Private ALLEN JAMES TICKNOR, Co. I, 86th Illinois

Allen James Ticknor was one of identical twin boys born on February 16, 1843 in Timber Township in Peoria County to Thomas William Ticknor and Anna Margaret (Houghtaling) Ticknor. The other twin boy was named Albert John Ticknor. Thomas William Ticknor was born on March 1, 1801 in Lebanon, New Hampshire. Thomas William Ticknor was married first to Laura Lavina Standish on March 25, 1822 in New York. Laura was born on ___________ __, 18__ at __________, __________. Five children were born to them. They include;
1. Mary Ann Ticknor, b. 12/20/1822, prob. Lisle, NY; m. Jinkerson Lightbody; they lived in Peoria Co; 5 children named.

2. Caroline A. Ticknor, b. 8/24/1825; prob. Peoria Co., IL; m. John Lightbody, brother of above; they lived in Peoria Co.

3. Theoda Clarinda Ticknor, b. 9/18/1827; d. 5/15/1844, Peoria Co., IL.

4. (son) __________ Ticknor, b. 8/14/1831; d. 8/14/1831, Peoria Co., IL

5. Mariah Lucy (or Lucy Mariah) Ticknor, b. 3/8/1834; d. 7/21/1839, Peoria Co.

The Ticknors came west to Peoria County in the early 1820's, probably about 1823/24, settling in Peoria County. Laura died there on August 13, 1838, her earthly remains were laid to rest in the Kingston Mines Cemetery.
Thomas William Ticknor was then married 2nd to Anna Margaret Houghtaling on November 25, 1838 in Peoria County. Anna Margaret Houghtaling was born on May 18, 1819 in Ulster, New York, the daughter of John Houghtaling. Seven children are known to have been born to them including the twins, Albert and Allen. They include;
1. Martha Ticknor, b. November 07, 1839, d. February 28, 1840, Peoria County, Illinois, USA.

2. Almira Ticknor, b. March 06, 1841 near Kingston Mines, Peoria County, Illinois, USA, d. September 10, 1901, Gilman, Iroquois, Illinois, USA. m1. Peoria Co. to Isaac Pettit; d. 6 wks. later from accident; m2. Ca1859, Peoria Co. to Jackson Chambers, who was killed on November __, 1870; m3. Peoria Co. to Thomas Scarcliff; 6 child./4g-child. named from 2nd marriage; 3 child. named from 3rd mar.

3. Albert John Ticknor, b. February 16, 1843, Peoria, Illinois, USA, d. 1928. 7viii. Allen James Ticknor, b. 2/16/1843 (twin), Peoria Co., IL; m. 5/24/1882, Casey, IA to Marie Elizabeth Lee, b. 4/11/1856, Winterest, IA; 6/24/1916, Stuart, IA (dau. of Harvey Lee); he served in Civil War; res. Casey and Stuart; farmer.

4. Allen James Ticknor, b. February 16, 1843, Peoria, Illinois, USA.

5. George Washington Ticknor, b. June 28, 1845, Illinois, USA, d. June 21, 1869, Utah, USA.

6. Tryphena Ticknor, b. August 24, 1847, Illinois, USA.

7. Andrew Jackson Ticknor, b. October 18, 1850, Peoria, Illinois, USA, d. April 1933.

At the time of the 1850 census, this is the way the family appears in the census of Peoria County, Illinois;
2859 Tickner Thomas 49 M Farming 1,800 NH
2859 Tickner Anna M. 31 F NY
2859 Tickner Almira 9 F Ill
2859 Tickner Albert J. 7 M Ill
2859 Tickner Allen J. 7 M Ill
2859 Tickner George W. 5 M Ill
2859 Tickner Triphena 3/12 F Ill
2859 Dufield Mahalia 21 F Ill
2859 Tickner Andrew 3 M Ill

Albert and Allen spent their early years learning to farm the land beside their father there in Timber Township. Thomas William Ticknor died at the age of 54 in Kingston Mines on December 16, 1855. Anna and the boys continued farming there in Timber and are found farming there in Timber Township at the time of the 1860 census;
2493 Tickner Anna M. 41 F farming 4,000 1,800 NY
2493 Tickner Albert 17 M IL
2493 Tickner Allen 17 M IL
2493 Tickner George 15 M IL
2493 Tickner Triphima 13 F IL
2493 Tickner Andrew 10 M IL
2494 Chambers Jackson 26 M farming 50 OH
2494 Chambers Elmira 19 F IL

Anna Margaret (Houghtaling) Ticknor died on February 21, 1907. Her earthly remains were laid to rest in the __________ Cemetery in ___________, Illinois.
Now to continue with the biography of Allen James Ticknor;
On August 9, 1862, at the age of 19, Albert and Allen volunteered to serve in a company which was being raised in Lancaster, Illinois in Timber Township by a local businessman and merchantile owner, Allen L. Fahnestock.

ILLINOIS CIVIL WAR DETAIL REPORT
Name TICKNOR, ALLEN J
Rank PVT Company I Unit 86 IL US INF

Personal Characteristics
Residence LANCASTER, PEORIA CO, IL Age 19 Height 5' 7 3/4 Hair DARK
Eyes GRAY Complexion LIGHT Marital Status SINGLE Occupation FARMER
Nativity TIMBER, PEORIA CO, IL

Service Record
Joined When AUG 9, 1862 Joined Where LANCASTER, IL
Joined By Whom A L FAHNESTOCK Period 3 YRS
Muster In AUG 27, 1862 Muster In Where PEORIA, IL
Muster In By Whom N/A Muster Out JUN 6, 1865
Muster Out Where WASHINGTON, DC Muster Out By Whom LT SCROGGS
Remarks N/A

When Fahnestock had about 100 recruits, he led the Timber Township company into Peoria, Illinois, where they went into camp at what was then called Camp Lyons, near what is today Glen Oak Park. Fahnestock was elected Captain of the men of the Timber Township company and on August 27, 1862, Fahnestock, the Ticknor Twins and 94 of the other Timber Township volunteers were mustered in as Company I of the 86th Regiment of Illinois Volunteer Infantry.
The men of the 86th Illinois marched out of Camp Lyon on September 7, 1862, with much fanfare, through the streets of Peoria down to the railroad depot, where they boarded a train bound for Camp Joe Holt in Jeffersonville, Indiana, across the river from Louisville. Three weeks later the men of the 86th were in the field in Kentucky as part of Colonel Daniel McCook's Brigade chasing Confederate troops. On October 8, 1862, the men of McCook's Brigade were engaged with those Confederate troops during the Battle of Perryville, Kentucky, suffering their first casualties. There would be many more in the next few years.
After the Union victory at Perryville, the men of McCook's Brigade marched on to Nashville, Tennessee where they went into winter camp. During the next three years, Albert and Allen Ticknor would serve faithfully in Co. I as the men of McCook's Brigade were witness to and participants in numerous battles and skirmishes, some of the bloodiest fighting in the Western Theatre of the war, including the Battles of Chickamauga, Georgia; Resaca, Georgia; Rome, Georgia; Peach Tree Creek, Georgia; Averysboro, North Carolina; and Bentonville, North Carolina, just to name a few. They also participated on General Sherman's famous "March to the Sea", but it was at Kennesaw Mountain, Georgia on June 27, 1864 where the 86th suffered the most. On that fateful day, over 110 men of the 86th Illinois of the approximate 400 men who made the charge on Cheatham Hill, were killed, wounded or captured in less that 30 minutes. As time went on, Albert and Allen were there to see the ranks dwindled. On September 7, 1862, when the 86th marched out of Peoria, the 86th numbered about 932 men. During the course of the war, the 86th received about 70 recruits to fill the ranks. By June of 1865, Albert and Allen were two of approximately 350 men who remained in the ranks. On June 6, 1865, the surviving members of the 86th were mustered out of the service at Washington, D.C. and they soon returned to their homes in Central Illinois.
Allen returned to his life as a civilian farmer there in Peoria County. On February 10, 1870, Allen was married to Harriett Ann Eagleston in Stark County, Illinois. One son was born to Allen and Harriett. He is;
1. Harry A. Ticknor; born and believed to have died in 1874.

At the time of the 1870 census, Allen, Harriet and Allen's twin brother, Albert, are all found residing in Stark Township, Stark County, Illinois;
Allen J. Tickner 27 Farmer ILL
Harriet A. Tickner 27 Keeping House ILL
Albert J. Tickner 27 Farmer ILL
Richard Howit 18 Farmer ILL

However, Harry and Harriett both died in the Fall of 1874 shortly after Harry was born and her mortal rremains were laid in the Eagleston Cemetery nearCastleton in Stark County, Illinois.
In 1875, Allen moved west, joining his twin brother, Albert, in Adair County near Stuart, Iowa. He only remained there a short time before he bought a farm near Casey, Iowa in Adair County were he farmed for more than 30 years.
On May 24, 1882, Allen was married to Marie Elizabeth Lee. Five children were to be born to Allen and Marie. They are;
2. Walter Thomas Ticknor; born March 13, 1883; residing in Ghost Pine, Alberta, Canada in 1928

3. Charles Edgar Ticknor; born July 7, 1884

4. Margaret Destemenia Ticknor; born February 11, 1886; married Ernest Gardner; residing in Guthrie Center, Iowa in 1928

5. Verdie May Ticknor; born April 21, 1888; married to __________ Harman

6. Mina Beatrice Ticknor; born July 29, 1890; died January 3, 1893 in Casey, Iowa

In 1887 some of the surviving members of the 86th Illinois began making plans to hold a reunion in Peoria on the 25th Anniversary of the mustering in of the regiment, August 27th, 1887. Over 100 surviving members of the regiment attended that reunion. The Ticknors, however, were not able to attend that first reunion. The surviving members decided that every year a reunion would be held on that anniversary and these continued to be held every year through the year 1923. Though the Ticknors were unable to attend any of the early reunions, they stayed in contact with their pards at the reunions back in Peoria. In August of 1902, Allen Ticknor was able to attend his first reunion. The following year, 1903, Albert attended his first reunion, but Allen was unable to attend. Then in August of 1907, the twins caused quite a stir when they appeared together for the first time at an 86th the reunion.
In 1908, Allen retired from farming and he and Marie moved into Stuart, Iowa where they remained the rest of their lives. By 1923, most of the 86th was gone. Only 23 of the surviving members were able to attend. Company I, the Lancaster/Timber Township company, had four men present, including the Ticknor twins. It was said in the reunion booklet that was sent out after the reunion that, "The Ticknors are twin brothers, and it is with some difficulty to tell 'which from tother.' Their stature, facial lineaments and movements are almost the same. The veterans, however, managed to determine the difference, while the younger ones present, were some what confounded by the sameness of appearance in the two brothers." At the reunion of 1923, it was with a heavy heart that these 23 representatives of the 86th decided that this would at last be the final earthly reunion of the 86th as they were getting too old and too few to continue them any longer. It was said in the reunion booklet that, "The closing of the last session seemed the saddest of all, when the veterans and friends said the last 'Good-bye', and 'God Bless You', never to meet again in reunion, as in the past. But we look forward to an Eternal Reunion in the mansions above, where death never enters, and parting is no more."
During the next few years, the surviving members stayed in contact through the mail with each other. Each year more and more members passed. In the spring of 1928, Albert John Ticknor suffered a stroke and died shortly afterward about 8 P.M., Sunday Night, June 10, 1928 in his home in Earlham, Iowa. Less than a month later, Allen James Ticknor suffered a stroke and three weeks and two days later he died on Sunday July 29, 1928, seven weeks to the day that his twin brother, Albert John had died. The two boys who were born together, served nearly three years in the service together, spent much of their lives together and passed into eternity within seven weeks of each other.
Following is the notice that appeared in the Winterset Madisonian of Winterset, Iowa;
From the August __, 1928 edition:
"Allen J. Ticknor, son of William and Anna Ticknor, was born February 16, 1843 in Timber Township, Peoria, Ill., and passed to his reward July 29, 1928 at the Seaside Hospital, Long Beach, Cal., after an illness of three weeks and two days from a stroke of paralysis at the age of 85 years, 5 months and 13 days, just seven weeks from the day of his twin brother's death from the same cause.
Uncle Allen was only 19 years of age when the call to battle between the North and the South was sounded. On August 13, 1862 he and his twin brother Albert enlisted in regiment 86 Illinois Infantry Company I. The brothers went through the war side by side. They saw service in the principle battles of the war and marched with Sherman to the sea. They also marched with him in the Grand Review before Lincoln at Washington, D.C. and were mustered out June 6, 1865. Uncle Allen took an active interest in the G.A.R. being a member of the G.A.R. Post at Stuart. In his later years he enjoyed relating peculiar personal incidents of his army life and thrilled many a younger person as they listened to his stories.
On February 10, 1870, he was united in marriage to Harriett Ann Eagelston of Kickapoo Township, Peoria, Ill. One son Harry A. Ticknor came to bless this home, dying in infancy soon after his mother in the fall of 1874. On May 24, 1882 he was united in marriage to Maria E. Lee and to this union were born five children, Walter R. of Ghost Pine, Alberta, Canada, Charles E. of Casey, Iowa, Margaret Gander and May Hartman of Guthrie Center and Mina, who died at the age of two and one-half years. The eldest son Walter was unable to be present at the last service for his father. Besides these he leaves to mourn his going, his brother Andrew J. Ticknor, of Kansas City, Mo., the last of the family, 13 grandchildren, numerous other relatives and friends made by his congenial spirit and neighborliness as he traveled his long march to the battle of life.
In the fall of 1875 Mr. Ticknor came to Iowa, settling south of Stuart and remaining there but a short time. He then moved south of Casey where he lived until 1908 when he retired from farming, moving to Stuart. His home was broken up in June 1916 by the passing on of his beloved companion and since that time has made his home with his daughter Mrs. May Hartman, coming with them to Guthrie Center in 1924."

Allen James Ticknor's earthly remains were laid to rest in the Oakwood Cemetery in Casey, Iowa and two more members of the 86th and Company I were gone.
Join us today as we remember the Ticknor twins and the men and boys of the 86th Regiment of Illinois Volunteer Infantry.

by Baxter B. Fite III

(Baxter would love to hear from anyone, especially descendants of the Ticknors, who might be able to add additional information to their biographies. Baxter would also love to get copies of any photographs that may still exist of the Ticknors, especially any which may survive of them in uniform from their days in the service, for their Find A Grave site and for the local historical society.)