The Ogle County Democrat, Mount Morris, IL

Thursday, May 20, 1886 p. 2, col 3-4

Death of Isaac H. Allen

Comrade Issac Hollingsworth Allen, was born in Harford County, Maryland, February 11th, 1816. He was the son of "Captain" Isaac Allen of wide-spread reputation as a model school teacher, throughout several of the border counties of Maryland and Pennsylvania.

The son in growing emulated the example of his father, elected and determined to become a teacher himself and to that end he bent his every effort, aim and purpose: and at the youthful age of eighteen years we find him so started out in life; teaching the school of Middletown, Frederick County, Md., at which place, he was married to Miss Eva Titlo, in January 1840. Soon thereafter, he removed to Keedysville, Md., where he taught about a year and a half -- then moved to Sharpsburg, Md., where he remained but a few months on account of shattered health. He finally secured a school in Hagerstown, Washington Co., Maryland, upon moving to that place he remained for several years.

In the spring of 1852 he contracted the "Western fever," and to cure the disease he concluded to "emigrate" to this grand Prairie State of Illinois. Having so determined, he at once packed up his outfit and with his little family consisting of a wife and four children, he started overland by team, arriving at Mt. Morris, Ill., in June 1852. He at once went to work farming and teaching alternately. Farming during the growing seasons and teaching each winter season. Thus we find him up to the outbreak of the rebellion. His patriotic spirit could not resist the impulse to enlist as a volunteer to help suppress the rebellion, notwithstanding the fact that he already had two able bodied sons in the field. He first served a term in the three months service, and being dissatisfied with that brief service, he immediately followed his muster-out, by a re-enlistment, this time joining the 14th Illinois Cavalry Regiment, commanded by Col. Capron. He was always a prompt and obedient soldier; always on the alert and on hand for any emergency, and was so well liked by his commanding officers' that, he was gradually promoted until he reached the position of Adjutant of that regiment on account of the gallant and meritorious services rendered. He was among the unfortunate prisoners of war that were confined in our old fort used by the rebels as a prison-pen at Charleston, South Carolina, and was there held, or kept confined, while said fort or building was being fired upon by our own fleet during its bombardment. Upon being exchanged as a prisoner of war he returned to his Regiment and completed his term of service.

A few years ago his services were again recognized and partially rewarded by a clerical appointment in the Surgeon General's office of the War Department, at Washington, D. C., from which labors he had recently returned home upon a temporary sick leave to recuperate his health and strength, but instead, he was stricken down with apoplexy, or paralysis, with fatal effect.

On Saturday afternoon May 8th, the day after his return home, he paid a visit to his aged and only sister who resides a few miles out of town, and after a brief stay, he started to return home, apparently in his full faculties and strength of body and mind. But upon his arrival at home he was found to be in an almost helpless condition physically and wholly speechless. He grew rapidly worse, soon becoming utterly unconscious. He laid in this state up to Wednesday morning at 2 o'clock, when he regained temporary consciousness of recognition, but not the power of speech. It was a noticeable fact however, that he was sufficiently conscious to recognize his wife and children and know that they were all with him, but his temporary rally was of short duration. He soon again began sinking, and after lingering in another unconscious stupor for several days, he finally departed this life Tuesday morning at 5 o'clock, aged 70 years, 3 months and 20 days.

Comrade Allen was a member of Meade Post No. 5, Department of the Potomac, Grand Army of the Republic, located in Washington, D. C.

His funeral took place from his late residence, at this place, Wednesday May 19th and was largely attended, not only by his neighbors of this immediate vicinity, but by his numerous friends and relatives, from Freeport, Franklin Grove, Des Plains, Oregon, Polo, Forreston, Leaf River, etc., The funeral services were held at the M. E. Church and were conducted by the Reverends Messrs Hoffman and Ruthrauf, and were exceedingly interesting and appropriate, the first reverend gentleman giving a brief sketch of Comrade Allen's services as a citizen and a soldier of the republic.

The church was densely crowded, a portion of the sacred edifice being reserved for the comrades of the local post of the G. A. R. of this county, who were desirous of testifying by their presence, their respect and appreciation of their late comrade and were under the marching command of Capt. H. P. Lason, Commander of Oregon Post No. 116, until the grave was reached, when the service provided by the ritual of the Grand Army of the Republic, was presided over by Comrade Fred W. Spink, Commander of Custer Post No. 40 of Chicago, of which Post Comrade Allen's second son George Q. is a member.

The "Grand Army" service being new to the residents of Mt. Morris, proved to them, the high appreciation which comrades of the G. A. R. entertain for their deceased comrades, demonstrating that the tie which binds old soldiers one to the other is profoundly deep and lasting.

The service -- both at the church and at the grave -- were made doubly beautiful and effective by the exquisite singing of the choir of the M. E. church under the leadership of Mr. J. M. Piper, of this place.

The family of the deceased would like to improve this opportunity to return thanks to their many friends for the kindness extended to them from every side during the illness of their father, and to do so, from the depths of their hearts; human sympathy being doubly dear on occasions of this kind, but especially so when freighted with the genuine good will manifested by all.

Contributed by Peg Allen Arnold

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