From: "Biographical Review of Cass, Schuyler and
Brown Counties, Illinois 1892", by Biographical Review Publishing
Company, Chicago, Illinois; pages 382-383, a reprinted by Stevens
Publishing Co., Astoria, Ill., 1971, is sold by the Schuyler County
Historical Society, Rushville, Illinois.
Demetrius H. Allen, a prominent citizen of Versailles, was born
in Adams county, this State, in 1855. His father, James, was born in
New Jersey in 1819, and he came to this State when a young man, in
1838. His wife was Mary Holten, born May 2, 1825. She died in 1875,
having borne her husband nine children, two of whom died in infancy;
those who lived to maturity were: Mary C., wife of Jeremiah Stuart;
William M., farmer of Missouri, has six children; John, residing with
subject; D. H., subject; Amanda, wife of Stephen Smith; Stephen A. D.,
farm laborer of this township; George resides on the farm with his
brother, has but one son.
Our subject's father had but limited schooling, being obliged to
work on the farm his father purchased, for many years. He enlisted in
the Fiftieth Illinois Infantry, serving two years, when he was
discharged on account of sickness, but was home only a few weeks when
he re-enlisted in the cavalry service, serving in all some four years
and a half, being mustered out at St. Louis at the close of the war.
Although not very well educated, he was an able and zealous minister of
the Baptist Church.
Our subject was one of the good sons one so seldom sees,
remaining at home, assisting with the farm and caring for the little
ones, and has never ceased to look after their welfare.
He was married January 3, 1878, to Miss Julia Hall, of the same
place, daughter of Elijah and Susan (Cousin) Hall, Virginia farmers,
who came to Illinois about 1830, being then very poor, but then they
had 240 acres of good land and other valuable property. Five of their
children are still living. The father died when seventy years old, and
the mother when she was eighty years old, in 1884.
Mr. and Mrs. Allen have buried one son, Charles I., an infant,
and one daughter, May Allen, born September, 1880. Mr. Allen is a
Democrat, and has served as School Director for something over one
term. He is a Deacon in the Baptist Church.
Mr. Allen carries on general farming on his wife's fifty-acre
farm, raising wheat and corn, the former yielding about sixteen bushels
to the acre, the latter forty to fifty. Mr. and Mrs. Allen are highly
respected young people of their township, and enjoy life on their
beautiful farm, which is kept in beautiful order by the care of Mr.
Allen.
