(Note: Prior to his service in the Civil War, James A. Allison probably never had sat for a portrait. However, even though he was very likely sick for much of the ten months that he was stationed in the Nashville, Tennessee area with the 86th Illinois, James almost certainly took the time to sit for a portrait to send home to the loved that he left behind and that he missed so dearly during those dark days he spent in the hospital. The portrait that he sat for would have been printed in the form of what was called a "daguerrotype" or "tin type", or more likely in a new fangled form that was called a "CDV", which was a paper picture that was glued to a thicker card stock that was about the size of a modern day baseball card. If this is what James ordered, as most of the boys did, he, like most of the boys, would have ordered a dozen or more copies, not only to send to the various loved ones back home, but also to swap with his messmates and tentmates.

Then James survived the war and lived well into the 1880's. During his lifetime, Jamees A. Allison probably sat for several more pictures and portraits. I would love to see a copy of James's picture in uniform added to his Find A Grave Memorial, but in the mean time, can anyone add any pictures of James A. Allison to his Memorial, even ones of him as an old man? Can anyone help here? Thanks, Baxter)

Private JAMES A. ALLISON, Co. A, 86th Regiment of Illinois Volunteer Infantry & Co. K, 8th Regiment of the Veteran Reserve Corps

James A. Allison was the son of Daniel Allison and Margaret (Kincaid) Allison. Daniel was born about 1778 in New York. The Allison family moved from New York to Greenbriar County, Virginia (now West Virginia) about 1790. Daniel married Margaret Kincaid on August 30, 1804 in Greenbriar Co. Margaret was born in April of 1785 in Greenbriar Co. At least 12 children were born to Daniel and Margaret. Daniel and Margaret moved to Gallia Co., Ohio shortly after they were married and all 12 of their children were born there. The last of their children was James A. Allison. Daniel and Margaret are believed to have sold their land in Perry Township of Gallia County, Ohio in October of 1830 and moved at this time to Illinois, where they settled in Woodford County. They are found there in the 1840 and 1850 census' of Woodford County. Following is the 1850 census;

Daniel Allison M 73 New York

Margaret Allison F 66 Virginia

Susan Allison F 2?y Ohio

James Allison M 22 Ohio

Margaret died on August 1, 1857 in Woodford County and Daniel died on April 19, 1864 in Woodford County. They are buried in the Allison Cemetery near Goodfield, Illinois in Woodford County.

James A. Allison was born on October 21, 1828 in Gallipolis, Callia County, Ohio. James A. Allison was married to Mary Peaslee Ewins.Ewing on December 15, 1853, most likely in Woodford County, Illinois. Mary was born on Aug. 11, 1830 in Salem, Rockingham County, New Hampshire, the daughter of James P. Ewins and Mehitable (__________) Ewins. Ten children are believed to have been born to James and Mary. They are:

1. Susan Euphima Allison, born 27 November 1854 in or near Eureka, Woodford County, Illinois.

Susan was married to John Nelson Holbrook in the 1870's.

Their children include;

A. Louis John Holbrook, born December 17, 1872 in Illinois. Louis was married on ____________ __, 18__ to Thora Otilde/Othilde Anderson, who was born on October 23 1874, in either Norway, Minnesota or in Fairview, Osceola, Iowa.

The children born to Louis and Thora include;

a. Virgie E. Holbrook, born c. 1901/02 in Minnesota.

b. Vernon Knute Holbrook, born ____________ __, 1903 in Minnesota. Vernon was married to ____________ McNab. Vernon and _____________ were the parents of 3 children, including Vernon Michael Holbrook, who is believed to have died on June 28, 1945.

Vernon Knute Holbrook died on ____________ __, 1998 in Minnesota.

c. Delmer C. Holbrool, born c. 1906/07 in Minnesota.

d. John Louis Holbrook, born c. 1908/09 in Minnesota.

e. Lloyd Anderson Holbrook, born

At the time of the 1910 census, Louis and his family are found in Ward 1 of the city of Worthington, Nobles County, Minnesota;

Louis Holbrook Head M 37 Illinois

Thora O Holbrook Wife F 36 Minnesota

Virgie E Holbrook Daughter F 8 Minnesota

Vernon H Holbrook Son M 6 Minnesota

Delmer C Holbrook Son M 3 Minnesota

John L Holbrook Son M 1 Minnesota

Louis Holbrook died on December 19, 1935 in Minneapolis, Hennepin County, Minnesota. His wife is listed as Thora Anderson Holbrook and his parents as John N. Holbrook and Susan Allison.

At the time of the 1940 census, Thora and her son, Vernon, are found residing in Ward 1 of the city of Worthington, Worthington Township, Nobles County, Minnesota;

Thora Hoolbrook Head F 66 Minnesota

Vernon Hoolbrook Son M 36 Minnesota

Thora died on December 24, 1963.

B. Marion Leslie Holbrook, born January 22, 1881 in or near Eureka, Woodford County, Illinois. Marion Leslie Holbrook, who registered for the WWI draft in Polk County, Minnesota and for the WWII draft on 27 Apr 1942 in Crookston, Polk County, Minnesota. He was 61 at that time, born on January 22, 1881 in or near Eureka, Woodford County, Illinois, was unemployed and totally disabled by Parkinson's Disease. Marian Leslie Holbrook died on 29 Nov 1942 and his mortal remains were laid in the Oakdale Cemetery in Crookston, Polk County, Minnesota. See his Find A Grave Memorial #42461154.

Now to continue with what we know about Susan E. (Allison) Holbrook and her family;

At the time of the 1880 census, Susan Euphema (Allison) Holbrook and her family are found living right next to her parents in Montgomery Township, Woodford County, Illinois;

John M Holbrook Self M 26 Missouri

Euphenia Holbrook Wife F 25 Illinois

L John Holbrook Son M 7 Illinois

Anthony Smith Laborer M 21 Indiana

At the time of the 1900 census, Susan Euphemia (Allison) Holbrook and her family are found in Ward 1-2 in the village of Worthington, Worthington Township, Nobles County, Minnesota;

J Holbrook Head M Apr 1853 47 Missouri

Euphenia Holbrook Wife F Nov 1854 46 Illinois

Louis Holbrook Son M Dec 1872 28 Illinois

Leslie Holbrook Son M Jan 1881 19 Illinois

Ed Hansen Roomer M 37 West Virginia

At the time of the 1930 census, Susan is found residing with her daughter-in-law and her family in Worthington, Nobles County, Minnesota. Susan is widowed and her father and mother are listed as having been born in Ohio and New Hampshire, which would be correct for both;

Thora Halbrook Head F 56 Minnesota

Vernon K Halbrook Son M 26 Minnesota

Lloyd A Halbrook Son M 18 Minnesota

Leslie O Halbrook Son M 16 Minnesota

Dwain T Halbrook Son M 12 Minnesota

Susan E Halbrook Mother-in-law F 75 Illinois

Susan Euphema (Allison) Holbrook died on 13 July 1945 in Worthington, Nobles County, Minnesota and her mortal remains were laid in the Worthington Cemetery in Worthington, Nobles County, Minnesota. See her Find A Grave Memorial #244128219.

2. Ida M. Allison, born c. 1857 in Woodford County, Illinois.

3. James D. Allison, born c. 1858 in Woodford County, Illinois.

4. John Allison, born in 1860 in Woodford County, Illinois.

5. Leroy W. Allison, born c. 1860/61 in Woodford County, Illinois.

6. Minnie B. Allison, born c. 1863.

7. Mary Ellie Allison, born c. 1869.

8. Joseph F. Allison, born c. 1870.

9. Eddie Allison, born c. 1872 in Woodford County, Illinois. Eddie may be the J. Edd Allison, who was born in Woodford County, Illinois, and who was married to Vesta M. Biggs on August 3, 1912 in Hancock County, Ohio. Vesta was 31 when this marriage occurred, placing her year of birth c. 1881. She was born in Findlay, Hancock County, Ohio, the daughter of Austin Biggs and Lena Born. J. Edd Allison's parents are listed as James A. Allison and Mary P. Ewing.

At the time of the 1920 census, this family is found in Ward 4 of the city of Findlay, Hancock County, Ohio;

John E Allison Head M 45 Illinois

Vesta M Allison Wife F 39 Ohio

Harold R Allison Son M 5 Wisconsin

Bernadine M Allison Daughter F 2 Ohio

Ruby E Allison Daughter F 1 Ohio

Vesta M Allison died on 22 Nov 1963 in Los Angeles, California. She was born on 10 Jan 1881 in Ohio and her mother's maiden name was Born.

10. Martha M. Allison, born c. ____________; died before 1878.

This is the family as it appeared in the Montgomery Township, Woodford County census of 1860;

James Allison 32 Ohio

Mary P. Allison 25 Mass

Susan E. Allison 5 Ill

Ida M Allison 3 Ill

James D. Allison 2 Ill

John Allison 0 Ill

On August 9, 1862, James A. Allison volunteered to serve in a company which was being raised in Eureka and El Paso, Illinois in Woodford County by William S. Magarity, who had been the first man elected to serve as Woodford County Sheriff in the 1840's. He stated he was 33 years of age when he enlisted and his place of residence as Montgomery Township in Woodford County, Illinois.

ILLINOIS CIVIL WAR DETAIL REPORT

Name ALLISON, JAMES A

Rank PVT Company A Unit 86 IL US INF

Personal Characteristics

Residence MONTGOMERY, WOODFORD CO, IL Age 33 Height 6' 1 1/2 Hair SANDY

Eyes BLUE Complexion SANDY Marital Status MARRIED Occupation FARMER

Nativity GALLAPOLIS, GALIO CO, OH

Service Record

Joined When AUG 9, 1862 Joined Where MONTGOMERY, IL

Joined By Whom CPT MAGARITY Period 3 YRS

Muster In AUG 27, 1862 Muster In Where PEORIA, IL

Muster In By Whom N/A Muster Out N/A

Muster Out Where N/A Muster Out By Whom N/A

Remarks TRANS TO VRC SEP 1, 1863

When Magarity had about 100 volunteers, he took his company across the Illinois River to Peoria, Illinois where they went into camp at Camp Lyon, near present day Glen Oak Park. On August 27, 1862, 96 men of the Woodford County company were mustered into service as Co. A of the 86th Regiment of Illinois Volunteer Infantry. Magarity was elected Captain of Co. A.

On September 7, 1862, the men of the 85th & 86th Regiments of Illinois Volunteer Infantry marched out of Camp Lyon through the streets of Peoria to the railroad station where they boarded trains bound for Camp Joe Holt, in Jeffersonville, Indiana, which was located on the Ohio River across from Louisville, Kentucky. About the 1st of October of 1862, the men of the 85th & 86th were assigned to the 36th Brigade, which was being commanded by General Daniel McCook, then Colonel of the 52nd Ohio, also part of the 36th Brigade, and they were sent into Kentucky in pursuit of Confederate troops in Kentucky.

On Oct. 8, 1862, McCook's Brigade caught up with those Confederate troops and were briefly engaged withe them in the Battle of Perryville, Kentucky, the 86th suffering their first casualties. There would be many more in the coming years. After the Battle of Perryville, the Confederates withdrew from the State of Kentucky and the men of McCook's Brigade marched on to Nashville, Tennessee, where they would spend the winter of 1862/63.

During the next year, James would serve faithfully in Co. A. James is believed to have been having some issues with his health during the summer of 1863. In August the army doctors apparently decided that James A. Allison at this point in his life was not cut out for life in a front line unit, but, James apparently wanted to serve in some capacity, so on September 1, 1863, Private James A. Allison was transferred to what was then called the Invalid Corps. Early in 1864, the name of the Invalid Corps was changed to the Veteran Reserve Corps. There is a record on family search for James A. Allison, which gives us the following information; James A. Allison, age 33, who was born in Gallia, Ohio, served in Co. K of the 8th Regiment of the Veteran Reserve Corps. James A. Allison was discharged from the service in Chicago, Cook County, Illinois on July 1, 1865.

The 8th Regiment of the Veteran Reserve Corps was organized in Chicago, Illinois on October 10, 1863. The men of the 8th may never have left the Chicago area, though where they served the first 6 months of their service has not been discovered yet. The men of the 8th are known to have served as prison guards at Camp Douglas in Chicago from at least November 1, 1864 until June 15, 1865, but may have been there as early as May of 1864. More than twelve thousand Confederate soldiers were imprisoned at Camp Douglas. While they were stationed there, the men of the 8th VRC were under the command of Colonel Benjamin Sweet. After the camp was closed, Private James A. Allison was discharged from the service on July 1, 1865 and he then returned to his home in Woodford County, Illinois.

Private James A. Allison began collecting an Invalid Pension on June 29, 1876. At the time of the 1880 census, James A. Allison is found residing in Montgomery Township in Woodford County with his family. He is farming at this time. His oldest child, his daughter, Susan Euphema (Allison) Holbrook lives right next door;

James A. ALLISON, Self, Birth: OH

Mary ALLISON, Wife, Birth: NH

Leroy ALLISON, Son, Birth: IL

Minnie ALLISON, Dau, Birth: IL

Ellie ALLISON, Dau, Birth: IL

Joseph ALLISON, Son, Birth: IL

Eddie ALLISON, Son, Birth: IL

James A. Allison died on Apr. 12, 1886 in Woodford County

Illinois. His earthly remains were laid to rest in the Olio Township Cemetery in Eureka, Illinois. His widow is known to have collected a Widow's Pension after his death.

Mary died on Aug. 4, 1893 in ___________, Illinois. Her earthly remains were laid to rest beside those of her husband of 55 years in the Olio Township Cemetery.

by Baxter B. Fite III, who can be contacted at [email protected]

(Baxter would enjoy hearing from anyone, especially descendants of the Allison family, who might be able to add to the biographical material that we have on Private James A. Allison and the Allison family. Baxter would also love to see copies of any pictures of James A. Allison, especially any showing him in uniform from his days in the service, added to his Find A Grave site for all to see.)