Biographical sketch extracted from:

Biographical and historical record of Adams and Wells counties, Indiana. Chicago: Lewis Publishing Co., 1887. pp. 854-855.

HEZEKIAH ALLEN was born in Montgomery County, New York, October 6, 1807, a son of Ebenezer and Abigail (Slocum) Allen. The father was born on the Isle of Prudence, Rhode Island, and was a son of Rev. William Allen, who married Mollie Fairbanks. They were residents of Rhode Island during the Revolutionary war, and most of their property was destroyed by the British soldiers at that time. Commodore Perry was a classmate of Ebenezer Allen, and a strong friendship existed between them. Ebenezer Allen married Abigail Slocum previous to his location in Montgomery County. They had fourteen children—William, Sallie, Samuel, Sebra, Rachel, Ebenezer, Henry, Hezekiah, Stephen, Abbie, Jonathan, Rhoda, Mary and Matthew. The family settled in Wethersfield, Trumbull County, Ohio, in 1818, where the father entered a tract of woodland and lived there for several years, and where the mother died. Later the family removed to Jackson Township. Ebenezer’s second wife was Jane Wochard, and they had one daughter—Lydia. Ebenezer returned to York State, and while there was married to Sallie Card. They returned to Ohio and settled in Fowler, where his death occurred in a few years. Our subject was eleven years of age when his people settled in Trumbull County. He early learned to work, as his father was a poor man with a large family. He distinctly remembers the war of 1812, and the soldiers on their way to Sackett’s Harbor passed through the field in which the children were hoeing corn. Hezekiah worked by the day at odd jobs, until he was eighteen years of age, then began working on the Cuyahoga Canal. For several years he was engaged in building different canals, and was twenty-nine years of age before his marriage with Sarah Rinear, daughter of Rev. Edmund and Mary (Norcross) Rinear, who were natives of New Jersey. The marriage of our subject took place November 10, 1836, and the young couple began housekeeping on a tract of land in Jackson Township. Their children born in Ohio were——Jonathan, Mary J., Ransom, Elizabeth (deceased) and Isaac. After the family came to Indiana in 1847, Hannah and Rhoda were born. Their location was made in Jefferson Township, and the family moved into a log cabin that was built by Matthew Allen. The lands were all cleared after the family settled, and were entered by Mr. Allen on the Indian Reserve. The patents for 236 acres were signed by President Zachary Taylor. The woods were full of deer, turkeys and squirrels, and Mr. Allen was a great lover of the chase. He has killed 140 deer, besides other game in large quantities. One of the most ferocious animals ever seen in Wells County was killed by Mr. Allen. It had been seen many times by different individuals, and had chased George Eddy the same season it was killed. Mr. Allen had a large bull-dog which was as noted in the neighborhood as was his master. The animal came into the stockyard, and was soon discovered by Mr. Allen and his dog, which caught the animal just as he was getting through the fence. Armed with a club, Mr. Allen ran to the rescue and soon knocked it senseless. Recovering somewhat, Mr. Allen caught it by the neck, opened his knife with his teeth, and cut the animal’s throat. This desperate encounter occurred about three o’clock in the morning, when every neighbor was at home and asleep; but the neighborhood was rid of a genuine terror. Many persons came to see the carcass, which was afterward skinned and the hide tanned, and was used a long time by Mr. Allen for a saddle blanket, always proud of his trophy. All their children are married except Jonathan. Mary J. became the wife of Jacob Clark; Ransom married Elizabeth Todd; Isaac became the husband of Nancy Wilson, and Emma married Perkins Scott. All have children. Mr. Allen has been three times married. His second wife was formerly Elizabeth Hashman, and they had two children—Ida and Jasper N. The third wife was Mrs. Mary A. (Jennings) Reed, who had one child—Emma, now the wife of Pearl Scott. Ransom and Isaac were soldiers during the late civil war. Ransom was a member of the Thirtieth Indiana, and Isaac of the Seventy-fifth Indiana Infantry. Ransom was slightly wounded during his term of service, but Isaac received no wound, although he was in some of the severest battles of the war. The aged sire was as full of patriotism as were his sons, and offered his services, but his sons were before him in getting their names on the muster roll, and he was forced to remain. After his return from the war, Isaac married the sister of his rnessmate, Cyrus Wilson. They have two children living—Sarah and Cyrus. Our subject is now over eighty years old, and one of the most voluble and interesting talkers in the township. He is one of the old-time story-tellers, and dearly loves his pipe. He is as fond of a fishing-rod as a youth of seventeen. He was one of the founders of the Republican party in this county, and voted for their first candidate. His first presidential vote was cast for John Quincy Adams against Andrew Jackson