Kentucky: A History of the State, Battle, Perrin, & Kniffin, 3rd ed., 1885, Hart County. JOHN W. ALLEN was born in Hanover County, Va., March 17, 1817, and is the second child and eldest son in a family of nine children, seven of whom are yet living, born to William and Nancy (Hooper) Allen, both natives of Virginia, and of English descent. William Allen was engaged in agricultural pursuits and also in the saw and grist-mill business until his death, June 30, 1862, in his eighty-fourth year. He was called out with the Virginia militia during the war of 1812, but was not in active service. In early life he was not identified with any church, but in his sixtieth year he and his wife joined the Baptist Church, in which he afterward officiated as deacon. He was also a member of the old Washingtonian Society. Mrs. Nancy Allen died in April, 1866, in about her seventieth year. Her father was one of the prominent and wealthy planters of the old commonwealth. John W. Allen, at the age of fifteen, commenced to learn the carpenter's trade and also the millwright's trade with his uncle, Joseph Hooper, serving an apprenticeship of four years. In his nineteenth year, in 1836, he came to Kentucky, settling first in Barren County. In that and neighboring counties he followed his trade for some forty years, with the exception of about one year, when he was employed in Louisville. During most of that time he was quite extensively engaged in agricultural pursuits, purchasing his first farm in Barren County in about 1840, where he still owns a good farm; he also owns three tracts of partially improved land in Metcalfe County, besides valuable town property in both Munfordville and Horse Cave. In the fall of 1871 he ceased to follow his trade, and opened a hotel in Edmonton. After about eighteen months he removed to Munfordville, Hart County, where he was engaged in the hotel business continually for nearly ten years. On the night of November 15, 1883, his hotel building and part of the furniture were destroyed b fire. Soon afterward he came to Horse Cave, where he bought a large building near the Louisville & Nashville Railway, and has since successfully conducted the "Allen House." Mr. Allen was married, March 1, 1838, to Miss Caroline E. Roberts, a native of Barren County, born July 30, 1821. She is a daughter of Drury and Lucy (Richardson) Roberts; the former a native of Virginia; and the latter of the Green River country, in Kentucky. To Mr. and Mrs. Allen have been born ten children, as follows: Lucy Ann Virginia, now Mrs. Richard Hitch; Henrietta J.; Mary B., widow of Robert Young; William J.; Drury A.; Sarah Frances; Pauline Belle, now Mrs. G. D. Pierce; Lizzie Underwoood, now Mrs. Dr. William J. Whitlock; John R. and an infant not named (deceased). Mr. and Mrs. Allen have been consistent and devoted members of the Methodist Episcopal Church South from early life. In politics he is a Democrat. Allen Hooper Roberts Richardson Hitch Pierce Whitlock Young = Hanover-VA Barren-KY Louisville-Jefferson-KY Edmonton-Metcalfe-KY http://www.rootsweb.com/~kygenweb/kybiog/hart/allen.jw.txt