Muhlenberg County Kentucky
Biographies, A
Finis McClean Allison
Finis McClean Allison was born March 4, 1829, in Muhlenberg County, Ky., and is the second of five children born to John A. and Fannie (Watkins) Allison, natives of Muhlenberg and Marion Counties, respectively, and of Irish and English descent.
John A. was born in February, 1803, four miles south of Greenville, and died in April, 1875. He was a son of Samuel and Margaret (Dixon) Allison, natives of North Carolina and Ireland, respectively. Samuel Allison's parents came from Ireland; he was married in Tennessee, near Dixon's Springs, and located in Logan County, Ky., about 1800; about one year later he settled in Muhlenberg County, where he lived until his death.
The mother of subject was born october 12, 1803, and is still living; she is a daughter of James Watkins, who married a Miss Waller, of English descent. They were early settlers of Washington County, Ky.
Finis McClean Allison was reared on a farm, received a fair common school education, and at the age of sixteen was made deputy county and circuit clerk, which position he filled for four years; was deputy clerk of Henderson County one year; was admitted to Muhlenberg County bar in 1849, by Judges Benjamin Shackelford and John Calhoun; practiced law until 1852, when he went to California, where he mined for two years; returned home in June, 1854; located in Morgantown, where he practiced law until 1856, when he was elected county and circuit clerk, which office he filled until January, 1865, when he resigned, moved to Greenville, and followed his profession; in August, 1867, was elected to the State senate. He was tobacco inspector for one year. In 1874 was appointed United State Commissioner for District of Kentucky; resigned in September, 1882, and the same fall was elected police judge of Greenville.
He was married August 1, 1849, to Julia A. Burks, of Butler County, Ky., daughter of Foster and Elizabeth (Wand) James, natives of Virginia. He had born by this union seven children - Lucy (now Frazer), F.H., John, Alice (Stokes), James, Naomi (Lovell), and Albert (deceased). Mr. and Mrs. Allison are members of the Presbyterian Church.
Source: Battle, J.H., W.H. Perrin, & G.C. Kniffen. Kentucky: A History of the State. Louisville, KY: F.A. Battey, 1885, pp. 895-896.
Updated April 25, 2024.