Champaign County IL Archives Biographies.....Allen, Andrew J 
************************************************
Copyright.  All rights reserved.
http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm
http://www.usgwarchives.net/il/ilfiles.htm
************************************************

File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by:
Celia Snyder cgsnyder@uiuc.edu September 1999

Biography of Andrew J ALLEN, Champaign County, Illinois
From:  "History of Champaign County, Illinois with Illustrations," 1878

ANDREW J. ALLEN

The subject of the following sketch was born in Shelby county, Kentucky,
the 14th of November, 1832. His father, Stephen ALLEN, was a native of the
same county and state, and remained there until his death, which occurred
in May, 1862. His father married Elizabeth JACKSON, of same county, in
1831. There was born to them twelve children, ten of whom are yet living.
After the death of her husband, Mrs. Elizabeth ALLEN removed to Urbana in
the winter of 1863, and at present is still residing in this city.

Andrew J., was raised upon a farm until he was seventeen years of age when
he went to the carpenter trade, at which he continued until he was
twenty-seven years of age. In the fall of 1854, he left Kentucky and came
to Urbana, and worked, at his trade until the spring of 1857, when he
married Miss Amanda M. GERE, daughter of Asa and Eliza GERE, of this city.
This event occured on the 24th of June, 1857. He then, with his wife,
removed back to Kentucky, and remained there for two years. He returned
here in the spring of 1859, and engaged in the dry goods business with the
firm of Allen, Gere & Co. He continued as a member of the firm until 1865,
when his failing health compelled his retirement from that business. In
1867, he embarked in the furniture business in Champaign City, but a
destructive fire the same year, put an effectual quietus on that business.
He again went back to his trade, and continued at it until 1870, when the
I. B. and W. railroad was opened through this city, and the machine shops
of the company were located here. He entered the carpenter shops of the
company and worked at the bench for one year, when he was placed in charge
as foreman of the car department, in which capacity he has continued ever
since. During the last eight years that he has been in charge of the shops,
the road has passed through different managements, each one replacing old
men with new, but such has been his executive ability and skill in the
management of his department, that he has remained through all the changes,
and is, at the present time, the oldest employee in the shops. Both Mr.
Allen and his wife are consistent and active members of the Baptist church,
to which he attached himself at an early age. In politics, he is a Democrat. 
His first vote was cast for James Buchanan, in 1856, and he still adheres 
to the party of his choice in his youth, and believes that in the old 
principles as enunciated by Jefferson, is contained the very essence of
true political science. Mr. Allen is a courteous and pleasant gentleman,
kind and considerate to all, and is esteemed by all with whom he comes in
contact. It is with pleasure that we present this brief biographical sketch
of Mr. A. J. Allen, to our numerous readers.


http://files.usgwarchives.net/il/champaign/bios/a-d/ajallen.txt