The 27th Maine Volunteers
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Samuel L Allen
Private, Company D, Age 38, Residence listed as Berwick
SAMUEL LEIGHTON ALLEN was born 16 March, 1824 in Shapleigh, Maine, the son of Samuel and Abigail
(Pray) Allen [ME v.r.]. He died of pneumonia on 2 March, 1913 in Shapleigh at age 88yrs,11mos,14das and
was buried in Riverside Cemetery in Springvale [ME vr and York Cty Cem Inscrip, pg 1942; death rec].
He married circa 1855-1860 [based on 1900+1910 censuses] to CATHERINE DAY, who was born 19 Oct,
1831 and died on 13 May, 1923 [grave inscrip]. Census records gave her birth place as England, with an
immigration year of 1844. She was living in same household as "Leighton" Allen was in 1850 Somersworth,
NH, with an Ann Day (perhaps a sister?).
In early census records (1850 Somersworth and 1860 Lynn, MA), Samuel (usually called Leighton) was a
shoemaker (cordwainer), but was afterwards a farmer. He lived most of his life in Shapleigh, except for the
above mentioned censuses where he traveled outside the state for shoe working. I don't see him at all in
Berwick, the place of residence given during enlistment, so likely his service was creditted to this town to fill
their quota.
The obituary of Samuel was carried in the Springvale Advocate, issue dated Friday 7 Mar, 1913 (pg 3), in
part: Sam'l L Allen died at home of his daughter Mrs Charles Rowell at Emery Mills on Sunday afternoon at
advanced age of 89 years. Born in Shapleigh, was one of a large family of 14 children. At 11 years of age he
plunged into work of a farmers boy. At one time he was a shoe maker, but more of his life has been upon the
farm. Besides wife who survives him, there is dau Mrs Charles Rowell; 2 sisters and brother.
Samuel's brother George H served as corporal in the 17th ME INF, Company F, from Aug 1862 until May,
1864, when he was mortally wounded in the Wilderness.
Samuel and Catherine had only one child:
FRANCES, born 11 Nov, 1864 [likely in Shapleigh] and died 27 Nov, 1940 [grave inscrip], buried in Riverside
Cem, Springvale, ME. She married on 21 May, 1890 in Fairfield, ME [from her obit per Early Families of
Shap.+ Acton by Boyle - I haven't viewed paper yet] to CHARLES S ROWELL, who was born 10 Mar, 1849
and died 9 Oct, 1930 [grave inscrip]. He was a grocery and retail merchant, living in Shapleigh as of 1910.
1900 census gives them 2 children, but only one, daughter Catherine, was living at the time (she is buried with
her parents at Riverside b. 6 Apr, 1895 - d.7 Nov,1949).
additional source data:
1850 Somersworth, NH census: Leighton living with Richard Blaisdell household [Katherine Day, age 20, also here - likely his
future wife]
1860 Lynn, MA wrd-5 [pg 347] - Leighton and Catherine in h.h. of Joseph+Frances Adams
1870 Shapleigh, ME (pg 15): h.h. 118/121
1880 (Emery Mills) Shapleigh (pg18): h.h. 175/180
1900 Shapleigh (pg 1B) h.h. 23/24
1910 Shapleigh: h.h. 66/72
York Cty Cem Inscrip's: pg 1941-2
Civil War Pension Index: (dates unreadable) app #962,330 cert #722,972
Early Families of Shapleigh and Acton, Me - Fred'k Boyle: see pg 18-20 for more data on Leighton's parents