Histories
» Show All «Prev «1 ... 150 151 152 153 154 155 156 157 158 ... 361» Next» » Slide Show
James W Allison biographical sketch
Verbatim account from Portrait and biographical record of Marion, Ralls and Pike counties, Missouri, pages 576-577.
Capt. James W. Allison bears the reputation of being one of the most enterprising farmers of Ralls County, and is certainly one of her most extensive land-owners. Like many of the noted citizens of this great Republic, he started out in life empty-handed and worked at whatever he could find to do, even the most menial labor, and in this way got a start. Little by little he added to his wealth until he is now the fortunate possessor of over eighteen hundred acres of land, a portion of this lying in Audrain County, Mo. He was elected Justice of the Peace in this township in 1860 on the Democratic ticket, and held the office for a short time, when he lost it for refusing to take the oath of allegiance to the Government.
Alexander Allison, father of our subject, was born in Pennsylvania and was occupied in farming during his entire life. While still a mere lad he removed with his parents to Boone County, Mo., where he met Jemima Crawford, a native of Virginia, and their marriage soon afterward took place. A few years later the young couple took up residence in Monroe County, Mo., four miles distant from Florida, and three years later, in 1837, Mrs. Allison died. The father had entered land and improved the place, but after his wife's demise he was for a time unsettled, living in the southern part of Ralls County, and at length locating in Maries County, where he died about 1860.
J. W. Allison, who was born in Boone County, Mo., June 22, 1826, is the eldest of seven children, the others being named: John, Washington, Oscar, Felix, Arbella [sic] and Elizabeth. Our subject remained on the home farm until reaching his majority, when he went to Wisconsin and worked at a small salary in the pineries for a year. Then going to Ralls County, Mo., he found employment in a sawmill owned by John Griffith on Spencer Creek. He received ten dollars a month for three months, and next turned his attention to splitting rails, at a like remuneration, or at about thirty-eight cents per hundred, as they were obliged to split that number each day. The next venture of the sturdy young man was to buy an ox team and break prairie land at two dollars per acre. In these very arduous lines of employment he persevered until he had accumulated enough money to buy forty acres of land, paying therefor fifty-three dollars and sixty cents; this farm was situated near his present home and proved the nucleus of his fortune. Again he bought more timber, which he paid for by hard work; and thus he managed, saving a little money and investing it in land until he was the proprietor of a goodly farm of two hundred acres. Then he built a substantial house, consisting of only one room, and in this humble abode his early married life was spent. At present he owns thirteen hundred and ninety acres in this county, and four hundred acres in Audrain, most of this being prairie land.
In September, 1852, Mr. Allison married Sarah Catherine, the daughter of Joel and Rosanna Krigler. She was born in Virginia and at an early day located in Monroe County with her parents, who there passed the remainder of their lives. Seven children came to grace the home of Mr. And Mrs. Allison, as follows: Joel Samuel, who married a Miss Williamson, and now lives in Mississippi; James O., an attorney-at-law in New London; John William, who died in infancy; Sarah J., still living with her parents; Virginia D., who died at the age of twenty-one years; Mary, wife of C. S. Jackson, who is mentioned elsewhere in this volume; and Thomas Edward, who is helping in the management of his father's estate. The mother of these children was summoned to the better land August 2, 1881. She was a devoted member of the Presbyterian Church, to which denomination our subject also belongs. Politically, Capt. Allison is a stanch supporter of the principles of the Democratic party.
From the biographical sketch about his son, James Owen Allison, pages 700-701:
He had five children: James W., the father of our subject; John, who resides in Sturgeon, Boone County; Felix, of Shelbina, Mo.; Isabelle, the wife of Henry Homes, died in 1875, and Elizabeth, who married Elijah Simms, now deceased.
James W. Allison, is a farmer by occupation, and with his father removed
to Monroe County, Mo., when he was a lad of eight years, his mother
dying soon afterward. His father made a permanent settlement in Monroe
County, and there James received his education in the public school. The
home being broken up, he was early thrown on his own resources. His
first venture away from home was in the pineries of Wisconsin, where he
remained one year, and then returned to Jasper Township, Ralls County,
and ran a sawmill for a couple of years. He later brought a tract of
land in the same township and went to farming, where he now lives. He
has been successful in accumulating a handsome fortune and has now about
nineteen hundred acres of land under improvement. He carries on general
farming and stock-raising. In politics, he is a Democrat, and in
religion a Methodist. A man of strong constitution, and energetic, it is
no wonder that success has crowned his efforts. He is an old school
gentleman of temperate habits, conservative in thought, charitable and
benevolent, giving liberally to worthy objects. He has been a hard
worker, and has attended strictly to his business affairs. His wife is a
native of Virginia, a daughter of Joel and Rosa (Fray) Crigler. Her
parents moved to Missouri in 1837, settling near Florida, Monroe County.
Seven children have been born to Mr. and Mrs. Allison: Joel S., living
in Mississippi, James O.; John W., deceased; Sarah J., wife of Charles
Williamson of Ralls County; Jennie D. died in 1881; Thomas E., living in
Ralls County, and Mary C., now the wife of C. S. Jackson, a farmer of
Ralls County.
| Owner/Source | Portrait and biographical record of Marion, Ralls and Pike counties, Missouri |
| Linked to | Portrait and biographical record of Marion, Ralls and Pike counties, Missouri ; Alexander Allison; Arabella S Allison; Elizabeth J Allison; Felix Marion Allison; James Wilkerson Allison; John Benjamin Allison; Oscar Allison; Washington Allison; James Crawford; Jemima Crawford; Joel Crigler; Sarah Catherine Crigler; Rosanna Fray; Jane McClellan |
» Show All «Prev «1 ... 150 151 152 153 154 155 156 157 158 ... 361» Next» » Slide Show