Allandale Roots
Banks County, Georgia
Lost to Time
but waiting to be found
A continuing work being compiled by
Tom Reed
2014
Allandale - Where oh where did you go ?
James Allan was an Englishman who was born between 1780 and 1790. He was educated at Westminster School, in central London, England. Today it is known as the Royal College of St. Peter in Westminster and is almost always known as Westminster School. Westminster has always had the reputation of being one of Britain’s leading boy’s school that encouraged independent and individual thinking. The Curriculum was made up of Latin, Greek, Arabic and Hebrew, in addition to standard academics.
James Allan’s education was the backbone of his success. He purchased a 200 acre plantation for $1,100 on 20 September, 1816, a place he called ALLANDALE, in what was Franklin/Hall/Habersham/ now Banks County, Ga. and is where he made his home. James was a Justice of the Inferior Court in Franklin County, Ga. from 1813 to 1817. He was a Justice of the Peace in Habersham County, Ga. in 1817. James was also a Captain in Colonel William Jones’ 4th Regiment, Georgia Militia in the War of 1812.
In 1818 James Allan purchased 200 acres adjacent to J.M. Russell, J. McCracken, Hudson River, 200 Acres adjacent to William Sisson, Hudson River, 87 acres adjacent to William Sisson, 19 acres adjacent to Charles Sisson, William Sisson, Hudson River.
ALLANDALE is where James taught school to young boys whose parents could afford the tuition. Many of these boys grew up to be well educated men who accomplished much in their adult years.
James Allan first wife was Mary Strickland Gilbert, who he married in 1804. She was the widow of a man named John Gilbert who was a Revolutionary War soldier. The Allan’s had four children in this union. They were as follows:
John M. Allan (1805 - ?) David Allan (1809 – 1874)
Harriett Allan (1811 – 1895) Thomas Knight Allan (1813 - ?)
William Terrell Allan (1815-1845)
Banks County, Georgia Map Circa 1883
James looses his first wife Mary
In an abstract from the Georgia Journal Newspaper 1809 – 1840, Volume 1, 1809 – 1818,
Page 358, Issue of February 8, 1815, “Died on Wednesday evening 25 January in Franklin County, Mrs. Mary Allan, wife of Capt. James Allan, after a lingering parturition. In the death of this amiable woman, a husband has lost an affectionate wife….made more so by his absence in defense of his country…. to her children a tender mother…” (Mary died as a result of childbirth with William Terrell Allan while James Allan was a participant in the War of 1812).
James remarries
James remarried sometime after the death of Mary and before he and his new wife, Hannah Terrell (1790 - 1847) are shown as selling some property on September 6, 1816. James and Hannah’s children were as follows:
William Terrell Allan (1815-1845) although apparently given birth by Mary he seems to have always considered himself the child of Mary and his blood siblings as step brothers and sister.
Thompson Allan (1819 – 1875) Robert Allan (1823 – 1861)
Sarah Elizabeth Allan (1828 - ?) Henry Allan (1829 – 1862)
According to all research all of the other above children of Hannah and James Allan as well as Mary and James were born at their home in Allandale.
It is unclear as to how old James Allan was when he died but estimates make it between 63 and 73 years old. James Allan Last Will and Testament was proved and recorded on the 27th of February, 1843.
Where do the Allan;s rest?
It is alleged that James and Hannah both are buried at Allandale, as well as Thompson Allan, Robert Allan and Henry Allan at what is now Banks County, Georgia.
There were at least 19 slaves, some of whom most likely are buried somewhere within Allandale. Their names were Phyllis, Stokes, Tabby, Sal, Linny, Grace, Kirk, Maria, Sally, Eliza, George, Lizzy, Mary, Leck, Phil, Dicey, Ike, Mali and Dan.
Possible candidates for burial at Allandale
James Allan 22 October 1785 – 27 February 1843 Father of Thompson Allan
Alleged to be buried at Allandale
Mary Strickland Gilbert Allan 1773 – 1815 First wife of James Allan
Alleged to be buried at Allandale
Their children were as follows:
John Millard Allan 1805- Unknown Son of James & Mary Allan
David Allan 1809 – 1874 Son of James & Mary Allan
Harriett Allan 1811 – 1895 Daughter of James & Mary Allan
Thomas Knight Allan 1813 – Unknown Son of James & Mary Allan
William Terrell Allan 1815 – 1845 Son of James & Mary Allan
Mary Strickland Gilbert Allan died in 1815. James remarried and had other children as follows:
James Allan second wife was:
Hanna Terrell Allan 1780 – 1847 second wife of James Allan prior to 1816
Alleged to be buried at Allandale
Their children were as follows:
Thompson Allan, Sr. 1819 – 1875 CSA veteran
Alleged to be buried at Allandale
Robert H. Allan 1824 – 1861 DOD Typhoid at Richmond, VA as CSA veteran
Alleged to be buried at Allandale
Sarah Elizabeth Allan Parks 1828 – 1861
Her husband was
Richard M. Parks 1826 – 1871 CSA veteran
Henry Allan 1829 – 1862 CSA veteran DOD at Banks County, Georgia after medical discharge
Alleged to be buried at Allandale
Elizabeth Isabelle Allan Terrell 1834 – unknown
Emily C. Allan Young 1834 – 1863
Her husband was
Isaac M. Young 1830 – 1864 CSA veteran DOD at Banks County, Georgia
About James Allan
James had been very specific in his preparation for assignments of his property after his death. He left a very specific will and apparently had intimate conversations with his first set of children he had with Mary regarding their portions and inheritances. Nevertheless, James and Mary’s children contested James Last Will and Testament but lost their appeal. When each of James and Mary’s children reached the age of adulthood, James gave each of them an equal share of their inheritance or the money value of what they had acquired during James and Mary’s marriage. James wanted his younger children with Hannah to have their equal share of their inheritance acquired during James and Hannah’s marriage. The younger children were not to receive their inheritance until they reached adulthood. The older children had their option to take their inheritance when they were of age to spend as they wished, or they could wait until James was deceased. Thompson took his predetermined inheritance before James was deceased and spent it on getting his education to become a lawyer. This explains why Thompson seems to have received so much less than the other children from James Allan’s will.
Apparently James and Mary’s last child, William Terrell Allan, had severe conflicts with his natural 3 brothers and his sister. He did, it appears have closer ties with his half siblings. His last Will and Testament indicates as much.
Last Will and Testament of James Allan (1785-1843)
Will signed: 26 May, 1840 (Death in 1843)
Recorded: 27 February, 1843 book: Eight (1820 – 1850) Habersham County, Georgia
Pages: 205, 206, 207
Court of the Ordinary Minutes and Wills
I, James Allan, of the State of Georgia and County of Habersham being of sound mind and discretion and being desirous of appointing the distribution of my estate and of creating a barrier to all strife or contention that might otherwise arise concerning the same after my death, do the name of God and in the presence of competent witnesses, apportion and established the following to be my Last Will and Testament.
Item the first – in addition to what I have heretofore given to my son, David Allan, I hereby will and bequeath to him the sum of $100 which may be discharged in any property worth that amount just as my herein named executor or our executrix may think fit.
Item the second – in addition to what I have heretofore given my son, Thomas K. Allan, I hereby will and bequeath to him one bed, the clothing, and furniture hereto belonging.
Item the third – in addition to what I have heretofore given to my son, John Allan, I hereby will and bequeath to him one Negro boy, Ned, by name.
Item the fourth – in addition to what I have heretofore and to my daughter, Harriet Strickland, I hereby will and bequeath to her the sum of one dollar to be paid out of any money belonging to my estate.
Item the fifth – it is my desire and intention that the greater portion of my estate, lands, Negroes, stock, and etc. shall be kept together for the benefit and maintenance of my younger children and until they arrive at the years of maturity. Therefore, for the purpose of carrying into effect this desire I do hereby will and bequeath to my wife, Hanna Allan, and her lineal forever all and singular my lands consisting of five tracks or partials known and distinguished in the several counties in which they lie as follows:
1. One lot or parcel of land the same on which I now live, containing 200 acres.
2. One track or parcel of land lying in the State of Georgia and the County of Habersham on the Hudson River containing 100 acres more or less which track I call my lower place or plantation in which I purchased from Henry Jones.
3. One other track or parcel of land lying in the counties of Hall and Habersham containing 200 acres more or less and known and distinguished by the name of Crackling Gourd.
4. One track or parcel of land lying in the aforesaid Estate and County of Hall containing eighty–seven acres on which is situated a gristmill by which it is distinguished and called by the Mill Tract.
5. Another Tract or parcel of land lying in the County of Cherokee and State last aforesaid and distinguished as Lot number 338 in the 16th District and Forth section containing 40 acres.
Together with all and singular, the right, members, appurtenances, fixtures, mill house and machines to each and all of them belonging or in any wise appertaining. I further will and bequeath to my wife, Hannah Allan, and her heirs lineal forever and singular my Negro slaves to wit: Phyllis, Stokes,Tabby, Sal, Linny, Grace, Kirk, Maria, Sally, Eliza, George, Lizzy, Mary, Leck, Phil, Dicey, Ike, Mali and Dan and all and each of their increase of said Negro women from this time henceforth, together with all my stock, horses, mules, cows, sheep, hogs, in my household and kitchen furniture, such as clocks, desks, tables, chairs, beds, bed clothing, cupboards, crock ware of all descriptions. Knives, forks, spoons, all my guns together with all my books, papers, notes, accounts, a whole all and singular my monies due and demands, and in fine all singular my estate both real and personal, except what is herein otherwise disposed of, to have, keep, possess and enjoy doing her (my said Wife’s) natural life as fully and in example a manner as myself, can one could enjoy the same. The aforesaid mentioned Estate by said wife, Hannah Allan, may dispose of to her own children at such times and in such quantities as she may think fit and proper.
Item the sixth – for the purpose of having this my Last Will and Testament executed after my death, I do here by appoint my son, William T. Allan, and said wife, Hannah Allan, my Executor and Executrix.
Signature: James Allan
Signed in presence of us the 26th day of May 1840:
H. G. Morris, John Bond, H. L. Morris, J. P.
This written Last Will and Testament of James Allan have been being duly proven at the Regular Term in open Court upon the oaths of H. L. Morris, W. G. Morris and John Bond.
Last Will and Testament of William Terrell Allan (1815-1845)
22 March 1845 (Death 1845)
Court of the Ordinary Minutes and Wills
Habersham County, Georgia.
I, William T. Allan of said State and county in the name of God Amen have thought proper on this day to make this my Last Will and Testament having never made any other.
Item First – I desire and direct that after my death, my body be buried in a manner suitable to my circumstances and condition this however I hope and believe will be properly attended by my Executors and the family to which I am attached by the nearest ties of Kindred.
Item Second – I give and bequeath to my mother, Hannah Allan, all my interests, right, and title to off or in any wise appertaining or belonging to all that tract or parcel of land upon which she now resides it being the same on which my father, James Allan, late of said State and County did last resigned the lot of land lies in the County’s Habersham and Hall on the waters of the Hudson River and contains 202 ½ acres. This I give to my mother for and during her natural life, then to be disposed of as I shall herein after direct. In like manner I give and devise unto my mother, Hannah Allan, all that tract or parcel of land lying in Hall County known as the mill track having thereon a grits mill and Lionel the waters of the Hudson River adjoining Terrell and the tract of land above described. I also give and bequeath to my mother my Negro man, Ike, for and during her natural life and after her death to be disposed of as I shall here after direct. I will and devise to my mother, Hannah Allan, all my farming tools of every kind, all my carpenters tools, all my Blacksmith and Shoe making tools, in fact all my tools of every kind with all my iron and steel wagons, carts and vehicles of all kinds that may be found on the plantation are elsewhere. Also, all my household and kitchen furniture of every description, such as beds and furniture, tables, claw, trunks, spoons, knives, forks, plates, pans, dishes, jokes, jars, pictures, pots, ovens, in fine, all the furniture blowing to the household and kitchen, as if ever article was particularly owned. Together with all my cattle of every kind, such as horses, mules, hawks, sheet, cows and calves, work oxen, dry cattle and only such as I shall hereafter except. I further give to my mother, Hannah Allan, all my sweetcorn in grains of all kind. I further will and devise to my mother, Hannah Allan, my two old Negro women, Sal, and Phyllis to dispose of as she may think proper.
Item Third – I will and devise to my brother, Thompson Allan, my lower plantation lying on the Hudson fork of the Broad River containing 100 acres it being the same on which Aaron Smith lately lived and joins Martin, Brown, Bolin and others, with all the answers rights and title or in any wise appertaining or belong forever.
Item Forth – I give and devise to my two brothers, Robert Allan and Henry Allan, my farm known as crackling gourd containing 202 ½ acres on the waters of the Hudson fork of broad River with a threshing machine their own with all the rights members and appurtenances to lot of land in any wise appertaining being our belonging forever. I also give to the said Robert and Henry all the track or parcel of land on which my mother, Hannah Allan, now resides after the said Hannah’s death the lot of land being described in item Second. In the same manner as the last I give to the said Robert and Henry the mill track also described an item Second, with all the rights members and appurtenances said lots of land in any wise appertaining our belonging the said lots of land after the death of my mother, Hannah Allan, are if she sees proper at any early. To be divided equally between said Robert and Henry, if they are either of them desired. I further give to my brother, Robert, my saddle and bridle together with a good horse or mayor to be selected from my stock of horses by my mother. I also give to devise to Robert my old rifle gun. I give to my brother Henry my yearling colt, also my smallest rifle gun.
Item Fifth – after the death of my mother I give and bequeath to my sister, Elizabeth I. Allan my Negro man, Ike.
Item Sixth – I further will that neither of my half brothers, David Allan, Thomas K. Allan, John Allan or my half-sister formerly Harriet Allan now Harriet Strickland nor her husband Madison Strickland shall ever have any beneficial interest in my will whatever, this item is therefore to exclude them entire.
Item Seventh – I further give and devise to my mother, Hannah Allan, all monies notes or accounts or other evidences of debt that I made be possessed except the note holder against Thompson Allan which is not paid at my death, to be no and void.
Item Eighth – I desire the books I have to be divided by my mother, my three sisters, Sarah, Emily and Elizabeth. If I possess any property where ever or whatever it may that I have not named I give it to my mother to dispose of her discretion hoping she will exercise the power I have placed in her hand with discretion.
Item Ninth – I constitute and appoint my three brothers, Thompson Allan, Robert Allan and Henry Allan, executors to this my Last Will and Testament this 22 March 1845.
Signature: William T. Allan
Signed, sealed, declared, and published by William T. Allan S’s Last Will and Testament in the presence of the subscribers who subscribe our names hereto in the presence of said and of each other, this 22 March, 1845.
Timothy Terrell
John Bond
Simon H. Terrell
James A. Terrell
Apparently William Terrell Allan had some strong feelings about his natural brothers and sister (see Item Sixth of the will). He is completely and deliberately excluding them from his will. He even refers to them as his half brothers and sister.
Accomplishments of James Allan
The old mills that operated on the tributaries of the Hudson River were primarily grain mills as opposed to lumber mills. The photo at the top is a reconstructed photo of the actual one that was in operation on the Allandale Plantation.
The Allandale big house was located not far from the river as tales tell it and was located close to two large Magnolia trees. The problem comes in a locating exactly where the two Magnolia trees are within the hundreds of acres in question. In the mid-60s there was an effort to locate and catalog old graveyards within Banks County, Georgia. There was a commentary made in the mid 1960’s that the graveyard was found but had been desecrated. The ornate monuments and statuettes had been removed by someone. The only written documentation as I could find relating to where Allandale was indicates that it might be located within was now the Wilson Shoals Wildlife Area just outside Homer, Georgia. I’ve been in touch with a gentleman who went with his father at one time as a boy and visited the old Allandale site. His father is in his mid-90s (in 2013) and is unable physically to take us to the site but in interviews he feels he remembers exactly where it’s located. As of this date, (mid October 2013), we have yet to locate the old graveyard. The area within the wildlife preserve is active with hunters at this time. As winter moves closer and the snakes go underground we will make an effort to try again to locate the graveyard and old home place. An article, depicted below, that appeared in the Atlanta, Georgia newspaper “The Atlanta Constitution” on July 4th, 1875 indicating something to give reason for this thought.
The Allan graveyard has important persons resting there forever. Colonel Thompson Allan, Commissioner of War Tax for the Confederacy, his brother Robert who was the first Representative to the House of Representatives from Banks County, Georgia, James and his two wives to name a few. Others served the Confederacy, giving all, such as Henry Allan and Isaac Young (husband of Emily C. Allan. Until we actually find the graveyard we won’t know exactly who all is buried there but we feel there might be 14 to 15 family members resting on the site.
Possible candidates for burial at Allandale
James Allan 22 October 1785 – 27 February 1843 Father of Thompson Allan
Mary Strickland Gilbert Allan 1773 – 1815 First wife of James Allan
Their children were as follows:
John Millard Allan 1805- Unknown Son of James & Mary Allan
David Allan 1809 – 1874 Son of James & Mary Allan
Harriett Allan 1811 – 1895 Daughter of James & Mary Allan
Thomas Knight Allan 1813 – Unknown Son of James & Mary Allan
William Terrell Allan 1815 – 1845 Son of James & Mary Allan
Mary Strickland Gilbert Allan died in 1815. James remarried and had other children as follows:
James Allan second wife was:
Hanna Terrell Allan 1780 – 1847 second wife of James Allan
Their children were as follows:
Thompson Allan, Sr. 1819 – 1875 CSA veteran
Robert H. Allan 1824 – 1861 DOD Typhoid at Richmond, VA as CSA veteran
Sarah Elizabeth Allan Parks 1828 – 1861
Her husband was
Richard M. Parks 1826 – 1871 CSA veteran
Henry Allan 1829 – 1862 CSA veteran DOD at Banks County, Ga - medical discharge
Elizabeth Isabelle Allan Terrell 1834 – unknown
Emily C. Allan Young 1834 – 1863
Her husband was
Isaac M. Young 1830 – 1864 CSA veteran DOD at Banks County, Georgia
First attempt at finding the grave yard at Allandale
March 1, 2014
We are all about to head out in search of Allandale from the home of the elder gentleman mentioned above. In the photo from left to right are our guide, Katie Burton, Kristin Burton, Tom Reed, James, and Mike Bowen with Teresa Reed behind the camera.
In the frame to the right we are at the place we think was the location of the “Big House” Tom and Katie are snooping around to see what we can find.
We have found what appears to be eight primitively marked graves that were described by the 94 year old gentleman that has spent his entire life in the area and was one that helped survey the area for lost graveyards in the 1960’s. He says that this is the Allandale grave site for the Allan family. This gentleman says that the sight was the burial ground of Thompson Allan and his brother Robert. It is relayed that there were large monuments in place there at one time for Thompson Allan. He says that when he was a young boy he remembers the monuments to have been over six feet high with raised lettering on the face. He also recollects that word was that when the family property was sold and changed hands that the monuments mysteriously disappeared. It was told that they most likely were removed, the raised lettering ground off and resold for another grave memorial with engraved lettering where the ground off lettering had been. It is impossible to document this as not photos exist of the tombstones, only newspaper articles and obituaries that chronicle the funeral of Thompson Allan as a full blown Masonic funeral attended by a large number of mourners. The graves that were discovered are more like primitive grave sites but only a cursory search was made at the first visit. There still is the possibility that these graves are that of the founding James Allan’s family and that the location of Thompson and Robert Allan’s graves are nearby. Further exploration is in the works.
Finding the graves would have been impossible without the invaluable personal recolations of the 94 year old gentleman who shall remain nameless to protect his privacy. We walked and suffered some thick brush and thorns for a ramble that was at least one mile. The terrain is thickly grown up and hilly. It seemed when we weren’t going down at least a 30 degree slope we were trying to jump over a creek and climb up another 30 degree slope. All is well that ends well because of the woodsman expertise of our leaders we located the grave site and what we feel could have been the old homestead place. What appear to be the foundation stones for the house were in place as pictured below.
Considering the old home place was not used since the death of Thompson Allan in 1875, we feel it was very much the prize to locate anything pertaining to the home place.
The Old Magnolia Tree still stands
Validity for the graveyard location is bolstered by the fact that there are remaining two very large Magnolia trees very near where the graves are. These trees are referred to in several documents as being near the “Big House” on the Allan property.
In the conservations with a local man there were mentions of the old mills that were part of the Allan estate of Allandale. The foundations of the old mill that was located on the Hudson River can still be seen where what is now called Grant Mill Road crosses the Hudson River (at the point where there is no bridge for the crossing). There were two mills at one time. The mill at the Grant Mill Road/Hudson River crossing and on at another branch of the river called “Crackling Gourd” was just west of Homer on map below.
The old Allandale post office is long gone but the stand of crape myrtle trees that encompassed it are supposed to be still there. Its exact location is yet to be re-discovered. We know the location of it but have yet to pay it a visit. Far too many things to do and far too little time to do them.
Update March 8, 2014
We cleaned up the found graves in Allandale. There are 8 stones in this spot; none of them are marked in any fashion. This site is just a few hundred feet from where the “Big house” apparently was. The spot of where we think the “Big House” was is still marked by the very large Magnolia tree.
Grave placement at Allandale
It was very difficult to photograph the stones in their entirety in one frame because they are so easily camouflaged by the leaves. Stone number one is located just below the frame in photo above and in the photo on the right stone 8 is viewed through the fork of two small trees.
