Ferdinand Abijah Allen (1874 - 1966)

Born 15 Jul 1874 in Palestine, Crawford, Illinois, United States

Ancestors

Husband of Emma Lowdusky (Bartmess) Allen — married 21 Aug 1897 in Sullivan, Sullivan, Indiana, United States

Descendants

Died 7 Oct 1966 at age 92 in Palestine, Crawford, Illinois, United States

Problems/Questions Profile manager: Kathy Stepp [send private message]

Biography

Ferdinand was born in 1874. He died in 1966 at the age of 92.

Parents: Abijah Wilson "Aby" Allen 1846 - 1877 and Mahalia (Simons) Allen, Mickey 1849 - 1888.

Spouse: Emeline Loudusky "Emma" (Bartmess) Allen 1878 - 1968. They were married 8/21/1897 in Sullivan, Sullivan County, Indiana. Per Indiana Marriages, 1780 - 1992. Findagrave #60428022

Children:

1. Keturah "Tura" Allen 1898 - 1936

• Married Chester Donald Battershell 1900 - 1963
• Findagrave #42568157

2. Anna Asneth Allen 1900 - 1995

• Married Charles Elmer "Charley" Dungan 1892 - 1967
• Findagrave #78214684

3. Oscar Leonard Allen 1902 - 1992

• Married Opal Florence Frye 1904 - 1991
• Findagrave #25249549

4. Verna Irene Allen 1904 - 1999

• Married Joseph Lewis Whitfield 1901 - 1988
• Findagrave #63144698

5. Emeline Loudusky Allen 1907 - 1977

• Married Clarence Lawrence Arteman 1905 - 1982
• Findagrave #114651103

6. Melissa Mahala Allen 1912 - 1997

• Married Joseph Carlton Adams 1910 - 1981
• Findagrave #70916342

7. Vera Ruth Allen 1916 - 2005

• Married Floyd D. Knoblett 1911 - 2000
• Findagrave #214479333

1) In notes from my grandmother, their daughter Verna Irene (Allen) Whitfield. Baptized in river, 8/21/1936.

2) From typed family record I inherited in papers from my father. "Always known in the community as Ferd and Lou. They started housekeeping in a log cabin on land obtained with his dad's Civil War Pension money. Some of the kids were born in the log cabin before the house was built. They were life long members of Wesley Chapel Methodist Church. Lou alwas rode in the back seat of the car behind grandpa and he never used the second gear. One could say they had a full life and seen many changes in the world. Grandpa farmed his whole life with horses."

3) Written by is daughter, Emeline: "4/4/1975 At the request of my daughter, Barbara, I am writing a little family history, for posterity - not that it amounts to much but it was fun to live with its work, tears, and fun.

Ferd and Emma Lou Bartmess brought into this world 6 lovely girls and one fine son. Keturah (called Tura), Anna and Oscar were born in the log cabin. Verna was next to see the light of this world and then me, Emma Lowdusky Allen, (9/27/1907) so named after my mother and great grandmother, Emeline Fuller Bartmess.

Our home was the first road running east, south of Wesley Chapel Church, now named Grace Methodist, the last place before coming to the corner of the range road.

Treadways, Burketts, Littles and Brownings were our closest neighbors. We walked to Wheeler school together collecting the Fortes, Espys, Laugheads and various children from different tenant houses as we crossed the fields and roads. On bad winter snowy days we would cover our faces with "breakfast cloths" (a triangular flannel cloth and the big "kids" would lead us. Many an adventure we had. If we crossed the creek south of our house, some "smartie" was sure to try and push us off the plank Dad put there. Another crossing at Little's woods was just a big log which always led to a little horseplay, which sometimes ended in wet feet.

Grandma Bartmess was always the midwife and when Oscar was born, when she saw it was a boy she grabbed Dad's good hat off his head and threw it in the stove and said, "Ferd, it is a boy!"

We attended church at Wesley Chapel (now a remodeld Grace Methodist). Sometimes going on foot, buggy, surrey or wagon. When the weather was really bad, Dad would hitch the horses and take us to school collecting children along the way, as we were in the corner of the school district #7. Our favorite and most often served meal when coming from school was a big skillet of fried potatoes or potato soup.

Christmas programs, box supper (I won the beauty contest 3 times), last day of school dinners, pound parties were highlights of Old Settlers picnic in August at Morea, it was an all day affair. To prepare ourselves sometimes we would wash our faces in clabbered milk (thick sour milk). It was supposed to make us whiter, for we did not like to wear sunbonnets. We would wash and starch our hair ribbons in sweet milk, get our starched organdy or dotted swiss dresses ironed and were ready to go early. Took a big picnic dinner and went in surrey or wagon. Neighbors for miles around were there.

When reaching the 8th grade, you must write for a certificate. We had to go to Richwoods school and write on questions all day. I reckon I drove a horse and buggy. I remember being disappointed when Mom wouldn't let me wear 3 big full petticoats like the other girls.

I forgot threshing days. What fun! We could drive the horse and buggy and carry water to the field for the men. Of course, there would always be a few young boys working too. Mom always had a huge dish of tapioca pudding and lots of pies.

Palestine High School came next and Vernie and I drove either a car or horse and buggy. One year, our cousin and I took turns driving. She always had a mule to drive which caused me some embarrassment. She always drove down Main Street. We drove a work horse and the Biggs girls drove a buggy horse and they always passed us, much to our disgust. One year I rode horseback several days when roads were bad. I graduated in 1925...

One of the highlights of my childhood was going with Dad in wagon with team and hauling sacks of wheat to the Wabash River for shipment south by barge. Also seining Long Pond (which was the ground sold by the government to Peter or John Bartmess for 75 cents an acre) and seeing tubs of big carp, buffalo and other fish being brought out. They had been known to haul them away by the wagon bed. Dad and Oscar used to go with team and wagon to Carlyle, Indiana for coal." Written by my Great Aunt, Emeline Lowdusky "Emma" (Allen) Arteman, 1907 - 1977 (sister to my Grandmother, Verna)

3) 8/27/1951, Robinson Daily News. Bridal Styles of the 50's. There the picture of them that is on this page with the following: "Above is the photo of a well-known Crawford County couple who celebrated their 54th wedding anniversary this month. The photo is a study in what the well dressed bride and groom of the gay nineties wore and the proper appointments for the wedding picture. (Note the floor pillow and chenille curtains.) The bride's dress was of stiff white taffeta with accessories of white including beplumed hat, feather fan and white gloves."

4) 68th Wedding Anniversary Picture (on this record). Newspaper article about them with the family picture and a picture of the two of them (I have the clipping): "Mr. and Mrs. Ferd Allen, Palestine. Married 68 years, 8/21 (holding yellow roses which were part of a bouquet presented to them by their children). All of their living children were with them for the occasion. They were married 8/21/1887 in Sullivan, Indiana and immediately went to housekeeping on a farm five miles south of Palestine where they spent their entire married life until just a few weeks ago, when poor health necessitated their moving to Palestine.

Their first home was a log house (which still stands at the farm, but is now used as a barn) and later they built an attractive frame house where they lived until leaving the farm. At the time, they had 15 grandchildren and 28 great grandchildren.

Mrs. Allen observed her 97th birthday in April and Allen was 91 years old in July, but their ages have nothing to do with their outlook on life. Mrs. Allen commented that 68 years was a long time to make biscuits for one man and he countered with "68 years is a long time to eat your biscuits!"

Mrs. Allen is improving slowly from a recent illness and is able to be up and about the house part of the time and Allen is in very good health for his age and is enjoying his retirement in town."

5) From his obituary, 1966. I have the newspaper clipping: ..."When he was 4 years old his father died from exposures incurred while in service in the Civil War and as a result, Ferd started working at an early age. His first job was riding a horse drawing a log making furrows for planting corn.

He was married to Emma L. Bartmess at Sullivan, Indiana on 8/21/1897. In their early years they lived in a log cabin on the same farm where they spend 68 years of their life. Because of failing health, they moved to Palestine..."

6) In his estate papers (I have the papers): He sold beans for $165.83 & corn for $1,255.76. He paid Floyd Knoblett $48.30 for corn share & for seed corn and fertilizer $328.32. Funeral expenses were $1,149.55 which was over the amount he made that season for his crops.

Research Notes

I am 100% certain on his nicknames, Ferd & Abi. It is written on many family pictures and my family has told me this. He is my Great Grandfather. He died when I was 2. (makes me sad his nicknames were put as "uncertain" by another user without knowing him, seeing the family pics and reading the letters and articles)

He was blind in one eye & had a glass eye. Family lore is something happened with a barbed wire fence. From my cousin, Sarah (Robinson) Lund.

Sources

• Ferdinand is buried at Oak Grove Cemetery in Palestine, Crawford County, Illinois, USA. His page lists and has links to his parents, half siblings, spouse, 7 children. There is a picture of his headstone. https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/60428010/ferdinand-a_-allen

• Ferdinand Abijah Allen: https://www.familysearch.org/tree/person/details/2C5F-CFT

• 1900 Census: Ferd A. Allen. Age: 25. Married. Home in 1900: Montgomery Township (excl. Flat Rock), Crawford, Illinois. Birthdate/place: 7/1875 in Illinois. Years married: 3. Marriage year: 1897. Household members: Ferd A. Allen, 25. Lowedoska Allen, 22. Tura Allen, 2. Anna A. Allen, 0. Note: All are listed as born in Illinois.

• 1910 Census: Ferd Allen. Age: 36. Married. Home in 1910: Montgomery, Crawford, Illinois. Birthdate/place: 1874 in Illinois. Parent's birthplace: Illinois. Household members: Ferd Allen, 36. Emma L. Allen, 32. Tura Allen, 11. Anna Allen, 9. Oscar Allen, 8. Verne Allen, 5. Emma Allen, 2.

• 1920 Census: Ferd Allen. Age: 46. Married. Home in 1920: Montgomery Township, Crawford, Illinois. Birthdate/place: 1874 in Illinois. Parent's birthplace: Illinois. Household members: Ferd Allen, 46. Emma L. Allen, 42. Fura Allen, 21. Anncia A. Allen, 19. Oschar Allen, 17. Virnie Allen, 15. Emma A. Allen, 12. Melissa M. Allen, 7. Vera R. Allen, 3. Note: All are listed as born in Illinois.

• 1930 Census: Ferd Allen. Age: 54. Married. Home in 1930: Montgomery, Crawford, Illinois. Birthdate/place: 1876 in Illinois. Parent's birthplace: Illinois. Household members: Ferd Allen, 54. Emma L. Allen, 51. Vera Allen, 14.

• 1940 Census: Ferd Allen. Age: 65. Married. Home in 1940: Montgomery, Crawford, Illinois. Birthdate/place: 1875 in Illinois. Occupation: farmer. Highest grade completed: 8th grade. Household members: Ferd Allen, 65. Emma L. Allen, 62.

• 1950 Census: Ferdinand Allen. Age: 74. Married. Home in 1950: Montgomery, Crawford, Illinois. Birth date/place: abt. 1876 in Illinois. Occupation: farmer, own business. Hours worked: 72. Household members: Ferdinand Allen, 74. Emma L. Allen, 72.

• United States World War I Draft Registration Cards, 1917 - 1918. Ferdinand Allen, male. Event place: Crawford County, Illinois. Birthdate/place: 7/15/1874 in Crawford, Illinois. Relative/address: Emma L. Allen, Palestine, Crawford, Illinois.

• Indiana Marriages, 1780 - 1992. Ferdinand Allen. Marriage 8/21/1897 in Sullivan, Sullivan County, Indiana. Age: 23. Birthyear/placce: 1874 in Crawford County, Illinois. Fathers Name: Abi Allen. Mothers Name: Mahala (Simons) Allen. Spouses Name: Loudaska Baetmess. Spouses age: 20. Spouses birthyear/place: 1877 in Crawford County, Illinois. Spouses Father: Tom Bartmess. Spouses Mother: Emeline (Fuller) Bartmess.

• Descendants of Warner Ford, Sr. #801, Ferdinand A. Allen Information/Tree: http://sites.rootsweb.com/~ilcchs/familytrees/fordfamilytree/d5.html