Descendants of ALLEN O’QUINN and MARY ANN BROWN O’QUINN

residents of Florida

Researched and compiled by:

Patricia O’Quinn Foster
and
Fred T. Foster
San Diego, California

April 1990

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Descendants of Allen and Mary Ann Brown O’Quinn

[photo of the Allen O’Quinn tombstone]

Allen O’Quinn was born 07 October 1802 in Kershaw County, South Carolina, the sixth child and fourth son of John O’Quinn and his wife, Rhoda Horton. Sometime prior to 1827, Allen moved with his family to the town of Deepstep in Washington County, Georgia. While there, on 30 December 1826, he was issued a commission as Captain in the Georgia Militia and served in this capacity until 08 July 1830.

The 1830 census shows Allen living in Washington County with his wife whose age is listed as between 15 to 20 years. The family does not include any children.

One source indicates that Allen‘s wife was Mary Ann Brown, whereas another source states that her name was Mary McMullen. Subsequent death certificates filed for two of Allen’s children list their mother’s maiden name as “Brown”. Census records show that she was born in Washington County, Georgia.

Their first child, Eliza Ann, was born in 1834 in Washington County. Records indicate that the remaining eight children were born in Muscogee County, Georgia, where the family had moved in 1834 or 1835.

Property records in Muscogee County show that Allen O’Quinn made three land purchases in 1839 and 1850, totalling 605 acres. In 1850, he sold 150 acres for $2000 and the remaining 455 acres were sold on 27 March 1854 for $2700.

It is evident that the O’Quinns moved from Muscogee County in the early 1850’s. An item in the Georgia records shows that Allen O’Quinn of Jefferson County, Florida appointed Robert E. Patterson of Muscogee County as his attorney to sell two lots in Muscogee County; this was dated 05 March 1853.

Later in the 1850’s, Allen moved his family to the adjacent county, Taylor County, Florida. There he served as Clerk of the Circuit Court from 01 November 1859 to 12 November 1861. One of his first official acts took place on 03 November 1859, when he issued a marriage license to his son, Andrew Martin, and Mary Elizabeth McMullen. [note to see Appendix #1 for a copy of this entry in the Taylor County Court Records. As of now, there is no Appendix #1, and photos in this document are of such poor quality that they can’t be included.] Allen also served a brief period as County Judge of Taylor County, from August through November 1869.

The 1860 census shows Allen living in the village of Fenholoway, near Perry, Taylor County, Florida, with his wife, six children, and a grandson John, probably the child of John H. Walsingham and Eliza Ann (O’Quinn) Walsingham who were married 09 November 1851 in Muscogee County, Georgia.

Property records in Taylor County show that Allen and Mary Ann O’Quinn sold 361 acres in Taylor County to James Stroud for $2,800 on 01 November 1864.  There are no other existing records of Mary Ann O’Quinn so it is probably that she died some time between 1864 and 1870. In both the 1870 and 1880 census records, Allen is shown living with his son Daniel and his family in Taylor County.

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To understand the burial place of Allen O’Quinn, it is necessary to know a few facts about his son, Andrew Martin. After moving to Taylor County, Florida with his parents, he married Mary Elizabeth McMullen on 03 November 1859. their first child, William Allen, was born 04 October 1860 in Taylor County.

From an interview with William, published in the Largo Sentinel in Largo, Florida in 1927, it is evident that Andrew Martin and his family moved to Hillsborough County, Florida (now part of Pinellas County) on 12 January 1868. Property records of Hillsborough County show that Andrew Martin O’Quinn started buying property in 1877 and made at least 29 land purchases.

One of the last remaining parcels of land once owned by Andrew Martin O’Quinn is located [address deleted]  near 102nd Avenue, in Largo, Pinellas County. Here among the citrus trees is the grave of Allen O’Quinn.

The grave is marked by an obelisk about four feet high, made of pewter. On the east side is the inscription: “Allen O’Quinn, Died Feb. 13, 1885, Age 82 years, 4 mo’s, 6 days.” On the north side is the Masonic Emblem and on the south side a sheaf of wheat. The west side contains this poem:

Dear Father with a Reverent Hand,
This to They Memory Given,
While One by One the Household Bond,
God Reunites in Heaven

The citrus grove where Allen’s grave is located consists of 40 acres and is owned by Mrs Margueritte W. Thurston. It is the last producing citrus grove in Pinellas County and, according to Mrs Thurston, it will remain so as long as she is alive.

Allen and Mary Ann O’Quinn had nine children:

1. Eliza Ann O’Quinn, born ca 1834
2. Victaline (or Victoria or Victolina) O’Quinn, born ca 1835
3. John R. O’Quinn, born ca 1837
4. Andrew Martin O’Quinn, born 21 February 1839
5. Virgil I. O’Quinn, born ca 1842
6. Winifred Ann O’Quinn, born ca 1843
7. Daniel F. O’Quinn, born ca 07 April 1844
8. Mary Ann O’Quinn, born ca 1847
9. Bryant Jefferson O’Quinn, born 09 October 1850