Singing Our Family Song
John B. ALLEN
1822 - 1910 (88 years)
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Name John B. ALLEN Nickname Blackbird Birth 1822 Tubbercurry, Co Sligo Ireland 
Gender Male Immigration 1849 Dundas, ON To Canada - Ancestry has 'indexed' arrival document-says arrival 8 Jul 1848 "staying in U.S."; departure from Belfast; Ship-Eliza Morrison
'From Then Till Now' has 2 different immigration dates to Canada-1849 & 1859, but William was born in Upper Canada in 1852 as per 1861 Census
Shoemaker & Toll Gate Operator
Location 1851 Ancaster, Ancaster Twp., Wentworth County, Ontario, Canada Census Location 1861 Wellington, Canada West, Canada Census Location 1871 Arthur, North Wellington, Ontario, Canada Census Location 14 Aug 1877 Lot 15; Conc 9 Arthur Twp Location 1881 Wellington North, Ontario, Canada Census Retired 1895 From farming _FSFTID L2RF-B1J _FSLINK https://www.familysearch.org/tree/person/details/L2RF-B1J _HASHTAG Lot 15, Conc 9 - Arthur Twp
_UID 9B673AEE642342A883704BB5E69DF9606ADC Death 19 Jun 1910 Farewell, Arthur Twp., Wellington County, ON, Canada Burial Church of Good Shepherd Cemetery, Riverstown, Arthur Twp, Wellington Co, Ontario, Canada Person ID I3997 My Genealogy Last Modified 26 May 2023
Father George ALLEN, b. Abt 1802, Tubbercurry, Ballysodare Parish, Co Sligo Ireland d. Yes, date unknown Mother Mary WILLIAMS, b. Abt 1805, Co Sligo, Ireland d. Yes, date unknown Family ID F1290 Group Sheet | Family Chart
Family 1 Eliza WILLIAMS, b. 21 Jul 1827, Ballysadare Parish, Co Sligo, Ireland d. 3 Jan 1892, Rothsay, Maryborough Twp., Wellington Co, Ontario, Canada (Age 64 years) Marriage Abt 1845 Children 1. Ellen ALLEN, b. 30 Jun 1847, County Sligo, IRELAND d. 14 Aug 1877, Wellington County, Ontario, Canada (Age 30 years)2. George A. ALLEN, b. Jan 1851, Wentworth County, Canada West d. 2 Sep 1858, Arthur Township, Wellington Co., Ontario Canada (Age 7 years)3. William Charles ALLEN, b. 9 Sep 1852, Dundas, Ancaster Twp., Wentworth County, Ontario d. 1 Sep 1940, Arthur Twp, Wellington Co, Ontario, Canada (Age 87 years)4. Mary Jane ALLEN, b. 12 Jun 1855, Arthur Township, Wellington Co., Ontario Canada d. 19 Aug 1858, Arthur Township, Wellington Co., Ontario Canada (Age 3 years)5. John William ALLEN, b. 17 Oct 1857, Arthur Twp., Wellington Co, Ontario, Canada d. 22 Dec 1940, Arthur Twp., Wellington Co, Ontario, Canada (Age 83 years)6. Eliza Jane ALLEN, b. 15 Apr 1860, Arthur Twp, Wellington Co Ontario Canada d. 1 Sep 1897, Chicago, Cook County, Illinois, USA (Age 37 years)7. Dr George Powell ALLEN, b. 14 Aug 1862, Dundas, ON d. 11 May 1950, Mount Forest, Arthur Twp, Wellington Co. Ontario, Canada (Age 87 years)8. Mary Ann ALLEN, b. 22 Nov 1867, Arthur Township, Wellington Co., Ontario Canada d. 22 Nov 1892, Arthur Twp, Wellington Co, Ontario, Canada (Age 25 years)9. David Alexander ALLEN, b. 10 Jun 1868, Arthur Twp, Wellington Co, Ontario, Canada d. 7 Dec 1952, Arthur Twp, Wellington Co, Ontario, Canada (Age 84 years)10. Lavina Emily ALLEN, b. 7 Nov 1871, Arthur Twp, Wellington Co, Ontario, Canada d. 29 Nov 1961, Mt Forest ON Canada (Age 90 years)Family ID F1267 Group Sheet | Family Chart Last Modified 17 Feb 2019
Family 2 Margaret COTNAM, b. 11 Dec 1842, Merrickville-Wolford, Grenville, Leeds Co., ON d. 25 Mar 1916, Arthur Twp., Wellington Co, Ontario, Canada (Age 73 years) Marriage 30 Oct 1894 Palmerston, Wellington County, ON Family ID F2153 Group Sheet | Family Chart Last Modified 21 Sep 2017
- Ancestry has 'indexed' arrival document-says arrival 8 Jul 1848 "staying in U.S."; departure from Belfast; Ship-Eliza Morrison
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Photos John (Blackbird) Allen 
Headstone
Church Of Good Shepherd, Wellington North, Wellington County
Ontario, Canada
Obituary
Clipping from Wellington County Archives - 2017 Visit
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Notes - MOTHER'S NAME: Her first name (Mary) was recorded on John & Eliza's marriage record (Mother: Mary Allan; Father: George Allan). When John married a 2nd time (to Margaret (Cotnam) Adair) he listed hist mother's full maiden name - Mary Williams.
- SIBLINGS: From Memories of Mount Forest-Gold & Diamonds Pg 42: "Alexander Allen and John are brothers. Another brother is George."
From his Obituary: "He has two brothers, George of Rothsay and Alexander of Mt Forest, aged 80 and 82 respectively, making the combined ages of the 3 brothers just 250 years."
- RELATIONSHIP TO ME: In GL Allen's written memories of his childhood, he describes his father, Alexander Allen, as a "cousin" of my own great grandfather, William Allen (1838-1911 - son of William & Margery). It is unclear if he meant 1st cousin - which would mean the father of John B, Alexander and George of Rothsay and my great grandfather, William would have been brothers - or another 'degree' of cousin. I have assumed a 1st cousin relationship and based the tree accordingly.
- GL ALLEN 'PIONEER DAYS' 1945: "The other early settlers of the Allen connection were Blackbird John on the 9th concession, nicknamed from the name of a horse he owned of that name. Three of his four sons settled on farms on the 9th concession, and one, Dr GP Allen, a dentist in Mount Forest."
- TWEEDSMUIR HISTORIES Farewell-Arthur Twp Pg 33: "Lot 15 Conc 9 - This farm was known as the Allen Farm. It was first owned by John B Allen who came to Canada around 1859 [s/b 1849]. He lived in Dundas, Ontario [before coming to Arthur Twp] where he made shoes and ran a tollgate. John and his wife, Eliza Williams, were the parents of George P, William C, John W, David A, Ellen, Eliza Jane, Mary Ann, Lavinia E. Two other children died in early childhood - Mary J and George. David A purchased the 100 acres from his father for $2 an acre. The log house and log stable were built around 1867 where the present buildings now stand. David married Ellen Morrison. Their children were Edna E, Verna SJ, Lionel D, Annie C (Mrs Herbert Thompson). Verna passed away in her youth. Edna and Lionel farmed the home farm until their deaths. The Mennonites purchased the Allen farm after Lionels death."
- LAND REGISTRY BOOKS (Wellington County Archives): 13 Jan 1866 - Patent N 1/2 L15 C9 - 100 acres - to David A Allen in 1894; 11 Jul 1868 - Fm John Kirkpatrick W-part of S1/2 L15 C8 - 50 acres - to WC Allen in 1887
- OBITUARY: An Aged Arthur Pioneer - On Sunday there died at his residence, Farewell, John Allen, one of that old and esteemed band that are gradually passing away, the early settlers. Deceased was born in Sligo, Ireland 88 years ago. About 1845 he came to Canada. For a number of years he lived at Dundas. Then nearly sixty years ago, he came to the Queen's Bush, settling on the ninth of Arthur. He was a successful farmer and by integrity, thrift and industry, achieved a competence. For the past ten years he has lived at Farewell.
He took a keen interest in public affairs, for many years he was assessor and collector of the township, and was afterwards a member of the township council for several years. He was an Episcopalian in religion and a conservative in politics. He was a man of simple tastes and temperate, regular habits, who never used tobacco and seldom touched liquor, and then most sparingly. His manner of life was conducive to the number of days which he enjoyed. He was ill for only five weeks, death being due to a gradual weakening of the heart from old age.
He was twice married. His first wife died 18 years ago, the second survives as do also four sons: W. C., John D., and David of the ninth of Arthur, and Dr G. P. Allen of Mt Forest and one daughter, Mrs Irwin Morrison, of Arthur Tp. He has two brothers, George of Rothsay and Alexander of Mt Forest, aged 80 and 82 respectively, making the combined ages of the 3 brothers just 250 years. The funeral took place on Tuesday afternoon to Riverstown Cemetery and was largely attended. The pall bearers the two brothers and four sons of the deceased.
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