John Allison was born in Ireland in about 1768. He emigrated with his father to America around 1777 and resided in Mecklenburg County, Virginia. Later in life he resided in Cleveland County, North Carolina, and swore to an affidavit in support of Susanna Alexander's pension claim attesting that her husband John Alexander was a soldier in the revolution who had served alongside Allison's father. He died sometime after 1851.