Kate Elizabeth Primus was born April 12, 1855 on Foster and Marietta Ray’s plantation. She was the granddaughter of Basil and Diana Primus and the daughter of Agnes Primus. She was baptized February 28, 1857 by Rev. John B. Hutchins at St. Augustine Catholic Church.
Kate was ten in 1865 when slavery was outlawed in Kentucky. She was 17 when she worked as a servant along with her mother and brother, for Marietta Ray Foster. Kate and her brother, John, were both literate. In the 1870-1871 Berea college catalog Kate is listed as a student.
Berea College was founded in Madison County, Kentucky in 1855 by Kentucky abolitionists and educators. The school was integrated and the ministers associated with Berea preached and talked against slavery. After John Brown’s raid in 1859, sentiment ran high against the school. There were numerous mob actions until the staff left Kentucky en masses for points north with plans to return as soon as they could. After the Civil War, they were able to and established the school. Berea was not a college as we think of them today – subjects went from the very basics through the college curriculum.
Marietta Foster wrote her will on November 20, 1871. Among other bequests, she left $1,000 to buy Agnes Primus a house. Marietta Foster died on January 9, 1872. I do not know when or if Agnes actually received a house in Lebanon, Kentucky.
Her brother John died in 1881, his daughter known as Scottie was born. Kate was there to be her godmother in 1882. Shortly afterwards Kate and her mother moved to Chicago.
Henry C. Allen was also from Kentucky. He had been in Chicago for several years working as a waiter and living with his older brother. Henry and Kate married in 1886. He continued worked as a waiter for most of his working life. He also did some catering later.
By 1900, they had three sons Primus, Guy and Stanley.
In 1910 the growing family owned their home at 3653 Foster (later Giles) Avenue. It was a brick row house with 5 bedrooms. Living there were Kate and Henry and their three sons and Kate’s mother Agnes Primus. They lived in this house until their deaths.
Agnes lived with Katie and her husband in Chicago until her death in 1919. She is buried in Mt Olivet Catholic Cemetery.
In the early years, Katie did hairdressing. Later she did not work outside of the home. Through the years the house was full of family – sons, and grandchildren. Henry died in 1930. Katie followed him five years later in 1935. They are buried next to each other in Holy Sepulchre Catholic Cemetery.
The oldest son, Primus A. Allen was born in 1887. He completed the 6th grade. He was tall, slim with blue eyes. He married and had one son. Although he started his work life as a plasterer, he later became a red cap with railroads and continued with that. He lived with his brother Guy when he died in 1954.
Guy Eugene Allen was born in 1890. He completed four years of high school. He was tall, slender with brown eyes and brown hair. He and his wife had two sons. For awhile he worked as a postman. Later, Guy had his own business building and repairing houses. He owned his own home, right down the street from his brother Stanley. He died in 1986.
Stanley Henry Allen was born in 1892. He completed the 8th grade. He was medium height, medium weight with dark brown eyes, black hair and light brown complexion. He was a porter at the railroad station. He married but had no children. He owned his home when he died in 1970.
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