Histories

James Allen is one of two Revolutionary veterans’ graves in Historic Linwood cemetery. First reported as a Revolutionary veterans\’s grave in the middle years of the Twentieth Century by the Opelika, Alabama Chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution, it was eventually ignored and the site deteriorated. Heeding the DAR report that Allen was buried in Linwood cemetery of Columbus, the Coweta Falls Chapter found the site and planned a grave marking. The Historic Linwood Foundation gave funds and labor to restore the broken stones in the Allen lot. The re-dedication ceremony followed, focused on emplacement of an SAR 8 in. diam. bronze lug-type patriot grave marker mounted on a marble “pillow” 12” in front of the existing monument.

The joint James Allen/George Wells Foster ceremony was attended by Kit Braselton, President of the Georgia, Society, James Clark, National Trustee, James Holman, Chapter President, Warren Foley, Chairman, Mary Jane Galer, President, and Linda Kennedy, Executive Director, of the Historic Linwood Cemetery Foundation. Robert F. Gale, National Society and Chapter Revolutionary War Graves Chairman, organized the event and served as Master of Ceremonies. The Georgia Society SAR Color Guard, Dr. Revis Butler, Comdg., and JrROTC cadets from Spencer High School formed an Honor Guard.

A James Allen is listed in Georgia Revolutionary Soldiers and Sailors Patriots and Pioneers by Ross Arnold, Hank Burnham and Mary Jane Galer as serving in the Virginia Continental Line. He emigrated to Georgia through the Eastern counties and Meriwether County, where his wife died, eventually taking up land across the Chattachoochee River from Columbus, in Russell county, Alabama. He has living descendants in the Chattahoochee Valley.