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The Father of Arcadia

Allen Holland was born 9 Dec 1806 in Jefferson County, Georgia, the son of Lewis Holland and Sarah Sutton Davis Holland.

He married 1st 22 Apr 1834, most probably in Florida, to a woman named Mary** (see note below), who died in 1849 from 'childbed fever' according to the 1850 Mortality Schedule for Bienville Parish, Louisiana. They had 4 children, as per Allen's family bible.

He married 2nd 28 Jul 1850 in Arcadia, Bienville, Louisiana to Frances Shirley Gilliam, the daughter of Miles Gilliam and Mary Peebles. They had 6 children, as per the family bible.

There were 2 other Holland children listed in the Allen Holland family bible who were born before the marriage to Mary, and who lived nearby to Allen both in the Arcadia area as well as during the period he lived in Sabine Parish. These were Elizabeth Holland* who married Green Taylor (Allen's nephew) and Sherrod Lemuel Holland. It is unknown exactly how they are related to Allen, though I believe they were both orphans he adopted and raised.

Allen was very involved in his community, and is called the Father of Arcadia by many local historians. He owned and donated the land for the first town square of Arcadia, located on the south side of present day Arcadia just south of Highway 147. When the railroad came through the area some landowners around the square didn't want to sell, so the railroad went north, and hence, so did the town, where it sits today.

Allen was very influential at the time in the politics of the area, though not a politician himself. I have transcribed letters from Allen Greene to Allen Holland, and from Dr. J. C. Egan to Allen that sheds light on the political happenings of the day.

Allen died 15 Aug 1874 at home in Arcadia.

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*NOTE: In an article published in the 5/18/1933 Bienville Democrat by Virginia Dormon (page 4), she mentions that Elizabeth Taylor, wife of Green Taylor, was an orphan child raised by Allen Holland.

**NOTE: Evidence now leans to this Mary being Mary Langston, daughter of Seth Langston. Still researching and gathering information.