James & Patience Allen

James Allen, my wife's 5th great grandfather and father of James Allen (Jr), was born on October 29, 1710 in Medfield Massachusetts a town that was originally incorporated in 1651.  The town had the distinction of being mostly destroyed on February 21, 1676 in a colonist-indian confrontation during King Phillips War.  King Phillip was the English name for Metacomet the leader of the Wampanoag Confederacy.  At the time, 1675-76 there were 110 towns in New England, 12 of them were destroyed in the war.

In the fourteen months of King Philip's War in 1675-1676, Plymouth Colony lost close to eight percent of its English adult male population to Indian warfare or other causes associated with the war.  Indian losses were much greater, with about 2,000 men killed or who died of injuries in the war, more than 3,000 dying of sickness or starvation, and another 1,000 Indians sold into slavery and transported to other areas, such as the Caribbean. About 2,000 Indians escaped to other tribes to the north or west; they joined continued Indian attacks from those bases well into the next century. Historians estimate that, as a result of King Philip's War, the Indian population of southern New England was reduced by about 60 to 80 percent.

James' father and grandfather were born in Medfield (Nathanial, his grandfather, being born in Dedham the name of the territory before Medfield split away).  The Allen homestead was destroyed in the conflict (James' great grandfather's), and later rebuilt.

On October 28, 1737, James Allen married Patience (unknown last name) who was estimated to have been born in 1720.  The wedding was in Mansfield, Connecticut so I believe she was likely from Mansfield.  Their children were born in Mansfield.  They were Ruth, James, Aaron, John, Levi, Patience, Submit, Simeon.  Levi fought in the Revolutionary war, John drown, Submit and Patience were both married, and Simeon married and lived on the Allen Homestead.  James and Patience moved to Walpole, NH, James and Aaron went with them.

James died Jan 1, 1790 and Patience likely outlived him since she was named in his will (although it was drawn up in 1781 and may not have been updated).  James (jr) with his wife Irene and Aaron with his wife Sarah are interred in Walpole.  I have not found the gravesites of James Sr or Patience.

James Allen & Irene Scripture

Headstone of James Allen

James Allen, father of James Allen (Jr) and my wife's 4th great grandfather was born in Mansfield, Conn on June 11, 1740.  Mansfield was an important center for the textile industry in the 18th century.  One of the earliest water powered silk mills in America was along the Natchaug River in Mansfield.  On July 17th, 1766 James married Irene Scripture born in Coventry, Conn. on Nov. 10, 1750.  He was 26, she was 16.

They had 3 children; Cynthia, Ariel, and James.  By 1790 they lived in Walpole, NH.  Walpole is still a small New England town, with wonderfully restored mansions situated along the Connecticut river.

I have no information on James' profession.  The extended family owned a large tract of land so the assumption is that they farmed.

James died Nov 28, 1813 and Irene died Feb 2, 1812.  They are interred at the "Old Cemetery" in Walpole.  

Headstone of Irene Allen

James Allen & Achsah Young

Warren in about 1890 (100 years after James Allen's birth)

James Allen, my wife's 3rd great grandfather, and father of John Frederick Allen, was born on May 28, 1787 in Mansfield, Conn.   As a child he lived in Walpole, New Hampshire a town that was first incorporated in 1736 as a town called "Number 3" because it was the site of an old fort that was third in line on the Connecticut River.  In 1752 it was re-incorporated as Walpole.

In 1798 (11 years old) he came to Warren, NH where he resided for the rest of his life.  James was second cousin of Ethan Allen, a hero of the Revolutionary War.  James was reported to have been one of the first people to be baptized by emersion in Walpole.  He became the first Deacon of the Warren Baptist Church.

At the age of 20 he married Achsah Young from Athol, Massachusetts who was the daughter of a ship's captain.  She was born June 3, 1788.  Together James and Achsah were blessed with 13 children, Alanson, Amasa, Levi, Emily, Maria, Diana, James, Jessie, William, Aaron, Lousia, Clarissa, and John Fredrick.  Aside from his work as a Deacon, the family also engaged in farming.

James died May 22, 1876 at the age of 88.  Achsah died on March 11, 1887 at the age of 98.  She was living with her daughters Louisa and Diana in 1880.

Below is a photo of their gravestone in Warren.