- PETER ALLER, Superintendent of the County Farm of Rock County,
is a native of New Jersey,
- born March 18, 1817, and is the son of William and Mary (DALRYMPLE)
ALLEN [yes, it says ALLEN], both of whom were also natives of
the same State, and who were parents of eight children, Peter
being the fourth in order of birth. Jesse, the eldest, whose
sketch appears elsewhere
in this volume, is now living in Union Township, Rock County;
Sarah Ann, who married James MOORE, died in 1884; Hannah, who
became the wife of William MANNING, is living in Hunterdon County,
N.J.; John died at his home in Mitchell County, Iowa, in 1880;
Esther, who departed this life in 1855, was the wife of Thomas
WARDELL, who is now living in Mitchell County, Iowa; William,
who resides in Washington, is engaged in the occupation of farming;
David is a resident of California.
- In 1818 the family removed from New Jersey to Bedford County,
Pa., where our subject grew
- to manhood and received the greater part of his education
in the subscription schools, supplemented by two years' attendance
in the district schools, which were organized but a few years
before he attained his majority. Like the great majority of the
boys in his day, he was early initiated into the mysteries of
farm life, and had to do his share of labor upon the home farm.
In the spring of 1840 he left the parental roof, and turning
his face Westward, traveled until reaching Southern Indiana,
where he engaged in farming for about six months. He then came
to Rock County and located in Union Township, where he purchased
140 acres of government land and at once commenced its improvement.
- After erecting his cabin, he realized that it would be a
lonely life indeed to occupy it without a
- loving helpmate, so on the 28th day of March, 1841, he was
united in marriage with Miss Eleanor TEMPLE, a native of Maine
and daughter of Ebenezer and Hannah (STABARD) TEMPLE. She was
one of a family of six children, as follows: Albert, now deceased;
Eleanor, wife of our subject; William, who died in Washington;
James, a resident of Mitchell County, Iowa, engaged in farming;
Mary, who is single and resides in Washington; Elmira, who became
the wife of George CUMMINGS, also a resident of Washington. The
wedding ceremony that united the destinies of Peter ALLER and
Eleanor TEMPLE was the first celebrated in Union Township. The
ceremony was performed by a Justice of the Peace, as at that
time there was no minister of the Gospel within convenient distance.
- In the spring of 1841 Mr. ALLER broke twelve acres of his
land, planting it in corn, which
- yielded a good harvest. As time passed the remaining land
was put into cultivation, other improvements were made, and in
a few short years he had one of the best farms in his section
of country. In 1844 the village of Union was laid out by Mr.
TEMPLE and Mr. ALLER sold twenty acres of his farm to Samuel
LEWIS, who laid a part of it out in town lots as part of that
village. The country was now being steadily settled up and the
county was organized into townships. In 1854 Mr. ALLER was first
elected chairman of the town board, and at various times has
since served in that position for twenty years.
- On the 24th day of October, 1860, Mr. ALLER was called upon
to mourn the death of his wife,
- who died leaving two children. The eldest, Hannah Maria,
born Aug. 25, 1842, married William ROBERTS, a farmer of Mitchell
County, Iowa, and to them have been born five children: Claude,
Clair, Nellie, Estella and Maud. The second child, Jennie E.,
became the wife of Hiram CROSS, a Baptist clergyman, and died
Aug. 2, 1877. Mrs. ALLER was a woman dearly loved by all who
knew her.
- In 1863, Mr. ALLER removed to Evansville, where for the succeeding
three years he resided
- and was engaged in the drug business. On the 2d day of December,
1863, he was again married, Miss Nancy M. SMITH, a native of
Montpelier, Vt., becoming his wife. She is a daughter of Stephen
and Sarah (BEAN) SMITH, the former a native of Vermont and the
latter of New Hampshire. Their family numbered eight children,
of whom Nancy, born June 15, 1829, is the eldest; Samuel C.,
when last heard from, was residing in California; Louisa died
in infancy; Edna L. died in May, 1870; J. L. departed this life
in February, 1887, and the others died in infancy. One child
has graced the union of Mr. ALLER and Nancy M. SMITH, Arthur
P., born Nov. 27, 1865. For about five years he was a student
of the high school in Evansville, and also attended the seminary
in that place. He is now a resident of Johnstown and engaged
as Assistant Superintendent of the County farm.
- In 1866, Mr. ALLER returned to his farm, where he remained
three years, when he again moved
- to Evansville and for a time lived a retired life. In 1871
he was appointed Deputy Sheriff by R. T. PEMBER, and served as
such during the term of the latter. He was also appointed to
the same position by S. J. PUTNAM, and served from 1873 to 1877,
when he was elected Chairman of the County Board of Supervisors,
a position which he continued to fill for the succeeding ten
years. In the fall of 1886, at a special meeting called for that
purpose, he was elected as Superintendent of the Rock County
Alms House, and Jan. 1, 1887, entered upon the discharge of the
duties of that office. That he is well qualified for the position
is not doubted by a single person, for he has proved his ability
in that direction to the satisfaction of one and all. The average
number of inmates is about 140, while the cost of conducting
the farm is about $10,000 annually. The farm consists of 222
acres of land, and is operated by Mr. ALLER, with the assistance
of the inmates.
- For almost one-half century Mr. ALLER has been a resident
of Rock County. The official
- positions which he has held have brought him in contact with
thousands of its best citizens, and he is held in the highest
esteem by all. No man in the country is better known or has more
warm friends. Politically, he has been a consistent Republican
since the organization of the party. Religiously, he is affiliated
with the Congregationalists.
-
- Taken from "The Portrait and Biographical Album of
Rock County, Wis." (c)1889, pp. 255-256.
-
- Courtesy of Carol
|