Husband Col. Harrison Allen 1 2
Born: 4 Dec 1835 - Russellburg, Warren Co, PA 2
Christened:
Died: 1908 - Washington, D. C. 2
Buried: - Arlington National Cemetery, Arlington, VA
Father: Samuel P. Allen (1810-1893) 1 3
Mother: Mary Elizabeth Thompson ( - ) 1 3
Marriage: 1865
Wife Anne E. Page
Born:
Christened:
Died:
Buried:
Other Spouse: Col. George Ashworth Cobham, Jr. (1825-1864) 4 5 - Abt 1858
Children
General Notes: Husband - Col. Harrison Allen
ALLEN, HARRISON, Lawyer, Brevet Brigadier-General United States Volunteers, and Auditor-General of Pennsylvania, was born in the town of Russellburg, Warren county, Pennsylvania, December 4th, 1835, and is a son of Samuel P. and Mary (Thompson) Allen. His father was of Scotch-Irish descent; his grandfather a nephew of General Anthony Wayne. On his mother's side he is partly of German extraction. He was reared on a farm until he reached the age of twenty years, and during the winter months attended the district school; he was unusually industrious as a student, improving his leisure hours and gaining all the information to be acquired in the schools which the neighborhood afforded. He possessed a retentive memory, and was quick to comprehend an idea and to act upon it, it being his aim to know his duty and to do it. In the school he was an excellent declaimer, and exhibited ability and taste for such exercises. In the autumn of 1855, he attended the academy at Jamestown, New York, and during that and the following winter taught school at Farmington, in his native county, meeting with excellent success. During 1856 and 1857, he was a student in the academy at Randolph, New York, where he stood high in his classes, and received the highest honors of the school and the literary society of the school. In the spring of 1856, he left school to engage in business, of which "lumbering" was an important part, in order to earn the money to sustain himself and to prosecute his studies; and, in 1857 and 1858, attended the Fredonia Academy. Here he again won distinction, securing the highest honors, one of which was his election successively to the Presidency of the literary societies with which he was connected. In 1859, he entered the law office of Judges Johnson and Brown of Warren, Pennsylvania, where he remained until the spring of 1861. Having a taste for military affairs he devoted considerable attention thereto, and served as aide-de-camp (with the rank of Captain) on General Brown's staff, 20th Division, Pennsylvania Militia, and was promoted by election as Lieutenant-Colonel of the regiment in his own county. At the outbreak of the Rebellion he volunteered, April 20th, 1861, for the three months' service as a private, and was elected by the men Captain of the Company; after two months he re-enlisted his company for three years. He was ordered to Pittsburgh, and thence up the Allegheny river twelve miles to Camp Wright. He drove the first tent-peg on the ground; and had command of the camp until relieved by Colonel McLean of Erie. At that time the 10th Regiment of Pennsylvania Reserves was organized, including his company, at Camp Wilkins, and he was elected by the men Major of the regiment, and commissioned by the Governor. He was tendered the Colonelcy of the 11th Regiment of Reserves, but declined it, preferring to serve under Colonel John S. McCalmont and remain with his men. He joined the Army of the Potomac with his regiment, and, in 1862, organized the 151st Regiment Pennsylvania Volunteers, and was elected Colonel, serving during the term of his enlistment. He was brevetted Brigadier-General United States Volunteers, and was especially complimented for gallantry and efficiency by Generals Doubleday, Meade, Reynolds and Ord for services in the engagements at Drainsville, Port Conway, the 2d Fredericksburg, Chancellorsville, Gettysburg, and Williamsport. Here, as a mark of confidence, he was assigned by General Doubleday to command the advance line of the division, and successfully routed the rebels, took possession of their line and held it, the enemy retreating under cover of the night. On the expiration of his term of service he returned and resumed his studies, and was admitted to practice as an attorney-at-law. In 1865 he was nominated on the Republican ticket as Representative in the Legislature from the Warren and Venango District, and was elected. The following year he was renominated by acclamation, and elected by a majority of 1182 in his own county, running largely ahead of his ticket. He served with great credit and to the entire satisfaction of his constituents, guarding their particular interests, and also faithfully conserving the interests of the whole State. During his term he took part in all of the important discussions, especially signalizing his service by an eloquent speech upon the Constitutional Amendment. His influence as a legislator was marked. In 1868, he was a Delegate-at-large to the Soldiers' National Convention at Chicago, and also District Delegate to the Republican National Convention, by each of which General Grant was nominated for the Presidency. He took a very active part in the campaign which followed, in speaking and organizing. In 1869, he was a candidate for the State Senate in the Mercer, Warren and Venango District against a very prominent member of his own party, and after an animated contest carried seventy-nine out of ninety-nine delegates in his own county. The contestant withdrawing, he was nominated by acclamation, endorsed by the District Conference, and after a hard-fought contest was elected by over one thousand majority. During his term in the Senate, as in the House, he was always upon the side of right, and ranked as one of the strongest and most faithful members of that body, taking a leading part in all important discussions with marked ability. He was earnest in support of all measures pointing to economy and reform. During the discussion upon the contested election cases in the Senate, he did himself great credit in a speech upon the Right of Petition. In 1872, he was elected Auditor-General of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, by the unprecedented majority of 36,780, and entered upon the duties of his office December 2d of that year. In this position he is still serving, his present term expiring in May, 1875. He has ever been the "Poor Man's Friend," a title which was given to him at a meeting of Democrats of his own locality, held during the heated contest of 1872, when a series of resolutions were adopted containing the following language:
"He has been almost the first in every charitable enterprise, and has thereby blessed the homes and lightened the hearts of the needy, without reference to creed or condition. He has not only proven himself a good citizen, a true and brave soldier, but when fortune had favored him with means he opened his hand in charity, and scattered his gifts liberally to the deserving poor, and many have blessed him for his acts of kindness. He has provided homes for the homeless, cheered the fallen, and strengthened and encouraged the weak when temptation was dragging them down to ruin and to death."
As a public man, he has always been true to his political professions, always courteous but firm, leading the way to consistent action, striving to do justly by all, planting himself on the doctrine of the Declaration of American Independence, that "all men are created equal," and scouting all political distinctions based upon the accidents of color or birth. His success is the result of earnest purpose, determination which never flagged, exactness and promptness in the transaction of business, a deep sympathy with others' wants, a sacred regard for his word, and a faithful discharge of all obligations, with a settled purpose of right which knows no such word as fail.
He was appointed United States marshal for Territory of Dakota, served until the change of administration in 1885.
General Notes: Wife - Anne E. Page
from Warren, Warren Co, PA