Individual Details

Nathaniel came to Ontario Co along with Peter Allen and their father, Moses. He was a blacksmith in the early days.
"Holland Purchase" states Nathaniel had worked as journeyman blacksmith first in Canandaigua, followed Peter to Pittstown in 1797 and erected the first blacksmith's shop. Supplied himself with iron by bringing it on horseback from Canandaiga.
"History of the Pioneer Settlement of Phelps & Gorham's Purchase" states in a footnote on p.385 that in the latter years of his life, Nathaniel was a contractor upon a work of the general governement, on the Erie and Oswego canals.

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......
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."


I did not find Nathaniel in the 1800 census in Ontario Co.

Ontario Co DB 13, p.661
29 Nov 1808 William Ogden of New York, merchant, to Nathaniel Allen of Ontario Co, yeoman. Parcel in Township 9, 5th range. Part of the east half of lot 37 [his brother Peter had land described as part of lot 36]. Signed: William Ogden
Wit: Wm Swan, Geo Wray Guyler
29 Nov 1808, Ogden acknowledged. Rec. 9 Apr 1809.
Rec. 13 Aug 1810 by Myron Holley, Clerk. Endorsement dated 11 Aug 1810, that the money received in the deed was $250. Wit: Virtue Bronson, Jas. Smedley. Bronson appeared before Lem. Chipman to swear to this deed.


In 1808 Peter Allen was one of the Vestrymen of St. Paul's Church, Honeoye, New York. History of Ontario Co, Everts, states that this was the Protestant Episcopal Church started in 1808 by Davenport Phelps, an English clergyman, who was on a mission tour. The first regular annual meeting was not held until 19 Apr 1813. Vestrymen included Peter Allen, David & Orra Akins. Nathaniel Allen was one of the builders of the church. 25 Nov 1817, forty-two pews were auctioned - Nathaniel Allen, Uriel & Orra Akin were purchasers. One note says N. Allen was not a church member, but Nathaniel did give land for the church and a cemetery.


1810 Ontario County Census:
Allen, Nathl. 3m -10, 1m 10-16, 1m 26-45 (Nathaniel); 2f -10, 1f 10-16, 1f 26-45 (Almyra). In 1851, Orasmus Turner said that of five sons, only one was surviving, and that an only daughter was the first wife of the Hon. R. L. Rose. There are apparently 4 sons, 3 daughters listed in this census. I believe I've found the names of all five of the sons, but only the one daughter.

Served the posts of Commissioner and Paymaster on the Niagara frontier during the War of 1812. "Holland Purchase" states he was an army contractor and paymaster.
From the Abstracts of Payrolls for the NY State Militia for the War of 1812 [copies from the New York State Archives]
Nathaniel Allen, Depy. Pay Master Aug 22, 1812 $1,590.20
Signed: N. Allen P.M., Vou. 578
[appears to be Nathaniel Allen's receipt for the payroll]

Index to the Newspapers Published in Geneva, New York, Vol. I 1806-1819, Edited by Gary B. Thompson, Geneva, NY, 1981
From the "Geneva Gazette"
Nathaniel Allen of Honeoye
27 Feb 1811, p.3 Appointed justice of the peace
15 May 1811, p.2 Elected to state Assembly
29 Mar 1815, p.3 Appointed Ontario County sheriff
22 Feb 1816, p.3 Appointed sheriff
26 Feb 1817, p.3 Appointed Ontario County sheriff
11 Jun 1817, p. 3 Appointed sheriff
4 Mar 1818, p.3 Nominated as candidate for Congress
17 Jun 1818, p. 3 Elected to U. S. House
31 Mar 1819, p.3 Appointed secretary of public meeting

I believe Nathaniel Allen's wife Almyra had died, possibly soon after the birth of son Orrin. No mention of her release for any of the following deeds.
Ontario Co DB 47, p.321
24 Apr 1815 Nathaniel Allen of Honeoye to James Sibley for $375, land in township number 9, 5th range. 3/4 of an acre being part of lot number 38. Begin at centre of the four corners ...centre of the road leading from Honeoye to West Bloomfield ....subject to the incumberance of the highway. Signed: Nathl. Allen Wit: Allen Willson.
18 Sep 1816 Nathaniel Allen acnowledged. Rec. 12 Jun 1828

Ontario Co DB 44, p.172
5 Dec 1815 Nathaniel Allen of county of Ontario to John Carr of town of Richmond for $48. Tract part of lot 38. Begin SW corner of John Bently's lot; centre of the east and west road. Signed: Nath. Allen. Wit: Peter Allen.
19 Sep 1816 Nathaniel Allen acknowledged. Recorded 29 Nov 1825
[John Carr sold this tract to Jonathan Mason JR. for $300 in 1825.]

Ontario Co DB 30, p.203
10 Mar 1816 Nathaniel Allen of Richmond to John Bently for $58.12 1/2. Part of Lot 38. Corner of Moses Perrys Lot; center of the east and west road. Signed: Nath. Allen. Wit: Philip Woodruff.
10 Apr 1818 Nathaniel proved before Stephen Phelps. Recorded 10 Apr 1818.

Ontario DB 32, p.496
7 Sep 1816 Nathaniel Allen to Samuel Caldwell for $105. Lots number 10 & eleven in the village plot. Begin SW corner of the land on which stands the Episcopal Church; centre of the road; south on the line of publich church ground; centre of said highway. Signed: Nathaniel Allen
Wit: Peter Allen, Alanson W. Witter
18 Sep 1816 Nathaniel acknowledged the deed. Recorded 24 Mar 1819.

Ontario DB 56, p.360
3 Feb 1817 Nathaniel Allen to Ephraim H. Cheney for $100, part of lot number 31. Begin west of the centre of the north and south roads on the north line of the public land. One half acre. Signed: Nathaniel Allen. Witness: Iddo Ellis
1 Nov 1819 Nathaniel acknowledged before Lemuel Chipman, commissioner for taking acknowledgement of deeds. Recorded 15 Dec 1834 [after Nathaniel's death]

Abstracts of Wills and Guardianships in NY State, 1787-1835, AmericanAncestors.org
Ontario Co NY
Book 12, p.399 Admin of the Estate of Ebenezer Stewart late of Co. Ontario, died intestate, granted to Nathaniel Allen friend of sd Ebenezer Steward, dec'd. 7 May 1817
Book 13, p.13-14
About the estate of Ebenezer Stewart, late of town of Richmond, Co. Ontario, dec'd. Petition by Nathaniel Allen, Admin to sell land in town of Richmond. 28 Feb 1818
Book 16, p.32 Thomas Steward, over age 14 years of town of Richmond, allows Nathaniel Allen, Esquire, to be his guardian. 3 Mar 1825.
Book 15, p.221
Adm of the estate of Onissimus Covel, late of Napes Co of Ontario, died intestate. Granted to Thomas Covel, brother, and Nathan Allen, father-in-law of said Onissimus Covel, dec'd.
Note: Is this an unknown daughter of Nathaniel - or is this a different Nathaniel Allen?

The following would appear to be Peter's sale to his brother Nathaniel, before leaving for Indiana. The sales account for all lands purchased by Peter Allen
Ontario Co DB 28, p.384
16 May 1817 Peter Allen and Polly his wife to Nathaniel Allen, all of Richmond, for $800. Part of lot number 19, in township 9, 5th range. Bounded by Hugh Hamilton, Honeoye Lake, lands late of William Lane. 45 acres, land conveyed to Peter Allen by William Shepard, Sheriff, deed dated 25 Jul 1815 and recorded in Lib. 24, folio 51. Signed: Peter Allen, Polly Allen
Wit: Virtue Bronson, Ezra Waite
16 May 1817 Peter & Polly ackinowledged. Rec. 18 Jul 1817.
and on the same day Peter Allen and Polly his wife to Nathaniel Allen for $6006. parcel in Richmond, township 9, 5th range. Part of lots 36 and 37. 100 acres part of Lot number 36 [bought from Oliver Phelps], 42 1/2 acres part of the same lot [land bought from the State of Connecticut] and part of lot number 37, 50 acres [bought from William Ogden] in the whole 192 1/2 acres. Signed: Peter Allen, Polly Allen. Wit: Virtue Bronson, Ezra Waite.
16 May 1817 Peter & Polly acknowledged before Ezra Waite. Rec. 18 Jul 1817.

Ontario Co DB 29, p.450
26 Jan 1818 Nathaniel Allen of Richmond to Seth Tubbs, for $704, tract of 64 acres being the east end of Lot number 8 [Twp 9, 5th Range] Signed: Nath. Allen. Wit: Virtue Bronson, Joseph Abbe
29 Jan 1818. Proved by Virtue Bronson to Stephen Phelps. Recorded 29 Jan 1818.

The following is the first time a wife is acknowledged in one of Nathaniel's deeds and her name is not Almyra, but Betsey. I believe he has remarried, or were the early researchers just wrong about his wife's name? The fact remains that no wife signed a release on several of his deeds prior to this one, indicating perhaps a wife had died.
Ontario DB 30, p.503
26 Feb 1818 Nathaniel Allen and Betsey his wife to the wardens and Vestrymen of St. Paul Church of Richmond for $1. Tract in Lot 7 of the Village Plot laid out in part on the eastern part of Lot 38. Center line of the road; on the south line of Lot 38, being the SW corner of Village lot Number 6; west corner of a store lately occupied by Philip Woodruff. Being the same lot whereon the church building now stands. Also one other tract being lot number nine, or the cemetery lot. On NW corner of the above lot seven. Signed: Nathl. Allen, Betsey Allen
Wit: Virtue Bronson. Almira Allen [Almira was not yet 15, but one could witness at age 14.]
4 Aug 1818 Nathaniel Allen & Betsey acknowledged the deed. Betsey examined apart from her husband. Recorded 21 Aug 1818.

Ontario Co DB 76, p.340
27 May 1818 Nathaniel Allen of Richmond to Hugh Hamilton for $791, a tract of land, lot 26, township 9, 5th range. 45 acres to be taken off the west end, being the same land conveyed by William Shepard Esquire late Sheriff of Ontario Co to Peter Allen and by Peter Allen to said party of the first part. Excepting out of the above, about half an acre lying in the fork of the Roads and this day conveyed to William Lane. Signed: Nath. Allen
Wit: Benjamin Boyd
13 Jun 1818 Nathaniel acknowledged before Ezra Waite. Rec. 21 Jun 1844.[Recorded after Nathaniel's death]
Ontario Co DB 60, p.207
27 May 1818 Nathaniel Allen of Richmond to William Lane for $9. Parcel being part of lot 20, township 9, 5th range. Begin at intersection of the road leading from the Lake road to Sly's Mill ....being a triangular piece of land lying in the forks of said road whereon Lane has built a log house, about half an acre of land. Signed: Nath. Allen. wit: Benjamin Boyd.
13 Jun 1818 Nathaniel acknowledged before Ezra Waite. Rec. 2 Sep 1836
[Recorded after Nathaniel's death. These two deeds were the 45-acre tract sold by Peter Allen to Nathaniel in Mary 1817. The lot numbers seemed to change over time in Ontario County.]

Ontario Co DB 42, p.100
18 Sep 1818 David Akin and Hannah his wife to Nathaniel Allen for $1300. Tract in Richmond, No. 9, 5th range. 66 acres of land near the center of the west half of lot 8 and near the centre of the east end of lot 33. Bounded by land deeded by Zachariah Seymour and wife to Orra Akin; lands deeded by David Akin to James & William Sibley; lands owned by Eliza Gilbert; aforesaid lands of Orra. Signed: David Akin, Hannah Akin. Wit: Orra Akin.
27 Sep 1823 David & Hannah Akin acknowledged. Rec. 5 Feb 1824.

Ontario Co DB 39, p.351
28 Jan 1819 Nathaniel Allen and Betsey his wife to Reuben Hickox. For $870. Part of Lot number 38, begin SW corner of David Pierponts lot as conveyed to him by the party of the first part. Center of the highway; south line of lot at the corner between village lots 2 & 3; west line of village lot two conveyed to said Pierpont and now owned by Gideon Gates; it being Village lot number three. Signed: Nath. Allen, Betsey Allen. Wit: Virtue Brown, Almira Allen
6 Feb 1819 Nathaniel Allen and Betsey came before Lemuel Chipman to acknowledge this deed. Rec. 7 Mar 1822

History of Ontario Co, New York
Everts, Ensign & Everts
Philadelphia; 1876
p.37
10 Dec 1818 Penn Yan wanted a new county with court-house & jail. A committee of five appointed to oppose the division: Philetus Swift, Micah Brooks, Nathaniel Allen, Dudley Marion, and Jared Wilson.
p.49
Jan 1819 Formation of agricultural society. Myron Holley chosen clerk. One of the vice-presidents was Darius Comstock.
Oct 18, 1819 First agricultural fair. For second year, vice-presidents included Darius Comstock & N. Allen
p.52
Ontario Assemblymen
1812 Nathl. Allen
1815: Peter Allen
1816: Peter Allen [brief time], M. Holley
1817: P. Allen
1821: Myron Holley
Representatives to Congress:
Nathaniel Allen, 16th Congress - 1819-1821
Robert L Rose, 30th & 31st - 1847-51
Sheriffs
Nathaniel Allen, 17 Mar 1816
p.130
Geneva Chapter of R.A.M. was organized Nov 1 1813 by virtue of a dispensation from the Grand Royal Arch Chapter of the State of New York, granted to Nathaniel Allen and others.


1820 Census. Ontario Co NY, Richmond. The first person enumerated.
Nathaniel Allen: 2m -10 [Orrin & perhaps Augustus], 3m 10-16 [Almiron, N. O. & perhaps Augustus], 3m 16-26, 2m 26-45 [one would be Nathaniel]. 1f 10-16, 2f 16-26 [one would be Almira], 2f 26-45 [one would be Betsey]. Obviously two households. His brother Peter was counted in Indiana in 1820. None of his children old enough to be married. Perhaps a family related to his wife? He was living next door to David Pierpont to whom he sold property.
It is curious that an Orrin Allen lived in Bristol, Ontario Co, and was also age 26-45 in this census. Nothing is known of cousins of this age.

Ontario Co DB 38, p.406
25 Sep 1820 Nathaniel Allen and Betsey Allen his wife to Gilbert Wilson of West Stockbridge, County of Berkshire, Massachusetts. For $2250. 92 1/2 acres in Twn 9, 5th range. Being the south half of the east part of lot number 39. Signed: Nathaniel Allen, Betsey Allen. Wit: Jacob Wimple.
14 Oct 1820 Nathaniel Allen & Betsey acknowledged to and she was examined by Lemuel Chipman. Recorded 7 Sep 1821.
Nathaniel's sister was married to Fairing Wilson and they were in Stockbridge in Berkshire. I know of no relationship to Gilbert but a relationship is likely.

Ontario Co DB 70, p.100
4 May 1821 Nathaniel Allen of Richmond to George Nichols of Bloomfield for $400, tract in town of West Bloomfield. Begin NE line of Lot 54 ....39 and a half acres. Signed: Nath. Allen. Witnesses: Virtue Bronson, Lem. Chipman
5 May 1821 Nathaniel acknowledged to Lemuel Chipman being a commissioner for taking the acknowledgment of deeds. Recorded 24 Jun 1841 [After Nathaniel's death]

Ontario Co DB 48, p.93
16 Feb 1822 Nathaniel Allen & Betsey his wife to The Wardens & Vestrymen as Trustees of St. Paul's Protestant Episcopal Church in Richmond. $600. Part of lot 38 begin at SW corner of David Pierponts lot conveyed to him by the said Nathaniel Allen; centre of the highway, between lots two and three, line of lot number two heretofore conveyed to said Pierpont and now in possession of Gideon Gates. Being Village lot number three. Signed: Nathl. Allen, Betsey Allen. Wit: Hubbard Gifford, Luna C. Blanchard. Acknowledged by Nathaniel. Recorded 7 Jan 1829

Ontario Co DB 40, p.3
13 Apr 1822 Nathaniel Allen to Holloway Hayward of Canandaigua Co. For $1400. Tract in town of Canandaigua, part of town lot number eleven west of Main street and noth of the square. Begin NE corner of lot lately occupied by Jesse Hawley and formerly owned by Elisha Johnson; on main street; the road leading to Bloomfield; land lately owned by Sylvester Willson. Same land lately deeded to Allen by William Dailey containing nearly one acre. Signed: Nathaniel Allen.
The note following this deed seems not to belong...words "the equal undivided half" erased before signing also the words "and Betsey his wife" interlined. Signed: Virtue Bronson. There was no evidence in the deed copy of either correction.
8 May 1822 Nathaniel Allen acknowledged to Moses Atwater. Recorded 17 May 1822.

Ontario DB 46, p.114
26 Mar 1823 Nathaniel Allen and Betsey his wife to Jonathan Mason for $400. part of lot number 38; begin SW corner of Moses Perry's lot. Signed: N. Allen, Betsey Allen. Wit: Luna C. Blanchard
15 Jan 1824 Nathaniel and Betsey acknowledged to Parley Brown who privately examined Betsey. Recorded 2 Jul 1827.

Ontario DB 45, p.143
30 Sep 1826 Nathaniel Allen of Richmond to Almira Rose of Seneca for $2200. All that parcel in the SW part of Lot 11 now in the town of Richmond, formerly Honeoye, being 100 acres. Bounded on south by lot 12; on the west by number 30; on the east by a line running through said lot eleven; on the north by a line parallel with the south boundary. Reference to two deeds executed by Joseph Fellow to Nathaniel Allen, one dated 21 Sep 1814 and the other 27 Sep of the same year, recorded 8 March 1816 in Liber 25 of deeds, p.190 & 180, Hugh McNair, Clerk. Signed: N. Allen. Witness: Barton Stout
4 Oct 1826 Acknowledged by Nathaniel Allen. Recorded 7 Oct 1826.

Ontario DB 47, p.241
26 Mar 1826 Nathaniel Allen, James Sibley & William Sibley to Elias Gilbert for $240. Begin centre of the outlet of Honeoye Lake at Joseph Garlinghouse east and west line; to Elias Gilberts NE corner formerly purchased of Danl. H. Goodsell; NW corner of Horace Gilberts land. Agreeable to William T. Coddings survey, 15 acres, 156 and 1/2 rods. Signed: N. Allen, James Sibley, Wm. Sibley. Witness: R. L. Rose
19 Dec 1827, Nathaniel Allen & James Sibley acknowledged. Robert L. Rose, saw William Sibley signed the within deed. Recorded 21 May 1828


DB 53, p.505
24 Apr 1828 Nathaniel Allen to William Sibley. Quit claim. 35 acres to taken from the north part of lots 8 and 33. Bounded on north by land sold to Wm and James Sibley by David Akins; west by the Honeoye Outlet; east on the west line of 100 acres formerly sold by Lemuel Chipman to Roswell Turner; south on land belonging to Nathaniel Allen. Signed: N. Allen. Wit: N. O. Allen, T. Barton Stour. 24 Apr 1828, Nathaniel Allen acknowledge. Recorded 26 Feb 1833.
[Recorded after Nathaniel's death]

Ontario Co DB 58, p.291
24 Apr 1828 Nathaniel Allen of Richmond to Orra Akin. For the sum of $1 quit claim parcel bounded by land deeded by N. Allen to William Sibley, lands owned by John Jaromes, lands owned by Orra Akin, Honeoye outlet. 25 acres. Signed: N. Allen Wit: N. O. Allen, Z. Barton Stout 24 Apr 1828 Nathaniel Allen acknowledged deed. Rec. 25 Sep 1835. [Recorded after Nathaniel's death.]

DB 47, p.426
24 Apr 1828 Nathaniel Allen to David Pierpoint for $50. begin at half acre of land heretofore deeded to Solon Hale; parallel with lines of lots deeded to Jonathan Mason and Thomas Williams. Signed: N. Allen. Witness: N. O. Allen, John Vincent. 21 Jul 1828 N. O. Allen witness, knew N. Allen and saw him execute the within deed. Recorded 26 Jul 1828.


The following would seem to be disposal of most, if not all, of Nathaniel's property to his son-in-law. Interesting that one parcel Nathaniel had sold earlier ended up in the hands of Orville Comstock.
Ontario DB 48, p.192
2 Feb 1829 Nathaniel Allen to Robert L. Rose for $10,000. All the tracts or parcels of land situated in the town of Richmond, Twp 9, 5th Range. Being parts of lots 36, 37 & 38. Commencing in the four courners on Allens Hil on the SE corner of lot 38; centre of the highway leading to Bloomfield; to Gilbert Willson's south line being the centre line of Lot 38. 100 acres. Again commencing at the SW corner of the 100 acres; south line of lot #38 to east line of Smith Henry's land; east line of land occupied by Wheaton Eldrige; north line of land of Nathan Cargill; east on said Cargill's no the line to the centre of the public highway; SE corner of lot 38. Also one acre on Lot 6 in Richmond called the Still lot, conveyed by Lemuel Chipman & Sylvester Curtiss to the said Nathaniel Allen, 27 Apr 1812. Especially reserving the following pieces of land: about one acre on lot #37 as this day conveyed to Theoda Bissell. Also the piece of land where the school house stand. Several small pieces on the SE part of lot 337, this day conveyed to Theoda Bissell. Also the piece of land covered by the School House on the south side of lot 38. Several small parcels on the SE part of lot #38: now occupied by the following: Solon Hale, Charles Pierpont, John Elmore, Rev. George H. Norton, Jonathan Mason, Thomas Williams, David Pierpont, Orville Comstock, the tavern stand; Lovill Church, together with the land conveyed to the Wardens & Vestry of St. Paul Church and the Burying grounds as now enclosed adjacent to said Church. Signed: N. Allen Wit: Jared Willson, John Dixson
2 Feb 1829 Nathaniel Allen acknowledged. Recorded 14 Feb 1829
At the time of the sale Nathaniel mentioned several of the present owners of the small parcels - one of these was "Orville Comstock, the tavern stand". So once again is one of those genealogical coincidences where two families that would one day be related are acquainted many years earlier.
Orville Was my cousin - sixth cousin, five times removed - or five generations closer to our common ancestors, William & Elizabeth Comstock.
Nathaniel Allen was my third great granduncle.
Nathan Cargill also mentioned in the above deed with adjoining property. Nathan Cargill's children would also move to Vigo Co IN, where Peter Allen had gone. He was descended from the same Arnold family as my Elizabeth Arnold who married Samuel Comstock in Providence, Rhode Island.



Nathaniel was sheriff of Ontario County NY in 1815 [opened a new jail] and served two terms, 1824 & 1826, as a supervisor representing Richmond in the county legislature. He was a government contractor on the Erie and Oswego canals and for the canal around the falls of Ohio, at Louisville.

Index to the Newspapers Published in Geneva, New York, Vol. I 1820-29, Edited by Gary B. Thompson, Geneva, NY, 1981
Nathaniel Allen of Honeoye
21 Mar 1821 "Geneva Gazette", p.2 Nominated for Congress by Ontario County Republicans
11 Apr 1821 "Geneva Gazette", p. 3 Nominated Bucktail candidate for Congress
23 May 1823 "Geneva Gazette", p. 3 Loses election.
10 Sep 1823 "Geneva Paladium", p. 2 Appointed delegate to senatorial convention
15 Oct 1823 "Geneva Paladium", p. 3 Editorial supported as replacement for Republican representative
22 Oct 1823 "Geneva Paladium", p. 3 Declines to be assembly candidate
19 Nov 1823 "Geneva Paladium", p. 2 Chosen vice president of Ontario Agricultural Society annual meeting
8 Sep 1824 "Geneva Gazette, p. 3 Chosen delegate to county convention
8 Sep 1824 "Geneva Paladium", p. 2 Represents town at county convention
21 Oct 1824 "Geneva Paladium", p. 3 letter declining Congressional candidacy
18 Nov 1824 "Geneva Paladium", p. 3 Chosen chairman of Board of Canvassers' meeting

From the GENEVA GAZETTE of 24 May 1826:
Peter Allen, youngest s. of Nathaniel, Esq. died in Richmond.

From the GENEVA GAZETTE of 14 Jun, 1826:
Betsey Allen, wife of Nathaniel, Esq. died 9 Jun 1826 in Richmond.

Index to the Newspapers Published in Geneva, New York, Vol. I 1820-29, Edited by Gary B. Thompson, Geneva, NY, 1981
Nathaniel Allen of Honeoye
27 Sep 1826 "Geneva Gazette", p. 3 Named Bucktail Congressional candidate
27 Sep 1826 "Geneva Paladium" p. 2 Nominated candidate for Congress
11 Oct 1826 "Geneva Paladium", p. 2 Nominated for Confress
1 Nov 1826 "Geneva Paladium", p. 2. Supplorted by 'Ontario Repository'
7 Mar 1827 "Geneva Gazette", p. 3 Named vice president of Ontario Agricultural Society
28 Mar 1827 "Geneva Paladium", p. 1 Elected vice president of Ontario Agricultural Society
23 Apr 1828 "Geneva Gazette", p. 3 Appointed Ontario County Judge
23 Apr 1828, "Geneva Paladium", p. 2 Appointed Judge
23 Sep 1829, "GMA", p. 3 Chairs political convention

From the GENEVA GAZETTE of Jan 21st, 1829:
Almiron W. Allen, age 23, son of Nathaniel, Esq. died 12 Jan 1829 in Richmond

From the WAYNE SENTINEL OF PALMYRA of 23 Jan 1833:
[Maj.] Nathaniel Allen, 51, of Richmond, NY, died 22 Dec 1832 in Louisville, KY
Nathaniel had taken the contract for construction of a canal around the Falls of the Ohio in Louisville KY and died there.

Apparently while Nathaniel was working in Louisville, or even earlier, he considered moving to Vigo Co, IN where his brother Peter was living. There is a patent for 69.26 acres, the North half of the North half of the East fractional Section Nine, Township 12 North, Range 9 West, issued to Nathaniel Allen of Louisville, KY, dated 13 Aug 1827. This property became the subject of a lawsuit in the Probate Court of Vigo County many years after his death and the case reveals a somewhat heartbreaking circumstance of Nathaniel's affairs at the time of his death. The case began in January of 1847 when Orson Barbour was appointed administrator of the estate of Nathaniel Allen and petitioned to sell the above tract as there were no personal effects and debts were owed. Barbour listed the four children - Almira & husband Robert L. Rose, Nathaniel O. Allen, Orrin N. Allen, and Nathaniel P. Allen - and claimed they were of Indiana (none were). Myron H. Allen of Terre Haute claimed the heirs had sold this property to him - deed on record. Augustus Allen and Nathaniel O. Allen were deceased and had been for some years - one wonders where Barbour got his information. Robert & Almira Rose, Nathaniel O. & Orrin N. (Augustus already deceased) had made a deed of conveyance to Myron H. Allen, 4 Oct 1838. Nathaniel O. died the next year although in the court record the date of his death is blank. One 29 October 1845, Orin N. Allen signed over all rights and title to Robert & Almira Rose for $500 - which seems to contradict the fact the land was sold to Myron H. Allen. Both deeds recorded in Vigo Co. During the case, the Roses & Allens were represented by their attorney, James H. Henry as neither lived in Indiana. Apparently the claims of the family were dismissed regarding this sale, the judge decreeing that the lands were subject to the debts of the deceased, because the tract was ordered sold at public auction before the court house door. The sale was duly advertised in the Wabash Courier and tracts nailed to doors in five locations including the court house and town hall doors. On 20 Nov 1847, the tract was sold for $1,118.00 to A. P. Arnold, who then assigned it to Good Holloway who executed notes for the property. At the April, 1848, term of court Barbour listed the debts of the estate then known to him of about $8,500, the largest of which was to Robert L. Rose for almost $5,000 - a third of which was the interest for 19 years. The estate was declared insolvent and the creditors ordered to make claim to the court. During the vacation of the Court, 17 Dec 1849, Corey Barbour was given administration letters for the estate of Nathaniel Allen - no explanation was given for the change. He was to be allowed $24.98 for his expenses and $80.00 was awarded Orson Barbour for his services - to be deducted from the estate, leaving $1,013.02 to be distributed to the creditors. The debts are considerably altered from the listing by Orson Barbour - Robert L. Rose was owed over $9,400, and the Louisville & Portland Canal company was owed over $20,700; David Sayre claimed over $3,300; and Luther Miller, assignee of Gooding Holloway, was owed $500. The total of debt allowed was $34,000. The creditors were to be paid two cents, 9.7 mills, to the dollar, and the case was closed and recorded and recorded at the January Term of Court, 1850. The large debt to the company for which Nathaniel Allen was working at the time of his death is especially curious - more about this follows below.
Note: the mill is a property tax term - it is the amount of tax per thousand currency units of property value and calculated by the local authority - and wouldn't have figured significantly in the amount awarded the creditors - no one got much.

The village of Allen's Hill in Ontario Co, NY was a part of his farm.

Posted on Ontario Co USGenWeb:
Allen's Hill Cemetery, Richmond, Ontario Co NY
Allen, Nathaniel; in memory of Nathaniel Allen who died in Louisville KY Dec 22 1832 in the 52nd year of his age.
[If this age is correct, he was somewhat younger than thought by most researchers as this would make him born 1780....]
Elizabeth, wife of Nathaniel, born 20 Jun 1782; died 9 Jun 1826. In the same grave is her infant son, Peter, b. 8 Apr 1826, died 9 May 1826.
[Since Nathaniel's wife's name is given in most information about this family as Almyra Aiken (or Akin), this is certainly a puzzle. I believe either Nathaniel was married a second time or her given name was confused with that of her daughter by earlier researchers. If the county was particular about dower releases for deeds, there is every indication he was without a wife for a time - from about 1814 to 1818. I believe he was married twice, perhaps to sisters.]
Nathaniel O. Allen, d. 4 May 1839 age 29 years. [born 1810]
Almira Allen Rose, wife of Robert L. b. 8 Oct 1803, d. 27 Jan 1849
John Rose, d. 23 May 1839, age 16 mo. [probably a son of Robert & Almira]

10,000 Vital Records of Western New York, 1809-1850, Fred Q. Bowman, p.6. States that Maj. Nathaniel Allen, 51, of Richmond NY died 22 Dec 1832 in Louisville, KY.

http://bioguide.congress.gov/scripts/biodisplay.pl?index=A000140
ALLEN, Nathaniel, (1780 - 1832)
ALLEN, Nathaniel, (father-in-law of Robert Lawson Rose), a Representative from New York; born in East Bloomfield, N.Y., in 1780 [East Bloomfield is in Ontario Co and he was NOT born there]; attended the common schools; worked as a blacksmith at Canandaigua, Ontario County, N.Y.; started a blacksmith shop at Richmond, near Allens Hill, in 1796; served as an officer in the militia; appointed postmaster of Honeoye Falls, N.Y., July 1, 1811; was commissioner and paymaster on the Niagara frontier in 1812; member of the State assembly in 1812; sheriff of Ontario County, N.Y., 1815-1819; elected as a Republican to the Sixteenth Congress (March 4, 1819-March 3, 1821); was not a candidate for renomination in 1820; supervisor of the town of Richmond 1824-1826; engaged in the prosecution of claims for money due in connection with the construction of the Louisville & Portland Canal; died in the Gault House at Louisville, Ky., while on a business trip to that city, December 22, 1832; interment in the churchyard of the Episcopal Church, Allens Hill, Ontario County, N.Y.

Abstracted from Wikipedia
The Falls of the Ohio were a major obstruction to river traffic. The Louisville and Portland Canal Company was chartered as a private company in 1825 by the Kentucky Legislature, after it had proven impossible for the body to approve a state-funded project. $350,000 was raised from the initial sale of stock in March 1826, and $150,000 soon after. Much of this capital came from Philadelphia investors. In 1824, it was estimated that the canal could be completed in a year for $300,000. As it became evident the canal would have to be dug through solid rock, the cost rose past $375,000 with two years of construction required, and some local investors, who were first to learn of the difficulties, defaulted on their investments. In May 1826 the United States Congress voted to invest about $100,000 to shore up the company and make it a mixed corporation, but financial difficulties continued as the course of the canal had to be changed, and Congress invested an additional $133,500 in 1829. The company was forced to borrow $154,000 in 1830, and the partially completed canal was opened in December of that year.
Business was slow for the company until the canal was completed in 1833. The initial toll of 20 cents per ton proved insufficient, and the company had to increase it to 40 cents in 1834 and 60 cents in 1837. By 1834 the canal carried 1,585 boats and 170,000 tons. An economic boom in the late 1830s brought profits to the shareholders, as the canal moved over 300,000 tons of traffic at its peak in 1839.
Again, one wonders how Nathaniel owed some $20,000 to this Company. The amount of the claim wasn't divided to show the interest which would have been a major portion by 1850. Did he perhaps invest in the Company stock on loan, then defaulted?

Then I found online a copy of Triumph at the Falls: The Louisville and Portland Canal, by Leland R. Johnson and Charles E. Parrish, Louisville District, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Louisville, Kentucky, 2007. The book is a study of the Falls of the Ohio covering a period of approximately 250 years. The locks at the Falls are now known as the McAlpine Locks. Each chapter of the book has footnotes; there are many illustrations and maps and a complete index and bibliography.
In the Prologue:
"Louisville and Portland Canal Company, a private corporation that obtained federal funding
support completed a fifty-foot wide canal leading to a three-flight lock to raise or lower boats twenty-six feet, thus bypassing the hazards of the Falls. At completion in 1830, this canal had the largest navigation locks in the world, representing the apex of the era’s waterways engineering described as a triumph of the engineering art. These structures served commerce at the Falls until 1872, forty-two years, then became an auxiliary to still larger navigation locks."
Some very interesting facts emerged from this book. DeWitt Clinton, the New York governor who had orchestrated the Erie Canal came to Louisville on July 15, 1825, to break ground for the canal. Louisville & Portland employed David Bates who had designed the Lockport locks on the Erie Canal as the chief engineer and he brought with him several other engineers who had worked on the Erie, including his son John. Bates's estimated costs were considerably more than expected. One of the bidders for construction was the Collins-Chapman Company from Oneida, New York, but the contract was bid at 20% less than the cost estimates - this did not bode well for the company or the contractors.
Even before construction began, some of the investors began to bail out leaving the company seriously short of cash. When construction was due to began the entire area was flooded and some of the partners of the contracting company backed out. Rumors of smallpox among the workers, forced the contractors to pay higher salaries than anticipated. Progress was slower than they had believed and the contractors began to ask for advances on their money, but were ordered to hire more workers. The canal was barely half finished when the construction deadline was reached.
Erastus Chapman sold out his interest in the Collins-Chapman Company to Congressman Nathaniel Allen of New York and the firm's name was changed to Collins-Allen-Perrine Company. The contract was extended with a cash advance. Carney-Sayre Company was subcontracted for the stonemasonry. Collin-Allen-Perrine was increasingly short of cash and the Carney-Sayre workers went on strike.
Collin-Allen-Perrine, in view of approaching bankrupty agreed to assign their construction property to Louisville and Portland - the company agree to pay any profits due them upon completion of the canal. David Bates resigned amid the difficulties, June 1928 - his plans had been excellent but too costly to complete with the severe labor and capital shortages.
Under new engineers, work continued and costs continued to escalate, but the canal would eventually be finished with help from the federal government. In 1829, Collins-Allen-Perrine offered to settle with the company for $250,000 (certainly not their full costs) and eventually dropped the sum to $105,000. During the extended hearings and arbitration, Nathaniel Allen threatened that if the company did not pay the contractors' claims, he would build a railroad from Louisville to Portland side by side with the canal to rob of of its business - Allen even employed one of the earlier engineers of the canal to survey a railroad route, which Allen sent to the directors of Louisville and Portland. The canal company took the threat seriously and late in 1830 supported a campaign to prevent its construction. The threat was never carried out and the contractors never received their compensation - the arbitration board denied every single claim. The contractors then filed suit against the company.
Litigation continued at length and contractor Nathaniel Allen moved into the Louisville Galt House Hotel to pursue the case. The Kentucky courts also denied their claims. Nathaniel Allen perished in his hotel room - a probable suicide. A footnote to this statement elaborated that the newspaper's report of Nathaniel Allen's death discussed no cause of death but that Louisville tradition holds that one of the contractors committed suicide after the verdict. That would seem to apply as Nathaniel Allen was the contractor who died.

This sad story of course explains why Nathaniel Allen died owing debts. The man had lost two wives, and at least three children in the years previous; apparently he had invested everything he owned in the contracting company. However, it still doesn't explain why the Company would make a claim for money owed nearly 20 years after Allen died. I also found it odd that the administrator of the estate in 1847 didn't even know about this debt, but that it turned up after the estate was declared insolvent and advertisements were made for any claims. Almost seems to me that someone at Louisville and Portland was still determined to exact revenge against one of the contractors.

William Perrine continued to seek the $105,000 claim of the contractors through the remainder of his life and after his death in 1844, his widow and children persisted. By 1854, the United States had obtained control of the stock and the Perrine claim was filed with the Senate Committee on Roads and Canals. The Committee decided it was impossible to conclude the justice of the claim and suggested redress from the canal company as they were perfectly solvent. Apparently the contractors were never paid.

Birth	1780	Dutchess County, New York
Marriage	Abt 1801	Almyra Akin
Military	1812	Deputy Pay Master, NY State Militia, War of 1812
Marriage	Bef Feb 1818	Ontario County, New York - Elizabeth "Betsey" Akin
Death	22 Dec 1832	Louisville, Jefferson County, Kentucky
Burial		Allen's Hill Cemetery, Richmond, Ontario County, New York

Spouse	Almyra Akin ( - 1814)
Child	Almira Allen (1803 - 1849)
Child	Almiron W. Allen (1805 - 1829)
Child	Nathaniel Orin Allen (1810 - 1839)
Child	Augustus Porter Allen (1812 - 1841)
Child	Orin Nathaniel Allen (1812 - 1875)

Spouse	Elizabeth "Betsey" Akin (1782 - 1826)
Child	Peter Allen (1826 - 1826)

Father	MOSES ALLEN (1739 - 1796)
Mother	CHLOE WARD (1743 - )
Sibling	Deborah Allen (1765 - 1841)
Sibling	Catherine "Caty" Allen (1766 - 1817)
Sibling	Sarah Allen (1766 - 1821)
Sibling	Lydia Allen (1771 - )
Sibling	PETER BUELL ALLEN (1775 - 1833)
Sibling	Mary Allen (1778 - 1820)
Sibling	Clara Allen (1783 - 1850)