Joseph Allen,
Early Settler
Joseph Allen was born about 1790-95 in NY (county unknown, but Cayuga suspected). He married Mary ...., and they moved to Indiana in time for the 1820 census at Connersville, Fayette Co, IN. They had 2 children, Ezbon born about 1815-16, and Ann born about 1817. A third child, Louisa, was born at Fayette Co. in 1820. They located at Shelby Co. in 1822, 1/2 mile east of
Freeport, Hanover Township. A fourth child, William was born there.
Next to Joseph Allen in Fayette Co. was George Sanford. Evidently there was a close relationship between the two families, believed to be through Mary Allen's name having been Sanford. George Sanford was in War of 1812 from Cayuga Co, NY and declared in his application for land warrant that his house burned down at Cayuga Co. in 1819, destroying his discharge. That probably
precipitated the move to Indiana, accompanied by Joseph Allen and family.
Joseph Allen and George Sanford served on the Grand Jury at Shelby Co, according to the county history, so it is believed that both were landowners. The only record found, however, is
George Sanford's purchase of land from Benjamin Rue.
Joseph Allen died intestate in 1825, between the court sessions held in March and September. I list the following Inventory and Sale of his estate
to provide the names of Shelby Co. early settlers
who are included in the sale. Punctuation is at it appears in the original; names are capitalized here
although not in the original.
Written by Kathryn Jennings
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