Western Pennsylvania Genealogy
Compiled by Douglas H. Lusher


Family Group Record



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Andrew Allison and Sarah "Sally" Barr




Husband Andrew Allison 1

           Born: 1757 - Cumberland Co, PA 2
     Christened: 
           Died: 1815 - Indiana Co, PA 3
         Buried: 


         Father: Robert Allison (      -      ) 4
         Mother: Rebecca Baird (      -      ) 5


       Marriage: Oct 1790 2



Wife Sarah "Sally" Barr 1

           Born: 
     Christened: 
           Died: 
         Buried: 


         Father: Robert Barr (      -      ) 6
         Mother: Sarah [Unk] (      -      ) 6




Children
1 M Robert Allison 3

           Born: Abt 1794
     Christened: 
           Died: 15 Aug 1866 - Indiana Co, PA 3
         Buried: 
         Spouse: Hannah Bryan (      -      ) 3
           Marr: 14 Apr 1819 3


2 M John Allison 3

           Born: Abt 1796
     Christened: 
           Died: 28 Jul 1878 - Indiana 3
         Buried: 
         Spouse: Mary Taylor (      -      ) 3
           Marr: 30 Dec 1817 3



General Notes: Husband - Andrew Allison


He was the third son in the family. After having followed Gen. Washington through the most gloomy period of the Revolution, he returned to his father's family in Cumberland County, Pennsylvania, but did not remain there long. In the year 1785, he again left the paternal roof, and with a new axe in his hand, and a rifle on his shoulder, crossed the mountains and settled in Westmoreland County, near the site of the later village of New Derry. There he commenced an improvement, making his home with John Pomroy, in time of peace, and when the Indians invaded the settlement he took refuge in a fort in the vicinity. During his sojourn in Westmoreland County, the settlement was frequently attacked by Indians, and several men were killed and others wounded. In 1788, he sold his improvements to Francis Pomroy, crossed the Conemaugh river, and settled on the bank of Two-lick, on the site of an old In- dian town, opposite the present village of Homer. Here he built a cabin, and cleared some ground for agricultural purposes. The cabin was without a door, and a hole in one side served as a means of ingress and egress. One night while reposing on his rudely constructed couch in the corner of his cabin, he heard a noise, or stir at the opening, and on looking up, saw a large panther standing with his head inside and his paws on the lower sill, looking wistfully up at some venison that was suspended from a joist in the cabin. Andrew reached for his rifle, but before he had time to take aim, the panther had backed out and disappeared.
During his stay at this place, the Indians did not disturb that neighborhood. In the year 1790, his father came from Cumberland County and took charge of his improvements, and Andrew penetrated farther into the forest and opened up a farm, later owned by Archy Nichol, three miles east of the borough of Indiana. Here he was the frontier settler, with nothing between him and the Susquehanna river but the howling wilderness, abounding with wild beasts, and traversed by hostile natives. He remained at his new home until 1792, in which year the Indians renewed their attacks on some of the border settlements. A report having reached him one evening that Indians were in the vicinity, he took his family, consisting of his wife and one child, and fled to his nearest neighbor, Irwin Adams. Mrs. Adams was sick and confined to her bed. During the night the Indians kept them in constant terror, one whistling on his rifle charger on one side of the cabin, and another answering in like manner on the other side. The inmates were on their feet all night, the men having their rifles in their hands, ready to repel an attack, and the others being engaged in stopping up the cracks between the logs, to prevent the assailants from taking aim at any one inside. Dreading a warm reception, the Indians kept at a respectful distance, and finally withdrew. In the morning, Allison and Adams yoked the oxen, and placed Mrs. Adams and her infant daughter on a sled, and proceeded with their families to Moorhead's fort. After remaining there several days, Allison went to look after his farm, and get some articles that had been left, but the cabin with all its contents was burnt, the Indians having fired it during his absence. He then returned to his father's on Two-lick, where another fort was being erected; there he remained until sometime in 1793, when he removed to the forks of Two-lick and Yellow creek, on an improvement made by John Henry at an earlier date, but who, on account of the dangers that surrounded him, had returned to his former home in Virginia. At this place Allison remained till 1795, when he purchased an improvement made in 1772 by one Joseph Hopkins, about three miles south of Indiana, Hopkins and his family having fled on account of the Indian troubles. Here again he was on the frontier, with neither a house nor a public road, bridge, church, or school house within ten miles. It was truly a secluded spot; the silence of the forest was seldom broken, except by the howling wolves, the yelling panthers, or the crack of the hunter's rifle. After Allison had settled on the Hopkins farm, the Indians made sneaking visits to the settlement, but were less hostile than before. Being at last permanently located, and no longer annoyed by Indians, he succeeded in opening out a fine farm, and erecting comfortable buildings. Here he spent the remainder of his days.

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Sources


1 —, History of Indiana County, Pennsylvania (Newark, OH: J. A. Caldwell, 1880), Pg 455, 534.

2 —, History of Indiana County, Pennsylvania (Newark, OH: J. A. Caldwell, 1880), Pg 455.

3 —, History of Indiana County, Pennsylvania (Newark, OH: J. A. Caldwell, 1880), Pg 456.

4 —, History of Indiana County, Pennsylvania (Newark, OH: J. A. Caldwell, 1880), Pg 455, 470.

5 —, History of Indiana County, Pennsylvania (Newark, OH: J. A. Caldwell, 1880), Pg 470.

6 —, History of Indiana County, Pennsylvania (Newark, OH: J. A. Caldwell, 1880), Pg 534.


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