Frederick Hobbes Allen (May 30, 1858 – December 3, 1937) was an American international lawyer and soldier during
World War I
World War I (28 July 1914 11 November 1918), often abbreviated as WWI, was one of the deadliest global conflicts in history. Belligerents included much of Europe, the Russian Empire, the United States, and the Ottoman Empire, with fightin ...
who was prominent in New York Society during the
Gilded Age
In United States history, the Gilded Age was an era extending roughly from 1877 to 1900, which was sandwiched between the Reconstruction era and the Progressive Era. It was a time of rapid economic growth, especially in the Northern and Weste ...
.
Early life
Allen was born on May 30, 1858. He was the son of
Elisha Hunt Allen
Elisha Hunt Allen (January 28, 1804 – January 1, 1883) was an American congressman, lawyer and diplomat, and judge and diplomat for the Kingdom of Hawaii.
Early life
Elisha Hunt Allen was born January 28, 1804, in New Salem, Massachusetts. ...
(1804–1883) and Mary Harrod Hobbes (b. 1808). His father was a former
U.S. Representative
The United States House of Representatives, often referred to as the House of Representatives, the U.S. House, or simply the House, is the lower chamber of the United States Congress, with the Senate being the upper chamber. Together they c ...
from
Maine
Maine () is a state in the New England and Northeastern regions of the United States. It borders New Hampshire to the west, the Gulf of Maine to the southeast, and the Canadian provinces of New Brunswick and Quebec to the northeast and north ...
who was the
United States Minister to the Kingdom of Hawaii from 1850 to 1853. Elisha Hunt Allen subsequently became an official of the Hawaiian government, serving as minister from Hawaii to the United States from 1856 until his death in 1883, as well as becoming Chief Justice of the Hawaiian Kingdom.
His paternal grandfather was
Samuel Clesson Allen
Samuel Clesson Allen (January 5, 1772 – February 8, 1842) was a U.S. politician from Massachusetts during the first third of the 19th century. He began his career as a member of the Federalist Party, but later became a staunch supporter of ...
(1772–1842), a lawyer who was
Senator
A senate is a deliberative assembly, often the upper house or chamber of a bicameral legislature. The name comes from the ancient Roman Senate (Latin: ''Senatus''), so-called as an assembly of the senior (Latin: ''senex'' meaning "the el ...
from Massachusetts,
and his maternal grandfather was Frederick Hobbs, a former Maine legislator. He was descended from Edward Allen, who came to Colonial American in 1661,
and settled at
Northfield, Massachusetts
Northfield is a New England town, town in Franklin County, Massachusetts, Franklin County, Massachusetts, United States. Northfield was first settled in 1673. The population was 2,866 at the 2020 census. It is part of the Springfield, Massachusetts ...
.
His father was sent to Hawaii by President
Zachary Taylor
Zachary Taylor (November 24, 1784 – July 9, 1850) was an American military leader who served as the 12th president of the United States from 1849 until his death in 1850. Taylor was a career officer in the United States Army, rising to th ...
to obtain a reciprocity treaty from
King Kamahameha III. As his birth was only ten days after
Prince Albert of Hawaii
Prince Albert Kamehameha, formally Albert Edward Kauikeaouli Kaleiopapa a Kamehameha (May 20, 1858 – August 27, 1862), was the only son of Kamehameha IV and Queen Emma, who during his short life was the Crown Prince of the Kingdom of Hawaii. ...
, they became close friends and spent a lot of time together. Allen graduated from
Harvard Law School
Harvard Law School (Harvard Law or HLS) is the law school of Harvard University, a private research university in Cambridge, Massachusetts. Founded in 1817, it is the oldest continuously operating law school in the United States.
Each class ...
, where he earned an
M.A.
A Master of Arts ( la, Magister Artium or ''Artium Magister''; abbreviated MA, M.A., AM, or A.M.) is the holder of a master's degree awarded by universities in many countries. The degree is usually contrasted with that of Master of Science. Tho ...
(1880) and an
LL.B.
Bachelor of Laws ( la, Legum Baccalaureus; LL.B.) is an undergraduate law degree in the United Kingdom and most common law jurisdictions. Bachelor of Laws is also the name of the law degree awarded by universities in the People's Republic of Chi ...
(1883).
Career
After graduation, he was admitted to the bar, in 1884, and began practicing law as a clerk at
Miller, Peckham & Dixon. In 1883, Allen became secretary of the Hawaiian Legation at Washington, becoming
Charge d'Affaires
Charge or charged may refer to:
Arts, entertainment, and media Films
* ''Charge, Zero Emissions/Maximum Speed'', a 2011 documentary
Music
* ''Charge'' (David Ford album)
* ''Charge'' (Machel Montano album)
* ''Charge!!'', an album by The Aqua ...
of the group the following year, after the death of his father.
From 1890 to 1894, he was with the firm of Cole & Allen.
In 1894, he established his law firm of Adams & Allen at 63
Wall St. in
New York City
New York, often called New York City or NYC, is the List of United States cities by population, most populous city in the United States. With a 2020 population of 8,804,190 distributed over , New York City is also the L ...
, where he was located since. After his partner died, he formed the firm of Allen & Cammann in 1900, practicing with that firm until 1922, at which point, he practiced alone.
His legal practice revolved around his role as an adviser on international law to American and foreign banks.
Allen was a
Democrat
Democrat, Democrats, or Democratic may refer to:
Politics
*A proponent of democracy, or democratic government; a form of government involving rule by the people.
*A member of a Democratic Party:
**Democratic Party (United States) (D)
**Democratic ...
, serving both locally and nationally, including as Chairman of the Democratic County Committee for
Westchester County, New York
Westchester County is located in the U.S. state of New York. It is the seventh most populous county in the State of New York and the most populous north of New York City. According to the 2020 United States Census, the county had a population o ...
and Mayor of
Pelham Manor, New York
Pelham Manor is an affluent village located in Westchester County, New York. As of the 2020 census, the village had a total population of 5,752. It is located in the town of Pelham.
History
The Bolton Priory, Edgewood House, and Pelhamdale are ...
.
In 1912, 1920 and 1924, he was a member of the
Democratic National Finance Committee.
During
World War I
World War I (28 July 1914 11 November 1918), often abbreviated as WWI, was one of the deadliest global conflicts in history. Belligerents included much of Europe, the Russian Empire, the United States, and the Ottoman Empire, with fightin ...
, Allen served on Gen.
John J. Pershing
General of the Armies John Joseph Pershing (September 13, 1860 – July 15, 1948), nicknamed "Black Jack", was a senior United States Army officer. He served most famously as the commander of the American Expeditionary Forces (AEF) on the Wes ...
's staff as a
Lt. Commander
Lieutenant commander (also hyphenated lieutenant-commander and abbreviated Lt Cdr, LtCdr. or LCDR) is a Officer (armed forces), commissioned officer military rank, rank in many navy, navies. The rank is superior (hierarchy), superior to a l ...
, with the
Naval Reserve Flying Corps The Naval Reserve Flying Corps (NRFC) was the first United States Navy reserve pilot procurement program. As part of demobilization following World War I the NRFC was completely inactive by 1922; but it is remembered as the origin of the naval aviat ...
. In 1913, he was appointed by President
Woodrow Wilson
Thomas Woodrow Wilson (December 28, 1856February 3, 1924) was an American politician and academic who served as the 28th president of the United States from 1913 to 1921. A member of the Democratic Party, Wilson served as the president of ...
's to his Peace Commission that toured Europe "to study agriculture production, distribution and rural credits".
Society life
In 1888,
Ward McAllister
Samuel Ward McAllister (December 28, 1827 – January 31, 1895) was a popular arbiter of social taste in the Gilded Age of late 19th-century America. He was widely accepted as the authority as to which families could be classified as the cream o ...
chose Allen to lead the cotillion at a
Patriarchs Ball, bringing him firmly into New York Society.
In 1892, Allen was included in McAllister's "
Four Hundred
400 (four hundred) is the natural number following 399 and preceding 401.
Mathematical properties
400 is the square of 20. 400 is the sum of the powers of 7 from 0 to 3, thus making it a repdigit in base 7 (1111).
A circle is divided into ...
", purported to be an index of New York's best families, that could fit into
Mrs. Astor
Caroline Webster "Lina" Schermerhorn Astor (September 22, 1830 – October 30, 1908) was a prominent American socialite of the second half of the 19th century who led the The Four Hundred (1892), Four Hundred. Famous for being referred to later ...
's ballroom, as published in ''
The New York Times
''The New York Times'' (''the Times'', ''NYT'', or the Gray Lady) is a daily newspaper based in New York City with a worldwide readership reported in 2020 to comprise a declining 840,000 paid print subscribers, and a growing 6 million paid ...
''.
In 1924, they gave a party for
Prince Valdemar and his son,
Prince Viggo of Denmark at their home in Pelham Manor.
He was a member of the
Sons of Revolution,
Society of Colonial Wars
The Society of Colonial Wars is a hereditary society composed of men who trace their descents from forebears who, in military, naval, or civil positions of high trust and responsibility, by acts or counsel, assisted in the establishment, defense, ...
, the
Knickerbocker Club
The Knickerbocker Club (known informally as The Knick) is a gentlemen's club in New York City that was founded in 1871. It is considered to be the most exclusive club in the United States and one of the most aristocratic gentlemen's clubs in th ...
, the
Union Club, the
Manhattan Club, and the
City Club.
Residences
Allen owned the historic 1838
Bolton Priory
Bolton Priory, whose full title is The Priory Church of St Mary and St Cuthbert, Bolton Abbey is a Grade I listed parish church of the Church of England in Bolton Abbey (village), within the Yorkshire Dales National Park in North Yorkshire, Engl ...
in
Pelham Manor, New York
Pelham Manor is an affluent village located in Westchester County, New York. As of the 2020 census, the village had a total population of 5,752. It is located in the town of Pelham.
History
The Bolton Priory, Edgewood House, and Pelhamdale are ...
.
The estate was a wedding present to his wife from her mother as she lived there as a student when the home was a school.
She had bought it for $100,000 in 1883.
In 1917, their home was robbed of $200,000 in jewelry.
In 1928, his wife bought 57 acres of the Hazard Farm in
Newport, Rhode Island
Newport is an American seaside city on Aquidneck Island in Newport County, Rhode Island. It is located in Narragansett Bay, approximately southeast of Providence, Rhode Island, Providence, south of Fall River, Massachusetts, south of Boston, ...
. She commissioned
Frederic Rhinelander King
Frederic Rhinelander King (April 13, 1887 – March 20, 1972), was an American architect, and the co-founder with Marion Sims Wyeth of the architecture firm Wyeth and King.
Early life
Frederic Rhinelander King was born in 1887. He was the son of ...
to build them a home in the French chateau style. "The Mount," which was completed in 1930, was built using stone quarried on the land. After their deaths, the home was left to their daughter Priscilla, who sold it to
Muriel Vanderbilt
Muriel Vanderbilt (November 23, 1900 – February 3, 1972) was an American socialite and a thoroughbred racehorse owner/breeder who was a member of the wealthy Vanderbilt family.
Early life
Muriel was born on November 23, 1900 in New York City. ...
and her husband, Dr. John Payson Adams, in 1945.
Personal life
In May 1892, his engagement to Adele Livingston "Daisy" Stevens (1864–1939) was announced in the society section of ''
The New York Times
''The New York Times'' (''the Times'', ''NYT'', or the Gray Lady) is a daily newspaper based in New York City with a worldwide readership reported in 2020 to comprise a declining 840,000 paid print subscribers, and a growing 6 million paid ...
'', stating that:
"The engagement has been cabled from Paris of Frederick H. Allen and Miss Daisy Stevens, a daughter of Frederick H. Stevens. Mr. Allen, who is a native of Boston, has lived in New-York for some years, but has never occupied a very prominent position in society, although popular among his friends. Miss Stevens has not the gift of beauty, but has always been liked for her simplicity of manner and good spirits."
On June 30, 1892, Frederick and Daisy married in the
Church of the Transfiguration
The Church of the Transfiguration ( he, כנסיית ההשתנות) is a Franciscan church located on Mount Tabor in Israel. It is traditionally believed to be the site where the Transfiguration of Jesus took place, an event in the Gospels in w ...
in Manhattan.
She was the daughter of Frederick William Stevens and Adele Livingston (
née
A birth name is the name of a person given upon birth. The term may be applied to the surname, the given name, or the entire name. Where births are required to be officially registered, the entire name entered onto a birth certificate or birth re ...
Sampson) Stevens.
Her brother was Joseph Stevens, a
Rough Rider
The Rough Riders was a nickname given to the 1st United States Volunteer Cavalry, one of three such regiments raised in 1898 for the Spanish–American War and the only one to see combat. The United States Army was small, understaffed, and diso ...
, and her sisters were Mabel Ledyard Stevens (1872–1959), who married Count Micislas Orlowski, a polish noble,
and Frances Stevens, who married the Count de Gallifet, and later, Count Maurice des Monstiers de Mérinville.
Her parents had a home on
Bellevue Avenue
The Bellevue Avenue Historic District is located along and around Bellevue Avenue in Newport, Rhode Island, United States. Its property is almost exclusively residential, including many of the Gilded Age mansions built by affluent summer vaca ...
in Newport called "the Cedars."
In 1887, shocking society, her mother (the daughter of
Joseph Sampson, one of the founding shareholders of
Chemical Bank
Chemical Bank was a bank with headquarters in New York City from 1824 until 1996. At the end of 1995, Chemical was the third-largest bank in the U.S., with about $182.9 billion in assets and more than 39,000 employees around the world.
Beginning ...
) divorced her father and married
Maurice de Talleyrand-Périgord
Charles Maurice Camille de Talleyrand-Périgord, 4th Duke of Dino, 2nd Marquis de Talleyrand (25 January 1843 – 5 January 1917) was a French aristocrat, soldier, and author who married two different American heiresses.
Early life
He was born on ...
(1843–1917). When the Marquis' uncle abdicated his title, Maurice became the 4th
Duc de Dino and her mother became the Duchess of Dino.
In 1903, the Duke and Duchess also divorced, and the Duchess kept her title.
Together, Frederick and Daisy were the parents of:
* Frederic Stevens Allen (1894–1948)
* Mary Dorothy Adele Allen (1895–1920), who died young.
* Barbara Frances Gallatin Allen (1897–1951), who married Andre M. Vagliano in 1920.
During World War I, she joined the
American Committee for Devastated France
American Committee for Devastated France (1919-1924) also known as C.A.R.D. ''(Comité Américain pour les Régions Dévastées de France)'', from the French translation of the name of the organization, was a small group of American women who vo ...
led by
Anne Morgan, serving in France from 1917 to 1918, eventually becoming the become head of the Committee's motor department, for which she received the ''
Croix de guerre
The ''Croix de Guerre'' (, ''Cross of War'') is a military decoration of France. It was first created in 1915 and consists of a square-cross medal on two crossed swords, hanging from a ribbon with various degree pins. The decoration was first awa ...
'' from France.
* Joan Livingston Allen (1898–1964), who married Goodhue Livingston Jr. (1897–1994), son of society architect
Goodhue Livingston Sr. (1867–1951), in 1919.
* Julian Broome Livingston Allen (1900–1967), who twice received the ''
Croix de guerre
The ''Croix de Guerre'' (, ''Cross of War'') is a military decoration of France. It was first created in 1915 and consists of a square-cross medal on two crossed swords, hanging from a ribbon with various degree pins. The decoration was first awa ...
'' from France.
* Priscilla Alden Sampson Allen (1904–1996), who married Francis Jackson Hallowell (1906–1988), grandson of Col.
Norwood Penrose Hallowell
Norwood Penrose "Pen" Hallowell (April 13, 1839 – April 11, 1914) was an officer in the Union Army during the American Civil War. One of three brothers to serve with distinction during the war, he and his brother Edward Needles Hallowell bot ...
of the
Union Army
During the American Civil War, the Union Army, also known as the Federal Army and the Northern Army, referring to the United States Army, was the land force that fought to preserve the Union (American Civil War), Union of the collective U.S. st ...
.
Allen died on December 3, 1937 at the
Newport Hospital
Newport Hospital is a private, nonprofit hospital located in Newport, Rhode Island. Together with The Miriam Hospital and Rhode Island Hospital, Newport Hospital is a member of the Lifespan health system.
History
Newport Hospital was founded in ...
in
Newport, Rhode Island
Newport is an American seaside city on Aquidneck Island in Newport County, Rhode Island. It is located in Narragansett Bay, approximately southeast of Providence, Rhode Island, Providence, south of Fall River, Massachusetts, south of Boston, ...
.
He was buried at
Beechwoods Cemetery in
New Rochelle, New York
New Rochelle (; older french: La Nouvelle-Rochelle) is a city in Westchester County, New York, United States, in the southeastern portion of the state. In 2020, the city had a population of 79,726, making it the seventh-largest in the state of ...
. His widow also died at their cottage in Newport.
Honours and awards
Foreign honours
* : Commander of the
Order of the White Lion
The Order of the White Lion ( cs, Řád Bílého lva) is the highest order of the Czech Republic. It continues a Czechoslovak order of the same name created in 1922 as an award for foreigners (Czechoslovakia had no civilian decoration for its ...
(1931)
[https://www.prazskyhradarchiv.cz/file/edee/vyznamenani/cs_rbl.pdf ]
References
External links
*
{{DEFAULTSORT:Allen, Frederick Hobbes
1858 births
1937 deaths
Politicians from Honolulu
Harvard Law School alumni
People included in New York Society's Four Hundred
New York (state) Democrats
19th-century American lawyers
20th-century American lawyers
New York (state) lawyers
United States Navy personnel of World War I
Mayors of places in New York (state)
Commanders of the Order of the White Lion