Allandale Roots
Banks
County, Georgia
Lost to Time
but waiting
to be found
A
continuing work being compiled by
Tom Reed
2014
Allandale - Where oh where did you go?
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Banks County, Georgia
Map Circa 1883
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James Allan was an Englishman who was born between 1780 and 1790. He was educated at Westminster School, in central London, England. Today it is known as the Royal College of St. Peter in Westminster and is almost always
known as Westminster School. Westminster has always had the reputation of being
one of Britain’s leading boy’s schools that encouraged independent and
individual thinking. The Curriculum was made up of Latin, Greek, Arabic, and
Hebrew, in addition to standard academics.
James Allan’s education was the backbone of his success. He purchased a
200-acre plantation for $1,100 on 20 September 1816, a place he called ALLANDALE, in what was
Franklin/Hall/Habersham/ now Banks County, Ga. and is where he made his home.
James was a Justice of the Inferior Court in Franklin County, Ga. from 1813 to
1817. He was a Justice of the Peace in Habersham County, Ga. in 1817. James was
also a
Captain in Colonel William Jones’ 4th Regiment, Georgia
Militia in the War of 1812.
In 1818 James Allan purchased 200 acres adjacent to J.M. Russell, J.
McCracken, Hudson River, 200 Acres adjacent to William Sisson, Hudson River, 87
acres adjacent to William Sisson, 19 acres adjacent to Charles Sisson, William
Sisson, Hudson River.
ALLANDALE
is where James taught school to young boys whose parents could afford the
tuition. Many of these boys grew up to be well-educated men who accomplished
much in their adult years.
James
Allan's first wife was Mary Strickland Gilbert,
who
he married in 1804. She was the widow of a man named John Gilbert who was a
Revolutionary War soldier. The Allan’s had four children in this union.
They were as follows:
John M. Allan (1805 - ?) David
Allan (1809 – 1874)
Harriett Allan (1811 – 1895) Thomas
Knight Allan (1813 - ?)
William Terrell Allan (1815-1845)
In
an abstract from the Georgia Journal Newspaper 1809 – 1840, Volume 1, 1809 –
1818,
Page
358, Issue of February 8, 1815, “Died on Wednesday evening 25 January in
Franklin County, Mrs. Mary Allan, wife of Capt. James Allan, after lingering
parturition. In the death of this amiable woman, a husband has lost an
affectionate wife….made more so by his absence in defense of his country…. to
her children a tender mother…” (Mary died as a result of childbirth while James
Allan was a participant in the War of 1812).
James
remarried sometime after the death of Mary and before he and his new wife,
Hannah
Terrell (1790 - 1847) is shown as selling
some property on September 6, 1816. James and Hannah’s children were as
follows:
William
Terrell Allan (1815-1845) Thompson Allan (1819 – 1875)
Robert
Allan (1823 – 1861) Sarah
Elizabeth Allan (1828 - ?)
Henry Allan (1829 – 1862)
All of the above children of Hannah and James Allan were born at their
home in Allandale.
It
is unclear as to how old James Allan was when he died but estimates make it
between 63 and 73 years old. James Allan Last Will and Testament was proved and
recorded on the 27th of
February 1843.
It is alleged that James and Hannah both are buried at Allandale, as well
as Thompson Allan, Robert Allan, and Henry Allan at what is now Banks
County, Georgia.
There were at least 19 slaves, some of whom most likely are buried
somewhere within Allandale. Their names were Phyllis, Stokes, Tabby, Sal,
Linny, Grace, Kirk, Maria, Sally, Eliza, George, Lizzy, Mary, Leck, Phil,
Dicey, Ike, Mali, and Dan.
Possible
candidates for burial at Allandale
James Allan 22
October 1785 – 27 February 1843 Father
of Thompson Allan Alleged
to be buried at Allandale
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Mary Strickland Gilbert Allan 1773 – 1815
Alleged to be buried at Allandale
Their
children were as follows:
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First wife of
James Allan
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John Millard Allan 1805- Unknown
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Son of James & Mary Allan
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David Allan 1809 – 1874
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Son
of James & Mary Allan
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Harriett Allan 1811 – 1895
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Daughter of James &
Mary Allan
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Thomas
Knight Allan 1813 – Unknown
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Son
of James & Mary Allan
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William Terrell Allan 1815 – 1845
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Son of James & Mary
Allan
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Mary Strickland Gilbert Allan died in 1815. James
remarried and had other children as follows:
James Allan second wife was:
Hanna Terrell Allan 1780 – 1847 second wife of James Allan prior to 1816
Alleged to be buried at Allandale
Their children were as follows:
Thompson Allan, Sr.
1819 – 1875 CSA veteran
Alleged
to be buried at Allandale
Robert H. Allan 1824 – 1861 DOD Typhoid at Richmond, VA as CSA veteran Alleged to be buried at Allandale
Sarah Elizabeth Allan Parks 1828 – 1861
Her
husband was
Richard M. Parks 1826 – 1871 CSA veteran
Henry Allan 1829 –
1862 CSA veteran DOD at Banks County, Georgia after medical
discharge Alleged to be buried at Allandale
Elizabeth Isabelle Allan Terrell 1834 – unknown
Emily C. Allan Young
1834 – 1863
Her
husband was
Isaac M. Young 1830 – 1864 CSA veteran DOD at Banks County, Georgia
James had been very specific in his preparation for
assignments of his property after his death. He left a very specific will and
apparently had intimate conversations with his first set of children he had
with Mary regarding their portions and inheritances. Nevertheless, James and
Mary’s children contested James' Last Will and Testament but lost their appeal.
When each of James and Mary’s children reached the age of adulthood, James gave
each of them an equal share of their inheritance or the money value of what
they had acquired during James and Mary’s marriage. James wanted his younger
children with Hannah to have their equal share of their inheritance acquired
during James and Hannah’s marriage. The younger children were not to receive
their inheritance until they reached adulthood. The older children had the
option to take their inheritance when they were of age to spend as they wished,
or they could wait until James was deceased. Thompson took his predetermined
inheritance before James was deceased and spent it on getting his education to
become a lawyer. This explains why Thompson seems to have received so much less
than the other children from James Allan’s will.
Apparently, James and Mary’s last child, William Terrell
Allan, had severe conflicts with his natural 3 brothers and his sister. He did,
it appears have closer ties with his half-siblings. His last Will and Testament
indicate as much.
Last Will and Testament of William Terrell Allan
22 March 1845
Court of the Ordinary Minutes and Wills Habersham
County, Georgia.
I, William T. Allan of said State and county in the name
of God Amen have thought proper on this day to make this my Last Will and
Testament has never made any other.
Item First – I desire and direct that after my death, my
body be buried in a manner suitable to my circumstances and condition this
however I hope and believe will be properly attended by my Executors and the
family to which I am attached by the nearest ties of Kindred.
Item Second – I give and bequeath to my mother, Hannah
Allan, all my interests, right, and title to off or in any wise appertaining or
belonging to all that tract or parcel of land upon which she now resides it
being the same on which my father, James Allan, late of said State and County
did last resigned a lot of land lies in the County’s Habersham and Hall on
the waters of the Hudson River and contains 202 ½ acres. This I give to my
mother for and during her natural life, then to be disposed of as I shall
hereinafter direct. In like manner I give and devise unto my mother, Hannah
Allan, all that tract or parcel of land lying in Hall County known as the mill
track having thereon a grits mill and Lionel the waters of the Hudson River
adjoining Terrell and the tract of land above described. I also give and
bequeath to my mother my Negro man, Ike, for and during her natural life and
after her death to be disposed of as I shall hereafter direct. I will and
devise to my mother, Hannah Allan, all my farming tools of every kind, all my
carpenters' tools, all my Blacksmith and Shoemaking tools, in fact, all my tools
of every kind with all my iron and steel wagons, carts, and vehicles of all
kinds that may be found on the plantation are elsewhere. Also, all my household
and kitchen furniture of every description, such as beds and furniture, tables,
claw, trunks, spoons, knives, forks, plates, pans, dishes, jokes, jars,
pictures, pots, ovens, in fine, all the furniture blowing to the household and
kitchen, as if ever article was particularly owned. Together with all my cattle
of every kind, such as horses, mules, hawks, sheet, cows and calves, work oxen,
dry cattle and only such as I shall hereafter except. I further give to my
mother, Hannah Allan, all my sweetcorn in grains of all kinds. I further will and
devise to my mother, Hannah Allan, my two old Negro women, Sal, and Phyllis to
dispose of as she may think proper.
Item Third – I will and devise to my brother, Thompson
Allan, my lower plantation lying on the Hudson fork of the Broad River
containing 100 acres it being the same on which Aaron Smith lately lived and
joins Martin, Brown, Bolin, and others, with all the answers rights and title or
in any wise appertaining or belong forever.
Item Forth – I give and devise to my two brothers, Robert
Allan and Henry Allan, my farm known as crackling gourd containing 202 ½ acres
on the waters of the Hudson fork of broad River with a threshing machine their
own with all the rights members and appurtenances to a lot of land in any wise
appertaining being our belonging forever. I also give to the said Robert and
Henry all the tract or parcel of land on which my mother, Hannah Allan, now
resides after the said Hannah’s death a lot of lands is described in item Second.
In the same manner, as the last I give to the said Robert and Henry the mill
track also described an item Second, with all the rights members and
appurtenances, said lots of land in any wise appertaining our belonging the said
lots of land after the death of my mother, Hannah Allan, is if she sees proper
at any early. To be divided equally between said Robert and Henry if they are
either of them desired. I further give to my brother, Robert, my saddle and
bridle together with a good horse or mayor to be selected from my stock of
horses by my mother. I also give to devise to Robert my old rifle gun. I give
to my brother Henry my yearling colt, also my smallest rifle gun.
Item Fifth – after the death of my mother I give and
bequeath to my sister, Elizabeth I. Allan my Negro man, Ike.
Item Sixth – I further will that neither of my half
brothers, David Allan, Thomas K. Allan, John
Allan or my half-sister formerly Harriet Allan now Harriet
Strickland nor her husband Madison Strickland shall ever have any beneficial
interest in my will whatever this item is therefore to exclude them entirely.
Item Seventh – I further give and devise to my mother,
Hannah Allan, all monies notes or accounts or other evidence of a debt that I
made be possessed except the note holder against Thompson Allan which is not
paid at my death, to be no and void.
Item Eighth – I desire the books I have to be divided by
my mother, my three sisters, Sarah, Emily and Elizabeth. If I possess any
property where ever or whatever it may that I have not named I give it to my
mother to dispose of her discretion hoping she will exercise the power I have
placed in her hand with discretion.
Item Ninth – I constitute and
appoint my three brothers, Thompson Allan, Robert Allan, and Henry Allan,
executors to this my Last Will and Testament this 22 March 1845. Signature:
William T. Allan
signed, sealed, declared, and published by William T.
Allan S’s Last Will and Testament in the presence of the subscribers who
subscribe our names hereto in the presence of said and of each other, this 22
March 1845.
Timothy Terrell
John Bond
Simon H. Terrell
James A. Terrell
Apparently, William Allan had some strong feelings about
his natural brothers and sister. Completely and deliberately excluding them
from his will. He even refers to them as his half-brothers and sister.
Last
Will and Testament of James Allan
Will
signed: 26 May 1840
Recorded:
27 February 1843 book: Eight (1820 – 1850) Habersham County, Georgia
Pages:
205, 206, 207
Court
of the Ordinary Minutes and Wills
I, James Allan, of the State of Georgia and County of
Habersham being of sound mind and discretion and being desirous of appointing
the distribution of my estate and of creating a barrier to all strife or
contention that might otherwise arise concerning the same after my death, do
the name of God and in the presence of competent witnesses apportion and
established the following to be my Last Will and Testament.
Item the first – in addition to what I have heretofore
given to my son, David Allan, I hereby will and bequeath to him the sum of $100
which may be discharged in any property worth that amount just as my herein
named executor or our executrix may think fit.
Item the second – in addition to what I have heretofore
given my son, Thomas K. Allan, I hereby will and bequeath to him one bed, the clothing, and furniture hereto
belonging.
Item the third – in addition to what I have heretofore
given to my son, John Allan, I hereby will and bequeath to him one Negro boy,
Ned, by name.
Item the fourth – in addition to what I have heretofore
and to my daughter, Harriet Strickland, I hereby will and bequeath to her the
sum of one dollar to be paid out of any money belonging to my estate.
Item the fifth – it is my desire and intention that the
greater portion of my estate, lands, Negroes, stock, and etc. shall be kept
together for the benefit and maintenance of my younger children and until they
arrive at the years of maturity. Therefore, for the purpose of carrying into
effect this desire I do hereby will and bequeath to my wife, Hanna Allan, and
her lineal forever all and singular my lands consisting of five tracks or
partials known and distinguished in the several counties in which they lie as
follows:
1. One
lot or parcel of land the same on which I now live, containing 200 acres.
2. One
tract or parcel of land lying in the State of Georgia and the County of River containing 100 acres more or less which track I call my lower place or plantation in which
I purchased from Henry Jones.
3. One
other tract or parcel of land lying in the counties of Hall and Habersham containing
200 acres more or less and known and distinguished by the name of Crackling
Gourd.
4. One
tract or parcel of land lying in the aforesaid Estate and County of Hall containing
eighty–seven acres on which is situated a gristmill by which it is distinguished
and called by the Mill Tract.
5. Another
Tract or parcel of land lying in the County of Cherokee and State last aforesaid
and distinguished as Lot number 338 in the 16th District and Forth
section containing
40 acres.
Together with all and singular, the right,
members, appurtenances, fixtures, millhouse and machines to each and all of
them belonging or in anywise appertaining. I further will and bequeath to my
wife, Hannah Allan, and her heirs lineal forever and singular my Negro slaves
to wit: Phyllis, Stokes,Tabby, Sal, Linny, Grace, Kirk, Maria, Sally, Eliza,
George, Lizzy, Mary, Leck, Phil, Dicey, Ike, Mali and Dan and all and each of
their increase of said Negro women from
this time henceforth, together with all my stock, horses, mules, cows, sheep,
hogs, in my household and kitchen furniture, such as clocks, desks, tables,
chairs, beds, bed clothing, cupboards, crock ware of all descriptions. Knives,
forks, spoons, all my guns together with all my books, papers, notes, accounts,
a whole all and singular my monies due and demands, and in fine all singular my
estate both real and personal, except what is herein otherwise disposed of, to have, keep, possess and enjoy doing her
(my said Wife’s) natural life as fully and in an example, a manner as myself, can
one could enjoy the same. The aforesaid mentioned Estate by said wife, Hannah
Allan, may dispose of to her own children at such times and in such quantities
as she may think fit and proper.
Item
the six – for the purpose of having this my Last Will and Testament executed
after my death, I do hereby a point my son, William T. Allan, and said wife,
Hannah Allan, my Executor and Executrix.
Signature:
James Allan
Signed in presence of us the 26th day of May 1840:
H. G. Morris, John Bond, H. L. Morris, J. P.
This
written Last Will and Testament of James Allan have been being duly proven at
the
Regular
Term in open Court upon the oaths of H. L. Morris, W. G. Morris, and John Bond.
Records indicate
that James Allan was elected as Postmaster for Allandale in 1872 and 1873.
Allandale was apparently a small community within itself. There were two mills
located on the Hudson River tributaries that were owned by James Allan. These
mills were grist mills and were apparently for the community farmers since
there are no records indicating any major agricultural business conducted by
the Allan’s.
The old mills that operated on the tributaries of the
Hudson River were primarily grain mills as opposed to lumber mills. The photo
at the left is a typical mill not unlike the one that was in operation on the
Allandale Plantation.

The
Allandale big house was located not far from the river as tales tell it and was
located close to two large Magnolia trees. The problem comes in locating
exactly where the two Magnolia trees are within the hundreds of acres in
question. In the mid60s there was an effort to locate and catalog old
graveyards within Banks County, Georgia.
There was a commentary made in the mid-1960s that the graveyard was
found but had been desecrated. The ornate monuments and statuettes had been
removed by someone. The only written documentation as I could find relating to
where Allandale indicated that it might be located within was now the
Wilson Shoals Wildlife Area just outside Homer, Georgia. I’ve been in touch
with Max White who went with his father at one time as a boy and visited the
old Allandale site. Max’s father is in his mid-90s (in 2013) and is unable
physically to take us to the site but in interviews, he feels he remembers
exactly where it’s located. As of this date, (mid-October 2013), we have yet to
locate the old graveyard. The area within the wildlife preserve is active with
hunters at this time. As winter moves closer and the snakes go underground we
will make an effort to try again to locate the graveyard and old home place.
This article that appeared in the Atlanta, Georgia newspaper “The Atlanta
Constitution” on July 4
th,
1875 indicating something to give a reason
for this thought.
The Allan graveyard has important persons resting there
forever. Colonel Thompson Allan, his brother Robert who was the first
Representative to the House of Representatives from Banks County, Georgia to
name a few. Until we actually find the graveyard we won’t know exactly who all
is buried there but we feel there might be 14 to 15 family members resting on
the site.
Possible candidates for burial at
Allandale
James Allan 22 October 1785 – 27 February 1843 Father
of Thompson Allan
Mary Strickland Gilbert Allan 1773 – 1815 First wife of James Allan
Their
children were as follows:
John
Millard Allan 1805- Unknown Son of James & Mary Allan
David Allan
1809 – 1874 Son of James & Mary
Allan Harriett Allan 1811 – 1895 Daughter of James & Mary Allan
Thomas
Knight Allan 1813 – Unknown Son of James & Mary Allan
William
Terrell Allan 1815 – 1845 Son
of James & Mary Allan
Mary Strickland Gilbert Allan died in 1815. James
remarried and had other children as follows:
James Allan second wife was:
Hanna Terrell Allan 1780 – 1847 second
wife of James Allan
Their children were as follows:
Thompson
Allan, Sr. 1819 – 1875 CSA veteran
Robert
H. Allan 1824 – 1861 DOD Typhoid at
Richmond, VA as CSA veteran
Sarah
Elizabeth Allan Parks 1828 – 1861
Her
husband was
Richard
M. Parks 1826 – 1871 CSA veteran
Henry
Allan 1829 – 1862 CSA veteran DOD at
Banks County, Ga - medical discharge
Elizabeth
Isabelle Allan Terrell 1834 – unknown
Emily
C. Allan Young 1834 – 1863
Her
husband was
Isaac
M. Young 1830 – 1864 CSA veteran DOD at Banks County, Georgia
Update as of March 1st, 2014
`We have found
what appears to be eight primitively marked graves that were described by Ralph
White, the 94-year-old gentleman that has spent his entire life in the area and
was one that helped survey the area for lost graveyards in the 1960s. He says
that this is the Allandale gravesite for the Allan family. He further says
that the sight was the burial ground of Thompson Allan and his brother Robert.
It is relayed that there were large monuments in place there at one time for
Thompson Allan. He says that when he was a young boy he remembers the monuments
to have been over six feet high with raised lettering on the face. He also
recollects that word was that when the family property was monuments mysteriously disappeared. It was told that they most likely were
removed, the raised lettering ground off, and resold for another grave memorial
with engraved lettering where the ground off lettering had been. It is
impossible to document this as no photos exist of the tombstones, only
newspaper articles, and obituaries that chronicle the funeral of Thompson Allan
as a full-blown Masonic funeral attended by a large number of mourners. The
graves that were discovered are more like primitive gravesites but only a
cursory search was made at the first visit. There still is the possibility that
these graves are that of the founder James Allan’s family and that the
location of Thompson and Robert Allan’s graves are nearby. Further exploration
is in the works.
The Old Magnolia Tree still stands
Validity for the graveyard location is bolstered by the
fact that there are remaining two very large Magnolia trees very near where the
graves are. These trees are referred to in several documents as being near the
“Big House” on the Allan property.
In the conservations with Mr. Ralph White, there
were mentions of the old mills that were part of the Allan estate of Allandale.
The foundations of the old mill that was located on the Hudson River can still
be seen where what is now called Grant Mill Road crosses the Hudson River (at
the point where there is no bridge for the crossing). There were two mills at one time. The mill at
the Grant Mill Road/Hudson River crossing and on at another branch of the river
called “Crackling Gourd” was just west of Homer on the map below.
The old Allandale post office is long gone but
the stand of crepe myrtle trees that encompassed it is supposed to be still
there. Its exact location is yet to be
re-discovered. We know the location of
it but have yet to pay it a visit. Far too many things to do and far too little time to
do them.
Placement
at Allandale
The roots of Allandale are still present in the woods.
This tree is located very near where the grave yard was found. Carvings from
years gone by are still present on this old tree.