Benjamin Alexander Allison
1853 - 1930 (76 years)
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Name Benjamin Alexander Allison Nickname Ben Born 21 Oct 1853 , Ralls, MO 
[1] Gender Male Address 1862 , Boone, MO [1] His father moved the family to a farm near Sturgeon, Boone, MO. Here, he and his siblings were raised and educated in the public schools in Sturgeon. Occupation Abt 1875 to 1879 [2] Draughtsman at an atlas company. It "was in this capacity that he gained his insight in the abstract business...." Address 1879 McPherson, McPherson, KS [1] Occupation 1879 McPherson, McPherson, KS [1] Attorney. He and his brother, George Wilkerson Allison, co-owned the Allison Brothers firm, an abstact company that controlled a greater share of the abstract business in McPherson, until it merged with the McPherson Abstract Company about 1888. Benjamin continued to work in the abstract business at McPherson Abstract Company. Occupation 1884 to 1888 McPherson, McPherson, KS [2] Mayor Occupation 1884 to 1888 McPherson, McPherson, KS [1, 2] Register of Deeds for McPherson county Religious denomination Aft 1884 McPherson, McPherson, KS [1] Presbyterian. "For a long time he wasn't connected with any church, but his wife was a zealous member of the Congregational Church... he united with that organization." I believe this to be the First Congregational United Church of Christ, which is listed as a Presbyterian church. Lisa Allison Albert Occupation 1898 to 1907 McPherson, McPherson, KS [1] Postmaster Died 14 May 1930 McPherson, McPherson, KS [2] - He died suddenly in his sleep, "which followed an illness of several years standing...." [2]
Buried McPherson Cemetery, McPherson, McPherson, KS [2] Notes - "At an early age he started in business for himself, and the self-reliance then cultivated, has, no doubt been instrumental in procuring him the prosperity which he now enjoys." [1]
- He always had a fascination in politics. He was "a republican but a broad-minded one...." Upon his arrival in McPherson until a few years before his death, he "was a potent influence in county Republican polities, and for years his counsel was sought by leaders of the party in the state." (Note: I believe the "broad-minded" reference reflects Henry Morton Woodson's political bias. Based on other comments, I believe he would identify himself as a Democrat or more correctly, a Dixiecrat, which strongly identified with the Confederacy. Lisa Allison Albert.) [1, 2]
- He served on the McPherson city council and was president of the board for education for four years. [2]
- He was a big-hearted man who contributed generously to benevolent causes. [1]
Person ID I18 Allison | Allison Last Modified 9 Apr 2019
Father John Benjamin Allison, b. 7 Sept 1828, , Boone, MO , d. 8 Mar 1904, Sturgeon, Boone, MO (Age 75 years) Mother Elizabeth Mosby Woodson, b. 30 Dec 1824, , Franklin, VA , d. 19 Feb 1924, Dallas, Dallas, TX (Age 99 years) Married 14 Nov 1850 , Monroe, MO [1] Family ID F3 Group Sheet | Family Chart
Family Ethel Adelle Ferguson, b. 4 Sep 1863, Leavenworth, Leavenworth, KS , d. 29 Sep 1941, McPherson, McPherson, KS (Age 78 years) Married 3 Jul 1884 [1] Children + 1. Ethel Adelle Allison, b. 21 Apr 1885, McPherson, McPherson, KS , d. 14 Feb 1967, Macon, Macon, MO (Age 81 years)+ 2. Edith Mary Allison, b. 4 Oct 1886, McPherson, McPherson, KS , d. 6 Nov 1963, Santa Monica, Los Angeles, CA (Age 77 years)+ 3. Carrie Elizabeth Allison, b. 13 Oct 1888, McPherson, McPherson, KS , d. 1 Jul 1974, , , CO (Age 85 years)+ 4. Ruth Vera Allison, b. 30 Nov 1890, McPherson, McPherson, KS , d. 10 Dec 1977 (Age 87 years)+ 5. Dorothy Maurine Allison, b. 26 Feb 1894, McPherson, McPherson, KS , d. Oct 1975, Claremore, Rogers, OK (Age 81 years)6. Marianne Allison, b. 11 Dec 1899, McPherson, McPherson, KS , d. Dec 1977, Apple Valley, San Bernardino, CA (Age 78 years)+ 7. John Benjamin Allison, b. 2 Aug 1902, McPherson, McPherson, KS , d. 22 Mar 1977, Colorado Springs, El Paso, CO (Age 74 years)Last Modified 10 Feb 2019 Family ID F213 Group Sheet | Family Chart
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Photos Benjamin Alexander Allison 
John B. Allison
The Allison family home in Sturgeon, Boone, MO. On the porch is Dorothy Ann, Elizabeth Mosby Woodson and a friend. FindAGrave info states photo taken in early 1940s but that's incorrect. Dorothy and Elizabeth died in 1925 and 1924, respectively.
Benjamin Alexander Allison, Mary Ellen "Millie" Lenoir and Adelle Ferguson. 
Benjamin Alexander Allison
Benjamin Alexander Allison with his REO in the background.
Benjamin Alexander Allison, Adelle Ferguson and niece Ann Allison. 
Benjamin Alexander Allison
Register of Deeds, 1884-1888
McPherson County Courthouse, McPherson, McPherson, KS
This is where Benjamin Alexander Allison performed his Register of Deeds duties.
Benjamin Alexander Allison & family residence
220 South Walnut, McPherson, McPherson, KS
Allison family outing
Front, L-R: Adelle "Delle" Ferguson, Dorothy Anne "Dolly", Benjamin Alexander "Ben", Elizabeth Mosby Woodson, Mary Edith Allison and Arabelle Jane.
Back, L-R: Harris Gray, Marianne, Maurice Hayth, John B (on mule), Maurine Allison and Gustavus Adolphos Fischer.
Benjamin Alexander Allison and family
Front, L-R: Marianne "Jim", Adelle "Delle" Ferguson holding Ethel's baby, Benjamin A. Allen, unidentified boy.
Back, L-R: Ethel Adelle, Edith Mary, Carrie Elizabeth "Bess", Ruth Vera, Dorothy Maurine, Benjamin Alexander.
Benjamin Alexander Allison and 6 of his 7 children.
Back, L-R: Benjamin Alexander, John Benjamin (on lap), and Marianne. The other children identified as being in the photo are Edith Mary, Carrie Elizabeth, Ruth Vera and Dorothy Maurine.
Benjamin Alexander Allison's daughters
Ethel Adelle, Dorothy Maurine, Ruth Vera, Edith Mary, Carrie Elizabeth "Bess," and Marianne "Jim" in the foreground. Photo taken in 1908.
Main Street, Sturgeon, Boone county, Missouri
Caption from Find A Grave: "where Dollie and her mother lived." I don't know if that means they lived in Sturgeon or on Main Street.
Documents 
Benjamin Alexander and George W Allison, Allison Bros, Abstract company, 1 of 2
Cover of 1880 publication listing Allison Brothers business
Benjamin Alexander and George W Allison, Allison Bros, Abstract company, 2 of 2
Business listing for Allison Brothers, Abstract company, 1880, page 103.
Benjamin Alexander Allison, business listing, 1904
Polk's Kansas State Gazeteer and Business Directory, Kansas City, MO, 1904, Vol X, page 785
Benjamin Alexander and George W Allison, business listings
Polk's Kansas State Gazeteer and Business Directory, Kansas City, MO, 1904, Vol X, page 782
1860 US Census Union Township, Monroe County, Missouri
John B. Allison with wife Elizabeth Allison, and children George, Benjamin, Dorothy, Arabella, Martha, and (tenant?) Charles Gaear, born in Virginia. John's and Charles' occupations listed as farmer.
1870 US Census, Township 51 (Sturgeon), Boone, Missouri
John B. Allison listed as head of household, which included wife Elizabeth, sons George W., Benjamin A, John S., Wm M., and daughters Dorothy A, Arabella, Emma, and Mary E. (enumerator mistakenly wrote her middle initial as H.). John's occupation listed as farmer.
Ethel Adelle Allison, death certificate
The Division of Health of Missouri
Standard Certificate of Death
14 Feb 1967
Headstones 
Benjamin Alexander Allison
Surname headstone for Benjamin Alexander Allison and Ethel Adelle "Delle" Ferguson
Plot: Block 44 Lot 20
Benjamin Alexander Allison
Headstone
Plot: Block 44 Lot 20
Histories 
Benjamin Alexander Allison
Obit, McPherson Daily Republican, May 15, 1930.
Brief History of Early Ralls County Missouri
Ron Leake, President of the Ralls County Historical SocietyJohn Stephen Allison, biographical sketch
History of Monrovia
Wiley, John L.
Pasadena, Calif.: Press of Pasadena Star-News, 1927
pgs 216-217
Albums Allison (6)
Images (photos, scanned documents), histories, recordings, and videos relating to our Allison ancestors.
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Sources