ELBERT COUNTY. 231 



abusive denunciations of the republicans when he was a nnem- 

 ber of the Virginia Legislature, made him long remembered. 

 He died March 2d, 1835, in Bath county, Virginia, aged 77 

 years. 



Beverly Allen. — In the year 179 — , Beverly Allen 

 and Billy Allen carried on the business of merchandise, in 

 the county of Elbert. Their store-house and residence were 

 on the hill rising from Beaver Dam creek, on the side of 

 the road leading from Fish Dam ford on Broad river, to 

 the Cherokee ford on the Savannah. They were both young, 

 and belonged to a family which emigrated from Virginia 

 to Georgia, soon after the revolutionary war. Beverly Al- 

 len was handsome, with a fine voice and ardent- tempera- 

 ment. He was one of the converts of Bishop Asbury, during 

 his tour through Georgia. From public praying he com- 

 menced exhorting, and soon after preaching. Without any of 

 the learning of Whitefield, he had much of his enthusias- 

 tic eloquence. Preaching was a rarity when Beverly Al- 

 len became a convert. Men pricked up their ears, their souls 

 were stirred within them, when they heard striking exhibi- 

 tions of the punishments of the lower world for their sins, and 

 the joys of the upper for their repentance. 



When Beverly Allen held forth upon these subjects, the 

 whole population crowded together to hear him. He became 

 the idol of the people. 



Some time in the year 1795, Beverly Allen, with his 

 brother, went to Augusta, to buy goods with the money they 

 had, and the credit they could obtain. Whilst there, the 

 foreign merchant of whom they had purchased their first stock 

 of goods, found them buying goods of others, instead of first 

 discharging their debt to him. He caused a Ca. Sa. writ to 

 be issued for their arrest, returnable to the United States Dis- 

 trict Court. The Aliens being informed of this, armed them- 

 selves and took possession of a room in the public house, and 

 fastened the doors against entrance. The marshal Forsyth, 

 the father of the celebrated John Forsyth, pursued them, 

 forced open the door, and was upon his entrance shot 

 dead by Beverly Allen. The Aliens immediately fled to 

 Elbert county, and were pursued by a warrant for their ar- 



