John Erwin ALLUM

  General Notes:

Book: The last line in this excerpt from page 338 of the 1878 History of Livingston County, Illinois documents John Allum as Town Marshal. Page 829 of the same book documents him as "John Allum, Policeman" in Fairbury Village.

Already in the early 1860s, John's aunt, Delila Ann (Allum) Cumpston, her husband Solomon and their family lived in Livingston County. In fact, Delila died there in 1868. By 1870, John, his siblings and their mother Nancy are in Livingston County, in Belle Prairie Township. John Erwin Allum, 1848-1920, is documented there through 1880, after which time he returned to southwest Pennsylvania.

Excerpt from DeeAnna Allum Granston
HISTORY OF LIVINGSTON COUNTY, ILLINOIS, Wm. Le Baron, Jr. & Co., 186 Dearborn Street, Chicago, 1878.



1848 BIRTH of John Erwin Allum

1850 CENSUS, Pennsylvania, Greene County, Jefferson Township (November 28) (John, age 2, with parents) (John "Irvin" in some census indexes)

1854 DEATH of father, John Allum

1859 DEATH of grandmother, Jemima (Barnhart) Allum

1860 CENSUS, Pennsylvania, Greene County, Richhill Township (June 6) ("Allums") (see immediately below)

John Erwin "Allums," age 11, is in the household of his paternal grandfather, Charles Allum, along with his elder sister "Malinda" (documented as "Matilda," age 15, "House Domestic"). Malinda's and John's father, John Allum, had died in 1854. The children's mother Nancy had remarried to Jacob Newland by 1860; Nancy and her additional children by John Allum--Manerva, Osa and Theodore--are in the Newland household in 1860 in East Finley Township, Washington County, Pennsylvania.

1868 DEATH of grandfather, Charles W. Allum

1868 BENEFICIARY in will of grandfather, Charles W. Allum

1870 CENSUS, Illinois, Livingston County, Belle Prairie Township, Fairbury (August 5) (Head of household, John* "Allen" ["Farmer"], age 22, with siblings William, 20, and Osa, 18, his mother Nancy (Allum) Newland and the Newland children -- Margaret, 12; Marietta, 10; Plezzie, 5; and Alfred, 2)

1880 CENSUS, Illinois, Livingston County, Belle Prairie Township, Fairbury (June 16) (John Allum, 32, with mother Nancy "Newland," age 46; John's younger brother William Allum, 30; and Newland children Maggie, 22; "Etta," 19; Plezzie, 15; and Frederick, 12 (documented as "Alfred" in the 1870 census) (Alfred's middle name may have been Frederick)

1887 MARRIAGE of John Erwin Allum and Josephine Marie Houston on May 5 in Washington County, Pennsylvania by S. W. Brown

1896 DIRECTORY, West Virginia, Ohio County, Wheeling, Wheeling City Directory ("Allum, J. E., postmaster, Main, res. same.")

1898-1899 DIRECTORY, West Virginia, Ohio County, Wheeling, Wheeling City Directory ("Allum, J. E., grocery.")

1900 CENSUS, Pennsylvania, Washington County, West Alexander Borough (June 1) ("John E.," age 52, "Merchant") (wife "M. Josephine," age 40) (Josephine is documented as the mother of 1 child, 1 child living in the year 1900; John and Josephine had been married 13 years)

1904 DEATH of mother, Nancy (Cumpston) (Allum)

1910 CENSUS, Pennsylvania, Washington County, West Alexander Borough (May 6) ("John E.," age 62, "Retail merchant, groceries") (wife "Mariah J.," age 50) (Josephine is shown as the mother of 1 child, 1 child living in the year 1910; Josephine and John had been married 23 years)

1920 CENSUS, Pennsylvania, Washington County, West Alexander Borough (January 16) ("J. E. Allums," age 71, "Painter, house") (in John's household are his wife Josephine, age 60; their son "J. Austin," age 31, "Painter"; John's wife Osa, age 29, and their daughters Madolyn, 6, and Josephine, 1 year 11 months)

1920 DEATH of John Erwin Allum at 72 years 4 months 8 days


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1930 CENSUS, Ohio, Mahoning County, Canfield Township (April 9) ("Josephine," age 69, widow, is in the household of her brother, John M. Houston)

1943 DEATH of Josephine Marie (Houston) Allum at 82 years 2 months 0 days


*John Erwin Allum (1848-1920), son of John Allum (1823-1854) and Nancy Cumpston (1824-1904)




OBITUARY (John) from an undocumented newspaper:


JOHN ERWIN ALLUM, AGED WEST ALEXANDER MAN, CLAIMED BY DEATH

West Alexander, Aug. 8--John Erwin Allum, aged 72 years, proprietor of the Lafayette Inn, died at his home yesterday afternoon at 2:45 o'clock. He was born in Richhill township, Greene county, March 30, 1848, a son of John and Nancy Allum. On May 5, 1887, he was married to Josephine Houston, of Simpson's Store, and in 1888 moved to West Alexander where he had since resided. Mr. Allum was a member of the I.O.O.F. and of the Claysville Christian church.

During the administration of President Cleveland, Mr. Allum was appointed postmaster, serving from 1892 to 1896.

Mrs. Allum survives with one son, John Austin Allum, of West Alexander and two granddaughters. He leaves three sisters, Mrs. E. M. Crawford of Coffeyville, Kan.; Mrs. Morgan Simpson, Old Concord, and Miss Ocie Allum, Minneapolis. Mrs. Hugh Montgomery and Mrs. Etta Newland, of Old Concord, are half sisters.

Funeral services will be held Monday afternoon at 2 o'clock in charge of Rev. H. A. Riddle. Interment in the West Alexander cemetery will be in charge of the I.O.O.F.

Note: At one time, John was proprietor of the Lafayette Inn, West Alexander, Washington County, Pennsylvania




OBITUARY (John) from WAYNESBURG REPUBLICAN, Waynesburg, Greene County, Pennsylvania, August 12, 1920:


JOHN E. ALLUM

John E. Allum, proprietor of the Lafayette Inn, West Alexander, PA., died Saturday afternoon, August 7, aged 72 years. Mr. Allum was a son of John and Nancy Allum, deceased, and was born in Richhill township, this county. On May 5, 1887, he was united in marriage with Miss Josephine Houston, of Simpson's Store, and in 1888 they removed to West Alexander, where they had since resided. He was a member of the Claysville Christian church and the I. O. O. F. lodge. He was a former postmaster at West Alexander. Beside his wife he is survived by one son, John A. Allum, of West Alexander. He also leaves the following sisters: Mrs. E. M. Crawford, of Coffeyville, Kas.; Mrs. Morgan Simpson of Old Concord, Pa.; Mrs. Ocie Allum of Minneapolis, Minn.; also two half sisters, Mrs. Hugh Montgomery and Mrs. Ella Newland, of Old Concord, PA. The funeral was held Monday afternoon at 2 o'clock conducted by Rev. H. A. Riddle. Interment in West Alexander cemetery.




OBITUARY (Josephine) from an undocumented newspaper:


MRS. JOHN ALLUM

Mrs. John Allum died at 9:15 a.m. yesterday at the home of her son, J. Austin Allum, 711 Allison avenue.

Born on Nov. 7, 1859, in Richhill Township, Greene County, she was the daughter of Simon A. Houston and Marie Cummins Houston. On May 5, 1887, she was united in marriage with John E. Allum, who preceded her in death on August 7, 1920. She lived in West Alexander for 40 years and her husband was at one time postmaster there.

She is survived by one son, J. Austin Allum, 711 Allison avenue, and two granddaughters, Josephine and Madolyn.

Funeral arrangements have not been completed.

John married Josephine Marie HOUSTON, daughter of Simon Ashbrook HOUSTON and Elizabeth Maria CUMMINS, on May 5, 1887 in Washington County, Pennsylvania. (Josephine Marie HOUSTON was born on November 7, 1859 in Greene County, Pennsylvania, died on January 7, 1943 in Washington, Washington County, Pennsylvania and was buried on January 9, 1943 in West Alexander Cemetery, West Alexander, Washington County, Pennsylvania.)