Individual Details

Found in NEW YORK IN THE REVOLUTION & WAR OF 1812. NY Colonial Muster Rolls, p.892. "Muster Roll of a Company of Provincials in ye Pay of ye Province of New York for Dutchess County Commanded by Joseph Crane Esq'r (1758). Private Moses Allen. Height 5'11". Age 17. Born Boston. Trade: Labourer. Complection: Fresh. When Inlisted: Apr 7.
The age of 17 would give him a birth year of 1741 and bring into some doubt the baptism in Sturbridge in 1739. He and his father are the only Moses Allens known to be in Dutchess Co. It is also true that 7's and 9's can often look very much alike and the transcript could be in error.

Revolutionary War: Served as Private in Dutchess County, New York Militia, 3rd Regiment. See "Descendants of Andrew Ward", New York. "Phelps and Graham Purchase", p.204
Granted land bounty rights for the 3rd Regiment.
Family tradition believed him to be descended from or brother to Ethan Allen who led the Green Mountain Boys of Vermont in the Revolution - research reveals this to be false. Ethan Allen's family is fairly well documented and he had no brother or son named Moses. [Could not have been a son anyway!] A newspaper article from "The Mena Star" from Mena, Arkansas, dated 7 Feb 1922, either written or told by Moses' great, grandson Nathaniel O. Allen of Polk Co AR stated "Grandfather Allen [the first Peter Buell Allen] was a grandson of Ethan Allen" - this is possibly the source of the Ethan Allen tradition. Nathaniel's Grandfather Allen was a SON of a Revolutionary & the Revolutionary that had to be Moses. Either Nathaniel was confused in his old age or, just as likely, a reporter put words in his mouth.
Descendant Mary Ella Harrison Adamson, gave the following proof of service in her DAR application:
"We the subscribers members of a class in company that Ichabod Ward lately commended in Col. Fields Regt in Dutchess County who have procured a man, Viz. Groge Grover to serve in ye New York Levies from May 5, 1782 until Jan 1, 1783 as by the certificate will fully appear whereby the said class is intitled to two hundred acres of land, we do therefore for the consideration of five pounds to us in had paid by Jonathan Weller of county and state aforesaid the recipe whereof we do hereby acknowledge ourselves to be fully satisfied and paid to seal ratify and confirm unto him the said Jonathan Weller all and singular our rites interest and demands for to the above said unappropriated lands free and clear from us our heirs executors and assigns for ever unto him the said Jonathan Weller his heirs Executors and administrators and assigns for ever in witness whereof we do hereto set our hands and seals this the ninth day of May in the year of our Lord one thousand seven hundred and eighty three in the presents of Moses Allen and Zeba Marcy.

Moses was taxed in Beekman and Pawling as Moses Jr. from Jun 1766 through 1772.

13 May 1768. Petition of the freeholders of the NE Part Beekman Precincts. Probably citizens of Dover. They had only four constables which they consided too few and were requesting one more. Signatures include Moses Allen, Jonas Allen, Ichabod Ward. [SETTLERS OF THE BEEKMAN PATENT, Vol 1]

There are several documents called "Ancient Documents" of Dutchess Co that have been filmed and digitized by FamilySearch.com (LDS). Several that have the name as Moses Allen, yeoman, are likely the elder Allen - he also provided security in several debt cases which proved to be rather bad investments. However, later documents in this group are obviously those of the younger Moses and place him as still living in Dutchess County - perhaps these problems were part of his reason for departing. Most of these are obviously copies of suits and their accompanying documents, but there is no final disposition of the cases.
Numbered 10647
At the January Court of Common Pleas for Dutchess Co, 1783, Dirck Brinkerhoff and Jacob Swartwout, executors of the Will of John Clements, deceased, and as assignees of Lewis Dubois, high sheriff of Dutchess County, sued Moses Allen, otherwise called Moses Allen Junr, farmer of Paulings Precinct in Dutchess County for a debt of 62 pounds 9 shillings. They had previously sued for payments 24 May 1782 and Allen was ordered to be taken by the sheriff, Lewis Dubois, and kept safely in order to appear in court at the next Court in Poughkeepsie to be held the 2nd Tuesday in October, 1782. On 27 Aug 1782, Dubois had arrested Moses Allen and he had signed a promissory note, or bail bond, with John Comins, Junr, to pay 62 pounds, 9 shillings before the scheduled term of court in October, or to appear in Court. The original debt was 31 pounds, 4 shillings, 6 pence - but as in other cases I read, the bond seemed to be double the debt amount. On 9 December 1782, Lewis Duboys (sic - copied from his own signature) had assigned the payment over to Brinkerhoff and Swarwout with his witnesses, Elias Duboys and Anthony A. Hoffman. Moses did not pay and did not appear in Court and furthermore refused to pay and the plaintiffs request an additional payment of 15 pounds for damages. The documents were filed 19 Apr 1783.
Numbered 10752 - Another sets of documents involves another debt case and the Bill is dated 21 May 1784. Bastian Wheeler vs. Moses Allen Junr. Previously on 15 Oct 1783, Moses Allen had been taken into the custory of Lewis Duboys, high seriff of Dutches County for a deb owed to Wheeler. On that day, Allen made out a promissory note (not inlcuded) to pay on demand to Bastian Wheeler, 7 pounds, 11 shillings, 4 pence and a half-penny, with lawful interest. Allen has not paid and denies the damages of 19 pounds. The Court could not determine the value of the damages so remanded the case to a jury of Inquiry which was to report to the next Inferior Court of Common Pleas on Wednesday, October next. Lewis Duboys held the inquisition at the house of Stephen Hendrikson at Pouchkeepsie on Wednesday, 13 Oct 1784 (the court date) and apparently the agreed upon sum was 13 pounds, 4 shillings, 9 pence and Wheeler's court costs.

From "Settlers": "May have been recorded in the census in Stephentown in Albany County in 1790; possibly took out a lease with his father in Rensselaer Manor 29 Feb 1792." Or I believe he may have been the Moses Allen living next to Roswell Turner in Vermont in 1790. [I think this one is most likely]. New York is just across the state line from Rupert, Bennington Co, Vermont, so finding him there in 1790 does not definitely cancel out the lease, but, see next, I doubt this is the same Moses Allen. He was in Ontario County NY by 1796/7.
Grandson Orasmus Turner says both Moses and Chloe died in the early years in Ontario County. They do not appear in the 1800 census, unless they are the elder couple living with son Peter.

Doherty, author of the Beekman Patent books, thought Moses and Chloe possibly had another son - Moses Jr. A Moses Allen married Jemima Paddock 9 Jan 1815 at Albany County NY. Moses Allen Jr is recorded on a lease with Moses Allen in Albany County in 1792 [Rennssalaer Manor]. This is quite possibly a different family. There is also a Moses living next door to Roswell Turner who married daughter Catherine Allen and lived in Rupert town, Bennington, VT in 1790. Bennington Co borders New York. Moreover, the "Ward" books do not list a son Moses Jr. A grandson of Moses and Chloe, Orasmus Turner, lists their children in "Phelps and Gorham's Purchase" on p.204, and he does not mention any Moses although he names the other eight. [I am convinced there was not a Moses, Jr in this family, but it is very difficult to separate the Moses Allens found on the New York frontier.]

1790 Census. Rupert, Bennington Co, Vermont
Roswell Turner: 1 male over 16. 1 male under 16. Three females.
A Moses Allen lived next door with two males over 16, one male under 16 and three females. [The males could be Moses & Peter - Nathaniel born 1780 so would have been under 16. At least three of the four oldest daughters could have been married - dates of the marriages of two of them that exist do indicate they were married before 1790. Clara would certainly still have been at home.]

Rowell Turner's parentage is not known. But here is the juxtaposition of the names Allen and Turner in 1780. The problem is that the Lamiolle River is the very northwest corner of the state and Rupert was located in the very southwest corner. However, the last time Moses Allen was taxed in the Beekman Patent was 1772.
State Papers of Vermont
Volume Five
Petitions for Grants of Land 1778-1811
Published by Rawson C. Myrick, Sect of State 1939
Edited by Mary Greene Nye
p.188-189
Petetion of Jonathan Holton et al for a township on the Lamoille River
Benington, Octr 15, 1780
Large tracts of unappropriated lands lying on or near the River Lemile [Lamiolle] within the sd State on which your Pittitioners are Desirus of making Settelments.
Deseir your Honners to Grant to your Pettittioners one Township Six Miles Square by the name of Lexenton with Such Publick Rights as is Common, in such Place on the River afore Said.
Jonathan Holten was the first signature.
Moses Allen signed
John Turner signed
A note states the petition was filed 18 Oct 1780. No record of legislative action thereon.


In looking for records in Rupert, I discovered more about the area:
A Glimpse of the Early History of Rupert, Vermont
Naomi Sheldon Guibord; West Rupert, Vt.
30 Aug 1761 Benning Wentworth, Gov. of NH, granted to Samuel Robinson & 63 others, 23,040 acres, six miles square and no more….every grantee to plant & cultivate five acres of land, five years for every 50 acres, improve and settle on same. This was essentially to become the state of Vermont.
Dr. Josiah Graves was Town Clerk from 1791-1824
1st town meeting was 9 Mar 1789 at home of James Moore
Early meetings of Rupert are reported to have been carried off by the first clerk, Josiah Cass, a “noted Tory”. The early proprietor records are recorded at Bennington
By 1771 settlement had commenced on the White Creek Meadows by New Yorkers. There was virtual war between NH and NY for the area
Few settlers were here prior to the Revolution and most of those removed to Suffield, CT because of the War. The Tories burnt the grist mill,etc.
In 1780, the settlers began to return.
[No names nor any connection to Beekman or Dutchess Co in NY noted. There was a Buel family living here and Chloe Ward Allen's mother was a Buel.]
William Buel, son of Albel Buel of New Haden CT came circa 1785 - family coined coppers or money.
First church was Congregational and only church for 17 years. Organized 6 Jun 1786 with seven members.

I was interested in the Robinson family of Rupert since one of Moses daughters married a Samuel Robinson:
Sketches of Historic Bennington
John V.D.S. & Caroline R. Merrill
Riverside Press, Cambridge, 1908
Book written to perpetuate memory of Capt Samuel Robinson….pioneer settler
Ethan Allen did live in Bennington for a time - curious since Moses was once thought to be a descendant.
Capt Samuel Robinson, b. Cambridge 4 Apr 1707
Father, Samuel, born at Bristol, England, 20 Apr 1680
Samuel married Sarah Manning, dau of Abihaile Wight on 23 Mar 1703 [Abihaile was dau of John Wight of Dedham, MA
Capt Samuel married Marcy Leonard 1730. 10 children, 9 lived to move to Bennington.
2nd son was also Samuel which makes three Samuels in succession. Youngest son Jonathan Oldest son Leonard
Capt Samuel went back to England on behalf of NH claimants, died of smallpox in London 27 Oct 1767.
Son Samuel was Capt of one of the two Bennignton companies in the Revolution
Third son Moses, was 1st col. of militia Vermont. Was at Ticonderoga 1776
Dau Marcy married Lt. Joseph Safford
Dau Sarah married Benjamin Fay
[son Leonard had a son Samuel with no wife named, his children listed on WorldConnect]
So I found no place for the Samuel Robinson that married Clara Allen.

History of Bennington County, VT
By Lewis Cass Aldrich; Syracuse, NY D. Mason & Co. Publishers, 1889
p.452 Chapter XXVII History of the Town of Rupert
Located in the northwest corner of the county, west boundary is the NY state line, north is Rutland Co line
23 Jan 1778, Moses Robinson of Rupert was appointed commissioner of sequestration of Rupert. Not to be confused with Judge Moses Robinson of Bennington who was councilor in 1778 and in the General Assembly.
Moses Robinson was an ensign, in the milita for Rupert - 5th Regt.
Town was chartered aug 1761. Four years later before the first meeting held in Bennington on 16 Apr 1765.
Growth was rapid following close of Revolution and Vermont admitted as a state. By 1800 it had reached maximum growth and "has decreased since."
Dr. Gaius Smith & Moses Robinson represented the town of Rupert at the convention at Windsor in 1777.
[Biographical sketches in back of book - no pertinent data]


I also looked at the book:
Memorials of a Century
The Early History of Bennington, VT
And its First Church
Boston: Gould & Lincoln, 1869; Isaac Jennings
This was just a church history with little information on members.

In attempting to find a link between Vermont and the early settlers of Ontario Co, NY, I have noted other families besides the Allens & Roswell Turner that settled in what would become Richmond. Lemuel & Cyrus Chipman came from Vermont to Pittstown with sleds and horse & ox teams, in 1795. They brought with them hired hands, Levi Blackmen & Asa Dennison, who went back to Vermont in 1798 to get Dennison's family. They were active citizens of Pittstown/Richmond that would have been known to all - did the Allens know them in Vermont? Moses's son Nathaniel married second Elizabeth Akin - her father David had come from Vermont to Richmond. Nathaniel's first wife, Almira Akin, also undoubtedly belongs somewhere in the Akin family. David Akin came with sons Uriel and Orra - all three were blacksmiths as was Nathaniel Allen. The Akins and the Allens were instrumental in organizing the Protestant Episcopal Church in what would become Richmond. The Akins had lived in the Beekman Patent at the time Moses Allen was there, too. I know of nothing to indicate an acquaintance, but there were others. Philip Reed came in 1795 from Vermont - he had been out with the Chipmans in 1794. A minister, Deacon Nathaniel Harmon, came from Vermont in 1798. A Daniel Goodsell, came from Vermont. Cyrus Wells came from Vermont. Calvin Ward came from Vermont, but not until 1816. Some of the men came out to New York and went back to get their families - they would have told their neighbors back in Vermont about the region.


History of Ontario Co, by Everts, states that "In 1796 and 1797, Moses Allen, with his sons, Peter and Nathaniel, and their families became residents of this vicinity. Peter became a soldier, commanded a regiment at Queestown, where he was captured, and rose to be a brigadier-general. He was a member of the Legislature from Ontario. He moved in 1816 to Terri Haute, in Indiana.
Nathaniel Allen was the primitive blacksmith of Pittstown. He began as a journeyman at Canandaigua, then started a shop near the tile-factory south of Allen's Hill. Afterwards he worked in a shop on the hill known by his name. Mr. Allen was an officer of militia, sheriff, and a member of the legislature. In 1812 he was commissioner and paymaster on the Niagara frontier. He died in 1833 at Louisville, Kentucky. An only daughter was the first wife of Hon. R. L. Rose, who occupied the homestead on the hill from 1829 till 1857 and now resides at Hagerstown, Maryland."

Although the Allen family was there in Ontario Co in the late 1790's, I do not find Peter and Nathaniel in the deeds until 1805 and 1809, respectively. Moses apparently did not have title to any land in Ontario Co. Moses leased land in the Beekman Patent, perhaps he was never a landowner.

I did find an Index of Land Transactions of the Holland Land Co. It lists Moses Allen, his sons, Peter and Nathaniel Allen and sons-in-law Roswell Turner, Samuel Robinson, and Smauel Woodworth. I would like to access these records at some point.


In the 1800 Census, Peter Allen of Ontario Co NY, has a male and a female both over the age of 45 living in his household. This couple may very well be Moses and Chloe.

Birth	Bef Jul 1739
Christen	1 Jul 1739	Sturbridge, Worcester County, Massachusetts
Marriage	1764	Dover, Dutchess County, New York - CHLOE WARD
Military	1776	Private, Dutchess Co, NY, Revolutionary War
Death	Aft 1796	Ontario County, New York

Spouse	CHLOE WARD (1743 - )
Child	Deborah Allen (1765 - 1841)
Child	Catherine "Caty" Allen (1766 - 1817)
Child	Sarah Allen (1766 - 1821)
Child	Lydia Allen (1771 - )
Child	PETER BUELL ALLEN (1775 - 1833)
Child	Mary Allen (1778 - 1820)
Child	Nathaniel Allen (1780 - 1832)
Child	Clara Allen (1783 - 1850)

Father	MOSES ALLEN (1708 - 1778)
Mother	HANNAH KNAPP ( - )
Sibling	Lydia Allen ( - )
Sibling	Hannah Allen (1733 - )
Sibling	Sarah Allen ( - 1745)
Sibling	Jonas Allen ( - )