George Allen, a resident of Port Byron, a
former citizen of the township of Coe, a
pioneer and the son of a pioneer of the
county of Rock Island, was born Nov. 29,
1825, in St. Clair Co., 111. The family patronymic
is Allyn, his father and ancestry preceding
that generation having, without exception,
adhered to that orthography.
Samuel Allyn, his father, was born in the State of
New York. He came to Illinois when a young man,
settling in St. Clair County, where he was married to
Candace Thomas. She was a native of South Carolina.
Mr. Allyn bought a tract of unimproved land
in Shiloh Valley, and was its owner and occupant
until he had wholly improved the place. In 1833 he
sold the farm but remained thereon until the year
following, when he gave possession to the new proprietor.
In the fall of that year, 1834, he came to the
county of Rock Island. The journey was made to
this place on the steamer "Wisconsin," and the trip
was her first. Mr. Allyn bought a tract of land at
Port Byron, and he also made claims on sections 20
and 21 of the township of Coe, which was then recorded
as town 19, range 2 east. The tract lying on
the river is now included in the site of the village of
Port Byron. He spent the winter in the home of
his nephew, Archibald Allen, and in the spring took
possession of his property. There had been a double
log cabin erected on the place, into which his family
moved, and they were its occupants until January,
1837. They then removed to the farm on section 20,
the village tract having been platted and a town laid
out, which occasioned a division of ownership. Mr.
Allyn had built a house on the new homestead, and
his death took place there in the month of March,
1838. He left a wife and six children. The former
survived him 35 years, her death occurring Sept. 29,
1872. John D., eldest child, is now deceased ; James
H. is a resident of Polk Co., Iowa; he is a retired
farmer; Maria is the wife of John Sigsworth, of Lane
Co., Oregon; Samuel lives in Saunders Co., Neb.;
George lives at Port Byron ; William is a resident of
Iowa, and is located near the city of Des Moines.
Mr. Allyn was a Whig in political connection and
throughout his life was prominent in public affairs;
was Justice of the Peace before his death.
George Allen, fifth in the family, was nine years of
age when his parents removed to Port Byron. After
the demise of his father he stayed with his mother
until he reached the estate of manhood, and passed
the time in assisting his elder brothers in the management
of the farm and in the care of the family,
acquiring a complete knowledge of farming, and,
what was a better capital for the foundation of his
fortune, habits of industrious application.
In 1S49 he went to California, accompanied thither
by Schuyler Bailey and Dexter Bigelow. They secured
an equipment of four pairs of oxen and a
wagon, with which they set out from Port Byron in
March of the year named. They went via Leavenworth,
and made a stay of a month at Fort Leavenworth.
They arrived at Lawson's Ranch on the
Sacramento River in August of the same year. He
went into the mines at Reading's "diggings," which
is now well known as Shasta, and is one of the
most prominent portions of the "Golden State.'
Mr. Allen prospected and mined for gold about two
years, and then invested a portion of his means in a
saw-mill, buying a third interest therein. The establishment
was in process of construction and Mr.
Allen was engaged in the manufacture of lumber
three years. He then bought land in Butte County,
and was interested in farming until 1856, in which
year he returned to Port Byron, after an absence of
seven years. He made his homeward journey by
what is known as the " Nicaragua Route " to New
Orleans, and thence on the Mississippi River, landing
at Port Byron March 26, 1856. He at once entered
into the business of farming on his property in
Coe Township.
Sept. 20, 1857, he was married to Anne E. Torpin.
Mrs. Allen is the daughter of Richard and Jane
(Crowley) Torpin, and was born in Montgomery Co.,
Pa. Her parents removed to Illinois in 1856, and
settled in Coe, where Mrs. Allen was a resident at
the time of her marriage. In 1858 Mr. Allen removed
to Port Byron, where he bought an interest in the
mercantile establishment of W. W. Wiltshire. At
the expiration of one year he sold out and became by
purchase the proprietor of an interest in coal lands
in Henry County. He went to the village of Cleveland,
in Henry Co., 111., where he was a resident
seven years, and conducted his coal interests from
that point. He came back once more to his farm in
Coe Township and interested himself in farming
until 1882, when he bought his present residence at
Port Byron. In 1875, accompanied by his wife and
youngest daughter, Mr. Allen went again to the Pacific
coast, where they spent six months visiting the
important points of interest.
The children of the family are named Charles H.,
Fannie A., Hattie L. and Carrie E. Fannie is the
wife of Wilson G. Fleming, of Port Byron. Mrs.
Allen is a member of the Methodist Episcopal
Church. In politics Mr. Allen has been a Republican
since the formation of the party. He cast his first
vote for John C. Fremont for President in 1856,
and since that time he has regularly voted the Republican
ticket. In local politics he has been Supervisor
of his township. Mr. Allen is one of the
successful business men and farmers of Rock Island
County, having laid the foundation of his fortune
through the practice of economy and industrious
habits.