Tuolumne-Alameda-Napa County CA Archives Biographies.....Allyn, John 1820 - 
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Joy Fisher sdgenweb@yahoo.com January 30, 2006, 4:37 pm

Author: Lewis Publishing Co. (1891)

JOHN ALLYN, capitalist, in St. Helena, a truly representative and most highly
respected citizen, has resided in this place for over twenty years, always
taking a forward part in matters of public benefit, and standing prominently
before his fellow townsmen. He is an unusually good instance of the self-made
man,— one who by diligence, economy and rectitude has made his way upward from
narrow circumstances to affluence, who has won a superior education by his own
efforts and by the native force of his mind has taken a leading part in every
position in which he has been placed. As a writer of polished and forceful
English, in the domain both of poetry and prose, he has been much noticed and
admired.

  Dr. Allyn was born in 1820, in Litchfield County, Connecticut, where his
father was a respected but not wealthy farmer. In his sixteenth year the family
removed to Ohio, where Mr. Allyn took the full advantage of his educational
opportunities. After reaching the age of twenty he obtained a school, which he
taught during the winter, working during the summers and all the time carrying
on his studies at Oberlin College. He went thence to Illinois, and thence to
Cincinnati, and graduated at Lane Theological Seminary. At that time Dr. Ly-man
Beecher was at the head of that institution, and Dr. Stowe was one of the
professors. His health failing, young Allyn was forced to abandon his intentions
of entering the ministry of the Presbyterian Church, and he began to practice
law at Carrollton, Greene County. Illinois. He was admitted to practice before
the Supreme Court of Illinois, May 5, 1846, his name being enrolled April 8,
1850. His health failing again, however, he decided to try a change of climate,
and accordingly came to California in the summer of 1851, reaching San
Francisco, September 1st of that year, after the great fire that devastated that
city. He did not stop there but went on at once for Tuolumne County. Whilst in
Stockton on his way, his money gave out, and he had to walk all the way to
Sonora meeting while on the way three men with blankets on their backs who
informed him that the dirt at Sonora had been worked over three, times already.
He pushed on, however, and found that after the rains came many did well. Not
being strong enough to mine, Mr. Allyn went into the manufacture of rockers,
"long-toms," etc., and afterward engaged in store-keeping, at the same time
paying some little attention to real estate. In 1858 he went to the Fraser
River, following the excitement of that year. The rush was tremendous, a large
proportion of those going losing money. There were no less than 10,000 people in
Victoria in one day during that season. Mr. Allyn went up to Fort Yale and from
there to Fort Hope, on the Fraser, and in the latter place stayed for the
winter, going into business at that point. He then returned to Victoria, going
into business first for a year, and afterward for the remaining two years of his
residence in that city, buying and selling real estate. During the year 1861 he
lived at Port Townsend and followed the profession of dentistry, for which he
had fitted himself.

  In 1864 he went to Oakland and located in that city, it having then a
population of only 2,000 people. In the summer of 1870, as already stated, he
came to St. Helena, bought a tract of twenty acres in the town, built his
comfortable residence and set out twenty acres of grapes. When the vines were
six years old the vineyard yielded ninety-six tons of grapes, or eight tons per
acre. The following year the return was $200 per acre in grapes. These facts
show the value of vineyard land in the vicinity of St. Helena, and although
fluctuations in prices have made a difference, yet there is always a demand for
better varieties. To further illustrate the fertility of the soil it may be
stated that Dr. Allyn, in the presence of the writer, measured some gum trees
which he had planted along Scott avenue in 1873. They ranged up to six feet and
a half in circumference, or over two feet in diameter, with heights of over
sixty feet, and tops cut off every three years; this is the growth of sixteen
years without irrigation, the trees being simply planted and left to get along
as best they might.

  In his own person, however, perhaps Dr. Allyn is the best recommendation of
California that can be given, as he is a splendid instance of what our climate
is capable of. Although never a man of robust health, yet he has attained the
age of seventy years with still a capacity for close and continuous care to his
multifarious business interests or to literary effort, and is never deterred by
weather or circumstances from going out to everything that may need his attention.

  Dr. Allyn has never sought political life, but has always had the confidence
of his fellow citizens. He has been School Trustee and a member of the Board of
Town Trustees for eight years.

  His first marriage was unfortunate and resulted in a divorce. In June, 1851,
he married Miss Sophronia Scott, daughter of the late William Scott, of
Peterboro, New Hampshire, with whom he still lives. Twins were born to them, but
died in infancy. He has one son, living in Ventura.

  In religion Dr. Allyn is liberal and a firm believer in a future life from his
own investigations of spiritual phenomena. He claims that he has repeatedly
received from deceased friends directly into his own hands writings between
closed and sealed slates in broad daylight!


Additional Comments:
Extracted from

Memorial and Biographical History of Northern California.

Illustrated, Containing a History of this Important Section of the Pacific Coast
from the Earliest Period of its Occupancy to the Present Time, together with
Glimpses of its Prospective Future; Full-Page Steel Portraits of its most
Eminent Men, and Biographical Mention of many of its Pioneers and also of
Prominent Citizens of To-day.

"A people that takes no pride in the noble achievements of remote ancestors will
never achieve anything worthy to be remembered with pride by remote
descendents." – Macauley.

CHICAGO
THE LEWIS PUBLISHING COMPANY
1891.

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