The Allender Ancestors of Nellie May (Barnett) Ferrin
by Jerry D. Ferrin
The Family of David W. & Margaret J. Allender, Benton Township, Polk County, Missouri.
The David W. Allender Family of Benton Township, Benton County, Missouri, about 1889. From left: Harry Allender, Laura Allender (later Roderick), David W. Allender, Lilly Allender (later Moreton), Margaret J. Allender and Mamie Allender (later Smith). Anna Aurelia Allender is not pictured in the photo, which was copied from one in the collection of her daughter, Nellie May (Barnett) Ferrin.
David W. Allender, b. 1829 in PA and d. 1901 in Polk Co., MO,
married Margaret J. (___?), who was b. 1836 in PA and d. 1897 in
Polk Co., MO.
Both David & Margaret are buried in the Prairie Grove Cemetery, Dallas County, MO. According to the 1880 Federal Census of Benton Township, Polk Co., MO, both of her parents and his mother were born in PA. No birth place is given for his father but oral family tradition from Nellie May (Barnett) Ferrin states that David's father was born on a ship coming to the USA from Ireland.
Children listed in the 1880 census were: Laura, age 19; Mary J., age 17; William, age 13; Anna A., age 12; David H., age 10; Louie (son), age 5 and Elizah (son), age 3.
Gravestones in Row 11 of Prairie Grove Cemetery include Archie Allender, 1876-1882; Jesse Allender 1879-1879; Margaret Allender 1836-1897 and David W. Allender, 1829-1901.
Louie & Eliza were born in MO; Anna A. was born in Vinton Co., OH, and all their other children were also born in OH.
David W. Allender, Benton Township, Polk County, Missouri, about 1889. Copied from a photo in the collection of his grand-daughter, Nellie May (Barnett) Ferrin of Wilmore, Kansas.
Lilly Allender (later Moreton), Benton Township, Polk County, Missouri, about 1889. Mother of Glenn Moreton. Copied from a photo in the collection of her niece, Nellie May (Barnett) Ferrin of Wilmore, Kansas.
Nellie May Barnett with her first cousin, Glenn Moreton, son of Lilly (Allender) Moreton, at the Anna (Allender) Barnett home in Wilmore, Comanche County, Kansas. After his mother died, Glenn Moreton was reared by his Aunt Annie Barnett. Copied from a photo in the collection of Nellie May (Barnett) Ferrin.
Glenn Allen Moreton was born 24 April 1905 at San Bernadino, CA, to William or Bill & Lilly (Allender) Moreton. He married (Trevia) Juanita Emerson on 10 July 1926 at Sawyer, Ks. He died 15 March 1982 at Greensburg, Ks, and is buried in the Crown Hill Cemetery at Coldwater, Ks.
This information was given to Jerry Ferrin by Glennda Burt in a conversation on 23 March 1993.
I never met him, but I heard my Grandmother Barnett tell many times of an incident that occured with her brother in their youth. I don't know if he was older or younger than she, but as she told the story their father came home one day with a new axe and she and her brother both wanted to be the first to use it. Somehow Grandma got possession of the axe first. Her brother was barefooted, as were all kids of that time. He put his foot up on the chopping block so she couldn't use the block. She told him to move his foot or she would cut his toes off. He refused and she swung, intending to scare him. She did. She also cut off his big toe. Like I said, I never met him but Grandma said he limped the rest of his life. I'm sure that thereafter he had a healthier respect for threats from the opposite sex. (written 5/25/90)
At left: Map of Polk County, Missouri, showing Benton Township where the Allender family lived.
The gravestone of Laura Maggie (Allender) Roderick, born 14 Aug 1861, died 26 June 1942. Sharon Cemetery, Barber County, Kansas.
She was the daughter of David W. & Margaret J. Allender of Benton township, Polk Co., MO. "Kate" Roderick Baker of Wilmore, Ks, was her step-sister. Anna Aurelia (Allender) Barnett of Wilmore, Ks, was her sister. She was the second wife of Daniel Boone Roderick, with whom she had one daughter, Ura Ramona Roderick, born 2 August 1895. Ura married Grant Wright and moved to Phoenix, Az. They had three children: Ronald, Max and Margaret Wright.
Related histories:
The Barnett Ancestors & Relatives of Nellie May (Barnett) Ferrin
The Roderick Family
Letter to Jerry Ferrin re: Nellie May (Barnett) Ferrin from Alzina Baker
The Memoirs of Grant Wright
Satellite view of Wilmore, KS, 01 April 1996, 2-meter resolution.