Our Allen, Neet, Winters and Scott Ancestors in Scott County, Illinois,
Thomas Allen was a member of the first pioneer party to what became Scott county, Illinois. They arrived about 1819 from Casey county, Kentucky. Thomas' wife, Sarah Christenson Allen, was the first white woman in the region. They had three children born in Scott county that we know of. They were: John C. Allen, born 1820; Thomas J. Allen, born 1821; and Robert J. Allen, born 1824. Thomas, the father, appears on an 1824 Scott county voters list. As near as we can determine Thomas and family left Scott county for Missouri about 1840. From incidental information we believe Thomas may have been a surveyor.
Two brothers of Thomas arrived in Scott county shortly after 1819. They were our ancestor John Allen and Samuel Allen. John had a series of farms located roughly north east of Winchester. Our records show an 1826 land patent for John signed by president John Quincy Adams. Since there was a Lincoln Douglas debate in Winchester in 1820 we like to think our John was at that historic event. John and his wife, Esther, had two boys that we know of: our James Givens Allen; and Joseph S. Allen. John died in Scott county in 1840.
In 1846 Joseph Allen served in the Mexican War. His name appears on the Scott County War memorial. We believe Joseph caught gold fever in 1849 and left Scott county for Nevada county, California.
James Givens Allen served in the two Black Hawk campaigns, which also involved Abraham Lincoln. Perhaps their paths crossed during the early 1830s. In 1841 James brought his new wife, Elizabeth Martin, of Randolph county, Missouri to Scott county where they lived until 1857. They had at least seven children born in Scott county: our William Martin Allen; John S. Allen; David S. Allen; an unnamed infant; Anna Allen; Samuel Allen; and possibly a Louisa Allen. James and family left for California in 1857 but Elizabeth was fearful of Indians so the family settled in Grundy county Missouri.
Other related Scott county families were the Neets [Neats], the Winters and the Scotts. Interestingly, we were surprised some years ago when we visited Winchester to see a billboard advertising the local bank named for a Neet.
Frederick Neet arrived in Scott county in 1828. Frederick's wife, Sarah Allen, was our James Givens Allen's sister. Their son, Benjamin Tyra Neet, was born in Scott county in 1829. We believe this is yet another family which left for Missouri about 1841
Nathan Winters and wife, Ruth, were apparently in the Scott county region when it was still part of St. Clair county since their son, Ezekiel Lindsay Winters' birth is listed as being born in St. Clair county in 1819. Ezekiel and his wife Nancy Allen Neet [one of Sarah Allen's children] were another family that left for Missouri about 1841.
The widow of Welcome Scott of Casey county, Kentucky, Elizabeth [Betsy] Allen Scott [a sister of our John Allen] arrived in Scott county with her stepson, Benjamin Scott. We believe he was also related by blood to Elizabeth but have not yet made the connection. In turn, they may be related to the James Scott and John Scott who were in that party of six that originally settled Scott county.
For anyone who would like to exchange family genealogy on the above surnames please feel free to contact us. Bill and Loydean Allen
NOTE: The Allen family information was submitted by Bill and Loydean
Allen. Thank you Bill and Loydean for sharing your heritage with
everyone. If this is your family, be sure to contact the Allens at
the E-Mail link above. Donna
