Allason Family Archives: Rev. John & Susannah (Sewell) Allason

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John & Sarah (Stevenson) Allason

The father of Rev John Allason was also a John Allason, born 1747 and died March 1830 in Lartington, North Yorkshire at the age of 83. He married Sarah Stevenson on 24 May 1770 in Romaldkirk Parish Church. They had a large family including:
John Allason born about 1774 in Cotherstone in the Parish of Romaldkirk, Yorkshire.
Ann Allason baptised 16 June 1778, married George Bewick 5 June 1799.
Ephraim Allason baptised 15 February 1780, married Ann Sayer 29 November 1805.
Moses Allason baptised 23 October 1781, married Ann Dent 10 November 1812.
Sarah Allason baptised 23 February 1784, married Martin White 21 May 1801.
Isaac Allason baptised 28 November 1785, married Jane Head 15 June 1795.
Stephen Allason baptised 25 October 1790, buried 6 August 1829.
Mary Allason baptised 14 June 1798, buried 21 August 1806.

Baptisms all took place in Cotherstone Independent Church.
Ann, Ephraim, Moses and Sarah were all married in Romaldkirk Parish Church.
Isaac and Jane married at St Michael's, Workington, Cumberland.
Stephen and Mary were buried at Romaldkirk Parish Church.

John & Susannah (Sewell) Allason

John Allason was born about 1774 in Cotherstone, North Yorkshire and died 4 April 1836 in Low Row, Swaledale, North Yorkshire at the age of 62 years.
Susannah Sewell was born about 1787 in Uppingham, Rutland and died 14 October 1830 in Low Row, Swaledale, North Yorkshire at nearly 43 years of age.
John Allason and Susannah Sewell married on 21 February 1804 in Uppingham, Rutland, England.

Together John and Susannah Allason had 8 children:
Ann Allason was born & baptised in 1804 in Uppington and died 19 January 1829, aged 24 years.
John Allason born 9 August 1808, baptised 2 October 1808, died 10 October 1834, aged 26 years.
Sarah Allason born 11 June 1812, baptised 26 July 1812, died 20 April 1828, aged 16 years.
Susannah Allason born 4 August 1814, baptised 4 September 1814, died 14 February 1830, aged 16.
Rebecca Allason born 11 October 1816, baptised 1 December 1816, buried 2 October 1845. Rebecca married Adam Barker.
Edward Allason born 18 May 1819, baptised 20 June 1819. Edward married Elizabeth Davidson nee Naisbett on 16 January 1843 in Tasmania. He died 25 November 1888 in Launceston, Australia.
Aaron Allason baptised 26 March 1823.
Ann Allason born 5 April 1830, baptised 30 May 1830, died 20 October 1830, aged 7 months.

John Allason grew up in a Nonconformist family which belonged to an Independent Church. He attended Homerton College, then situated in High Street, Hometon, East London. After finishing his training he moved to Rutland where he became the minister of Uppingham Congregational Church (founded in 1700). He was in Uppington from January 1802 to the end of 1806. Since the course at Homerton usually took 6 years, we can assume John travelled south to College in 1795 at the age of 21 years. It was in Uppingham that John met his wife to be, Susannah Sewell and married her on 21 February 1804 before she had turned 16 years old. John was 30 when he married.

In 1807 Rev John Allason arrived in Swaledale, initially to serve as assistant to the Rev David Simpson whose health was beginning to fail. David Simpson died in 1808, whereupon Rev John Allason assumed sole responsibility for the ministry at Smarber Chapel and subsequently the new chapel at Low Row. He started the day school, and by 1833 there were 20 boys and 6 girls in this school but most of the 50 Pounds left by Rev David Simpson to pay a schoolomaster had to be spent on debts on the building.

John and Susannah Allason had eight children but tragically only three survived to mature adult life. Susannah herself died in 1834 aged 43 years and John Allason died in 1836 aged 62 years. There is a monument to the Allason family on the wall of the present church.

It reads:
This monument is a tribute of affection and regret and records the names of persons interred below.
Mrs Susannah Allason who was near 27 years the amiable wife of the Minister of this Chapel. She died Oct 14th 1830 aged near 43 years.
Ann her eldest daughter died Jan 19th 1829 aged 24 years.
Sarah second daughter died April 20th 1828 aged 16 years.
Susanna third daughter died Feb 14th 1830 aged near 16 years.
Ann the eighth child was buried with her mother aged 7 months.
John the eldest son died Oct 10th 1834 aged 26 years.
The Rev J Allason who was thirty years Minister of this Chapel. Died April 4th 1836 aged 62 years.

This Monument is a tribute of affection and regret with the names of persons interred below.

Extracts from Low Row Congregational Church Book

15 November 1807 John Allason co-minister.

22 March 1808 Rev David Simpson buried at Smarber Hall Chapel near his wife Lydia.

2 October 1808 John Allason, born 9 August 1808, baptised by Rev John Allason at Smarber.

27 September 1810 New Chapel registered in Consistory Court of Archdeaconry of Richmond.

5 September 1811 Rev John Allason ordained minister at Low Row Chapel.

26 July 1812 Sarah Allason, born 11 June 1812, baptised by Rev John Allason.

4 September 1814 Susannah Allason, born 4 August 1814, baptised by Rev John Allason.

1 December 1816 Rebecca Allason, born 17 October 1816, baptised by Rev John Allason.

20 June 1819 Edward Allason, born 18 May 1819, baptised by Rev John Allason.

26 March 1823 Aaron Allason, baptised 26 March 1823 by Rev John Allason.

24 April 1828 Rev John Allason buried his daughter Sarah, aged 16 years.

25 January 1829 Rev John Allason buried his daughter Ann, aged 24 years.

18 February 1830 Rev John Allason buried his daughter Susannah Allason, aged 16 years.

30 May 1830 Ann Allason, born 5 April 1830, baptised by Rev John Allason.

13 October 1834 Rev John Allason buried his son John, aged 27 years.

4 April 1836 Rev John Allason buried with his family, aged 62 years.

27 May 1838 John, son of Adam & Rebacca Barker of Feetham, born 22 March, baptised.

Peter and Joy Olney visited Low Row Reformed Church in 2007. We arrived on a Sunday morning while the service was being held. We snuck into the back row while the Minister had his head down praying. As he looked up he noticed that visitors had arrived. (There were only about 15 in the congregation so it was not hard to notice visitors). I stood up, pointed to the large plaque on the wall, and quite emotionally introduced myself as "the great great great grand daughter of Rev John Allason who came to this Church in 1807, two hundred years ago, and I have travelled all the way from Australia to be here today". Everyone was quite moved.

Interior of Low Row United Reformed Church with the Memorial Plaque to Rev John Allason and his family onthe wall.

Interior of Low Row United Reformed Church in 2007 (front view)

Interior Low Row United Reformed Church in 2007 when Joy & Peter Olney visited (Rear view).

Peter & Joy visited Low Row United Reformed Church on 2 September 2007.

The Parsonage at Low Row, built in 1850's, so Rev John Allason and his family did not live here.

Life in North Yorkshire was very difficult. The lead mines were failing and people were becoming destitute. Typhus and Consumption were prevalent and John Allason's family suffered greatly.

The three children that survived to adulthood were Rebecca, Edward and Aaron Allason.

Aaron was a Draper's Assistant in 1841 Census, Rutland, Uppingham District, England.

Edward was a Tailor & Draper in 1841 Census, Barnard Castle, Durham, England.

After the deaths of five siblings and their parents between 1828 and 1836, it is no wonder that Edward and Aaron Allason decided to emigrate to Australia on the barque "George", arriving in Hobart Town on 7 November 1842.

Aaron:
I have no knowledge of what happened to Aaron between 1842 & 1848 but he died on 14 May 1848.

Undertaker states Aaron died on 14 May 1848, cause of death "Apoplexy" or stroke at 23 years. Coroner states Aaron died on 14 May 1848, cause of death "by the visitation of God from the effects of delinim tremins" or psychosis caused by alcoholism on 14 May 1848 at 25 years, in Adelaide, South Australia, Australia. There is a slight difference of opinion which adds confusion some 180 years later!

Edward:
I have discovered that Edward Allason and Alice Milestone has an illegitimate son in 1839.
John Milestone Allison was born 1839 in Leyburn, Yorkshire. In October 1841, when he was 2, his mother Alice died. John was brought up by his mother's 2 maiden sisters - Ann and Elizabeth Milestone. Edward Allason came to Tasmania with his younger brother Aaron Allason on 7 November 1842, never to see his son again.
John Milestone Allison married Emma Simpson (born 1842) on 3 March 1862 and they had 3 children - Alice Allason born 1863, Emily Allason born 1864 and John Edward Allason born 1869, the year his father died.

Edward Allason married Elizabeth Davidson nee Aisbett/Naisbett, the widow of William Davidson on 16 January 1843 in Hobart, Australia. Refer to another post for more detail on Edward Allason as I am a descendant of Edward. Also take a look at my Davidson Family Archives blog.

Rebecca Allason (17 October 1816 - 28 September 1845) married Adam Barker (1807-1871) on 3 July 1836 and they had 4 children:
John Barker - Born 1838 in Feetham and died 1900.
Robert Barker - Born 1840 in Feetham and died 1863.
Susannah Barker - (1842 - 1907) Born in Feetham and married Isaac Johnson Liddle (1834-1921).
Adam Barker - Born 1844 in Thistlenest, Crackpot and died 1868.

Rebecca Allason died from "Consumption" on 28 September 1845 at Crackpotside, Griton at 28 years of age, leaving 4 very young children.

Adam Barker married wife No2. Hannah Lazenby (born 1861) and they had 3 children:
Eleanor Barker 1849-1870.
Samuel Barker 1850-?
Mercy 1853-1857.

The first Adam Barker came from Derbyshire in 1681 after the death of his brother Robert, to manage the local lead mines. Robert had made a partnership agreement with Philip Lord Wharton, Lord of the Manor of Healaugh. Adam Barker was one of the Trustees for the land which funded the construction of Smarber Chapel.

Adam Barker (1807-1871) came to live at "The Rookery" at Healaugh (after Rebecca's death) with his 2nd wife Hannah and their children. There has been about 8 generations of Barkers living at "The Rookery" which is probably a seventeenth century house and built before the Barkers settled in Healaugh.

In 2007 Peter and Joy Olney visited the present owners, Lawrence and Sheila Barker at "The Rookery" in Healaugh. Sheila gave Joy a leaf off the 300 year old Bay Tree behind us in the photo.

Peter & Joy Olney visited Lawrence & Sheila Barker at "The Rookery " in Healaugh in 2007.

Bonnet made by Rebecca Barker (nee Allason) for her first child John born 1838.

Grandfather clock - a Barker heirloom.


Top left is Adam Barker 1807-1871, top right is Hannah Barker born 1861, middle aged man in top hat is John born 1838 & Adam's son, young man is Robert born 1840, young lady is Susannah after she married Isaac Liddle.

A number of John Allason's letters have survived showing him to have had a keen interest in and knowledge of local dissenting church history, to have often been in poor health because of consumption and lumbago, and to have often been seeking to improve his low income with applications for various grants and charities. At the same time he generously sent gifts of grouse and cheese to his benefactors. Those letters are documented under a separate Post.