The Allison Brothers - Allison, Cyrus, Jackson, Moulder, Piercy Families (Camden County)

Please read the post titled "Battle of Henrytown or Monday's Hollow" for general information about the battle, the prisoners, and the events of that winter.

Allison Family:  Willis Allison and his younger brother Hugh were early pioneers in Camden County.  Born in Wilkes County, North Carolina, about 1803, Willis married Rebecca Bradley.  They were living in Bedford County, Tennessee in 1824. By 1840 the family had moved to Macks Creek in Camden County, Missouri.  In August 1849 Willis bought two lots and 33 acres in Camden County.  The following year Rebeccca died.  On New Year's Day in 1852 Willis married Elizabeth Piercy/Percy.  Four years later his younger brother Hugh bought 40 acres near Willis' property.   After the war Willis and his second wife lived with his son Joseph's family (Joseph married one of Elizabeth's daughters from a previous marriage), first in Camden County and by 1880 in Jasper County, Missouri.  Several of his sons moved to Texas and Willis died there in 1885.

At least two of Willis Allison's sons were taken prisoner at the battles:  Joseph Warren Allison and George Newton Allison.  Some have suggested that James Bradley Allison was also taken prisoner.  No rolls have been found of the Missouri State Guard companies at the battles.  Muster rolls of soldiers listing the Battle of Wet Glaize suggest that several companies of the 3rd Regiment Infantry and 3rd Regiment Cavalry, 6th Division, were present.

An older son, Benjamin Franklin Allison, had enlisted in the Osage Regt. Home Guards,  a Union militia, in July 1861.
http://www.sos.mo.gov/Images/Archives/Military/s00883/s00883_1791.pdf
When Benjamin Allison was mustered out in December 1861,  two of his brothers were in prison in St. Louis.

John Willis Allison was the oldest of the brothers.  He was born in 1824 in Bedford County, Tennessee.  He moved with his family to Missouri about 1837. In 1846 John married Martha Cyrus, a sister of John Cyrus, a forage master for the Missouri State Guard and another of the prisoners.  In 1850 John Allison, his wife, and young child were living near his older brother, Benjamin Allison, in Camden County, Missouri.   Neither brother nor their wives could read or write. 

During the battles in October 1861, the brothers were taken prisoner, then marched to Rolla to work on the fortifications there for several weeks.   John and Joseph were taken by rail car to prison in St. Louis in December.  On February 1, 1862,  John took the Oath of Allegiance.
http://www.sos.mo.gov/records/archives/archivesdb/provost/Results.aspx Allison, John   Phelps County
In March 1863 their daughter Sarah Catherine was born in Camden County.  That summer the Civil War Draft Enumeration took place for Camden County.  John was not listed on the Registration nor was he enlisted in the Union militias. 

John's youngest son Lee Roy was born in Erath County, Texas in March 1866. Several other Allison family members also traveled to Texas in the decade after the Civil War.  Although many returned to Missouri, they settled in counties other than Camden County.  In 1870 John and his wife and five children were living in McDonald County, Missouri.  John was a farmer with both personal and real estate of value.  In 1880 he and his wife and two of their children had returned to Erath County, Texas.  His wife Martha had learned to read.  John died in March 1908 in Crowell, Texas.

James Bradley Allison was born in Bedford, Tennessee, in 1829.  James' wife, Myra Jackson, died in Linn Creek in November 1861.  Her brother Thomas was also taken prisoner as well as William Jackson and Calton Jackson.  From July to November 1863 James served in the 9th Provisional Regiment EMM, Company G, a Union militia.  His brother Joseph also served in this company.  In December 1863 he married Frances Paralee Radford.   His service card indicated he was detailed from the 47th EMM, Company H.  This company included his brothers Newton and Benjamin.  On August 1, 1864, James enlisted in Capt. Bollinger's Provisional Company in Linn Creek.   He was mustered in August 8 and mustered out in March 1865.

James and Frances were farming in White Oak, Franklin County, Arkansas in 1870 with three children from his first marriage and their three younger children.  The six year old was born in Missouri; the three year old was born in Nebraska; and the one year old was born in Arkansas.  By 1872 the family moved to Hood County, Texas.  His oldest daughter Rebecca was living with them, along with six younger children.

"James Bradley Allison and wife Francis Paralee Radford lived just outside of Lipan in what was known as the Allison community.  James Bradley was a member of the Masonic Lodge (International Order of Odd Fellows) and active in the Town politics. "
http://www.granburydepot.org/z/biog/allison.htm
James died in 1891 in Texas.

George Newton Allison was born in Macks Creek in 1838.  Newton and his younger brothers and sisters were listed as each owning a slave in 1860.  That year he married Mary Ann "Polly" Moulder who was born in Camden County in 1839.  The young couple were living with his parents in the 1860 Census.  Her cousin David Moulder was also taken prisoner.  Newton Allison's name appears on the list of prisoners captured, but doesn't appear on the list of prisoners taken to St. Louis. 

In July 1862 Newton and Benjamin enlisted as Privates in the 47th Regt. EMM, a Union militia, at Linn Creek in Capt. Brown's Company H.  They were ordered into active service by Col. McClurg in August 1862, and again in October 1864 by Col. T.J. Kelley, and relieved from duty in December 1864.  

http://www.sos.mo.gov/Images/Archives/Military/s00790/s00790_1812.pdf

Newton and his family were in Texas with John in 1866, but were back living near Joseph's family in Camden County by 1868.  By 1870 Newton and his wife had four young children.  He was a farmer with both personal and real estate of value.  In 1875 he bought 80 acres in Camden County.  During the next five years he and his family moved to Pleasant Gap in Bates County, Missouri.  Bates County was one of the areas settlers were forced to evacuate under General Order 11.  During the Civil War the federal government ordered the area depopulated and structures were burned to reduce the border violence between Kansas and Missouri.  After the war new settlers arrived. Newton died December 1, 1932, in Bates County.

Joseph Allison was born in Missouri in 1843.  In the 1860 Census Joseph was living with his father and his stepmother Elizabeth.   Other family members in the household included his brother Newton and new wife, younger sister Rachel, grandmother Catherine Allison, and three younger Piercy children from Elizabeth's previous marriage.   In August 1861, Joseph enlisted for a three-month stint with the Missouri State Guard.

After spending the winter in prison in St. Louis,  Joseph told Union authorities that he was ready to take the Oath but would not take up arms against Price's army (Missouri State Guard); he wished to remain neutral.  Joseph took the Oath of Allegiance in February 1862.  

http://www.sos.mo.gov/records/archives/archivesdb/provost/Results.aspx Allison, Joseph    Camden, Phelps, and St. Louis Counties

When he returned to Camden County Price's Missouri State Guard had moved to Arkansas to join with Confederate forces.  In July Joseph enrolled in the 47th EMM, a Union militia, at Linn Creek as 7th Corporal under Capt. Collier in Company F.   In August 1862 he was ordered into active service by Col. McClurg and served for 95 days.  

http://www.sos.mo.gov/Images/Archives/Military/s00790/s00790_1810.pdf

From July to November of 1863 Joseph served as a Private in the 9th Provisional Regt. EMM under Brig. Gen. Crawford.

http://www.sos.mo.gov/Images/Archives/Military/s00821/s00821_1782.pdf

On July 10, 1864, Joseph married Amanda Piercy, one of his stepmother's children from a previous marriage.  In 1870 his parents Willis and Elizabeth were living with Joseph and his wife Manda and their two young children along with two Percy children and his married sister Rachel Baker.  Also in this household were two African-Americans born in Missouri:  Alen Allison age 14 and Jiles Allison age 12.  Joseph had both personal and real estate of value.  His sister Rachel, father Willis, and Alen and Jiles couldn't read or write.  Joseph and his family left Camden County as other family members had done, and relocated with his parents to Joplin, Missouri, by 1880.   On December 8, 1892, Joseph filed from Indian Territory for a Civil War Pension.  His wife Amanda filed for a Widow's Pension from Oklahoma in 1910.

Willis' brother Hugh purchased land in Benton County in 1859.  During the Civil War Hugh Allison was arrested for participating in a robbery of McClurg's store in Linn Creek.  Joseph McClurg was an outspoken Unionist and his mercantile was burned twice.  Hugh stated that he was a Southern man but didn't support the rebellion.  He claimed innocence and said he was a victim of spite by a member of the Home Guard.  In January 1862 he took the Oath of Allegiance.
http://www.sos.mo.gov/records/archives/archivesdb/provost/Results.aspx Allison, Hugh    Benton County
According to oral family history, "Hugh Allison, his wife, and some of his children were murdered at their farm in 1863.  The murderers tortured the wife and children to get Hugh to tell them where his money was hidden, but he had no money."

Related Information:
In 1864 two slaves, Peter Allison and Lang Pitts, enlisted in the U.S. Colored Troops.  Both men listed Willis Allison of Camden County as slaveholder. For more information about these men, see "Camden County Mercantiles and the U.S. Colored Troops."