Arthur Allen, II

Arthur Allen (Arthur) listed his age as 43 in a 1694/5 deposition, suggesting he was born in 1651 or 1652. However, since his mother had to act as his legal guardian in the suit of Allen vs. Richards on 19 April 1670, he was still a minor at that time, but he had obviously reached legal age later that year, as he was listed as head of household in the tithables list prepared on 10 June 1670--unlike the previous year, when his mother was listed instead.

Consequently, he was born between 19 April and 10 June 1649.

from "The Allen Family of Surry County, Virginia: Its British Roots and Early Generations in America," by William P. Carrell II, B.A., J.D., Louisville, Kentucky, (c) May, 2004 & Revised October, 2011

pp. 20-21

He died on 15 June, 1710, per a diary note of Col. William Byrd II.

ibid, p. 23.

http://www.slideshare.net/kaupmaun18/allen-article

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Arthur Allen (ca 1627 / or 1652–1710)

Contributed by Daphne Gentry and the Dictionary of Virginia Biography:

Arthur Allen was a merchant, planter, and Speaker of the House of Burgesses in colonial Virginia. Allen was a supporter of Governor Sir William Berkeley, but during Bacon's Rebellion (1676–1677) his residence was seized and occupied by followers of Nathanel Bacon. (Allen's house later became known as Bacon's Castle.) Elected to the House of Burgesses in 1682, Allen became Speaker in 1686 and ran into conflict with two of the colony's royal governors over the scope of the governor's powers. Following the Glorious Revolution in 1688, Allen declined to take an oath supporting the new monarchs until James II died in 1702; he thereby precluded himself from serving in public office for those years. After swearing the oaths, Allen returned to public service. He lost election to the House of Burgesses, but he did receive appointment to a number of minor positions before his death in 1710. MORE...

Family

Arthur Allen is born probably at his father's estate in what will become Surry County, to Arthur Allen (1608–1669) and Alice (Tucker) Allen.

1681 - By this year, Arthur Allen has married Katherine Baker. They will have four sons and four daughters.

June 15, 1710 - Arthur Allen dies.

The will of Arthur was proved in Surry Co. Court September 5, 1710 and named the following children.

• 1. Arthur Allen; married Elizabeth Bray
• 2. Elizabeth Allen; married William Bridger
• 3. John Allen married Elizabeth Bassett
• 4. Catherine Allen
• 5. James Allen
• 6. Ann Allen
• 7. Mary Allen
• 8. Joseph Allen; married Hannah [surname unknown]

will

WILL OF ARTHUR ALLEN

In the name of God amen, I Arthur Allen of Lawnes Creek Parish, in ye county being sick and weak in body but of perfect sense and disposing minds and memory, all land and praise be given almighty God, therefore, and having in remembrance the certainty of death but the uncertainty of lifetime when do settle, establish, make and ordaine this my Last Will and Testament in manner following:

First, and principally and far more worthy in esteem and considered rather any outward good or enjoyments, I commend my Lord the Almighty God the Father of Spirits trusting and firmly on believing through merrittes of God in Jesus Christ release from pardon and remission of my sins whenever this mortal life shall cease and it is then also my will and desire that my body be committed to ye earth to be buried in Christian manner at the discretion of my next hereafter named.

I hereby nominate, constitute and appoint my most dear and tender wife, Katherine, dutyful son John, Executor and Executrix of this my Last Will and Testament hereby making trustrates(?) null and void all former Wills by me made and proceed to first establish and confirm this my Last Will and Testament. That is to say: For what worldly estate it hath pleased the Lord in mercy to possess me with after my last debts and funeral charges are defrayed, I give and bequeath and dispose of as follows:

I give and bequeath to my dearly beloved wife all ye lands, tenements and hereditaments formerly estate of her father Coll. Lawrence Baker, late, of this county, deceased, to be held and enjoyed by my said wife for and during her natural life, and immediately after her decease

I give and bequeath the Mannour House of ye said dividend and with the appurtenances thereunto belonging with all of land lying on ye eastside of ye second swamp and on ye southside of a branch which is south from place known by name of the Hurtleberry Pocason and by said ye said branch to the fork then through the pasture near ye said Mannour House until it falls into the swamp which comes from plantation of Mr. Thomas Drew to my son James and ye heires of his body lawfully begotten forever, and for want of such heires to my son Joseph and to ye heires of his body lawfully begotten forever and for want of such heires to my son Arthur and ye heires of his body lawfully begotten forever.

A. E. Allen
sealed w/red wax (1710) Signed, sealed and delivered to be ye Last Will and Testament of the subscriber in presence of:

Tho. Holt John Baily Tho. Waller signum Wm Drew Arth Blair John Wilson

I give and bequeath to my son John and to ye heires of his body lawfully begotten forever all that part of one thousand acres of land granted to me by Pattent dated the twenty-ninth day of Aprill, Anno Dom. 1692 which lyeth on ye westside of ye second swamp in this parish and county forever and the remaining parts of ye said Pattent both lying on ye eastside of ye said second swamp I give and bequeath to my son James and ye heires of his body

• http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bacon%27s_Castle
• https://familysearch.org/photos/stories/1945113
• http://www.slideshare.net/kaupmaun18/allen-article
• http://wc.rootsweb.ancestry.com/cgi-bin/igm.cgi?op=GET&db=7213&id=I...
• https://familysearch.org/photos/stories/1945113

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Allen, Maj. Arthur, was the son and heir of Arthur Allen, of Surry county, and of his wife, Alice Tucker. Maj. Allen's father, in 1749, patented 200 acres between Lawne's creek and Lower Chippoakes creek. Maj. Allen was burgess from Surry county in 1682, in 185-86 and in 1688. In the last-named session he was speaker of the assembly. He married Katherine, daughter and heiress of Cap. Laurence Baker, of Surry. On July 3, 1677, Mr. Arthur Allen sued Mr. Robert Burgess for that "during the most Horrid Rebellion (Bacon's rebellion) he with others did seize and keep garrison in the pit's house neare fower months." This ancient brick mansion is still standing, one of the oldest houses in Virginia, and is known as "Bacon's Castle" (1914). Maj. Allen's will was proved in Surry court, Sept. 5, 1710.

from: http://vagenweb.org/tylers_bios/vol1-16.htm

Arthur Allen II, usually known as Major Allen, was born about 1651. He was charged with the taxes for Bacon's Castle as early as 1670, and he was mentioned several times in the records in the next few years. In 1675, at the age of 24, Governor Berkeley appointed him a Justice of the Peace of the Surry County Court.

Allen was a firm supporter of the Governor in Bacon's Rebellion. Allen was present at the fateful court session of August 10, 1676 when the Surry justices voted to send supplies to the rebel Nathaniel Bacon. He must have opposed the decision and shortly thereafter he hid his silver, left his home and followed Governor Berkeley. He was at Jamestown when Bacon attacked and burned the town, and he later became one of Berkeley's most trusted officers. He was "Captain Allen" by later November 1676, and he led some of the attacks on the rebels from one of the ships in the York River in front of West Point.

https://www.nps.gov/jame/learn/historyculture/a-brief-history-of-ba...

A Brief History of Bacon's Castle Arthur Allen first patented land which became a part of Bacon's Castle on March 14, 1650. He received 200 acres for the transportation of three servants and Alice Tucker, who either was, or would shortly become, his wife. Where Allen came from, why he came to Virginia, when he arrived, and how he obtained his money are all mysteries.

Arthur Allen first appeared in the records in 1650 with the land patent. He was appointed one of the Justices of the Peace for Surry County when it was formed in 1652, but that was the only political office he held. He was one of the wealthiest men in the county and may have been the wealthiest. He was probably one of the merchant-planters common in Tidewater Virginia in the mid-seventeenth century, as he was referred to as "Arthur Allen, merchant" in a deed in 1656.

On October 3, 1661, Allen purchased 500 acres from John and Peleg Dunstan, the sons and heirs of John Dunstan, between Lower Chippokes and Lawns Creek adjoining his other land. Four years later, Arthur Allen built his magnificent brick home, Bacon's Castle, on this tract. It was 1665 and he was 57 years old. Why he built such an elegant house in the wilds of Virginia when he was a relatively old man is unknown. Also unknown are the models Allen used to design his house, the names of the builders and workmen, and how long it took to complete the house.

Arthur Allen did not live to enjoy his house. He made his will on March 10, 1669 and died about three months later. He left Bacon's Castle to his son Arthur in entail. Presumably, he gave other legacies to his daughters Joan, Mary, and Elizabeth.

Arthur Allen II, usually known as Major Allen, was born about 1651. He was charged with the taxes for Bacon's Castle as early as 1670, and he was mentioned several times in the records in the next few years. In 1675, at the age of 24, Governor Berkeley appointed him a Justice of the Peace of the Surry County Court.

Allen was a firm supporter of the Governor in Bacon's Rebellion. Allen was present at the fateful court session of August 10, 1676 when the Surry justices voted to send supplies to the rebel Nathaniel Bacon. He must have opposed the decision and shortly thereafter he hid his silver, left his home and followed Governor Berkeley. He was at Jamestown when Bacon attacked and burned the town, and he later became one of Berkeley's most trusted officers. He was "Captain Allen" by later November 1676, and he led some of the attacks on the rebels from one of the ships in the York River in front of West Point.

In the meantime, much happened at Bacon's Castle. On Friday, September 15, 1676, John Finley, Allen's overseer, returned home on horseback from Jamestown where he had been visiting with Allen. Joseph Rogers, one of Bacon's supporters, arrested him almost within sight of Bacon's Castle. Rogers questioned Finely, then released him. Before Finley rode half a mile further on, Rogers and other Baconian supporters re-arrested Finley, disarmed him, and stole his horse. In time, Finley was sent to Charles City County where he was imprisoned for the next 11 weeks.

Three days later, on September 18th, a Monday evening, 70 of Bacon's followers, led by William Rookings, Arthur Long (Allen's brother-in-law), Robert Burgess, Joseph Rogers and William Simmons seized, occupied and garrisoned Bacon's Castle. They went about with a military bearing complete with officer's ranks (Rookings was Commander, Rogers was Lieutenant, Long was Captain, Simmons was Ensign) and colors. They wrought havoc both inside and outside the house while they remained there. They shot and ate some of Allen's cattle, ground his wheat into meal in a hand mill and trampled his crops of wheat, tobacco and grain into the ground.

The Baconian Rebels also plundered the house and stole (among other items) three fine saddles, some bridles, 22 pairs of fine dowlas sheets, six pairs of new Holland sheets, 56 pillow cases (most of them new), 24 fine napkins, two table cloths, 24 fine Holland dowlas aprons, 36 fine dowlas towels, 26 women's shifts - most of them fine, dowlas and new, several pairs of sleeves, handkerchiefs, women's head linen of all sorts, a new bed and bolster, three pewter basins, 14 new pewter plates, two pewter porringers and three mustard pots. Undoubtedly they drank the contents of the large Dutch case with six or seven three-pint bottles in it. They looked unsuccessfully for Allen's silver.

Finally, the Baconians fled on the night of December 27th, when British marines from the ship Young Prince moved up to Surry from Isle of Wight County. The rebels stole more of Allen's household linen and books by stuffing them into pillow cases, their breeches, and whatever else was handy. Allen later sued the rebels in both Surry and Charles City County courts for about 25,000 pounds of tobacco for damages. He compromised with some of the smaller men in Charles City and accepted a payment of 250 pounds of tobacco each, but he insisted on full payment from the leaders.

NOTE: The unusual name, "Bacon's Castle," undoubtedly came from Bacon's Rebellion, although there is no evidence that Nathaniel Bacon himself ever came to the plantation or had anything to do with it. Probably the name "Bacon's Castle" was not used until many years after Bacon's Rebellion. Possibly the name became current after 1769 when the "Virginia Gazette" published three articles which described the events of Bacon's Rebellion of 1676. However, the name was not used in the records until 1802. To avoid confusion, the A.P.V.A. has called the plantation "Bacon's Castle," regardless of the time period.