John ALLEN Sr

  General Notes:

John Allen arrived in America on March 2, 1713, 19 years of agefrom Ireland. He settled in London grove Township Chester Co.,Pa. He purchased 200 acres from Thomas Garnet in 1719, to add tohis original 50 acres in London Grove, which was located on theN W line. Here John built and operated one of the earliestgrist mills of that section. John Allen also bought acertificate from the
friends (Quakers) in Ireland On February 3,1713.

Individual:
John Allen was born in Ireland of English heritage. When I inquired in Dublin at the Genealogical Society, I was told that Allen is not Irish but an English name and that likely the family came to Ireland during Cromwell's rule in 1653-58.
John was a mason or bricklayer. His father's name also was John and he was in the building trade. He embraced the Quaker faith and when his father died, he decided to emigrate to America. He received a Certificate of Remova l which was presented to Newark Monthly Meeting 3 April 171 3. (Newark was changed to Kennett c. 1760). He bought 63 acres in Chester County which is shown on
the map of Lands Around London Grove Meeting 1700-1730 by Gilbert Cope .
In 1719 he bought an adjoining tract of 200 acres and built and operated a grist mill.
He married Amy Cox in 1719. They had nine children .
The third child was Emma (Amy, Emey) who married Philip Ward.
John Allen died in 1769 and left a detailed will. By that time, both Emey and Philip Ward were deceased and he bequeathed unto my granddaughter, Elizabeth Ward, the su m of one Shilling and unto my two grandsons viz.
Thomas W ard and Philip Ward the sum of Thirty Pounds...to be equally divided between them share and part alike. He also left money to another grandson with the proviso that if he should die before coming of age the legacy would go to Thomas and Philip Ward equally.
The Allen Family, Descendants of John and Amy Cox Allen With Allied Lines
by Lester M. Allen
Immigration of Irish Quakers into Pennsylvania
1682-1750 by Albert Cook Myers -WFT#27-3066
John Allen, who was an Irish Friend, arrived as early as 1714 and located in the Township on the northwest line of New Garden. Here he built and operated one of the earliest mills of that section. In 1719 he purchased from Thomas Garnett an adjoining tract of 200 acres over the line in New Gar den, being part of the 500 acres granted to Garnett by Evan Evans. [An article appearing in Immigration of Irish Quakers into Pennsylvania, 1682-1750]


JOHN ALLEN I LAST WILL TESTAMENT 12m-7-1769
TO ALL PEOPLE to whom these presents shall or may come,
I John Allen of the Township of London Grove in the County of Chester in the Province of Pennsylvania Yeoman being far advanced in years and having under my consideration the uncertainty of human life do make this my last will and
Testament in manner and form following that is to say Imprimis I order that my Body be decently interred in Friends Buriing Grounds in a Christian and decent manner at the discretion of my Executors herein after named, and as to my worldly Estate which the Lord in mercy hath been pleased to bestow upon me I give and dispose of the same in manner and form following and first I will that all
my just debts which I owe to any manner of person or persons together with my funeral charges be paid and discharged as soon as conveniently may be after my decease by my Executors herein after named.
Item, I give and bequeath unto my loving wife Amy Allen the dwelling house I now dwell in with all the furnature thereunto belonging that she may think convenient together with all the linnen likewise one half of the orchard and the bay mare and one cow which she may like best as also sufficient pasturage and wintering for them as also what fire wood she may stand in need of to be provided for her at the expence of my son William Allen and brought to the door.
Item, I give and bequeath unto my said son, William Allen
the plantation on which I now dwell with the appurtenances situate lying and being in the said Township of London Grove containing sixty three acres Except what lyeth in the brick field and also what I have before bequeathed to his mother during her natural life with the saw mill and all my Right and Interest in the Corn or Grist Mill with all the utentials and appurtenances belonging as also all that part of my
two hundred acre tract of land situate in the Township of New Garden and lying south of a line now run beginning at a corner stone set in the ground in or near the line dividing between the Township of London Grove and New Garden opposite to the end of a ditch dividing the meadow from the aforesaid Brick Field
near the South East Corner of the said meadow thence north fifty seven degrees East sixty four perches to another stone, thence North sixty eight degrees east twenty five perches to a small white oak thence due East sixty six perches to a post in the Eastermost line of the aforesaid tract be. the content of the same
more or less with the appurtenances Except the ground my son John Allen built his house upon near the aforesaid mill and it is my mind and will that the said house and what land is between the same and the Ditch and even with the back side of the said house shall be for the sole use and behoof of the heirs of my said son John and their assigns forever all that the aforesaid land lying south of
the above mentioned line in New Garden Township to my said son William on condition he pays to his mother the aforesaid Amy Allen the sum of six pounds lawful money of the aforesaid Province yearly and every year during her natural life, to be possessed and enjoyed by him my said son William for and during his natural life and from and immediately after his decease to go and be vested soley in the heirs made of his body lawfully begotten and their heirs and assigns
forever and for want of such male issue then to his two brothers to wit Joseph and Benjamin to be equally divided between them share and part alike and to their heirs and assigns forever.
Item, I give and bequeath unto my said son William Allen
all that tract of land lying West of the other Containing Sixty Eight acres and the usual allowance for roads together with the appurtenances to hold to him my said son William Allen
and his heirs and assigns forever he paying out of the same to his late deceased brother John's Children viz. to Hannah the sum of Five Pounds lawful money of the aforesaid Province, to Amy the sum of Five Pounds of like lawful money aforesaid, to Ann the sum of Twenty Pounds of the like money, to John Twenty Pounds of like money, to Samuel Twenty Pounds of like money which said
Several Legacies I will and order to be paid to each of them one year after my decease to the Eldest and so one year between each payment until they are all paid. But in case any of the aforesaid Children shall happen to die or depart this life before the time herein before mentioned for payment there of then and in such case, the part or share of him her or them that shall so happen to die I will
and order to remain to my said son William's own particular use.
Item, I give and bequeath unto my said son Joseph Allen
all my wearing apparrell and the sum of Five Shillings which with what I have already given him is to be in full of his share or part of my Estate Except a dividing share of the surplus of my Estate if any be as herein after mentioned of the land.
Item, I give and devise and bequeath unto my son Benjamin
Allen all that part of my aforesaid tract of land situate lying and being in the said Township of New Garden and north of the Division line herein before mentioned together with the appurtenances be the same more or less To hold to him my said son Benjamin Allen and to his heirs and assigns forever.
Item, All that my tract of land situate lying and being Between the Lands late of Steven Ailes deceased and the land of James Greenfield containing by computation Thirty seven acres and three quarters of an acre be the same more or less together with the appurtenances, I give devise and bequeath one full equal and undivided third part thereof to my said son William Allen and to his
heirs and assigns forever, one other full equal and undivided third part thereof I give devise and bequeath unto my said son Joseph Allen and to his heirs and assigns forever and the other one full equal and undivided third part thereof I give devise and bequeath unto my said son Benjamin Allen and his heirs and assigns forever.
Item, I give and bequeath unto my daughter Elizabeth Dixon the sum of Fifty Pounds lawful money of the aforesaid Province.
Item, I give and bequeath unto my daughter Phebe Thompson
the sum of Forty Pounds lawful money of the aforesaid Province.
Item, I give and bequeath to my four grand children viz
William Moode, Emey Moode, Ruth Moode and Hannah Moode the sum of Twenty Pounds lawful money of the aforesaid Province to be equally divided among them share and part alike.
Item, I give and bequeath unto my grand daughter Elizabeth
Ward the sum of one Shilling.
Item, I give and bequeath unto my two grandsons viz. Thomas Ward and Phillip Ward the sum of Thirty Pounds lawful money of the aforesaid Province to be equally divided between them share and part alike.
Item, I give and bequeath unto my grand son John Fraizer
the sum of Twenty Pounds of like money aforesaid to be paid to him at the age of twenty one years and if in case he should happen to die or depart this life before he arrives at the age aforesaid that then and in such case I give and bequeath the said legacy of Twenty Pounds to my said two grand sons Thomas and Philip Ward to be
equally divided between them share and part alike. And I hereby nominate constitute and appoint my loving son in law William Chandler Executor and my loving daughter Rebecka his wife Executrix of this my last Will and Testament to whom I give and bequeath the sum of Fifty Pounds lawful money of the aforesaid
Province as a Legacy which said Legacy shall be in full as well for their Administering my said Estate as all other demands they or either of them may have against my said Estate also I charge them with the payment of my debts and Legacies according to the true intent and meaning hereof and lastly it is my mind and will that if any thing remain after my just debts and Legacies are fully paid and discharged that such remainder or residue be equally divided between my loving wife the aforesaid Amy Allen and my said three sons to wit William, Joseph, and Benjamin share and part alike. In Witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand and seal, Dated the Seventh Day of the twelfth month in the year of our Lord One Thousand Seven Hundred and Sixty Nine.

John Allen Seal.
Signed, Sealed, Published, Pronounced, and Declared by
the said John Allen the Testator to be his last Will and Testament in the Presence of us the subscribers who subscribed our names as Witnesses thereto in his presence and by his request, Samuel Sharp, David England, Lewis Lemert.
Chester 5th November 1771 Then personally appeared Samuel
Sharp, David England, and Lewis Lemert, who on their Solemn Affirmations according to law did Declare, Affirm and say that they were personally present and did see and hear John Allen the Testator within and above named, Sign, Seal, Publish, Pronounce, and Declare the foregoing writing to be his last Will and Testament
and that at the doing thereof he was of a sound and well disposing mind and memory to the best of their understanding. Affirmed before H. H. Graham D. Regs'

Certificate of Removal (Transference) for John Allen
To Friends in Pensilvania or Elsewhere to whose hands this may come
Dear Friends
With the Salutation of Truth and unfeigned love in the fellowship of the Gospeel, we hereby acquaint you that the bearer here of John Allen being the son of John Allen who was convinced of the Truth in the Citty of Dublin and Friends was concerned -- for his children after his death to preserve them in the way of Truth and this Lad served his Father in his Father's lifetime and afterwards wrought
with a Friend in the citty in the same Trade that his father was of that is a Mason and Bricklayer and by him we are informed that he is a good workman and an honest young man and we hear nothing but that he has behaved himself both when in his Masters Service and before orderly being of quiet Temper and pretty innocent conversation. And Friends paid his passage for him in hopes that he
will pay them again when he can and up on enquiry we do not find but he is clear from all women here on account of marriage. So we have been concerned for his Education and preservation in the Truth we recommend him to your tender care and remaine your loving Friends -
Signed by order of ____?____ meeting held in Dublin the 17th of the 1st mo. 1712/1713
Peter Judde, Joshabth Maddock, John Studdart, Abell Strettel,
Timothy Forbes, Henry Martin, William Brookfield, George Rooke, Henry Brookfrield, Amos Strettel, Thomas Wilcocks.
(signatories)
Text: p. 337
Text: p. 142
Text: p. 143
Text: p. 3
Note: 4

  Events in his life were:

• Immigration, 1714, Newark, Essex, New Jersey.

John married Amy COX, daughter of John COX and Rachel Embree CARR, in March 1719 in Newark, New Castle County, Deleware. (Amy COX was born in 1720 in Newark, New Jersey and died on September 13, 1778 in London Grove, Chester, Pennsylvania, United States.)