Gideon Allen
1790 to 1862
& Associated Families
Study in progress by: Deanna Branson West

Gideon Allen was born in 13 FEB 1790 in Scipio twp, Cayuga Co., NY.  He would marry at least twice in his life time. In 1829 in New York state he wed Sarah Ann "Sally" Larrowe
who had several children by this union but died in 1852 at the age of 48 -  He then wed Fidelia Rogers  in 1858 in Cass Co, MI - (dob abt 1804) Although Fidelia stepped
in to help finish raising the children, she and Gideon had no children by this union due to her age at the time of marriage. I strongly feel that Gideon had yet another complete
family whille still in New York state. We will discuss Elihu Allen, who I believe was Gideon's son later in this article.

We will start with Gideon's Great Grandfather: also Named Gideon Allen born 25 FEB 1718/19 in Tiverton, Mass and died abt 1770 in Dartmouth Mass.

  •  Note: Gideon was probably born in Tiverton, Mass. His will is dated 1770 and it was probated in 1771. He married in 1742 to Elizabeth and his trade was a carpenter. He lived in that part of Dartmouth now called Fairhaven. In his lifetime spent in Dartmought Town the town was strongly Quaker and as many as 2000 persons gathered at the meetings. These meetings continued until the outbreak of the Revolution when the people along the Massachusetts coast were harried by the British, their supplies confiscated and their shipping and fishing brought to an end. This began the great migration to the back county along the border settlements where the would feel more secured and could follow their own beliefs of their faith which forbid war. Gideon had married Elizabeth (Unknown) 1742 in Dartmouth, Mass.
    They had the following children: 

    Phillip Allen (the next individual we will discuss - born 1756 in Fairhaven, Mass
    Samuel Allen,Susanna Allen, Hannah Allen, Mary Allen, Elizabeth Allen and Abigail Allen.
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  •   Phillip Allen (Gideon Allen)was born 1756 in Fairhaven, Mass. and died 1802 Scipio Twp, Yates Co.,, NY

    It is believed that Phillip Allen died in about 1802 in Scipio Yates Co., NY. In Feb, 1779 he left Dartmouth and went to White Creek, Washington (then Albany) Co., NY. Letter of recommendation from the Sandwich, Mass. meeting to the Saratoga meetings in NY has been found and states: He is free from entanglements of Marriage. But on Oct 20, 1779 he was married in a Friends meeting at White Creek, NY to Rebecca Wood. She was the daughter of Isaac and Ruth (Baker) Wood who were also from Dartmouth, Mass and then White Creek. 

    It is supposed that Phillip and Rebecca were living in White Creek as they were recorded as members of the Friends Church there in 1784. In 1800, so stated the history of Cayuga Co., NY Phillip Allen "came in" as a settler, But there is no record of his owning land in Cayuga Co. The next year Isaac and Ruth Wood came and they had been preceded by Walter Wood and family, he being a brother of Rebecca. It is supposed that perhaps by some family arrangement, Phillip and Rebecca had a home near the other relatives or perhaps even lived with them. 

    However Phillip did not long survive and Rebecca was the wife of George Allen, and so designated on deeds of conveyance in 1807. Two early burial grounds used by the Quakers were opened about 1802. Phillip was most likely buried in one of them, but the Friends used no gravestone until after 1825, therefore his grave is unmarked and unrecorded. Rebecca died sometime after 1832.

  •                          Phillip and Rebecca (Wood) Allen  had the following children: 
  • 1. Phebe ALLEN born  9 AUG 1780 and died before 1848 in New York. Wed Robert Heazlit and had at least 2 children: Elizabeth Carr and Daniel M Heazlit.
    2. John Allen birth - BET. 1780 - 1802 in New York  - Per Allen documentation at the Cass County Library in Cassopolis Michigan, John settled in Ypsilanti, Michigan which would have been in Washtenaw                         County. No other information available on this individual.
    3. Walter W. Allen - birth abt 1786 -  No other information available on this individual.
    4. Gideon Allen (subject of this document) 1790 to 1862
    5. Samuel Allen born 1794 in White Creek, Washington Co,. NY and died 16 Dec 1866 with burial in Allen Cemetery, this county.

           
    Samuel was born in White Creek, Washington Co., NY (Presumably) died 17 Nov 1866 on his farm in Silver Creek Twp., Cass Co., MI. In 1840 his aunt, Elizabeth Wood, who is residing in the same county - Scipio, Cayuga Co., NY and will him 200$. I believe at this time Samuel and his most of his brothers have moved to the next county of Yates Co., NY. Samual comes to Michigan with his brother Gideon, his sister Ruth, while brother John (settles in Ypsilanti, Michigan) the remainder of the family of his sister Ruth and the family of his brother William, come to Cass County Michigan. Also two sons and a daughter of his sister Phebe. 
    Buried in the Allen Cemetery in Silver Creek Twp, row 41, with his wife Minerva W/Sam"l her stone read 76 y 3 m 28 d. 21 Mar 1874.
    Samuel's stone reads 73 yr 17 Dec 1866 - One son born of this union who was George W. Allen 1820 to 1888. See Rootsweb for more on this individual.

    6. William Allen birth 1 APR 1802 -  No other information available on this individual.
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    Gideon Allen (Subject of this article)  arrived in Cass County in 1845 with a large family.
    Children of Gideon and Sally Ann Larrowe were:
    Adeline dob 1831 and wed Lafayette Atwood 18 Mar 1849. Adeline died in 1861.

    Jane Allen (1832 to 1854)  wed George Whitbeck (1820 - 1896)  on 12 Sep 1847 and before her death in 1854 they had  Charlotte born in about 1849. John, 1850 to 1872  and Sarah 1853.
         George then wed March 4, 1855 to Maria Crossman (1830-1899)

    Ann Eliza dob 1833  and wed James Atwood 27 JAN 1856 in Cass Co., Michigan - she died in 1913 and James preceded her in death in 1910 - both buried Riverside Cemetery, Dowagiac, MI.

    Henry Allen born  24 MAR 1835 in New York and died 22 JUN 1911 in Cass County, MI with burial in Gage Cemetery.

    Charles Allen born
     ABT. 1837 in New York - No other information available on this individual.

    Clementine 1943 to 5 Jan 1916 wed abt 1867 to Halbert R. Taylor 1842 to 1917 both buried in Riverside Cemetery, Dowagiac, MI. - they had two children.

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    Elihu Allen abt 1810 to Oct 4, 1861 burial near Gideon Allen. Husband to Matilda Muncy lived  30 Apr 1824 to 6 May 1872.

    In investigating the genealogy of Elihu, I have been trying to determine if Gideon was a brother or a father to Elihu Allen. (See Gideon Allen b. 1789-1790).
    Elihu's dies at only 51 years of age intestate, therefore the care of his only child and daughter, my g-grandmother, Rebecca E. Allen is put into James Atwood's and Gideon Allen's guardianship, as they did so many times when a woman was widowed. Relationship of James Atwood who is the son of Lafayette Atwood and his mother is Adeline Allen Atwood - daughter of Gideon Allen. 
    Also as we examine the 1850 census for Cass County we see the close proximity in which Elihu lives only a few households away from Gideon. In this census it might be noted that household(hh) 1784 is Gideon Allen, 1785 hh is Layfayette Atwood & Adeline and 1786 hh is Tinkler family which includes Elihu living with them as farming for an occupation. 

    Being that Elihu had no will at the time of his death and was divorced from Rebecca's mother, Matilda, did Gideon leave a generous sum in the estate for Rebecca? This would explain why Gideon, who might indeed have been Elihu's father from Gideon's first marriage, would not have mentioned Elihu in his will when he died a few years after Elihu. 

    Matilda and Elihu are divorced in 1859 in Cass County, MI.

    In the 1860 census, Elihu is now living with and working for the Ebenezer Gage family. Ebenezer's son, Seneca, will later marry Elihu's daughter Rebecca when she returns from Florida after the death of her first husband, Charles Spooner.
    Elihu Married Matilda (Muncy) Foster 1 May 1853. They had one child Rebecca E. born 17 Feb 1854 and died 30 Nov 1929.
    More on Matilda Muncy Foster Allen
    One of the reasons it is so hard to track this lady is because of the numerous misspellings that I have seen given for this name. Everything from Munsy, Munsey to Muncy has been viewed on various web sites and census records.

    But the evidence lies in her will as to what her maiden name actually was, as she states a financial relationship to N. Muncey. Also we find in the 1870 Federal Census for Cass County, Michigan her 3rd marriage to John Argabright and also her brothers and children living not to far from her. They have misspelled again, her brother Abel (Muncy's) name in the census, who lives with Matilda and her 3rd husband. 

    In Matilda's will we see where she leaves most of her worldly possessions to her 4 children: Mary Foster Graham, Thomas J. Foster, Samuel F. Foster and Rebecca E. Allen (The only child by her 2nd marriage to a Mr. Elihu Allen). We also learn that Elihu and Matilda are divorced in 1859 by referencing information available at Cass County, Michigan.

    Only through referencing the 1870 census and noting that Mary Foster Graham was born in Indiana was I able to look through the Indiana marriages and actually find the date and place of the marriage to her first husband, William Foster, in Kosciusko, Indiana in 1845. Further evidence of Matilda's marriage to William Foster is the reference in Matilda's will that a mortgage for Wm. Foster is to be settled from monies from the estate. 

    Matilda must have known her time was limited as she does write her will and has it witnessed. She is only 48 years of age when she leaves this world on May 6, 1872. She divides all her worldly goods between her children and leaves Rebecca items that she and Rebecca had sewn together. Her daughter Rebecca is given the largest cash settlement from this humble estate which equals about 250$.
    After her divorce from Elihu Matilda wed John Argabright in about 1865.  He was born abt 1811 W. Virginia and died 18 Sep 1876 in Cass Co., MI
    Per the study files of Gerald Argabright email at argabright@horizonview.net, 
    he states that John and Matilda (Rayburn) Argabright were married on Sept 3, 1835 in Clark Co. Ohio. 
    I found John, Matilda and their children in the 1850 census, Clark County, OH, Donnelsville, page 99.
    The same 3 children appear in this census as appear in the 1860 census and are listed on this report.

    In verifying this information we can look at the 1860 census for Cass County Michigan in Jefferson twp, page 156 and see John and Matilda there with some of their children.

    In the 1870 Cass County Census for Michigan in LaGrange Township, page 56b, John (age 59) and his 2nd wife another Matilda (Matilda Muncy)(age 46) can be found with her son Samuel Foster and John's son Henry M. Argabright living with them. Also in the same household is a Mary Benson or Bensow b. W. Virginia name living with them.Mary is age 60 and children Arnold (22) and Emily (20) are there with her. Matilda's brother Abel Muncy are also living with them, along with a Jacob Overly age 21 are there too.

    Rebecca E. Allen - My Great Grandmother and daughter of Elihu and Matilda (Muncy) Allen
    17 Feb 1854 to 30 Nov 1929

    Rebecca loses her father when she is only about 7 years of age. Her mother than remarries John Argabright and Rebecca is raised with 3 other foster siblings. "See Matilda Munsey for more information on these siblings."
    In the 1870 Cass County, LaGrange Twp, page 54a, Rebecca is living with the William H Hain family and is shown as a domestic servant. The census states Rebecca is 18 years of age, but she would have been closer to 16 or 17 years of age. I have not established the relationship of Rebecca to this Hain's family.

    After the death of her 1st husband Charles, Rebecca must have returned to her roots in Cass County. I have no doubt that the Allen family and Gage family must have been friends proximity being the key, in 1870 census they live rather close to one another. We also, in the 1860 census see Elihu Allen working for Ebenezer Gage. This is the father of Seneca Gage who will become Rebecca's second husband.

    I believe that for a brief time Rebecca and Seneca go to California, probably to be closer to Seneca's sons. Allen, Rebecca's eldest son joins them for a short period time and then all return to Cass County sometime before 1914 when Seneca dies.

    1914 Rebecca is up in the Cass County, Michigan area with her second husband Seneca who dies that same year. This is perhaps why her son Allen and spouse Katherine move up to the area for a while 
    where their daughter Irene is born in 1915 in Kalamazoo, Michigan. 
    Through Mr. Ralph Muncy we learn that there were letters written by Rebecca's uncle, Levi Muncy concerning various family members. Rebecca's and Mother Matilda were with Nimrod Muncy in 1859 after the divorce of Matilda and Elihu Allen. 

    Rebecca was going to school in 1862.
    Also Rebecca is said to have been with her aunt Mary Allen in 1870. 

    1920 Federal Census for Benton Harbor, Berrien County MI, shows Rebecca
    living with Allen Spooner and his 3 children. Rebecca has remarried a Mr.
    Seneca Ebenezer Gage who she is now the widow of. She is 64 years of age
    Rebecca dies in 1929 after being ill for only 1 day. Note attached obit.

    The News Palladium, Benton Harbor, Mich. Dec. 2, 1929 (Monday)

    Mrs. Rebecca Gage
    Of Pavone Street
    Dies; Rites Tues.

    Funeral services will be held Tuesday for
    Mrs. Rebecca Gage, 75 years old, who passed
    away at 5:10 P.M. Saturday at her home, 613 
    Pavone Street.
    D. W. Mather will read the Christian Science
    service at 1:30 P.M., at the Esalhorst funeral
    chapel. Interment will be in the Riverview Cemetery
    Dowagiac.
    Mrs. Gage was born in Cass County February
    17, 1854, and had lived in Benton Harbor for
    nine years. Surviving are two sons, A. L. Spooner 
    of Benton Harbor, and Jesse Spooner, Detroit,
    five grandchildren and six great-grandchildren.

    1st husband was Charles W. Spooner Married: 13 JUL 1879 in Hillsborough, FL he died in about 1885
    and Rebecca returned to Cass County, MI with her two sons; Allen Lorenzo and Jesse Spooner
     
    2nd husbance was
    Seneca Ebenezer GAGE 1848 to 1914 who also had lost a spouse Edith May Morton  and he was the son of Ebenezer Gage and Minerva Allen .  

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