The record., 1911-10-19
THE ALLISON FAMILY
Pioneers an0 Factors in MulIenbergs History

Mrs. Belle Duvall and Mrs. Pearl
Elkins.
John A. Allison was a good ci,i-
zen, of moral habits, and a man of
good sense and information. lie
was of jovial temperament: it seemed
to do him great good to get a crowd
of people around him and tell anec
do;es and Jokes. He was full of wit
and of quick discernment; he was
rather timid and bashful man. We
have heard him say that he always
disliked to approach crowd of peo-
pie, that his hands seemed to be
greatly in his way and he did not
know what to do With them.
Samuel Allison Sr. settled in
neigh5orhood with other pioneer
settlers who raised families that grew
up with the Allisons. These families
were that of Henry Black, Jerry
Langley, Matthew Rice, Kenra'd
Hay and Richard Reynolds all Of
whom were good men. The young
men that grew up in the same neigh
borhocd with the Allison boys were
Wiley, Kincheon and Charles Hay.
Henry, Felix and Nathan Black,
John, Thomas and George Reynolds,
William, Wesley and Sylvanus
Langley, Reson, William and Cla-
borne Rice; all these sons of pion-
eers became prominent men. Out
of the sixteen mentioned ten became
professional men. There Is no other
neighborhood in the county that has
produced a better set of men than
were produced in the Sam Allison
neighborhood. The Black boys
grew up and left the county. Felix
Black became 4 prominent Method
Ist preacher and located in Cincin-
natl. Henry Black became a Cum
bcrland Presbyterian preacher and
located in Illinois. Nathan became
a lawyer of distinction and located
IN western Kentucky. Wesley and
Sylvanus Lang ey went south. WE-
lam remained in the county. John
Reynolds located at Hopkinsville,
Ky. Thomas became a Methodist
pres cher and located in Louisiana.
George went 10 Illinois. Wiley Hay
remained in the county and became
a prominent man. Kincheon be-
came a Baptist preacher and located
Tn Illinois. Charles became a Cum
berland Presbyterian preacher and
located IN the western part of Ken
lucky. Dixon. Young and Samuel
Allison located in Henderson coun-
ty KY, where Dixon became the
Circuit clerk and Young the County
clerk, which offices they held for
many years. They all raised fami-
lies, the history of whom we are not
Informed.
Reson Rice, who married Louise
Black, remained in the county and
settled near the old Black home
stead. He was a man of fine sense
and information but he had an awk-
ward appearance and movement,
and in common way was not a
glib talker. Upon one occasion he
had a lawsuit of some interest and
acted as his own attorney in the
case, having studied law some bu'
had never pracuced; and when he
assumed his case the judge and law
yers seemed to be amused as if they
expected some fun, as Rice was a
little slow in getting oft. But as the
case proceeded Rice began to handle
i with considerable skill, and when
, he made his speech he Strengthened
up and with the fire of his unexpect.
ed eloquence astonished the who {
outfit and won his case. He wa:
, afterwards regarded as man oi
ability.
In the conclusion of this article
We shall add that all these sons oi
5 pioneers mentioned would gather al
, the old log school house In ths
r neighbcrhood of Samuel Allison,
where they learned their first lesson:
: from Kennsrd Hay, a school teach
: er. The school house was also usec
for religious worship, and was called
Hickory Wlthe, and there they
would carry on debating societies
! every year and by practice some o.
them became good speakers and il
4 after years became distinguished a.
speakers. These sons of the pion
E eer families OF the Samuel Allison
h neigh b orhood have long since dis
, appeared from the walks of life.
Af,ar L. dn..h nf Snn,nol AlI;so.