James H. Allison, BiographyPorter County biographical sketches . . . .
Transcribed biography of James H. Allison
JAMES H. ALLISON is a citizen of Porter county whose integrity and honesty of character are well established therein, as he has been a citizen of the township of Washington for fifteen years. He is a man who has lived a life of honesty in his native county of La Porte, the sister county of Porter, and his friends and neighbors can well endorse this truism. He traces his lineage to the mother country, England, as Allison is an English name. He was born February 16, 1857, and he is the eldest of two sons that were born to George and Sophia (Harold) Allison, both from families of La Porte county, Indiana. Both of the sons are living. Mr. Allison is the elder. His brother Charles, who is married, is a resident of La Porte county, and an agriculturist. He received his education in the public schools and the University of Valparaiso. Father Allison is a native of Ohio, the good old "Buckeye" state, now the "Mother of Presidents." He was reared in his native state until young manhood and was there educated. He was a cooper by trade, but is now classed as an agriculturist. He is the owner of one hundred acres of excellent land in Durham township, La Porte county. Politically, he is a Republican, although he was in his younger days a Whig. He had the honor of voting for General Fremont, the first nominee of the Republican party. He and his good wife adhere to the Methodistic faith. Mother Allison was also a native of Ohio, and was there reared to young womanhood and there educated. La Porte county was afterward her home till her death. She was very earnest in her religious duties and her principles and good deeds will long remain in the minds of the people of Durham township, and her pure and Christian teachings will ever live in the hearts of her sons. She is interred in the Westville cemetery.
Mr. Allison, the subject of this text, was reared and educated in his native county and he has followed the trade of a mason in La Porte and Porter counties for thirty-two years. He remained with his parents till he was twenty-three years of age and then began life for himself with no cash capital. But he had a fund of energy and fortitude and ambition to make his life a success. He wedded Miss Martha Henton, October 18, 1883, and seven children, two sons and five daughters, were born, six of whom are yet living. The eldest is Lillian, who is the wife of Guy Wolfe, a resident of La Porte county; Mr. Wolfe is a carpenter and joiner by trade. Mrs. Wolfe was educated in the public schools of Westville. Lola Fern is the wife of Otto C. Draves, a resident of Porter county, in Jackson township; he is an agriculturist. Mrs. Draves was also educated in the Westville public schools and was a student in the University of Valparaiso. Beulah lives at home with her parents, and was educated in the public schools. Elizabeth lives at home. We may say that the four daughters, Lillian, Lola Fern, Beulah and Elizabeth all received their diplomas from the schools of their home county. James Evans is in the sixth grade, and George, the youngest, is in the third grade.
Mr. and Mrs. Allison have done all they can as parents to give their children good public school educations as fitting them for life's battles. Mrs. Allison is a La Porte county girl, born July 14, 1866, and she is the youngest of two children, a son and a daughter, born to Evan and Elizabeth (Robertson) Henton. Her brother Benjamin is a resident of Durham township; he is an agriculturist. He wedded Miss Eliza Concannon, and they have two children, Charles and Cory. He is a Republican and fraternally a member of the Masons and of the Odd Fellows. His wife is a member of the Eastern Star and Rebekahs. They are members of the Methodist Episcopal church. Father Henton was a native of Indiana and was born about 1826; he died in 1891. He was a butcher for twenty-six years in Westville and had well established himself as a man of honesty and integrity. He was also an agriculturist. He had the honor of attending the primitive log cabin school of the early days of the history of La Porte county. Politically he was Republican. He and his wife were active members of the Methodist Episcopal church.
Mother Henton is a native of Indiana and she is yet living, aged seventy-nine, a resident of Westville. She is a strict and earnest member of her church and no task is too great for her when it comes to her cherished duties.
Mrs. Allison was educated in the public schools of Westville and she is a lady of more than ordinary ability. She has ably filled her position as wife and mother in the establishment of a happy home and the rearing of an honorable family of children. At all times has she been ready to counsel and advise her husband in their life work. For quite a number of years after their marriage Mr. Allison worked at his trade and in 1895 they purchased their present pretty estate of eighty acres of most excellent land. The farm lies on the La Porte stone road, three and a half miles from Westville and seven and a half miles from the city limits of Valparaiso; it is known as "Ingleside." Their happy home is the true abode of genuine hospitality and good cheer, as the biographer can personally testify.
Mr. Allison is a Republican and he cast his first presidential vote for the martyred president, Garfield, and he has ardently supported those principles since. Officially he was on the school hoard at Westville for fourteen years, and he and one other member of the board were the cause of the present beautiful brick and stone schoolhouse being erected at Westville. He and his wife are advocates of good schools and in fact of all measures which elevate the moral, intellectual and spiritual welfare of the community, township and county. Fraternally Mr. Allison is a member of the I. O. O. F., No. 136, at Westville, and has passed all the chairs and been a delegate to the state lodge. He was also a charter member of the K. of P., No. 147, at Westville, and was master of finance of that order. He was also a member of "The Gleaners" in Washington township. Mrs. Allison is a member of the Methodist Episcopal church. Mr. and Mrs. Allison have been residents of Porter county for fifteen years and have fully established themselves as most worthy and sterling citizens, and it is with pleasure we present the above review for preservation in the History of Porter County, Indiana.
Source: Lewis Publishing Company. 1912. History of Porter County, Indiana: A Narrative Account of its Historical Progress, its People and its Principal Interests. Chicago, Illinois: Lewis Publishing Company. 881 p.
Page(s) in Source: 536-538
This biography has been transcribed exactly as it was originally published in the source. Please note that we do not provide photocopies or digital scans of biographies appearing on this website.
Biography transcribed by Steven R. Shook