Allen A. ROUSE devotes his time and energies to general agricultural pursuits in Henry township, where he rents a tract of land of two hundred and eighty-nine acres, of which he is cultivating one hundred and seventy-five acres. His life record began in Stark county, Illinois, on the 18th of December, 1860. His father, William ROUSE, was a native of the Empire state and a farmer by occupation. During his infancy, however, he was brought from New York to Illinois by his father and a settlement was made by the family in Valley township, Stark county. There he was reared to the occupation of farming, which he made his life work after attaining his majority, but he is now living retired from active business. He married Cynthia RATCLIFF, a native of Ohio, and their home is in Stark county, Illinois. In their family were nine children, of whom five are still living.
No event of special importance occurred to vary for Allen A. ROUSE the routine of farm life when he was in his boyhood days. He attended the district schools in the winter months and in the summer seasons aided in the labors of the fields and after starting out in life on his own account he continued in the agricultural work and is now renting a farm from Holmes MORRISON, comprising two hundred and eighty-nine acres of very rich and productive land, of which he has one hundred and seventy-five acres planted to crops. He thus annually gathers good harvests and his energy and business ability constitute the secret of his success.
In 1882 Mr. ROUSE was united in marriage to Miss Maggie McMULLEN, also a native of Stark county, this state. They now have four daughters: Mrs. Ada COX, who is living in Stark county; Nora, who married Frank CURRY, and lives in Whitefield township; and Maud and Aura, both of whom are attending school and still make their home with their parents. Mr. and Mrs. ROUSE hold membership in the Methodist church and are interested in its work and growth. His political allegiance is given to the republican party and he keeps well informed on the questions and issues of the day, so that he is able to support his position by intelligent argument, yet the honors and emoluments of public office have no attraction for him. He prefers to depend upon business interests for an income and is accounted one of the wide-awake, alert and enterprising farmers of his community.
Extracted July 2011 by Norma Hass from Past and Present of Marshall and Putnam Counties Illinois, 1907.
| Bureau | Putnam | |
| Stark |
 |
La Salle |
| Peoria | Woodford |
