Barbara, I couldn't help jumping into this about the Allen's although they are not my line. You did ask a question of Zachariah about land grants etc., which might show a time coming to Illinois. I have the abstracts of the Gholson family farm in Hamilton County, 1/2 mile south of the Gholson Cemetery. The abstract shows Zachariah Allen as the first land owner Purchased: April 21, 1837 Sale of Public Lands for The East half of the Southeast Quarter of Section Seventeen in Township Seven South, of Range Seven East in the District of lands subject to sale at Shawneetown, Illinois, Containing Eighty acres. I gave this document to Misty to post on her site and can be viewed at this address:http://www.geocities.com/Heartland/Meadows/5807/Z.Allen1er.htm After the death of Zachariah Allen, Frances S. his wife was made administrator and other papers follow. One document of William B. W. Allen ET. AL To Jeremiah J. Allen: This document can also be viewed on Misty Flannigan's site: http://www.geocities.com/Heartland/Meadows/5807/Gholson/WmB.htm Please note that this document list heirs, the Allen children and their spouses. One of these show Francis Gholson the husband of Nancy Smith Allen. Francis is supposed to be a son of my John Gholson line. Ron Ludwig of Denver, Colorado, is a descendant of Francis Gholson who married Nancy Smith Allen 14 May 1842. Allen & Gholson family records from an old Bible in possession of Ron Ludwig of Denver, Colorado, (Mar. 1998), proves that the Francis Gholson with wife Nancy on the 1850 U.S. Census of Lafayette Co., Wisc., and on the 1860 U.S. Census of Jo Daviess Co., ILL., were Ron's ancestors. The Bible records give Francis' date of birth and show that he married Nancy Smith Allen, daughter of Zachariah Allen and wife Frances Snow Blackard, 14 May 1842 but does not show where the marriage took place. According to Ron, Zachariah Allen was of Maury Co., Tenn. For Nancy to meet and marry Francis Gholson, Zachariah Allen would have had to move to Hamilton Co., ILL. A search of the 1830 U.S. Census of Hamilton Co., shows Zachariah Allen listed on the same page of the census with Eli Gholson, (Elder) William Gholson, and James Gholson. The setting is perfect! However, Francis and Nancy's marriage is not recorded in Hamilton Co. They were married in Gallatin Co., May 19, 1842 by William Gholson according to the record. This young Francis had been taken in by his older brother James & wife Mary. Francis and family accompanied Elder James Gholson to Lafayette Co., Wisc. Mary (Polly) Gholson, widow of Elder James, appeared on the 1860 U.S. Census of Jo Daviess Co., ILL., listed with the family of Roland Berbridge (sic - Burbridge) as mother-in-law. also appearing on the same census was Francis Gholson; and family. He has not been located on the 1870 U.S. Census. The Bible records show that Francis Gholson died 4 Mar. 1880 but does not list his place of death. His place of burial is also presently unknown. Some of their children moved to Iowa and then to Kansas. It may be that Francis and Nancy followed some of their children to Iowa or even Kansas before they died. (The above notes were from Wm. Melton who has researched the above information) I have written to Elder Robert Webb of the Primitive Baptist Library, Carthage, IL. and he sent me the obituary of Nancy Smith (Allen) Gholson the wife of the above mentioned Francis. She died in Colorado. I can include it if anyone is interested. James Barbara Marcovecchio wrote: Any idea when ZACHARIAH Y. ALLEN actually got to Hamilton Co,Illinois? I see he married in Maury Co.,TN in 1819. Have you run into any land records showing him in Hamilton Co, Illinois? or anything else that might place when he got to Hamilton Co.?

Since our move from Texas back home to Kennett, MO, I have just been lurking and reading. I saw the discussion about the Allens. Today I was in Rector, Clay Co., AR doing research at their Library which is very nice for a small library. And I found an obituary for Bertha (Allen) Bearden, pioneer resident of Clay Co., She was 62 years old and died on Feb. 15, 1947. The obit states she was born in McLeansboro, Ill, came at the age of ten to REctor with her parents, the late Howard and Mary Allen. She married Ollie Bearden in 1907, who preceded her in death August 7, 1943. This is a very lengthy obit and if anyone would like a copy, please email me privately and I will send you the whole obituary. My grandfather, John William McMahan, came from McLeansboro to Clay Co., AR sometime during the 1880's. He was a son of James K. Polk McMahan, who was a son of Stephan McMahan. I do have Allens in my line but as yet have not matched Mrs. Bearden with them. Will have to check that out. Shirley McMahon Garrett