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An American Family History

Robert Alison

  also spelled Allison, Ellison  
     
The first European settlements in Maryland were made in 1634 when English settlers created a permanent colony.

Robert Alison was born in 1749 in Frederick County, Maryland. His father was John Alison, Sr.

Robert served in the American Revolution. He was in the Battle of Long Island on August 27, 1776 and the Battle Fort Washington on November 16, 1776. He was taken prisoner and kept on a British ship.

He married Martha McKinley.

Robert and Martha's children probably included:

Susannah Alison (1792),
Francis Alison (1796, married Jane Irvin),
Jannett Alison (about 1796, married Abraham Gregg and Nathaniel R. Hicks),
Sarah Alison Hodges (married Allen Hodges),
Joseph Alison (1798),
John Alison (1800).
Elizabeth Alison Deery (1802, married William Deery)
Martha Alsion (married Gray)

Robert died on March 2, 1826.

Martha died in 1845.

Tennessee was admitted to the Union on June 1, 1796. It was initially part of North Carolina.

     
 

 

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American pioneers migrated west to settle areas not previously inhabited by European Americans.

from Genealogy of the Sanders, Alison and Collateral Families of Sullivan & Washington Counties Tennessee by William R. Sanders

The following is a quotation from the family record pages of Francis Alison and Jane Irvin's bible:

September 15, 1796 Francis Alison was born, a true copy from my father, Robert Alison's record.
Was baptized by Rev. M. (or W) Lake.
On Thursday, 20th of May, 1841, Francis Alison and Jane Irvin were married by Reverend Samuel Doak.

Early in life Francis Alison removed from his home, in the Forks [Piney Flats], and settled in the Reedy Creek section of Sullivan County. He purchased a 250 acre tract from Mr. Tom White which was situated on the banks of Reedy Creek, 5 miles North of Blountville, and was living here at the time of his death, July 9, 1845.

At the time of purchase the residence, on this 250 acre tract, was an old hewed down log structure...

Francis Alison met a very untimely death. Family tradition says the order of succession of events in connection with his death are as follows:

Early on the morning of July 9, 1845, he left his Reedy Creek home, horseback, with Kingsport as his destination. His mission, on the particular occasion, was the collection of a sum of money due and payable that same day. The two interested parties met, according to prearranged time and place, and the entire indebtedness, approximately $1,000.00 was satisfied, payment being made in cash. The place of meeting was a public boarding house in Old Kingsport, and it was reported a number of strangers witnessed the entire tranction, including that of counting the money and Mr. Alison placing the money in his billfold.

On his return home it was necessary he ford Reedy Creek, which was out of banks that particular day due to a heavy rainfall that afternoon. Soon after sunset, Mr. Alison's horse showed up at the stable riderless. The neighbors were summonded, and after a hasty discussion as to what could have happened, it was decided Francis could possible have encountered trouble at the ford of Reedy Creek and a well organized search was started in this vicinity. Nothing developed that evening but the next morning, early, after the waters had subsided, the body was found five miles below the ford in Lessley's bottom, drowned. The purse, in which the strangers saw Mr. Alsin place the money collected at Kingsport, was on his person but the contents were missing.

It was an established fact Francis Alison was an excellent swimmer. This, and the fact the contents of the purse were missing, was sufficient evidence to convince everyone Francis had met foul play. However, a thorough investigation failed to produce convincing evidence that such was the case.

Deery Inn
The Deery Inn
Blountville, Tennessee

 

 
 
 
 
 
 

from USGenWeb Archives by Joy Fisher

Robert Allison lived in Sullivan County, Tenn., where his widow, Martha McKinsley (?) Allison applied for pension April 22, 1844. He died March 2, 1826.

He served under Capt. Paxton and was in the battles of Long Island and Fort Washington. He was taken prisoner and kept on a British ship. He married Martha McKinsley (the name is indistinct and one can not be positive of the spelling). Her pension was not allowed as soldier's service was not on record and the widow could not prove it. Her children were:

Sarah, married Hodges;
Elizabeth, married Deery;
Susannah;
Joseph;
John; and
Martha, married Gray.

Sullivan County is in far northeast corner of Tennessee between North Carolina and Virginia and was originally part of those states. It was formed in 1779 when it was divided from Washington County.

 
 
 
 
Watauga Pioneer Neighbors
map
 
 

from Some Tennessee Heroes of the Revoultion

Robert Allison lived in Sullivan County, Tenn., where his widow Martha McKinsley (?) Allison applied for pension April 22, 1844. He died March 2, 1826. He served under Capt. Paxton and was in the battles of Long Island and Fort Washington and kept on a British ship.

He married Martha McKinsley (the name is indistinct and one can not be positive of the spelling). Her pension was not allowed as soldier's service was not on record and the widow could not prove it. Her children were: Sarah, maried - Hodges; Elizabeth married - Deery; Susannah; Joseph; John and Martha married -Gray.

 
Colonial Maryland
Colonial New England
Colonial Virginia & West Virginia
Quakers & Mennonites
New Jersey Baptists
 
German Lutherans
Watauga Settlement
Pennsylvania Pioneers
Midwest Pioneers
Californians
Jewish Immigrants

©Roberta Tuller 2024
tuller.roberta@gmail.com
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