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Below is a family biography included in Biographical and Historical Memoirs of Independence County, Arkansas published by Goodspeed Publishing Company in 1889.  These biographies are valuable for genealogy research in discovering missing ancestors or filling in the details of a family tree. Family biographies often include far more information than can be found in a census record or obituary.  Details will vary with each biography but will often include the date and place of birth, parent names including mothers' maiden name, name of wife including maiden name, her parents' names, name of children (including spouses if married), former places of residence, occupation details, military service, church and social organization affiliations, and more.  There are often ancestry details included that cannot be found in any other type of genealogical record.

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Andrew Allen, one of the most extensive planters and land-owners of Independence County, resides in Greenbriar Township. He was born at Arkansas Post, January 4, 1827, and when but six weeks old was taken by his parents to Independence County, which county has ever since been his home. Abraham and Sebella Allen, parents of Andrew, settled six miles east of Batesville, afterward removing to a point south of the river, where the father died, May 22, 1873; he was a farmer and blacksmith, and at the time of his death was one of the most wealthy men in the county. Abraham Allen was born in Orange County, N. C., where he was reared and married; he afterward lived some time in Tennessee before his removal to Arkansas, in 1827. He was of Irish-English descent, served in one of the Indian wars, and was well known and respected. His father, Samuel Allen, was one of the pioneers of Independence County, where he lived a number of years, but spent the latter part of his life in Texas. The maternal grandfather of our subject was Andrew Allen, brother of Samuel, and he was also an early settler of Independence County, where he and wife died, leaving several sons and daughters. The mother of our subject died when he was young, and the father married again. Andrew received a limited common-school education, and at the age of twenty-one years engaged in farming for himself. In 1861 he enlisted in Company D, Eighth Arkansas Infantry, and did service in Kentucky and Tennessee until after the battle of Shiloh, when the army was re-organized at Corinth, Miss., and he was discharged. He later joined Gen. Price’s army, and was with him on the raid in Missouri and Arkansas. In 1867 Mr. Allen married Emily P., daughter of Madison C. and Mary E. Snapp, natives, respectively, of Virginia and East Tennessee. Mr. and Mrs. Snapp were married in Tennessee, and soon after moved to Arkansas, thence to Polk County, Mo., where Mrs. Allen was born. Mrs. Snapp died in 1871, and Mr. Snapp, in Missouri, in February, 1889; he was a farmer. Mr. and Mrs. Allen have one son, Robert Lee. Mr. Allen has resided on his present farm since the war. He owns about 1,800 acres of land, 1,500 of which are fine bottom land; he inherited a large amount from his father, but has enlarged his property by his own efforts, and is one of the most successful and enterprising farmers in the county. He devotes some attention to good cattle-breeding, and takes great interest in stock-raising. Mr. Allen’s residence is four miles southeast of Batesville. Politically, he is a Democrat.

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This family biography is one of 158 biographies included in Biographical and Historical Memoirs of Independence County, Arkansas published in 1889.  View the complete description here: Independence County, Arkansas History, Genealogy, and Maps

View additional Independence County, Arkansas family biographies here: Independence County, Arkansas Biographies

View a map of 1889 Independence County, Arkansas here: Independence County, Arkansas Map

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