Allendale - Still hidden after all these years

 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?

Banks County, Georgia Map  Circa 1883

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’ 4^th 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 27^th 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

 

Mary Strickland Gilbert Allan     1773 – 1815          Alleged to be buried at Allandale                  Their children were as follows:	First wife of James Allan
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 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 16^th 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 26^th 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 1^st, 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.