- MATTHEW VAN ALLEN has for over fifty years lived in Rock
county, Wis., and in that long
- period of time has grown from early manhood to a serene and
ripe old age.
- Mr. VAN ALLEN was born in Kinderhook, Columbia Co., N.Y.,
May 3, 1924, son of Lucas
- and Lydia (LUDDINGTON) VAN ALLEN, both also natives of that
county. They had one son and two daughters: Matthew; Sarah, wife
of Wilbur GOODRICH, of Emerald Grove, Rock county; and Catherine,
who died at Emerald Grove. The father, who was a farmer by occupation,
came to Wisconsin in 1849, locating at Emerald Grove, in Bradford
township, where he and his son together bought 140 acres of wild
land, which they improved, and thereon made the family homestead.
There Lucas VAN ALLEN lived until his death, in1882, at the age
of eighty-two years. His first wife died in New York; she was
a Baptist. Hannah CHAPIN became his second wife, and after her
death he married Bathia VOSBERG, who is also deceased. Lucas
VAN ALLEN was a Congregationalist. His father was a native of
New York, and of Holland-Dutch descent, was a farmer, and died
in New York when advanced in years. He had seven children. Samuel
LUDDINGTON, the maternal grandfather of Matthew VAN ALLEN, was
a prominent and well-to-do farmer of Columbia county, N.Y., was
of English descent, and died when very old. He had a large family.
- Matthew VAN ALLEN was seven years old when his parents moved
from Columbia county to
- Genesee county, N.Y., and there he grew to manhood, receiving
his schooling in the village schools of LeRoy. He has always
followed agriculture as the main business of his life, and has
farmed in Rock county since 1849, settling first in Emerald Grove,
where he remained until 1853. That year he sold his interests
in Emerald Grove and bought seventy-five acres of farm land in
La Prairie township and five acres of timber in Harmony township.
He has bought more land from time to time, and now owns a fine
farm of 217 acres, highly improved, and provided with all the
appliances for the most modern farming. Here he continues to
make his home.
- On Sept. 14, 1852, was celebrated the wedding of Mr. VAN
ALLEN and Miss Elizabeth
- RANSOM, daughter of Asa and Hannah (GREEN) RANSOM, both natives
of the State of New York. Three children have been born to this
union, Eber, Edwin T., and Kittie. Eber is a farmer, and lives
in La Prairie township, occupying a part of the old farm and
working all of it; he married Mary JONES, and is the father of
three children, Edwin T., Elroy E. and Matthew Arthur. Edwin
T., the second son of Matthew VAN ALLEN, died when only fourteen
months old. Kittie is still single, and lives at home. Mr. and
Mrs. VAN ALLEN are members of the Methodist Church, and are highly
respected in every walk of life. He is a Republican, but has
never been an office-seeker, being content to do his daily duties
as strength is given him.
- Mrs. VAN ALLEN's father died in New York when she was only
three months old, and her
- mother died in her native State after Mrs. VAN ALLEN came
West. Her grandfather, Thomas RANSOM, was a veteran of the Revolution,
and so was her maternal grandfather, Isaac GREEN. The RANSOMs
and GREENs were both New England families. Mrs. VAN ALLEN's father
dealt extensively in land, and became a well-to-do agriculturist.
His family consisted of four daughters and two sons, Mrs. VAN
ALLEN being the youngest, her birth occurring Jan. 28, 1828.
-
- Taken from "Commemorative Biographical Record of
the Counties of Rock, Green, Grant, Iowa and Lafayette Wisconsin"
(c)1901, pp. 238-239.
-
- Courtesy of Carol
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