Allen Williams (abt. 1824 - aft. 1880)

Born about 1824 in Virginia, United States

Descendants

Died after 1880 after about age 56 in Gallia County, Ohio, United States [uncertain]

Biography

Allen Williams is a part of US Black heritage.

Allen Williams was born about 1824 in Virginia in the United States.^[1] His son said that before Emancipation during the American Civil War, Allen was enslaved and working as a butler for a general who was the nephew of Jefferson Davis. After Emancipation, Allen joined his family in Gallipolis, Gallia County, Ohio.^[2]

In 1870, Allen was working on a farm and living with his large family, including wife Ellen Bell and seven children 12 and under, in Cheshire Township, Gallia County, Ohio.^[1] In 1880, they were living in Gallipolis, Gallia County, Ohio, and Allen was working as a common laborer. Allen and Ellen had had four more children since 1870.^[3]

Allen died sometime between 1880 and 1900, when his wife was listed as a widow in the 1900 census.^[4]

Research Notes

• Allen is currently listed in the USBH Heritage Exchange category for slaves in Greenbrier County, Virginia (present day West Virginia). It's not clear yet if that's where he actually was enslaved, but he had at least one child, Rev. Charles E. Williams, there while enslaved, so that category is the most accurate possible with the available information at this time. Identifying the slave owner would help confirm/refute this.

Slave Owners

• a nephew of Jefferson Davis who was a general

Sources

1. ↑ ^{1.0 1.1} "United States Census, 1870", Cheshire, Gallia, Ohio, USA; page 24-25, family 177, dwelling 177, Allen William household; https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:M62Q-S66
2. ↑ Interview with Allen's son Charles:
   The Federal Writers' Project, Slave Narratives; A Folk History of Slavery in the United States From Interviews with Former Slaves, Vol. 12, Ohio, pages 111-113, images 115-117 of 120, Rev. Williams interview, Washington, District of Columbia : The Library of Congress, 1941; image copy, Library of Congress (https://www.loc.gov/resource/mesn.120/?sp=115 : accessed 26 Feb 2022).
3. ↑ "United States Census, 1880," ED 25, Gallipolis Ward 4, Gallia, Ohio, USA; page 29, family 273, dwelling 198, Allen Williams household; https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:M8MF-Y6R
4. ↑ Wife listed as widow in 1900 census.
   "United States Census, 1900", ED 29, Gallipolis Ward 4, Gallia, Ohio, USA; sheet 22A, family 514, dwelling 495, Ellen Williams household; https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MM89-6LC