Allen family.

Nathaniel Allen (1699-1770), born in London, England, in 1699 was commander of a packet ship that sailed between London and Boston, Mass. He married and had two sons, Nathaniel and Jolley, both born in London. He married, second, Dorcas Bowes ( -1779), of London, ca. 1726. Allen, his wife Dorcas, the first two of their twelve children, Thomas and Samuel, and a sister, Sarah ("Sally") Mann (1695-1766), came to Boston ca. 1734, where Capt. Allen opened a shop. In 1757, Allen, his wife, his sister, and perhaps some of his children moved to Shrewsbury, Mass., where he bought a farm. Nathaniel Allen died in Shrewsbury on 1 November 1770.

Jolley Allen (1718-1782), born in London, married, in 1739, Eleanor Warren (1724-1776). In 1754 he, his wife Eleanor, and several children came to Boston where, for twenty-two years, he worked as a merchant. An ardent Loyalist, Allen lost much during the Revolution, including his wife and his eldest son. Jolley Allen returned to London in 1777 and remained there until his death.

Thomas Allen (1728-1793), the son of Nathaniel and Dorcas Bowes Allen, was born in London, England, on 19 September 1728. He came to Boston, Mass., along with his father, mother, brother, and aunt ca. 1734 and was a shopkeeper with his father. Some time after 1749 and up to 1752, he moved to the Island of Madeira, where he made a large fortune. Upon his return, he settled in New London, Conn., and became a merchant. He married, on 29 October 1753, Elizabeth Christophers Shackmaple (1714-1783), the widow of John Shackmaple, Jr. She had five children by her first husband, and one child, who lived, by Allen, Thomas Jr. Thomas Allen, Sr. married second, on 7 July 1784, Mary Adams Allen, the widow of his brother, Lewis Allen. They had no children. Thomas Allen died in New London on 19 November 1793.

Lewis Allen (1747-1782), the son of Nathaniel and Dorcas Bowes Allen, was born in Boston. In 1757 he went to Shrewsbury with his parents and in 1770 married Mary Adams ( - ). He bought an estate in Leicester, Mass., in 1779 and named it "The Mount Pleasant Estate." Lewis Allen died in Leicester on 7 November 1782 and was buried on his estate.

Thomas Allen (1755-1842), the son of Thomas and Elizabeth Christophers Shackmaple Allen, was born in New London, Conn. on 10 September 1755. He married, on 23 April 1778, Amelia Taber (1758-1838); they had twelve children. Thomas kept a farm named "The Mount Pleasant Estate." Beginning in April 1793 and until 1812, he rented Fisher's Island, N.Y. for an annual fee of $2600. His family and twelve other families, who were his tenants, lived on the island. In 1812, Thomas, his wife, and eight of their children moved to Pomfret, Conn., where he bought the Nightingale farms. Thomas remained in Pomfret, except for a few years spent in New London, until his death on 16 May 1842.

William Allen (1785-1833), the son of Thomas and Amelia Taber Allen, was born at "Mount Pleasant" on 13 March 1785. He married Emily Chandler (1793-1882) on 18 January 1815. They had ten children and lived on Nightingale farm in Pomfret, Conn., then at Rope Ferry, East Lyme, Conn. William Allen died at Rope Ferry on 20 March 1833.