John Bates Allen (abt. 1837 - 1879)

Born about 1837 in Whitehouse, County Antrim, Ireland

Died 18 Apr 1879 at about age 42 in Reefton, Nelson, New Zealand

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Biography

John Allen was born in Ireland.

John Allen lived in Ross, West Coast, New Zealand.

John Allen lived in Reefton, West Coast, New Zealand.

John Allen was a Freemason and a member of Pacific Lodge of Reefton, Nº. 1453.

John was born about 1837 near Belfast in County Antrim.^[1] He was perhaps earliest known in New Zealand from his time living in Ross.^[2] His wife was Bridget, and they had at least two children these being James and Julia.^[3]

In July 1871, Allen applied to have four acres of suburban land put up for sale.^[4] In November this land, at Totara district block XI, was auctioned off for £8.^[5] Until 1877 he still appeared in several electoral rolls and directories as being centred on Totara Road, in Totara district.^[6][7]

Allen lived near Reefton at a sawmill, in a cottage, as early as 1874.^[8][9] He and business partner Hugh Graham registered the Rainy Creek Quartz Mining Company.^[10]

In April 1878 he was initiated into the Reefton Lodge.^[11] He was thrown from a horse, at Reefton, on the night of 17 April the next year, passing away the next day^[12] at 11 in the morning from injuries to the skull. He was described as "very old West Coaster", "widely known and respected."^[2][13] He was buried in the Old Reefton Cemetery.^[1]

Research Notes

A John Allen married Bridget Cullen in 1866.^[14]

Headstone, and all sources associated with his burial record including the plaque by the side of the Old Cemetery, read that John died in June, but newspapers from the time report his death in April.

Sources

1. ↑ ^{1.0 1.1} Ancestry.com. New Zealand, Cemetery Records, 1800-2007 > Westland, West Coast > Search for "John Bates Allen" [database on-line]: Image. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2014. Original data: New Zealand Cemetery Records. New Zealand Society of Genealogists Incorporated. [These transcribers at the time interpreted the headstone as reading 'Wirehouse' near Belfast. There is a Whitehouse near Belfast.]
2. ↑ ^{2.0 2.1} Kumara Times (18 Apr 1879). LATEST TELEGRAMS. Issue 795, page 2.
   • Westport Times (22 Apr 1879). TELEGRAMS. Vol. XIII, issue 1657, page 2.
3. ↑ Ancestry.com. New Zealand, Cemetery Records, 1800-2007 > Westland, West Coast > Search for "Bridget Allen" [database on-line]: Image. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2014. Original data: New Zealand Cemetery Records. New Zealand Society of Genealogists Incorporated.
4. ↑ West Coast Times (2 Aug 1871). WASTE LANDS BOARD. Issue 1822, page 2.
5. ↑ West Coast Times (1 Dec 1871). WASTE LANDS BOARD. Issue 1926, page 2.
6. ↑ Ancestry.com. New Zealand, Electoral Rolls, 1853-2010 > 1871-1872 > West Coast > Totara [database on-line]: Image. Lehi, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2010. Original data: New Zealand Electoral Rolls, 1853–2010. Auckland, New Zealand: BAB microfilming and Electoral Roll Commison, New Zealand. Microfiche publication,.
   • Ancestry.com. New Zealand, Electoral Rolls, 1853-2010 > 1874-1875 > West Coast > Totara [database on-line]: Image. Lehi, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2010. Original data: New Zealand Electoral Rolls, 1853–2010.
   • Ancestry.com. New Zealand, Electoral Rolls, 1853-2010 > 1875-1876 > West Coast > Totara [database on-line]: Image. Lehi, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2010. Original data: New Zealand Electoral Rolls, 1853–2010.
   • Ancestry.com. New Zealand, Electoral Rolls, 1853-2010 > 1876-1877 > West Coast > Totara [database on-line]: Image. Lehi, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2010. Original data: New Zealand Electoral Rolls, 1853–2010.
7. ↑ Ancestry.com. New Zealand, City & Area Directories, 1866-1954 > 1875-1876 > Wise´s New Zealand Post Office Directory [database on-line]: Image. Lehi, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2010. This collection was indexed by Ancestry World Archives Project contributors. Original data: New Zealand City & Area Directories, 1866–1955. Microfilm publication, 921 fiche. Anne Bromell Collection, BAB Microfilming. Auckland, New Zealand.
8. ↑ Ancestry.com. New Zealand, Electoral Rolls, 1853-2010 > 1874-1875 > West Coast > Buller [database on-line]: Image. Lehi, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2010. Original data: New Zealand Electoral Rolls, 1853–2010. Auckland, New Zealand: BAB microfilming and Electoral Roll Commison, New Zealand. Microfiche publication,.
   • Ancestry.com. New Zealand, Electoral Rolls, 1853-2010 > 1875-1876 > West Coast > Buller [database on-line]: Image. Lehi, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2010. Original data: New Zealand Electoral Rolls, 1853–2010.
   • Ancestry.com. New Zealand, Electoral Rolls, 1853-2010 > 1875-1876 > West Coast > Grey Valley [database on-line]: Image. Lehi, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2010. Original data: New Zealand Electoral Rolls, 1853–2010.
   • Ancestry.com. New Zealand, Electoral Rolls, 1853-2010 > 1876-1877 > West Coast > Grey Valley [database on-line]: Image. Lehi, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2010. Original data: New Zealand Electoral Rolls, 1853–2010.
   • Ancestry.com. New Zealand, Electoral Rolls, 1853-2010 > 1878-1879 > West Coast > Grey Valley [database on-line]: Image. Lehi, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2010. Original data: New Zealand Electoral Rolls, 1853–2010.
   • Ancestry.com. New Zealand, Electoral Rolls, 1853-2010 > 1879-1880 > West Coast > Grey Valley [database on-line]: Image. Lehi, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2010. Original data: New Zealand Electoral Rolls, 1853–2010.
9. ↑ Ancestry.com. New Zealand, City & Area Directories, 1866-1954 > 1875-1876 > Wise´s New Zealand Post Office Directory [database on-line]: Image. Lehi, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2010. This collection was indexed by Ancestry World Archives Project contributors. Original data: New Zealand City & Area Directories, 1866–1955. Microfilm publication, 921 fiche. Anne Bromell Collection, BAB Microfilming. Auckland, New Zealand.
10. ↑ West Coast Times (11 Sep 1876). DISTRICT COURT. Issue 2326, page 2.
11. ↑ Ancestry.com. England, United Grand Lodge of England Freemason Membership Registers, 1751-1921 > United Grand Lodge of England > 1863-1887 > Register of Contributions: Country and Foreign Lodges, 1394-1535 [database on-line]: Image. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2015. Original data: Membership registers 1751-1921 from the collection of the United Grand Lodge of England held by the Museum of Freemasonry. Images reproduced by courtesy of the Museum of Freemasonry, London. Rights reserved.
12. ↑ NZ BDM Index, Deaths. 1879. John Bates Allen. Date of birth/age at death: 42 years. Registration number: 1879/2784. Ancestry au Record 8952 #544275 / Ancestry au Record 62564 #2334035
13. ↑ West Coast Times (19 Apr 1879). TELEGRAPHIC NEWS. Issue 3139, page 2.
    • Grey River Argus (19 Apr 1879). ANOTHER FATAL ACCIDENT AT REEFTON. Vol. XXII, issue 3329, page 2.
14. ↑ NZ BDM Index, Marriages. 1866. John Allen and Bridget Cullen. Registration number: 1866/8506