Ethan Allen (1840 - 1922)

Born 1840 in Maquon, Knox, Illinois, United States

Ancestors

Husband of Jane Keziah (Patterson) Allen — married 26 Dec 1865 in Meigs, Tennessee, United States

Descendants

Died 23 Sep 1922 at about age 82 in San Francisco, San Francisco, California, United States

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Biography

Ethan was born in 1840. He died in 1922 at the age of 81 - 82.

Ethan served during the Civil War as a Sergeant with Company F, 86th Illinois & Company A, 14th Illinois Cavalry.

Parents: John B. Allen 1798 - 1881 and Blender (Bull) Allen 1800 - 1879.

Spouse: Keziah Jane "Jennie" (Patterson) Allen 1840 - 1923. They were married 12/26/1865 in Meigs, Tennessee. Per Tennessee State Marriage Index, 1780 - 2002. Findagrave #3519291

On 8/2/1862, Ethan Allen volunteered to serve in a company which was being raised in Maquon, Illinois by a local Carpenter, Contractor and Businessman by the name of James L. Burhalter. Burkhalter is known to have resided very near the Allen family and is listed on the same census page as the Allens in the 1860 census.

Ethan Allen claimed that he is 21 years of age, that he was born in Knox County and that he now resides in Knox County. Burkhalter most likely knew all this to be true as he was a neighbor (only 6 households between the two families). The Allens were also the immediate next door neighbor in the 1860 census with Nelson D. Combs and his family. Nelson D. Combs also joined the 86th at this time and was elected by the men of Company F to serve as one of their Lieutenants.

At the time of the 1860 census, J. B. Allen, his wife, listed as Belinda, and the last four children, are still found residing in Maquon Township on Knox County. J. B. is still listed as a farmer. His son Ethan Allen, who is still the only Ethen Allen found in Knox County is now listed as being 19 years of age. J B Allen, birth c. 1798 Vt Belender Allen, birth c. 1800 Md Marion Allen, birth c. 1835 Ill Zemira Allen, birth c. 1836 Ills Elizabeth Allen, birth c. 1837 Ills Ethan Allen, birth c. 1841 Ills

At the time of the 1870 census, the Allens are still found in Knox County, Illinois; John B Allen M 72y Vermont Belender Allen F 70y Maryland Dickson S Allen M 50y Ohio Parley Bull M 15y Illinois Albina Allen F 43y Ohio Sidney Allen M 7y Illinois Zemira Allen F 1y Illinois

Illinois Civil War Detail Report: Cpl. Ethan Allen. Company F, Unit 86, Illinois U.S. Infantry. Residence: Maquon, Knox, Illinois. Age: 21. Height: 6' 3 1/2. Hair: Brown. Eyes: Blue. Complexion: fair. Single. Occupation: Farmer. Nativity: Maquon, Knox, Illinois.

Service Record: Joined date/place: 8/2/1862 in Maquon, Illinois. Joined By Whom: J. L. Burkhalter. Period: 3 Years. Muster In Date/Place: 8/27/1862 in Peoria, Illinois. Remarks: Deserted near Perryville, Kentucky 10/7/1862.

When Burkhalter had about 100 volunteers, he led the Maquon company into Peoria, where they went into camp at Camp Lyon, near present day Glen Oak Park. There on 8/27/1862, he was elected by the men of the Maquon company to be their Captain and Captain Burkhalter and 93 of his volunteers were mustered in as Company F of the 86th Regiment of Illinois Volunteer Infantry. Ethan Allen was probably well known and well thought of by the men of Company F and he was elected by the men of Company F to serve as their 5th Corporal. Nelson D. Combs, as stated above, was elected to serve as a Lieutenant in Company F.

On 9/7/1862, the men of the 86th Illinois marched out of the gates of Camp Lyon, Capt. James L. Burkhalter leading Company F, through the streets of Peoria, with much fanfare, down to the railroad depot. There they were joined by the men of the 85th Illinois, who had been mustered into service at Camp Peoria. At the depot the men of the 85th & 86th Illinois boarded trains bound for Camp Joe Holt in Jeffersonville, Indiana, which was located across the Ohio River from Louisville, Kentucky.

Three weeks later, the men of the 85th & 86th were in the field in Kentucky as part of Col. Daniel McCook's Brigade in the army commanded by Union General Buell. They were in pursuit of the last Confederate troops in Kentucky, who were under the command of Confederate General Braxton Bragg. In 10/1862, Buell's army caught up with that of Bragg's army and on 10/8/1862, the men of McCook's Brigade were engaged with those troops in the Battle of Perryville, Kentucky, the 85th & 86th Illinois suffering their first casualties. There would be many more in the coming years.

However, the day before the Battle of Perryville, Corporal Ethan Allen apparently disappeared and he was officially reported as a Deserter as of 10/7/1862. It is not known whether he participated in the Battle of Perryville, whether he was wounded or sick or whether he was instructed to go home by a doctor. The Official Records are far from being errorless. Years later, he explained his absence while attempting to get a pension for his service to the satisfation of the government and was awarded a pension for his service. So the government was satisfied that he was not a Deserter.

After leaving the 86th, Ethan Allen did return to Knox County. Within days of arriving back in Knox County, Ethan Allen volunteered at Maquon, Illinois on 10/25/1862 to serve in a company which was being raised in Knox County by Marvin S. Carr, of Galesburg, Illinois. This company was to become Company A of the 14th Illinois Cavalry. At this time he was recorded as being married, which was most likely as error.

Illinois Civil War Detail Report: Ethan Allen. Rank: Pvt. Company: A. Unit: 14th Illinois U.S. Calvary. Residence: Maquon, Knox, Illinois. Age: 22. Height: 6' 3 1/2. Hair: Black. Eyes: Blue. Complexion: Light. Marital Status: Married. Occupation: Farmer. Nativity: Knox County, Illinois.

Service Record: Joined date/place: 10/25/1862 in Maquon, Illinois. Joined By Whom: Cpt. Carr. Period: 3 Years. Muster In date/place: 1/7/1863 in Peoria, Illinois. Muster Out date/place: 7/31/1865 in Pulaski, Tennessee. Muster Out By Whom: Cpt. Jackson. Remarks: As Sergeant.

On 1/7/1863, Ethan Ellen was mustered in with the rest of the Knox County men and they were designated Co. A of the 14th Illinois Cavalry. Forty men from Maquon Township were among the men who served in Co. A of the 14th Illinois Cavalry, including two other members of the Allen family, a William Allen, of Maquon, Illinois, who volunteered to serve in what was to become Company A of the 14th Illinois Cavalry on the same day, 1/7/1863, as Ethan Allen, and also a James Allen. (could these be cousins of Ethan's?) Interestingly, Adam Housh, of Maquon, also later joined Company A of the 14th Illinois Cavalry. He, like Ethan Allen, was an original member of Company F of the 86th. He had served beside Ethen Allen for the better part of two months, got sick during the winter of 1862/63 in Nashville and was discharged from Company F of the 86th on 2/24/1863 and returned to Knox County. After he had recovered sufficiently, Adam Housh then like Ethan Allen volunteered to serve in Company A of the 14th. Another member of Company A of the 14th was a man who is listed as Melville Buell. Melville is known to have been a neighbor of the Allens at the time of the 1850 census and he is believed to have been a cousin of Ethan's.

Ethan's service in the 14th Illinois Cavalry was much brighter than his short stint with the 86th. In fact, at some point during the war he was promoted, most likely, first to Corporal and by the end of the war was a Sergeant in Company A of the 14th Illinois Cavalry. So he, like his time in the 86th, was very well thought of by the Knox County men. The men of the 14th Regiment of Illinois Volunteer Cavalry had a glorious career and were involved in the Knoxville, Tennessee Campaign as well as the Battles of Franklin and Nashville, Tennessee, along with numerous other battles and skirmishes and was involved with the famous Macon, Georgia raid. Sergeant Ethan Allen, of Company A, of the 14th Illinois Cavalry, was mustered out of the service on 7/31/1865 at Pulaski, Tennessee along with the surviving members of the 14th Illinois Cavalry. He then with the surviving members of Company A returned to his home in Knox County. Ethan Allen had a wonderful career in the service and had much to be proud of.

After being honorably discharged from the service, Ethan Allen was married to Keziah Jane Patterson. Jane was born on 7/24/1840 in Ten Mile, Meigs County, Tennessee. She was the daughter of James Patterson and Mary (Witten) Patterson, who was born on 4/13/1805 and died in 10/1885 in Ten Mile, Meigs County, Tennessee. See her Find A Grave Memorial # 55716979.

The children born to Ethan Allen and Keziah Jane (Patterson) Allen:

1. Mary Allen, born c. 1868/69 in Kansas.

2. John Allen, born c. 1871/72 in Missouri.

3. Archy Allen, born c. 1874/75 in Kansas.

4. Lewis Allen, born c. 1876/77 in Kansas.

5. Lucy Allen, born c. 1876/77 in Kansas.

6. Elizabeth Allen, born c. 1880 in Kansas.

7. Van Allen, born c. 1881/82 in Kansas.

At the time of the 1880 census, the Allens are found in Richland, Jewell County, Kansas. Ethan is farming and lists his father as having been born in Vermont, while his mother was born in Maryland; Self Ethan Allen M 39 Illinois Wife Jane Allen F 35 Tennessee Daughter Mary Allen F 11 Kansas Son John Allen M 8 Missouri Son Archy Allen M 5 Kansas Son Lewis Allen M 3 Kansas Daughter Lucy Allen F 3 Kansas

At the time of the 1900 census, Ethan and his family are found in Mendocino Township in the City of Healdsburg in Sonoma County, California. His birthdate is listed as October of 1840. Now his parents are listed as having been born in Ohio. Ethan and Jane are listed as having been married 34 years, which would place their marriage about 1866; Head Ethan Allen M 60 Illinois Wife Jane Allen F 60 Tennessee Son John Allen M 30 Missouri Daughter Lucy Allen F 22 Kansas Daughter Elizabeth Allen F 20 Kansas Son Van Allen M 18 Kansas

In 1920, Ethan, Jane and their son, John, are found in the 23rd Assembly District, 37th Precinct of San Francisco, California; SELF Ethan Allan M 79y Illinois WIFE Jane Allan F 79y Tennessee SON John Allan M 47y Kansas

When Ethan Allen initially filed for his government pension, it was denied as he was still recorded as a Deserter from the 86th and was asked to explain his absence from the 86th. This was done by a hand written letter that was submitted along with his papers. After the submission, as stated above, his pension was approved and his wife was also granted her widowers pension after his death. Christina Ramos, a great granddaughter of Ethan Allen's, has copies of the original letters that he submitted. She states, "It is framed in my home. I must tell you that these are my most treasured possessions that I have. Fortunately I have a family who kept very good records and I love to share what I have."

On 1/31/1890, Sgt. Ethan Allen was granted an Invalid Pension and the amount was increased on 3/25/1907. His Pension Card states that he died on 9/23/1922 in San Francisco, California. His Pension Card also mentions he was a member of both Company F of the 86th and Company A of the 14th Illinois Cavalry. Jane, as stated above, began collecting a Widow's Pension for his service in the Union Army on 10/3/1922. Jane died on 12/29/1923 in San Francisco, San Francisco County, California. Their remains were laid to rest in the San Francisco National Cemetery.

By Baxter B. Fite III, Findagrave Contributor #47203738 and Christina Ramos (Baxter and Christina would enjoy hearing from anyone, especially descendants of the Allen family, who might be able to add to the biography of Sergeant Ethan Allen and the Allen family. Baxter and Christina would also love to get copies of any pictures which might still exist of Sergeant Ethan Allen, especially any showing him in uniform from his days in the service, for his Findagrave site and for the local Historical Societies. Baxter has been searching from the 992 men who served in the 86th Illinois since 1985. He can be contacted at (309) 685-5861, 3013 N. Golf Drive, Peoria, Illinois 61604-2341.

Sources

• Ethan is buried at the San Francisco National Cemetery in San Francisco, San Francisco County, California, USA. His page lists and has links to his parents, siblings, spouse, 6 children. There are pictures of him, copy of original discharge papers and a picture of his headstone. https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/3519276/ethan-allen

• Ethan: https://www.familysearch.org/tree/person/details/LZD5-NJD Lists his parents, 7 siblings, spouse, 8 children, 20 sources/notes.