Wrights & Maxeys of Monroe County, Mississippi - Person Sheet
Wrights & Maxeys of Monroe County, Mississippi - Person Sheet
NameALLEN, Rev. Nathaniel Nelson Graves 
, 6G Granduncle
, 6G GranduncleBirth Date7 Feb 1775
Birth PlaceEdgecombe County, North Carolina
Death Date19 Mar 1859 Age: 84
Death PlacePapalote, Bee County, Texas
OccupationMethodist preacher and circuit rider
FatherALLEN, Rev. John Rhodam Sr. (1742-1820)
MotherRANSOME, Mary Emily (~1742-1807)
Misc. Notes
Nathan N.G. Allen (as he signed his name) was born in the Halifax district of Edgecombe County, North Carolina.
During the 1790s he moved with much of his family to Tennessee, which had been the western district of North Carolina. While much of his family settled in Sumner and Lawrence counties, it is believed that Nathan lived in Giles County. He may also have lived in Franklin County. Nathan married his first wife, Celia Bloodworth, in Tennessee.
Nathan N.G. Allen and Celia Bloodworth may have had as many as 11 children.
Nathan, Celia and their family moved to the Deep South by the early 1820s. Nathan lived in Monroe County, Mississippi, which borders Alabama. In the early 1820s Nathan received a land grant in Lamar County, Alabama (which borders Monroe County). In 1825 Nathan served as a justice of the peace in Marion County, Alabama (which borders Lamar County).
Nathan was a Methodist preacher and circuit rider. The first license for a preacher to perform a marriage ceremony in Monroe County, Mississippi was issued to Nathaniel N.G. Allen in 1823.
Around 1826, for reasons now lost, Nathan left his wife and family. He moved to the Mexican province of Texas, settling in or west of Nacogdoches. He and Margaret Quinn were living as husband and wife by 1827 (although their marriage was not legally solemnized until 1837, after Texas independence from Mexico -- perhaps because Mexican citizens were required to be Catholic).
The circumstances of Nathan's arrival in Texas are unclear. He may have tried to be introduced in the colony of Frost Thorn, a prominent local merchant (for whom Nathan and Margaret named a son). Thorn's impresario contract was cancelled by the Mexican government, but in 1834 the Mexican government granted Nathan a league (4,428 acres) of land under the jurisdiction of impresario David G. Burnet (who later became the first President of the Republic of Texas). Nathan's land was is present-day Leon County.
However, by about 1832 (if not sooner) Nathan, Margaret and their children were living in present-day Cherokee County, Texas, and remained there for more than 20 years. They homesteaded on the south side of the Old San Antonio Road (El Camino Real), just west of the Angelina River, along a stream now named Allen Creek. This was at the present ghost town of Linwood, on Texas highway 21, about six miles east of Alto. Today their homestead is marked by Selman-Roark Cemetery.
Because Nathan had arrived in Texas before its declaration of independence from Mexico, he received a first class headright. He was granted a league and a labor (177 acres of prime farmland) in Nacogdoches County in 1838. This may have been at his homestead, as Cherokee County was later carved out of Nacogdoches County.
Nathan appeared in the census record in 1835 and the Nacogdoches County tax record for 1837 (when he claimed 2,387 acres valued at $2,039), 1839, 1840 and 1845.
On file in the Texas State Archives is an audited claim filed by Nathan. He had sold twelve bushels of corn to troops of the Nacogdoches militia under the command of Thomas Jefferson Rusk. Rusk, the first Secretary of War for the Republic of Texas, later joined Sam Houston as Texas's first U.S. Senators. At this time Rusk was preparing for a campaign in the Cherokee War.
On September 15, 1840 Nathan sold $1,200 worth of beef to Republic of Texas troops, for which he was finally paid only $200 eight years later by a claims commission. These troops were under the command of Nathan's neighbor James H. Durst, son of Joseph Durst and nephew of John Marie Durst. The Durst family was one of the most prominent in East Texas.
When Texas became a US state, Cherokee County was carved from Nacogdoches County. Nathan was elected Justice of the Peace for precinct 1 in 1846 and 1848. Nathan's occupation was listed as mechanic in early Nacogdoches records.
In 1854 Nathan surrendered all claims to the estate of his deceased father Rhoda Allen. This document, filed in Jefferson County, Illinois, was William Maxey (husband of Nathan's sister Mary Emily Allen) and Nathan's brother Henry Davis Allen of Lauderdale County, Alabama. Henry also executed power of attorney.
In 1855 Nathan and Margaret moved to South Texas. They jointed their sons Frost Thorn, Henry Davis and family, and Rhody, daughter Margaret N. Black and family and likely other children. Also, in the caravan was the father and sister and family of Henry's wife Jane.
Nathan and Margaret settled near Papalote in what soon became Bee County, Texas. Several of his children, including Frost, Henry, Margaret, settled nearby in Nueces County on the Diezmero (or Dismero) Ranch, owned by their East Texas neighbor and friend James H. Durst.
Rev. Nathan N.G. Allen's death was reported in the August 11, 1859 edition of the Nashville Christian Advocate. Family tradition recalled that Nathan was buried on the east side of Papalote Creek, just outside of the town of Papalote in Bee County, Texas. Nathan's great-great-grandson Carl M. Allen Jr. (1925-1999) was shown the grave site as a boy, but it is now lost.
During the 1790s he moved with much of his family to Tennessee, which had been the western district of North Carolina. While much of his family settled in Sumner and Lawrence counties, it is believed that Nathan lived in Giles County. He may also have lived in Franklin County. Nathan married his first wife, Celia Bloodworth, in Tennessee.
Nathan N.G. Allen and Celia Bloodworth may have had as many as 11 children.
Nathan, Celia and their family moved to the Deep South by the early 1820s. Nathan lived in Monroe County, Mississippi, which borders Alabama. In the early 1820s Nathan received a land grant in Lamar County, Alabama (which borders Monroe County). In 1825 Nathan served as a justice of the peace in Marion County, Alabama (which borders Lamar County).
Nathan was a Methodist preacher and circuit rider. The first license for a preacher to perform a marriage ceremony in Monroe County, Mississippi was issued to Nathaniel N.G. Allen in 1823.
Around 1826, for reasons now lost, Nathan left his wife and family. He moved to the Mexican province of Texas, settling in or west of Nacogdoches. He and Margaret Quinn were living as husband and wife by 1827 (although their marriage was not legally solemnized until 1837, after Texas independence from Mexico -- perhaps because Mexican citizens were required to be Catholic).
The circumstances of Nathan's arrival in Texas are unclear. He may have tried to be introduced in the colony of Frost Thorn, a prominent local merchant (for whom Nathan and Margaret named a son). Thorn's impresario contract was cancelled by the Mexican government, but in 1834 the Mexican government granted Nathan a league (4,428 acres) of land under the jurisdiction of impresario David G. Burnet (who later became the first President of the Republic of Texas). Nathan's land was is present-day Leon County.
However, by about 1832 (if not sooner) Nathan, Margaret and their children were living in present-day Cherokee County, Texas, and remained there for more than 20 years. They homesteaded on the south side of the Old San Antonio Road (El Camino Real), just west of the Angelina River, along a stream now named Allen Creek. This was at the present ghost town of Linwood, on Texas highway 21, about six miles east of Alto. Today their homestead is marked by Selman-Roark Cemetery.
Because Nathan had arrived in Texas before its declaration of independence from Mexico, he received a first class headright. He was granted a league and a labor (177 acres of prime farmland) in Nacogdoches County in 1838. This may have been at his homestead, as Cherokee County was later carved out of Nacogdoches County.
Nathan appeared in the census record in 1835 and the Nacogdoches County tax record for 1837 (when he claimed 2,387 acres valued at $2,039), 1839, 1840 and 1845.
On file in the Texas State Archives is an audited claim filed by Nathan. He had sold twelve bushels of corn to troops of the Nacogdoches militia under the command of Thomas Jefferson Rusk. Rusk, the first Secretary of War for the Republic of Texas, later joined Sam Houston as Texas's first U.S. Senators. At this time Rusk was preparing for a campaign in the Cherokee War.
On September 15, 1840 Nathan sold $1,200 worth of beef to Republic of Texas troops, for which he was finally paid only $200 eight years later by a claims commission. These troops were under the command of Nathan's neighbor James H. Durst, son of Joseph Durst and nephew of John Marie Durst. The Durst family was one of the most prominent in East Texas.
When Texas became a US state, Cherokee County was carved from Nacogdoches County. Nathan was elected Justice of the Peace for precinct 1 in 1846 and 1848. Nathan's occupation was listed as mechanic in early Nacogdoches records.
In 1854 Nathan surrendered all claims to the estate of his deceased father Rhoda Allen. This document, filed in Jefferson County, Illinois, was William Maxey (husband of Nathan's sister Mary Emily Allen) and Nathan's brother Henry Davis Allen of Lauderdale County, Alabama. Henry also executed power of attorney.
In 1855 Nathan and Margaret moved to South Texas. They jointed their sons Frost Thorn, Henry Davis and family, and Rhody, daughter Margaret N. Black and family and likely other children. Also, in the caravan was the father and sister and family of Henry's wife Jane.
Nathan and Margaret settled near Papalote in what soon became Bee County, Texas. Several of his children, including Frost, Henry, Margaret, settled nearby in Nueces County on the Diezmero (or Dismero) Ranch, owned by their East Texas neighbor and friend James H. Durst.
Rev. Nathan N.G. Allen's death was reported in the August 11, 1859 edition of the Nashville Christian Advocate. Family tradition recalled that Nathan was buried on the east side of Papalote Creek, just outside of the town of Papalote in Bee County, Texas. Nathan's great-great-grandson Carl M. Allen Jr. (1925-1999) was shown the grave site as a boy, but it is now lost.