The Family of Samuel Allen

Henry County, Virginia

Generation One

1.     Samuel Allen

B: 1730 most probably in Halifax or Henry Counties, Virginia.

D:

Married: 17 Sep 1783 in Henry County, Virginia.

Sarah Prater

Born:

Died:

Samuel Allen’s family lived in Halifax or Henry Counties in Virginia.  Over the years, Samuel and Sarah Prater Allen became the parents of eight known children.  They moved their household to Beaver Creek in Floyd County, Kentucky.

Known children of Samuel and Sarah Prater Allen:

11. William Allen

12. George Allen

13. Sarah Allen

14. Samuel Allen, Jr.

15. Elizabeth Allen

16. John Allen, Jr.

17. Daughter Allen

18. Margaret [Peggy] Allen

Franklin County, Virginia

Generation Two

11. William Allen [Samuel]

B: 1783 in Henry or Franklin County, Virginia

D: 8 Feb 1854 in Breathitt County, Kentucky - Found dead in the woods.

Married: 19 Jun 1808

Katherine Gearhart

Born:

Died:

12. George Jackson Allen [Samuel]

B: 1784 in Patrick County, Virginia

D:

Married: 1806

Cynthia Patton, daughter of James Henry and Florence Graham Patton.[1]

Born: 1785 in Virginia

Died:

13. Sarah Allen [Samuel]

B: Dec 1810 Floyd County, Kentucky

D: 26 Nov 1876 Beaver Creek, Floyd County, Kentucky. He died at the age of sixty-five years.

Married: 27 Nov 1825 Beaver Creek, Floyd County. Kentucky.

Reuben May, son of John and Sarah Jane Phillips May,

Born: 12 Oct 1800 Shelby Creek, Pike County, Kentucky

Died: 20 Sep 1840 Maytown, Beaver Creek, Floyd County, Kentucky at the age of thirty-nine years.

Floyd County, Kentucky

14. Samuel Allen, Jr [Samuel].

B: aft. 1784

D:

Married: 28 Dec 1815

Virginia Jane [Jenie, Janey] Patton, daughter of James Henry and Florence Graham Patton.[2]

Born: ca. 1796 in Virginia

Died:

15. Elizabeth Allen [Samuel]

B:1794

D:

Married: 12 Apr 1810 in Floyd County, Kentucky

Samuel Patton, son of James Henry and Florence Graham Patton.[3]

Born: 1787 in Virginia

Died:

  

16. John Allen, Jr  [Samuel]

B: aft. 1794 in Virginia

Born:

Died:

Married:17 Sep 1783 in Henry County, Virginia

Sarah Prater, daughter of Jonathan Prater.

Born: ca. 1796 in Maryland     

Died: ca. 1870 

17. Daughter Allen [Samuel]

Born:

Died:

Watauga River Settlement

18. Margaret [Peggy] Allen [Samuel]

B: ca. 1800

D:

Married: 8 Dec 1824 Floyd County, Kentucky

Daniel May, the fourth son of John and Sarah Jane Phillips May.

Born: ca. 1791 Washington County, North Carolina in the Watauga River Valley Settlement [now in Tennessee]

Died: after 1839

            After the death of John May in 1813, Daniel May was named the administrator of his father’s estate.[4]  Most probably Daniel and his brother, Reuben May, were the two young men cited as being between the ages of 16-26 years living in the household of their brother, Thomas May in the 1820 United State Federal Census.

           It is most reasonable to conclude that Daniel and Margaret [Peggy] Allen May left the area shortly after their marriage to establish their home in another area as did many other young people of this era.[5]   Records do indicate that all of his brothers did purchase property in the area prior to 1830; however, as of 2016, documentation is lacking to cite the names of children  for this couple or to cite positive dates and location for this couple’s death and burial.

          Daniel May’s name is on an indenture in Pike County, Kentucky for the transfer of property to “the only brothers and sisters of Tilpolard May, deceased” dated 1839; however, this document  does not state where Daniel May is residing.[6]

---

[1]  James Henry Patton was the son of John J. and Mary _____ Patton, III of August County, Virginia.   James Henry Patton married Florence Graham.  He died in 1818 in Martin, Floyd County, Kentucky.  James Henry Patton was the father of Christopher Patton, John Patton I, Henry Patton, Cynthia Patton Allen, Samuel Patton, brother to Martha Graham and William Patton.

His daughter, Dorcas Patton married Thomas May, Sr. the son of John and Sarah Jane Phillips May, and a brother to both Reuben and Daniel May that are the husbands of Dorcas’s sisters.

James Henry Patton was one of the first Clerks of Floyd County, Kentucky serving as early as November 1803. He was appointed Sheriff of Floyd County, at the sitting of the 1809 County Court and served until 31 December 1810. He is last mentioned in the Floyd County Court records in August 1815. James Henry Patton was born ca. 1751 and died ca.1818. His wife, Florence Graham, was a sister to John Graham, who was perhaps the most prominent man in the early years of Floyd County.

James Henry Patton was a son of Henry Patton, who was born in Ireland ca. 1720 and died in Augusta County, Virginia ca. 1765.  Henry Patton is believed to have been a close relation to Colonel James Patton, a well-known historical figure of the early western frontier.  Colonel Patton was killed on the 31 July 1755 in an Indian raid at Draper's Meadows.

Colonel Patton's will, dated 1750 and probated in Augusta County, Virginia.  The will [Augusta County Will Book: 2:131], shows that Henry Patton was living at Colonel James Patton's plantation on Back Creek, which was called "Springfield." Henry Patton was born too late to be a brother of Colonel Patton, but could have been a nephew or other close kin.

Henry Patton is known to have been a juryman in Augusta County in 1747, Thus proving that he was also a landowner at that time. Other records indicate that he was living in the area, including land purchases on Peak Creek where some of his sons chose to live in later years. Henry Patton apparently died ca.1765. No record indicating the name of his wife has been located.  No estate appraisal or will have been found indicating that he made property settlements upon his children prior to the time of his death.

[2]  Ibid.

[3]  Ibid.

[4]  Floyd County Court Book 2: March 28, 1815 Session.

[5]  Daniel May nor his immediate family is cited on the 1830 U.S. Federal Census for either Floyd or Pike Counties, Kentucky. Also, there are no court records to indicate that he, Daniel May, ever purchased property in Floyd or Pike Counties, Kentucky.

[6] Pike County, Kentucky Deed Book B:75.

The Frontier - Virginia - 1776

 A document which was signed on the 8th of Oct 1776 for Government Service in Fincastle County, Virginia states, “For being legally apart of the colony and for the creation of new counties, a citation of the Committee for the Western Part references the election of John Gabriel Jones and George Rogers Clark as their representatives.  Members of the Committee included in this manuscript are: John Gabriel Jones - chairman,  John Bowman, John Cowen, William Bennett, Joseph Bowman, John Crittenden, Isaac Hite, George Rogers Clark, Silas Harland, Hugh McGary, Andrew McConnel, James Herrod, Wm. McConnel and John Maxwell.  Signed by John Gabriel Jones - Chairman and Abraham Hite Jr. - Clerk at Harrodsburg,  20th of June 1776.  This act formed Kentucky, Washington and Montgomery counties in Virginia and made Fincastle County, Virginia extinct. The act took effect on the 31st of December 1776.

Many of us living today do not grasp the importance of this one single document.  This is extremely important because it formed the two counties of Montgomery and Washington but especially so because it opened the entire frontier including what would become the states of Kentucky and Tennessee for westward expansion.  Also note  that it eliminated Fincastle County, Virginia. 

Please look carefully at the names of the men who were present when this document was created and then who signed it.  Several of these men stand out as having ties to our own Shenandoah Valley area.  These men were indeed friends and neighbors of own families.Men who had a direct bearing upon the lives of many members of our own families. Men who were well respected individuals that influenced our nation’s early settlement.   Note again the date this document was signed, 20 June 1776.

Let’s look more closely at the lives of some of these men who not only influenced events happening in our own Shenandoah Valley but also in Virginia and the colonies which became the United States of America.

Belle Grove

 Major Isaac Hite

Major Isaac Hite was born on the 7th of Feb 1758 at his father’s home, Long Meadows which was then in Frederick County, Virginia.  He died on the 24th of Nov 1836 at his home, Belle Grove near Middletown, Virginia.   He was the son of Isaac Hite, Sr and his wife, Alida Eleanor Eltinge who were married 12 Apr 1745 in Frederick County, Virginia.  Isaac was the grandson of Johann Jost Heyd / Hite and his wife, Anna Maria Merckle of Baden, Germany.

He was educated at The College of William and Mary in Williamsburg, where he was a member of Phi Beta Kappa Society of 1776, which was the first Greek letter fraternity in America.

Isaac Hite enlisted as a private in the American Revolution and rose to the rank of Major.  He served on the staff of General George Washington.  Isaac was aide-de-camp to General Muhlenberg at Yorktown in 1777.  At one point during the American Revolution, he lost one of his fingers due to the fact that it was shot off.  He was made a member of the Society of Cincinnati by General Washington; however in 1781, Isaac Hite was not on good terms with George Rogers Clark in the area which became Lincoln County, Kentucky.

One of Isaac's Hite’s homes was 'Long Meadows' where he was born and grew up. 'Long Meadows' was located south of Middletown, Virgina.   He is also reported to have lived at a property called 'Old Hall' near the Massanutten Mountains along the South Fork of the Shenandoah between 1787 and 1797.  Note the photos in this article which prove that ‘Old Hall’ was indeed located in the yard of his final home, ‘Belle Grove’. 

Old Hall  sign which is located in the yard of Belle Grove.

Excavated foundations of Old Hall with shadow of the above sign.

Isaac Hite had received 'Old Hall' in 1783 at the time of his marriage to first wife, Eleanor ‘Nelly’ Madison.   Isaac and Eleanor ‘Nelly’ Madison Hite lived at ‘Old Hall’ while he built 'Belle Grove' of limestone quarried from his own land.  In 1794 the construction began on the 40 ft x 100 ft. limestone home which had walls two feet thick.  The capstones were ordered from England. 

Eleanor ‘Nelly’ Madison Hite's brother, James Madison and his wife, Dolley Todd Payne Madison spent part of their honeymoon at Old Hall. James Madison became President of the United States serving in this capacity from 1809 to 1817.  He was President during the War of 1812 which was also known as America's second war for independence. He is also known as the Father of the United States Constitution.

After the death of Nelly Madison Hite in 1802, Major Hite married Ann Tunstall Maury.  Three children had been born to the first marriage and ten were born to the second. Twelve of these thirteen children lived to adulthood.  In 1815, as the family grew, an addition was made at the west end of the original house to finish-out the one-hundred-foot facade of Belle Grove as it stands today near Middletown, Virgina.

Belle Grove

The grain and livestock plantation continued to grow from its original gift of four hundred eighty three acres  from Major Hite’s father until finally the Major owned seven thousand five hundred acres of land and one hundred and three slave workers.  On this land he grew wheat, raised cattle and Merino sheep which were and still are prized for their wool.  Major Hite also owned a general store, a grist-mill, a saw-mill and a large distillery.  He died in 1836, and after Ann's death in 1851, ‘Belle Grove’ was sold out of the Hite family.

Seven of the Hite grandsons lost their lives in the service of the Confederacy during the War Between the States.  Union General Phillip Sheridan made his headquarters at ‘Belle Grove’ during the Battle of Cedar Creek. 

Cedar Creek Battlefield sign at Belle Grove.

‘Belle Grove’ is located one mile south of Middletown, Virginia on U.S. Route 11.  It is now the centerpiece of the new Cedar Creek and Belle Grove National Historic Park.  Belle Grove is a Historic Landmark, a Virginia Historic Landmark, and a Historic Property of the National Trust for Historic Preservation. 

Note 1:  There are two Madison homes/properties named Belle Grove.  The first is a river-seated plantation at Port Conway, VA.  This is where President James Madison was born.  The original house of his birth is no longer standing.  The future President’s mother, Eleanor “Nelly” Conway Madison was living at Mount Pleasant, Virginia, with her husband of a year, as the birth of their first child neared.  Anticipating the event, Nelly traveled to her mother’s home, ‘Belle Grove’, in Port Conway. At midnight on March 16th, 1751, James Madison Jr. was born.  It has long been believed that Major Isaac Hite’s home, ‘Belle Grove’, was named for the earlier ‘Belle Grove’ in honor of his wife’s family where her brother, President James Madison was born and where her mother, Eleanor “Nelly” Conway Madison, grew up. 

Note 2: It has also been long reported that ‘Long Meadows’  was the Middletown home of Isaac Hite and his wife, Alida Eleanor Eltinge.  The Long Meadows Cemetery located on this Virginia farm, is said to contain the graves of Isaac Hite and his wife, Alida Eleanor Eltinge; Major Isaac Hite and his two wives [Eleanor ‘Nelly’ Madison and Ann Tunstall Maury]; and that of Johann Jost  Heyd/Hite's wife, Anna Maria Merckle, who was buried there in 1739 in what is now an unmarked grave.  

When Isaac Hite was 16 in 1737, his father, Johann Jost Heyd/Hite gave him approximately nine hundred acres of land known as the Long Meadow Tract. This property was named for its beautiful view of lovely, fertile meadows along the banks of the North Fork of the Shenandoah River.  The Shenandoah Valley is located between the Blue Ridge Mountains to the east and the Allegheny Mountains to the west. The Massanutten Mountain runs amid the Valley's floor between those two mountain ranges and splits the Shenandoah River into the North Fork and the South Fork. Hite’s Long Meadow Tract is located along the North Fork, at the base of the northern end of the Massanutten Mountain. It extended from the river toward the land where ‘Belle Grove’ now stands.

Isaac Hite who died in 1795, left his vast estate primarily to his son, Major Isaac Hite, who was an up-and-coming planter and entrepreneur in the Shenandoah Valley.  Major Hite divided his father’s land into five separate tracts.  ‘Belle Grove’ was built upon one of those  five tracts. In 1836, when Major Isaac Hite died, he left Traveler's Hall to his daughter, Matilda M. Hite Davison. In 1840, she sold the land to Col. George W. Bowman and his brother, Isaac Bowman, great-grandsons of Johann Jost Heyd/Hite.