JAKE ALLEN

The following bio was taken from page 91 of the book entitled "Rusk County History" compiled and edited and used with permission of the Rusk County Historical Commission.

Transcribed by Shirley Koym

Submitted by Gloria Briley Mayfield, Rusk County TX Coordinator

The earliest proved ancestor of the Allen family in Young Allen of Wake County, North Carolina, who made a will in 1774. Young was born in Virginia about 1720. He married Martha Coleman and made his home in Wake County, North Carolina.

It is believed that the Wake County Allens came from the John Smith Colony in Virginia. It is further said that a John Allen came to Virginia and was the third husband of Pocahontas or her daughter. And the story has been amplified further to: "From John Allen who came to the colony sprang a second John who married a Miss Young. He names his son Young Allen who married Jane Wooten." This could, of course, be the first Young Allen.

Young and Martha Allen had seven children, the fifth being Drewry Allen. Drewry married Elizabeth Yarborough and lived in North Carolina. In 1776 Drewry Allen enlisted as a private in the Continental Army, North Carolina Line and served throughout the war. As to his actual fighting in the Revolutionary War, there is no formal record known which covers Drewy Allen’s war service. It is said, however, that he served under Washington at the Battle of Brandywine and was in on the kill at Yorktown, Virginia. He was also with Greene in the Carolinas at the battles of Cowpens and Guilford Court House.

After the war, Drewry Allen, with his family, moved to Greene County, Georgia. Drewry and Elizabeth had seven children, the seventh being Young Drewy Allen, who married Jane Moore in 1812. Young D. was one of the early settlers of Pike County, Georgia. Young D. and Jane had five children, the first being Abraham Stokes Allen, born September 24, 1813 in Greene County, Georgia. About 1835 he married Martha C. Marshall, who died about 1850. Abraham’s second marriage was to Elizabeth Stegar, a spinster, who was nearing fifty at the time.

Abraham was almost universally liked. He himself was a man of strong likes and dislikes. On the whole, he was kind and generous almost to a fault. When his ill favor was incurred, however, it was likely to be permanent.

Members of his family and his friends remember many instances of his generosity. After his son Drewry was killed by a falling tree, he walked across his field every morning just to be sure his widowed daughter-in-law and her children were all right. He was not a wealthy man, but he was in good circumstances. He died July 3, 1893.

Abraham and Martha had eight children, the fifth being Soloman Young Allen. He served in the Confederate Army during the Civil War and was wounded in action. With his brother, John, he moved to Texas soon after the Civil War.

In 1868 Soloman married Elizabeth Buckner. Seven children were born, the fifth child being Robert Young Allen. Both Soloman and Elizabeth are buried in Waldrop Cemetery.

Robert Y. Allen married Martha Parks Toon on November 15, 1900 and they lived in Tatum, Texas most of their lives. Robert, better known as Bob, liked to move around and lived in various places in Texas, but spent the major portion of life in Tatum, Texas. To this union were born nine children, the third child being Ivy Vestal Young Allen, better known as Jake.

Jake Allen married Kathleen Juanita Prior on September 8, 1942 and they had two daughters, Beverly Kay, born October 1, 1944, and Sandra Gay, born July 17, 1954. Jake and Kathleen have lived in Tatum, Texas the major part of their lives. Jake served in WWII until 1944. He returned to Tatum where he was in the construction business. He owned the Allen Lumber Company and Kathleen owned Kay’s Beauty Shop until their retirement in 1973. After retiring, Jake spent one enjoyable year and then became ill. The illness which lasted about six years resulted in his death at the age of seventy-two on October 11, 1981. His widow, Kathleen, lives in Tatum.

My father will be remembered for his generosity as was his great-grandfather, Abraham Stokes Allen. As a child, I can remember his many acts of generosity to any member of his family as well as to friends in Tatum who needed his help. He had a great love for his family and is missed by all.

Submitted By Beverly Beauchamp