Text of 9/1/1955 Mattoon, IL, Daily Journal Gazette article describing John L. Allison's death
Mattoon Pioneer Shot To Death As A Union "Spy"
Apparently judged by Confederate guerrillas to be a Union spy, one of the most prominent men in the founding of Mattoon was forced to dig his own grave and shot to death on March 24, 1864 in Mississippi.
He was John Lewis Allison, who with five partners, started a sale of town lots here on May 15, 1855, the day after the city was named for William "Big Bill" Mattoon.
Mr. Allison was born June 16, 1821 and with his parents Dr. and Mrs. William B. Allison, moved from Indiana and settled at Wabash Point, southwest of Mattoon, in 1834.
When only 14 years old he was sent alone on horseback to Kentucky to collect a $700 debt for his father. He made the journey through untravelled areas and returned safely with $700, a considerable sum of money at that time.
On March 21, 1843, he married Jerusha P. Hanson, a daughter of Mr. and Mrs. George Major Hanson. (Mr. Hanson was the first postmaster in Coles County). They had two children, John L., who moved to California where many of his descendants now live, and Mary Elizabeth, who was married to Lapsley Campbell Henley, another pioneer.
Allison's wife, Jerusha, passed away May 8, 1848. The following year, he married Deborah L. Roberts, daughter of James and Sopheonis Meeks Roberts on August 2, 1849.
Mr. Allison with Elisha Linder, Ebenezer Noyes, James Cunningham, Stephen Dole and John Cunningham purchased 300 acres of land at a government sale. This comprised part of what is Matton today.
In 1855, he moved from Wabash Point to Mattoon and opened a real estate office. He and the Cunninghams donated the square block composing what is now Allison-Cunningham Park across from the present Washington School. It was Mattoon's first city park. The donors set out trees and the park became the pride of the new prairie city.
During the Civil War, Mr. Allison leased a plantation 55 miles south of Vicksburg, Miss. At that time the lands had been confiscated by the Union government and were leased to anyone who wished to cultivate them.
Mr. Allison and two other men, a Mr. Apperson and Mr. Davis, went to Vicksburg with the intention of raising cotton. When they reached the plantation, they found that Union troops had been withdrawn. Mr. Apperson and Mr. Davis returned to Vicksburg leaving Mr. Allison alone.
The same afternoon a party of guerrillas captured him with some Negroes who were on the plantation. He and the Negroes were forced to march about 15 miles before camping for the night. The following morning the guerrillas searched Mr. Allison and found letters of introduction and recommendation from prominent Union men.
Mr. Allison was forced to dig his own grave and was then shot to death.
PLEASE NOTE: I stopped updating the web page around 2001, but I've continued to work on my project. My family history is now in Word document format, with the goal of publishing it once I consider it to be as complete as I'm going to get it. While I'm greatly indebted to those who have assisted me in my research, I'm finding that the demands of everyday life don't allow me to consistently respond to email inquiries. So, I'm offering my most up-to-date volume for sale, at a price of $19. For those interested, it is at 118 pages right now, printed by a laser printer on 8.5x11 32-lb./98 brightness paper, and wire bound. The table of contents, revision history, and index are available at the following links. To order a copy, please email me at [email protected], and I'll send it within 3 days of payment. If you indicate the family line you are interested in, I'll send you a new bound copy if and when I update my research for that line. Thanks,
Jay
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