John Beard Allen (May 18, 1845January 28, 1903) was an American lawyer and politician who served as a
United States senator
The United States Senate is the upper chamber of the United States Congress, with the House of Representatives being the lower chamber. Together they compose the national bicameral legislature of the United States.
The composition and powe ...
from
Washington
Washington commonly refers to:
* Washington (state), United States
* Washington, D.C., the capital of the United States
** A metonym for the federal government of the United States
** Washington metropolitan area, the metropolitan area centered o ...
from 1889 to 1893. A member of the
Republican Party, he previously served as the
United States 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 ...
from
Washington Territory's at-large congressional district
Until statehood in 1889, Washington Territory elected a non-voting Delegate (United States Congress), Delegate to the United States House of Representatives, at-large.
List of delegates representing the district
References
*
*
Congressiona ...
in 1889.
Early life
Allen was born in
Crawfordsville, Indiana
Crawfordsville is a city in Montgomery County in west central Indiana, United States, west by northwest of Indianapolis. As of the 2020 census, the city had a population of 16,306. The city is the county seat of Montgomery County, the only char ...
on May 18, 1845.
Career
He served as a private in 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 of the collective states. It proved essential to th ...
with the 135th Indiana Volunteers during the
American Civil War
The American Civil War (April 12, 1861 – May 26, 1865; also known by other names) was a civil war in the United States. It was fought between the Union ("the North") and the Confederacy ("the South"), the latter formed by states ...
.
He earned a law degree from the
University of Michigan
, mottoeng = "Arts, Knowledge, Truth"
, former_names = Catholepistemiad, or University of Michigania (1817–1821)
, budget = $10.3 billion (2021)
, endowment = $17 billion (2021)As o ...
and passed the bar in 1869.
He moved to Washington in 1870,
and started a law practice in
Olympia.
He served as
United States Attorney for the District of Washington (1875–1885), and as reporter for the
supreme court for the Territory of Washington from 1878 to 1885.
He was a Republican Delegate to the
United States House of Representatives
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 ...
in 1889, and after Washington achieved statehood, he was elected and served in the
United States Senate
The United States Senate is the upper chamber of the United States Congress, with the House of Representatives being the lower chamber. Together they compose the national bicameral legislature of the United States.
The composition and pow ...
from 1889 to 1893. After the legislature failed to select a Senator for the following term, Allen was appointed by the
Governor of Washington
The governor of Washington is the head of government of Washington and commander-in-chief of the state's military forces.WA Const. art. III, § 2. The officeholder has a duty to enforce state laws,WA Const. art. III, § 5. the power to either a ...
, but was not seated by the Senate.
The Legacy Preservation Library
via www.usgennet.org
Death and legacy
After leaving public office, Allen went into private law practice in Seattle, Washington, where he died of cardiovascular disease in 1903.
John B. Allen Elementary School was dedicated in 1904, part of the Seattle School District. Seattle School District architect, James Stephens, designed the two-story, wooden building, which housed 278 students at the end of its first year. In 1917, the District opened a second brick building and enrollment increased, peaking at 758 in 1933. The school closed in June 1981.
References
External links
Retrieved on February 14, 2008
John B. Allen School
{{DEFAULTSORT:Allen, John B.
People from Crawfordsville, Indiana
Union Army soldiers
People of Indiana in the American Civil War
Delegates to the United States House of Representatives from Washington Territory
United States Attorneys
Washington (state) lawyers
1845 births
1903 deaths
Washington (state) Republicans
Republican Party United States senators from Washington (state)
University of Michigan Law School alumni
People from Olympia, Washington
19th-century American politicians