Page:Encyclopedia of Virginia Biography volume 4.djvu/27

 \IRGINIA BIOGRAPHY

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Thompson McAllister, son of Judge Wil- liam McAllister, was born August 30, 181 1, on the old homestead in Lost Creek Val- ley, and settled near Chambersburg, Penn- sylvania, his farm being known as "Spring Dale." He was a member of the Pennsyl- vania legislature in 1848, and in December, 1849, removed to Covington, Alleghany county, V^irginia, where he had purchased a tract of two thousand, two hundred acres, the larger portion of which is still held by his descendants. On the opposite side of the river from Covington he built, in 1856- 1857, his homestead, known as "Rose Dale." He was closely associated with his brother Robert in business enterprises, a well as in military service, and as partners under the style of T. McAllister & Company, they built section eighteen between the Lewis and Alleghany tunnels on what is now the Ches- apeake & Ohio Railroad, seventeen miles west of Covington, Thompson McAllister having charge of the work. At that time Robert was living in New Jersey, and at the opening of the civil war he tendered his military services to the state, while Thomp- son was loyal to Virginia. In March, 1861, the latter raised, and largely at his own ex- pense, equipped the first volunteer company for the impending war in that part of Vir- ginia, and was made its captain. This be- came Company A of the Twenty-seventh Virginia Infantry of the original Stonewall brigade. Captain McAllister was the oldest member of the company, and his son Wil- liam the youngest. In the second charge at the battle of Manassas he led his broken regiment and contributed largely to the con- federate victory of that day. His brother Robert, then a colonel, afterwards general, commanded the First New Jersey in the same battle. On account of business inter- ests, and also through an attack of camp fever (furlough having been denied). Cap- tain McAllister resigned August, 1861. In the fall of the same year he was placed in command of all the home guards and re- serves in the Alleghany section, continuing this service until the close of the war. For nearly twenty years he was a ruling elder in the Covington Presbyterian Church. He died at "Rose Dale," March 13, 1871. He married, February 14, 1839, Lydia Miller Addams, of Millerstown, Pennsylvania, de- scended from an old and conspicuous family of that state. The records of William

Penn's colony show that on December 22, 1 68 1, he deeded live hundred acres to Robert Adams of Ledwell, Oxfordshire, England. The will of Robert Adams, made July 27, 1 71 7, refers to his brother W^alter Adams. The latter was the ancestor of Mrs. Thomp- son McAllister. Walter Adams lived in Ox- ford township, Philadelphia county, Penn- sylvania, and his son, Richard, of Provi- dence township, same county, married Elsie Withers, at Christ Church, Philadelphia, December 22, 1726. Their son, William Addams, founded Adamstown, Pennsyl- vania, in 1761. He married Anna Lane- of English ancestry, and their youngest son, Isaac, was born October 27, 1746, in Coca- lico township, Lancaster county, Pennsyl- \ ania, near the site of Adamstown. He was accustomed to spell his name with two d's, and this has been adhered to by his de- scendants. Early in life he settled in Berks county, Pennsylvania, and subse- C[uently moved to Reading, same state, where he was a merchant. From 1777 to 1800 he was a county commissioner of Berks county ; was a member of the state legislature in 1804-1805, and captain of the Fourth Company of Associators in the Ninth l]attalion, commanded by Colonel John Huber. With this company he went to New Jersey in August, 1776, and 're- mained with Washington's army until early in 1777. He died at Reading, April 11, 1809. He married at New Holland, Penn- sylvania, May 28, 1776, the widow of his brother William, Barbara (Ruth) Addams, born January 8, 1741, died in Reading, Octo- ber 5, 1832, daughter of Peter Ruth. Abra- ham Addams, youngest of the six sons of Isaac Addams, was born March 12, 1786, in Adamstown, and was a merchant in Read- ing as a young man. About 181 1 he re- moved to Perry county, Pennsylvania, and purchased the land on which ]\Iillerstown is built. He was prominent in religious, busi- ness and social matters of the town and county, and was thrice married. His first wife, Lydia, was the second daughter of Jacob and Elizabeth (Feather) ^Miller. She was the mother of Lydia Miller Addams, who became the wife of Thompson McAllis- ter, as previously noted.

Abraham Addams McAllister, son of Thompson and Lydia Miller (Addams) Mc- Allister, was born August 25, 1841, at "Rose Dale." He received a fair education, but