Gideon Allen, of Compo

Not the same as Lt. Gideon Allen, of Fairfield

2) Gideon Allen, parents not known, married 1) Mary Wright in about 1698 in Guilford, CT, and married 2) Phebe Bennet widow of John Bennet in Fairfield, CT in about 1713.

Gideon Allen of Guilford & Fairfield:

Gideon Allen, m. 1) abt. 1699 Mary Wright, removed from Guilford to Fairfield, m. 2) Phebe widow of John Bennett,

children by Mary:

• 1) Gideon, b. 8 May 169[9], d. at Plymouth 11 Jul 1778, m. 1) Rachel ___, m. 2) 6 Dec 1751 Naomi (Luddington) wid. of Josiah Tuttle, m. 3) ___ Blakeslee;
• 2) Joseph, b. 27 Jun 170[2], d. & wife betw. Mar & Oct 1776, m. at Fairfield 26 Mar 1724 Rachel Bennett dau. of John, b. Mar 1702 [1702/3];
• 3) Ebenezer, b. 9 Oct 170[4], d. 24 Mar 1780, m. 1) at Fairfield 12 Nov 1731 Deborah Bennett dau. of John, d. 15 Feb 1757, he m. 2) 27 Apr 1760 Tabitha Phillips;

children of Gideon by Phebe:

• 4) John, bapt. at Compo [Fairfield] 31 Oct 1714, d. 30 Dec 1791, m. 1) at Fairfield Sarah Bennett dau. of Deliverance, b. 8 Apr 1716, d. 18 Apr 1761, he m. 2) 12 Apr 1768 Martha Lyon;
• 5) Mary, m. May 1739 Abraham Higgins

It is been suggested that he was related to George Allen of Sandwich, but Y-DNA shows that Gideon of Guilford was related to Walter Allen of Newbury and Charlestown, MA, not George Allen of Sandwich, MA

Biography

Gideon was known as Gideon Allen of Compo (in west Fairfield) to distinguish him from the other Gideon Allen of east Fairfield. He married Mary Wright of Guilford. It is believed that George Allen Jr was his father [NO!!], but records are unclear. Gideon left his wife and children in Guilford and worked at land speculation. After Gideon moved to Fairfield, two of his sons also moved to Compo (Westport). Gideon next married Phoebe Bennett, widow of John Bennett. His sons married daughters of their step-mother. Ebenezer Allen married Deborah Bennett.Gideon and Phoebe lived on Allen Lane, near the minuteman monument, across from Compo Beach. British ships landed at Compo Beach in 1777.

Sources

• https://www.genealogy.com/ftm/b/a/c/Buff-Seirup-Bachenheimer/WEBSIT...
• [Jacobus, Donald Lines, 1930-2, History and genealogy of the families of old Fairfield [CT].
• The Eunice Dennie Burr Chapter, D.A.R., Fairfield CT, v. 1, p. v1,15-16 [Reprint, 1976, Genealogical Publishing Co., Inc., Baltimore MD]].
• History of Litchfield County, Connecticut, Part 1 Page 488 GoogleBooks

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Gideon Allen of Guilford and Fairfield, CT, and his children

The family of Gideon Allen who married Mary Wright in about 1698, lived in Guilford, CT, and he moved to Fairfield, CT, in 1702. Some of the records in Fairfield show that Gideon, grandson of George Allen of Sandwich, lived in Massachusetts, Milford and eastern Fairfield, CT, while Gideon of Guilford and Fairfield lived in western Fairfield (Campo, West Parish, or later Westport, CT). Many of the records in Fairfield, especially the deeds, do not give enough information to show which of the two Gideons can be assigned to these records. The families of the two Gideon Allens are commonly confused. So I have prepared a genealogy of the family and descendants of Gideon Allen of Guilford and Fairfield (Gideon Allen, of Compo).

The Y-DNA of descendants of Gideon of Guilford (haplogroup R-M269) match descendants of Walter Allen of Bury St. Edmunds, Suffolk, England, and Newbury, Watertown, Weston and Charlestown, MA. Walter was baptized on December 19, 1602 in Bury St. Edmunds, the first child of Elnathan and Anne (Tench) Allen. The Y-DNA of Gideon Allen of Guilford is clearly not related to George Allen of Sandwich MA (haplogroup R-M269). The variation in the markers (SNP's) in descendants of George Allen show about 5-6 changes, but the markers of descendants of Walter and Gideon Allen show about 20 differences relative to descendants of George Allen.

Unfortunately there are no records to identify the ancestors of Gideon Allen of Guilford, although it appears possible that Gideon was a son of a John Allen, grandson of Elnathan Allen of Bury St. Edmunds (Elnathan1, John2, John3, Gideon4). Notice that Elnathan Allen of Bury St. Edmunds had three children, Walter Allen, John and Anna, who all named a son Elnathan Allen. Walter's son Elnathan died before Walter emigrated to the colonies. Both Walter Allen of MA and Gideon Allen of Guilford also had grandsons named Elnathan Allen.

1. Gideon4 Allen (John3, John2, Elnathan1), son of John Allen and ____ ____, was born between 1670 and 1680. He married (1) about 1698 in Connecticut, Mary Wright. Gideon married (2) about 1713 in Fairfield, Connecticut, Phebe (unknown) Bennet. His wife Phebe renewed Covenant at Fairfield Church, 10 Mar. 1695

Gideon Allen of Guilford and Fairfield, Connecticut, first appears in the records of Guilford in about 1699. Three sons of Gideon and his wife Mary (Wright) Allen are recorded in the Guilford births, marriages and deaths, 1635-1905. The original records list: 1) Gidion Alin sonn of Gideon and Mary Allin was born the 8 of may in the year 16(9?_); 2) Joseph Allin son of Gidion and Mary Allin was born the 25 of June in the year 17(0?_); 3) Ebenizer Allin son of Gidion and Mary Allin was born the 9th of October -- 17(0_). Note that the births in the original records are not listed by date, but by family. The lower-right edge of the page was damaged, and the last two numbers of the dates of birth of Gideon's sons are missing.

Gideon appears to have abandoned Mary and their children, since the town agreed to support Mary in 1702, Gideon being absent: The towns men makes knowne to the towne the nesesaty of Mary Allinn, her husband absenting him self from her and she not able relend(?) herself, the towne doe desire and impower the townsmen on the towne charge to suply her wt what is nesesary and take ape(?rthcaher) acount of all that is expended on her : and also to take due care to recorde it of Gidion Allinn husband : to sd Mary Allinn). In 1701, Giddeon and Mary Allen of Guilford, county of New Haven, Colony of Connecticutt, for 29s:8d current money, deeded to Joseph Hodgkins of Guilford, all right to 10 acres in 4th division, by considering a town grant in right Guilford 24 Sep 1691, both signed 1 May 1701, below deed is confirmation of 10 acres sold by Mary Allen & deed given by her, signed by Gideon & Mary (by marks), both acknowledged 15 Jan 1706/7 .

The land of Mary Wright or Mary Allin, 16 Mar 1719, includes 3 1/2 Acres, a piece of 18 acres, and a parcel of 9 acres, all at cohabitation. This appears to show that Mary was still alive when Gideon married his second wife Phebe Bennet, widow and relict of John Bennett, late of said Fairfield (Jacobus, Donald Lines, 1930-2, History and genealogy of the families of old Fairfield [CT]. The Eunice Dennie Burr Chapter, D.A.R., Fairfield CT, 3 vols. [Reprint, 1976, Genealogical Publishing Co., Inc., Baltimore MD], v. 1, p. 69).

John and Phebe Bennett had 6 children, baptized at Fairfield Church: Deborah, bapt. 10 Mar. 1694/5, died young; Edmund, bapt. 24 May 1696; Abigail, bapt. 12 Jan. 1700/1; Rachel, b. Mar. 1702 [1702/3], bapt. 2 May 1703, m. at Fairfield, 26 Mar. 1724, stepbrother Joseph Allen (son of Gideon of west Fairfield); Deborah, bapt. 4 Nov. 1705, d. 15 Feb. 1757; m. at Fairfield, 12 Nov. 1731, stepbrother Ebenezer Allen (son of Gideon of west Fairfield); and Phebe, bapt. 4 May 1712, d. at Westport, 2 Dec. 1746 (same source).

In 1729-1730 Gideon's sons Gideon, Joseph and Ebenezer of Guilford sold a number of lots in Guilford, several of which mention land left by their mother Mary Allin, deceased, daughter of Thomas Wright. On 8 Mar 1730/1 Gideon Allen of Guilford quitclaimed to his brothers Joseph Allin and Ebenezer Allin of Fairfield and late of Guilford, various lots in Guilford, in part from the estate of Mary Allin, late of Guilford, deceased mother of said Gideon, Joseph and Ebenezer.

Gideon Allen (Sr.) first bought land in Fairfield, Fairfield Co., Connecticutt in 1702: 1) Gidian Allin purchased of Jeremiah Wood of Queens Co. Long Island, by bill of sale 22 Dec 1702, parcel in Fairfield called Sheringtons Island (Campos, west Fairfield, now in Westport, CT, see probate of Thomas Sherington below), 5 acres, which was Thomas Sherington's, recorded 21 Nov 1704 (Fairfield, Connecticut Deeds: v. 2, 1692-1714, p. 62, Family History Library, Salt Lake City); 2) Jeremiah Wood of Hempstead NY, for a consideration, to Gideon Allen of Fairfield, parcel of meadow in Fairfield in the meadow called the thirds, 2 acres, and all the commonage interest in undivided land the Thomas Sherington of said Fairfield had in Fairfield at his decease, dated 22 Dec 1702, acknowledged same date, recorded 23 Apr 1705 (Fairfield, Connecticut Deeds: film 4273, item 1, v. A, part 1, 1649-1698).

Probate of Thomas Sherington late of ___ June 29, 1702, letters of administration on his estate granted to his son-in-law Jeremiah Wood and Thomas Staples, page 2a. Inventory taken May 29, 1702, by Peter Burr and John Burr, had property at Compo, and filed June 29, 1702, page 2. Nov. 21, 1702, account filed, and estate ordered distributed by Peter Burr and Thomas Staples to his children Mary wife of Jeremiah Wood, and Sarah Sherington, who made choice of her brother-in-law Jeremiah Wood to be her guardian (page 2a, Spencer P. Mead, Abstract of probate records at Fairfield, County of Fairfield, and State of Connecticut, 1648-1750 (1929; reprint, Salem, Massachusetts: Higginson Book Co., 1998), Volume 5, 1702-1750, p. 215-216; https://www.familysearch.org/search/catalog/38378?availability=Fami..., Family History Library, Salt Lake City).

There are at least two other mentions of a Gideon Allen in Long Island at the approximately same time: 1) "Sould by me Gideon Alline a sartaine horse to Sarah Godfreey blake mare on of above collr marked with a nick-the nere sid of the nere eare I the sd God Gideon Alline doath acknowledge as wittnes my hand this third day of January Annoq Domini 1699. Gideon Alline his mark, Testes (witnesses) Iszak Graye (and) Joseph Sutton, A trew coppy entered pr Samll Ruscue Clark" (Josephine C. Frost, editor, Records of the town of Jamaica Long Island, New York 1656 - 1751, 3 Volumes (Brooklyn, New York: The Long Island Historical Society, 1914), v. 2, p. 288 (original Book 2, p. 472); and 2) a Gideon Allen was a witness to a deed in which "Henry Cock of Matenacock In the Bounds of Oysterbay In Queens County on Nassaw IsLand In the Collony of Newyorke", for £2:3s in money of New Yorke, to "my Brother John Cock of the Township of Oysterbay aforesaid", "all that of my whole Right title Interest Claime and Demand wch I now have of meadow Land on Uncoway Neck att ye South Within ye partent of Oysterbay", "In Witness whereof I have hereunto Sett my hand and fixed to my Seale this twenty Sixth day of September annoq Domini one thousand Seven hundred and two and In the first Yeare of her majesties Raigne &c" (Daniel Underhill, Jesse F. Merritt, Winslow S. Pierce, Committee, Oyster Bay Town Records, Published by Order of the Town, Volume 2 (New York: Tobias A. Wright Printer and Publisher, 1924), p. 540-541 (original Book C, p. 111)). The second record may be for Gideon Allen of east Fairfield.

Petition of Gideon Allyn of Fairfield, showing that by his marriage with the widow and relict of John Bennett late of Fairfield dec'd, has supported for about 9 years (i.e. 1713) Phebe the daughter of said Bennitt, being an idiot and not a year old when she came into said Allyn's family. Assembly grants power to said Gideon Allyn, with direction of selectmen of Fairfield, to sell the said idiot's land, and money raised for maintenance of said idiot (original records, v. 5, p. 343, Session of General Assembly, 11 Oct 1722) (Hoadley, Charles J., The Public Records of the Colony of Connecticut: Hartford, Press of Case, Lockwood & Brainard, v. 6, p. 357). Gideon Allin of West Parish of Fairfield, according to power given by Generall Assembly held at New Haven 11 Oct 1722 to sell land of Phebe Bennit dau. of John Bennit of Fairfield an idiot, by act of Assembly with selectmen of Fairfield, Joseph Patckin of Fairfield has already kept the said Phebe near 9 months & has agreed and obliged to selectmen of Fairfield to take care of & provide for said Phebe until she arrives 18, said Joseph to have all the land that said Phebe has in Fairfield as her part of the lands of her said father John Bennit of Fairfield dec'd, as in division of her father's estate, dated 23 Jan 1723/4, signed by Gideon Allen by mark, ack. same, rec. 14 Mar 1723/4 (Fairfield CT Deeds, v. 6, 1736-1740, FHL microfilm 0004247, item 2). This is the last clear mention of this Gideon Allen of Campo or the west parish of Fairfield.

Unfortunately, there is a lot of confusion between Gideon Allen of Guilford and Fairfield, CT, and at least three other contemporary Gideon Allens:

1) There was another Gideon Allen in Fairfield in about 1699-1750. The data shows that this Gideon Allen was born in Boston in 1671, son of Gideon Allen of Boston, Swansea and Milford, the last son of George Allen who was buried in Sandwich in 1648. This Gideon Allen married (1) 20 January 1695/1696 Anna Burr in Fairfield Co., CT, and (2) 10 August 1749 to (Mrs.) Jane Dimon in Fairfield Co., CT. This Gideon had 11 children, all born in Fairfield: Sarah b. April 1697; Anna b. 6 June 1700; Gideon 1 January 1702/1703; Abigail b. 1705; Mary b. 6 August 1708; John b. 1 December 1710; David b. 1712/1713, d. young; Jonathan b. 1712/1713, d. young; David b. 1714; Hannah b. 1716; and George b. 1721 (Jack E. MacDonald, The Allen Family Descendants of George Allen of England and Sandwich, Massachusetts, http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.com/~jacmac/allen.pdf, Powell, Wyoming, 2014). Note that the children of this Gideon do not match of the children of Gideon Allen of Guilford and Fairfield, although both Gideons had children at the same time. This Gideon Allen left a will and probate in 1750, and the probate of his son Gideon Jr. was in 1748.

2) The second contemporary Gideon Allen was b. May 14 1686, the son of Daniel Allen of Sandwich, MA, son of George of Sandwich, and grandson of the George Allen of Sandwich who was buried in 1648. This Gideon married 25 March 1707 Anne Buck at Sandwich, Barnstable Co., MA. This Gideon had 9 children, all born in Sandwich: Content b. 8 February 1708/1709; Lydia b. 15 September 1711; Mary b. 21 January 1714/1715; Priscilla b. 4 February 1715/1716; Sarah b. 24 March 1718/1719; Remember b. 1 June 1721; Bathsheba b. 23 August 1723; Anne b. 13 April 1726; and William b. 4 January 1730/1731. Again, the children of Gideon Allen of Sandwich do not match the known children of Gideon Allen of Guilford and Fairfield.

3) The third Gideon Allen is probably the son of Joshua Allen of Yarmouth, MA and Windham, CT. The grave tomb of Joshua's wife, Mary Allen who died 18 Sep 1727 in Windham, lists her children as "seven Sons & three daughters John Joshua Gideon Yatherton Samuel George Eleazer Miriam Mary Sary". There was a Gideon "Alline" who was admitted as a freeman in Westerly, RI, 26 Jun 1706. The records of Westerly show that Gideon had a brother Samuel Allen, admitted as a freeman in Westerly on 1 Mar 1720/1, although Samuel was married in Westerly, RI in 1707. A deed from Joseph Babcock of Westerly to Gidon Allen & Samuel Allen both of same, parcel in Westerly(?), dated 22 Sep(?) 1710, acknowledged same date(?), recorded 30 Sep 1710, shows that Samuel was present in Westerly by 1710 (Westerly, Washington Co. RI, Land Evidence, v. 2, p. 59). Gideon Allen and Lidea ___ were married in Westerly 6 Dec 1705 (Westerly, Washington Co. RI, Town Meeting Records, v. 2, 1706-1745, p. 123). They had two children in Westerly: Lidia b. 16 Feb 1710 and Sarah b. 19 Sep 1711; a daughter Mary b. 5 Jan 1716/17 recorded in Killingworth CT but probably born in Westerly; and a son Gideon b. 21 Feb 1729/30 recorded in Killingworth, Gideon having moved from Westerly RI to Killingworth, New London Co., CT. between 17 Jan 1715/6 (deed in Westerly, RI) and 31 Mar 1720 (deed in Killingworth, CT). Again, the children of Gideon Allen of Westerly & Killingworth do not match the children of Gideon Allen of Guilford and Fairfield.

Thus, the three Gideons listed above have known parents, unlike Gideon of Guilford and Fairfield, so the ancestry of the Gideon of interest here is not known. A test on the DNA of a descendant of Gideon matches Walter Allen of MA, who was baptized in St. Mary, Bury St. Edmunds, Suffolk Co., England on 19 Dec 1602, son of Elnathan and Anne (Tench) Allen (Microfiche of Parish Registers, Suffolk Record Office). Elnathan Allen and Anne Tench were married in St. Mary, Bury St. Edmunds on 10 Dec 1601 (Microfiche of Parish Registers, Suffolk Record Office). Elnathan had two known sons: Walter, and a John Allen baptized in Bury St. Edmunds on 5 Jul 1607. Since the descendants of Walter are well known, it may be possible that Gideon was a descendant of John son of Elnathan Allen or a close relative to Elnathan. Unfortunately, the records of Bury St. Edmunds do not show who Elnathan's parents were, or if he had any brothers or cousins.

Gideon's son Gideon of Guilford quitclaimed land to his brothers Joseph & Ebenezer Allin of Fairfield & late of Guilford on 8 March 17301/1 (Guilford, Connecticut Deeds: v. 4, p. 227, Family History Library, Salt Lake City), and on the same day Joseph Allin & Ebenezer Allin of Fairfield late of Guilford, quitclaimed to their brother Gideon Allin of Guilford, all right in any land in Guilford that belonged to their mother Mary Allin late of Guilford dec'd (Guilford, Connecticut Deeds: v. 5, p. 6, Family History Library, Salt Lake City). Also on the same day, Ebenezez and Joseph sold land in Guilford in three deeds (Guilford, Connecticut Deeds: v. 5, p. 5, 8 and 14, Family History Library, Salt Lake City). Joseph and Ebenezer sold land inherited by their wifes' father John Bennet in 1724 (Joseph and Rachel) and 1734/5 (Ebenezer and Deborah), all land on the sides of the Sawcatuck River in Campo (west Fairfield). Neither Joseph nor Ebenezer bought any land in Fairfield before 1743. This might suggest that they had land from their deceased father Gideon.

The descendants of Gideon's children in Fairfield, Connecticut, follow largely the "History and Genealogy of the Old Fairfield" by Donald Lines Jacobus, 3 volumes, for The Eunice Dennie Burr Chapter, Daughters of the American Revolution, Fairfield, Connecticut, 1930-1933. Jacobus lists numerous baptisms not available through either the Family History Library in Salt Lake City, or through the Ancestry.com web site. Jacobus says in his acknowledgements in volume I that much of the data that he used was from transcripts or manuscripts in the Fairfield Historic Society, probably now the The Fairfield Museum and History Center. It is also possible that some of the transcripts or manuscripts are now in the Connecticut State Library in Hartford.

Gideon's second wife was Phoebe Bennet, widow of John Bennet. The probate records for John Bennet include an inventory 24 May 1713 of John Bennit at Compow dec'd, includes salt & fresh meadow at Squatuck, £30, one barn, £25, a house, £10, & homestead 25 acres, £75, administration to James Bennit of Fairfield, intestate, dated 3 Feb 1713/4 (Fairfield CT Probate, v. 5, 1702-1750, FHL Microfilm 0004287, item 5).

Children of Gideon Allen and his first wife, Mary Wright:

i. Gideon Allen, born 8 May 1699 in Guilford, New Haven County, Connecticut;

ii. Joseph Allen, born 25 June 1702 in Guilford, New Haven County, Connecticut;

iii. Ebenezer Allen, born 9 October 1704 in Guilford, New Haven County, Connecticut;

Children of Gideon Allen and his second wife, Phebe (unknown) Bennet, both married in Fairfield:

iv. John Allen, born about 1714 at Campo (West Parish), Fairfield, Fairfield County, Connecticut.

v. Mary Allen, born about 1716 at Campo (West Parish), Fairfield, Fairfield County, Connecticut.

Richardson B. Allen