of Rev. War veterans (150th Ann. of the Rev. War). He makes no mention of a spouse according to his Probate Records in 1821, nor his Will created in 1820. He left his entire estate to his son Horatio Allen.
The DAR File #LB40 p86 states Amasa Allen 2nd marriage to Nancy Lord. This data is not correct, and has been fully treated and disputed by the compiler of this genealogical information as follows:
In the Spring of 1988 I began a search into the land records for the Allen family in Genesee County, NY. I was aided by the professional guidance of Mr. Don Reed, Deputy County Clerk for Genesee County, NY. What I uncovered during this research would clarify this matter of Amasa Allen and a second spouse called Nancy Lord.
A general search of the Deed Index located our Allen family members. In 1819 Amasa Allen Jr. purchased lands in two separate transactions from the Holland Land Company: LB8, p241, Tract 40M, Lot 13; LB8, p295, Tract 40M, Lot 13. Issachar Allen also purchased land in 1819 in this same area (Amasa Allen Sr's. brother 'Col. Issachar Allen').
A search of the Probate Records uncovered an Amasa Allen who had an estate probated in 1826. Our Amasa Sr. died in 1820 and his estate was settled by 1821. Our Amasa Jr. died in 1834, and Amasa Loomis Allen (son of Amasa Allen, Jr.) died following 1834. This left no member of our family of Amasa Allen's as having died about 1826. I requested the Will and Probate records of this Amasa Allen who died in 1826. The results uncovered an other Amasa Allen family, so far unrelated to our Allen family, but related to our Lord family. They also resided bordering our Amasa Allen Jr's farmlands at Covington, NY. The fact that this new-found Amasa Allen was married to Nancy Lord, indicates that there is at least a Lord family connection, as "Alice" had a sister "Nancy who married an Allen." In the late Mrs. Kinney's Notes on the Allen Family (RE: LeRoy Historical Museum/LeRoy House; Kinney's Notes: RE: Wilfred Vasile, LeRoy Town Historian 1979), she relates to an Amasa Allen who was married to Nancy Lord. According to "The Compendium of American Genealogy" Amasa Allen married to Nancy Lord and was "the son of Sina Allen."
The following is an account of the Will of Amasa Allen who died 1826:
Amasa Allen's Will dated May 26, 1825 at Covington, New York was legally probated in May of 1826. His Will made mention to the following heirs to his estate:
Nancy Allen, wife To receive 1/4th of the entire estate.
Earl Allen, son To receive the largest portion of estate and all remaining parts of the estate (if any) after his mother and sibling's shares.
Stephen Mix Allen, son To receive sum of $11.00.
Squire Allen, son To receive sum of $35.00.
Milo Lord Allen, son To receive all stears.
Seaty (Allen) Bishop, dau. To receive two cows.
This Amasa Allen who died in 1826 is also buried at Maplewood Cemetery, Pavilion, Genesee Co., NY. As are several of his family members.
The carefully and methodically researched data resulted in clarifing the relationship between the members of the Allen families aforementioned. As an added note Amasa Allen who died in 1826 was the son of one "Lena Allen" of Monroe County, NY. Her estate was probate and he was named as executor in 1806. His parentage has so far eluded my research, mostly due to lack of information, and the inability to visit the various local libraries and records repositories to conduct first-hand research - to date (2009).
Mark E. Allen, BS
markeallen63@yahoo.com
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