Elijah Allen

Elijah Allen
A Biographical Sketch

From: The Biographical Record of Jasper County, Missouri by Hon. Malcolm G. McGregor; pub.1901; p. 515

Elijah Allen. The real-estate and insurance business in the vicinity of Carl Junction, Jasper county, is ably managed by Elijah Allen, who, since 1885, has been one of the leading men in that line in this part of the county. A native of Illinois, Mr. Allen was born in Jefferson county, December 13, 1844, and he was a son of Reuben and Nancy (Richardson) Allen. Stephen Allen, the grandfather of our subject, was a native of Virginia, of English extraction, and his father, who was James Allen, was on the early settlers in the Old Dominion. Stephen Allen settled in Illinois about 1810, and his son, Reuben Allen, was born in that state in 1821. The mother of our subject was born in Tennessee, in 1825, and is still surviving. She was a daughter of Alexander W. Richardson, who was born either in Virginia or Tennessee, but married in the latter state. He was of both English and Dutch descent, and served in the Black Hawk war. The father of our subject died in Jasper county, Missouri, to which he had come in 1872. By occupation he was a farmer and had been a prominent man in the county. He was for many years a Democrat but later joined the Greenback party, and for a long period he served as justice of the peace. Of the Baptist church he was a leading member.

The parents of our subject had eight children, six of whom survive, and Elijah, of this sketch, is the eldest of the family. He was reared in Franklin county, Illinois, attended the district schools and assisted his father on the farm, but at the outbreak of the Civil war entered the Union army, enlisting in Company G, Fifteenth Illinois Volunteer Infantry, and was mustered out in the fall of 1865.

About this time our subject was united in marriage to Miss Sophronia DeWitt, a native of Hamilton county, Illinois. She was the daughter of Jefferson and Amazonia (Davis) DeWitt, the former of whom was a native of Ohio, although of French descent, the mother being a native of Ohio and distant relative of President McKinley. Mrs. Allen was reared in her native county, where she was also education.

After his marriage Mr. Allen located in Franklin county, Illinois, where he conducted a farm for some years and then removed to Hamilton county where he also managed farming operations for a few years, but in 1873 he removed to Neosho county, Kansas, and there engaged in merchandizing. In 1881, he came to Carl Junction, Jasper county, and opened a store in connection with his brother, Edward B. Allen. He also was appointed and served as postmaster for four years. In 1886 he bought his brother's interest in the store and conducted the business until 1888, at which period he retired from commercial pursuits. Prior to this time, in 1885, he had commenced to operate in insurance and real estate and his business in this line so increased in volume that he was forced to dispose of a second mercantile venture conducted for two years between 1888 and 1890, in order to give his entire attention to his present business.

To the marriage of Mr. and Mrs. Allen eight children were born, of whom five are living as follows: Nellie F., the wife of John W. Carson, of Carl Junction; Albert Edward, who married a daughter of Scott Stiers; Ida M., a teacher, residing at home; Pearl; Frances F.; and Myrtle.

Mr. Allen is one of the prominent and substantial citizens of Carl Junction, where he owns considerable real estate which he rents, and he also has a fine farm in Arkansas. His insurance business is steadily growing as he represents such sound companies as the German America of New York; the American Central, of St. Louis; the Connecticut, of Hartford, and the German, of Freeport, Illinois.