Charles Allen III (abt. 1764 - 1856)

Born about May 1764 in Charlotte County, Virginia Colony

Ancestors

Husband of Susan (Garner) Allen — married 12 Dec 1782 in Laurens, South Carolina

Descendants

Died 5 Jan 1856 at about age 91 in Laurens County, South Carolina, United States

Problems/Questions Profile manager: Mags Gaulden [send private message]

Biography

Charles Allen III was a South Carolina colonist.

Private Charles Allen III served with Ninety-Six District Regiment, South Carolina Militia during the American Revolution.

Charles Allen III is an NSSAR Patriot Ancestor.
NSSAR Ancestor #: P-100614
Rank: Private

Charles Allen III is a DAR Patriot Ancestor, A001398.

Charles was born about May 1764 to Charles Allen, Jr. and Lucy Bacon, in Charlotte County, Virginia Colony. There is no record of his birth though he states in his Bounty Application for his Revolutionary service that he was born in Charlotte County in 1764.^[1] The family moved away from Virginia prior to or during the Revolutionary War and settled in Laurens County, South Carolina.

His father was killed or died at some point during the revolution, though no specific record of his death can be found. Charles Allen, Jr.'s estate inventory was reviewed in December 1777. This indicates he died before 1777. In stories about the family, it is claimed that he was killed by Tories and/or Major William Cunningham. In looking at the timeline for when Major Cunningham was on his killing spree, the "Bloody Scout", Charles Allen, Jr, he could not have been killed during the "Bloody Scout" in the fall of 1781. Lucy Bacon Allen was left to tend her home and family without her husband.

The following story was handed down through the years by two different families living in the same county for hundreds of years, generation by generation. The only published account found to date (2023) is from an Allen descendant, My Ancestor Was Hanged When He Was 14 Years Old, by Mary Joe Clendenin, The Family Saga: A Collection of Texas Family Legends. Paraphrased it runs as follows:

In about 1778, Lucy Bacon Allen, sent 14-year-old Charles to General Wolff's corn mill with instructions to steer clear of any British troops he might see. As he was walking along the road he heard the approach of riders and ran into the woods to hide. The riders paused and Charles overheard Bloody Bill Cunningham and his men talking about whether they could cut through the woods to the Wm. Hubbs farm. The men decided they could not make it through the thick brush and undergrowth of the forest and rode on. Charles, being a young man and alone, knew he could make it through the woods to the Hubbs farm and arrived in time to warn William Hubbs of the men intent on his capture.

Charles and others piled hay over top of William Hubbs near a fence and as the riders came into the farm, they slowly began throwing hay from atop of William to the cows on the other side of the fence.

Though Cunningham and his men never found William Hubbs, Charles Allen was suspected of sounding an alarm to William Hubbs and he was hanged.^[2]

Ultimately the Hubbs family descendants spearheaded a monument placed upon the grave of Charles Allen, III. "...as a lad during the American Revolution, he showed supreme courage in defiance of Wm. ("Bloody Bil") Cunningham, infamous Tory, to prevent the capture of patriot, Wm. Hubbs. He was strung-up and left to die. Rescued upon departure of Cunningham. "A greater love hath no man".

Letter to Allen Descendant Frances Gaulden from Hubbs Descendant Joe Bolt.

As to the veracity of this story? It is told and known by so many. Is it true? Parts? And parts may have been stretched over the centuries.

As a volunteer, Charles Allen, III served two years under General Pickens, Col. Hayes, and other officers. He was at the Siege of Ninety-Six. Active in scouting until released.^[3]

.

• DAR-number = A001398^[4]
• Rev. War pension # No. S17819^[5]

Name: Charles Allen

Event Type: Military Service

Event Date: 1 Jun 1840

Event Place: Laurens, South Carolina, United States

Age: 76

Birth Year (Estimated): 1764

Page Number: 142

Record Number: 101^[6][7]

At the End of the Revolution, he married Susan Garner, on December 12, 1782 and had Joel (Patsy Boyd), Sarah (John R. Crisp), Sophia (Rev. Samuel Lewers) , Mille (Daniel Hooker) and Mimima (Davis).^[8]

One of the first Justices of Quorum, Deputized by Committee, to select a site for the Town of Laurens, SC. "The first recorded court held in the county [Laurens County] was held June 13, 1785. Prominent among the early judges (who were not necessarily lawyers) were the names of...Charles Allen...all referred to as 'Squires'. The 'Gent' Justices were appointed by the governor with the specified number of three to preside each term...The courts had jurisdiction only in cases of debt, estate settlements, larceny, bastardy, land piracy and the supervision of roads and bridges."^[9]

In about 1785, Charles Allen and other judges from the area set about picking the location for the Town of Laurens. According to one account, the group gathered near a distillery. Having imbibed too much they did not visit any of the other proposed sites, but instead, walked up a hill and planted a stake in the ground. ^[10]

1790 Census

Name: Charles Allen

Event Type: Census

Event Date: 1790

Event Place: Laurens, South Carolina, United States

Page: 448^[11]

1800 Census

Name: Charles Allen Esquire

Event Type: Census

Event Date: 1800

Event Place: Laurens District, South Carolina, United States

Note: Esquire

Page: 13^[12]

1810 Census

Name Charles Allen

Event Type Census

Event Date 1810

Event Place Laurens, South Carolina, United States

Event Place (Original) Laurens, South Carolina, United States

Page Number 266

Affiliate Publication Number M252^[13]

1820 Census

Name Charles Allen

Event Type Census

Event Date 1820

Event Place Laurens, South Carolina, United States

Event Place (Original) Laurens, South Carolina

Page Number 5

Affiliate Publication Number M33

Affiliate Name The U.S. National Archives and Records Administration (NARA)^[14]

1830 Census

Name Charles Allen

Event Type Census

Event Date 1830

Event Place Laurens, South Carolina, United States

Event Place (Original) Laurens, South Carolina, United States

Page Number 255

Affiliate Publication Number M19

Affiliate Name The U.S. National Archives and Records Administration (NARA)^[15]

1840 Census

Name: Charles Allen

Event Type: Census

Event Date: 1840

Event Place: South Carolina, United States

Age: 76

Military Service: Veteran

Birth Year (Estimated): 1764

Page: 30^[16]

1850 Census

Name: Charles Allen

Event Place: Laurens county, Laurens, South Carolina, United States

Gender: Male

Age: 86

Race: White

Birth Year (Estimated): 1764

Birthplace: Virginia

House Number: 964

Household	Role	Gender	Age	Birthplace
Charles Allen	[Head]	M	86	Virginia
Susanna Allen	[Wife]	F	86	South Carolina
Mamornia Criss [Manima Crisp]	[Granddaughter]	F	18	South Carolina

^[17]

"Judge Charles Allen III Esq. son of Charles Allen, Jr. and Lucy Bacon married Susan Garner and they lived together 68 years [A record then as well as now] He was a Revolutionary Hero and was one of the surveyors of Laurens SC. On the 20th day of Dec. he was appointed to be a Judge of Laurens County Court "for so long as he behaved himself" this was by His Excellency, Governor Charles Pinckey. A large stone erected by the DAR of Laurens County marks the graves of Charles Allen III and his wife Susan Garner Allen."^[18]

"...Worshipful Master of Palmetto Lodge, buried with Masonic Honors. This memorial dedicated with gratitude May 30, 1972..."Obituary

Image of his Will, Transcript

July 30th, 1974: The following biography of Charles Allen was written by one of his descendants, Laura M. Pulley, and was read by her nephew, Franchot L. Parnelle, at the dedication by the DAR and the SAR of Charles Allen's grave. Bio

This profile is a collaborative work-in-progress. Can you contribute information or sources?

Sources

1. ↑ Revolutionary War Pension and Bounty-Land Warrant Application Files (NARA microfilm publication M804, 2,670 rolls). Records of the Department of Veterans Affairs, Record Group 15. National Archives, Washington, D.C. Image
2. ↑ My Ancestor Was Hanged When He Was 14 Years Old, by Mary Joe Clendenin, The Family Saga: A Collection of Texas Family Legends, Abernethy, Jerry Bryan, Lincecum, Frances Brannen Vick, University of North Texas Press, 2003 Text
3. ↑ U.S., Revolutionary War Pension and Bounty-Land Warrant Application Files, 1800-1900 (NARA microfilm publication M804, 2,670 rolls). Records of the Department of Veterans Affairs, Record Group 15. National Archives, Washington, D.C. image
4. ↑ Daughters of the American Revolution, DAR Genealogical Research Databases, database online, (http://www.dar.org/ : accessed 18 Feb 2024), "Record of Charles Allen", Ancestor # A001398.
5. ↑ "United States Revolutionary War Pension Payment Ledgers, 1818-1872," database with images, FamilySearch : accessed 28 May 2020, Charles Allen, 04 Mar 1831; citing South Carolina, United States, NARA microfilm publication T718 (Washington D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, 1962), roll 8; FHL microfilm 1,319,388. Similar Historical Records.Image from Family Search
6. ↑ "United States Rosters of Revolutionary War Soldiers and Sailors, 1775-1783," Census of Pensioners, database with images, FamilySearch : 16 August 2019, Charles Allen, 1 Jun 1840; citing Military Service, Laurens, South Carolina, United States, Citing various published state rosters, United States; FHL microfilm 005732444.Image
7. ↑ "United States Revolutionary War Pension Payment Ledgers, 1818-1872," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:Q24Q-LYPW : accessed 9 August 2023), Charles Allen, 04 Mar 1831; citing South Carolina, United States, NARA microfilm publication T718 (Washington D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, 1962), roll 8; FHL microfilm 1,319,388.
8. ↑ Newberry County, South Carolina: Historical and Genealogical Annals, P. 311, George Leland Summer, Genealogical Publishing Com, 1980. Image
9. ↑ A Laurens County Sketchbook, p.14, By Julian Stevenson Bolick, A Brief Sketch of the Development of Laurens County, By Edna Riddle Foy, 1973, Mrs. Julian S. Bolick
10. ↑ Laurens, Libby Rhodes, Arcadia Publishing, 2000. Book
11. ↑ "United States Census, 1790," database with images, FamilySearch : accessed 28 May 2020, Charles Allen, Laurens, South Carolina, United States; citing p. 448, NARA microfilm publication M637, (Washington D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.), roll 11; FHL microfilm 568,151. Image
12. ↑ "United States Census, 1800," database with images, FamilySearch : accessed 28 May 2020, Charles Allen Esquire, Laurens District, South Carolina, United States; citing p. 13, NARA microfilm publication M32, (Washington D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.), roll 50; FHL microfilm 181,425.Image
13. ↑ "United States Census, 1810", database with images, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:XH2Y-SY7 : Thu Jul 20 17:39:51 UTC 2023), Entry for Charles Allen, 1810.
14. ↑ "United States Census, 1820", database with images, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:XHG6-CNF : Thu Jul 20 21:14:34 UTC 2023), Entry for Charles Allen, 1820.
15. ↑ "United States Census, 1830", database with images, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:XH5S-6P8 : Thu Jul 20 18:17:53 UTC 2023), Entry for Charles Allen, 1830.
16. ↑ "United States Census, 1840," database with images, FamilySearch : 19 May 2020, Charles Allen, South Carolina, United States; citing p. 30, NARA microfilm publication , (Washington D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.), roll ; FHL microfilm. Image
17. ↑ "United States Census, 1850," index and images, FamilySearch ([1] : accessed 22 February 2015), Charles Allen, Laurens county, Laurens, South Carolina, United States; citing family 964, NARA microfilm publication M432 (Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.).
18. ↑ Find A Grave Memorial# 7248223, Charles Allen, III, Allen Family Cemetery, Laurens, Laurens County, South Carolina, USA, Plot: on property of Bob Freeman.Find A Grave: Memorial #7248223

• Sons of the American Revolution Marker, Daniel Morgan Chapter.

• Daughters of American Revolution Marker, Sullivan Dunklin Chapter.

• Americans of Royal Descent, Wm. & Mary Quarterly, Vol X, page 267.

• Personal papers and notes of Frances T. Gaulden, Family Biographical Information. Personal copy in the files of M. Gaulden.