Shawnee County KS Archives Biographies.....Allen, Henry S. 1837 - 
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Author: James L. King (1905)

HENRY S. ALLEN.

    HENRY S. ALLEN, one of the leading builders and contractors of Topeka, which
city has been his home since 1869, was born at Zanesville, Ohio, March 23, 1837,
and is a son of George and Marian (Parkman) Allen.

    The father of Mr. Allen was born and reared at Bristol, England, where he
contracted his first marriage. After coming to America, he married Marian
Parkman, who was also born at Bristol and came to America in childhood.

    Our subject was reared at Zanesville and was educated in Putnam, across the
Muskingum River from Zanesville, now the Ninth Ward of that city. When 16 years
old he was apprenticed to the carpenter's trade, for which he had a natural
faculty, and was following the same when the Civil War descended upon the land.
He was one of the first to offer his services and was assigned to Company E,
Third Reg., Ohio Vol. Inf., in which he gallantly served until disabled by a
serious wound in the foot at the battle of Prairieville. An honorable discharge
followed and he returned home, but, in 1863, when Morgan was raiding Ohio, Mr.
Allen again turned out in his country's defense. He reenlisted, entering Company
B, 159th Reg., Ohio Vol. Inf., recruiting the company and being placed in
command. He participated in the battles of Rich Mountain, West Virginia, and
Frederick, Maryland, and then the 159th was stationed at Baltimore.   Mr. Allen
was one of the members of a scouting expedition under command of the late Gen.
Lew Wallace, for whom he always entertained great regard. After his return from
the field, he was elected lieutenant-colonel of his regiment, Colonel Munson
having retired.

    In 1858 Mr. Allen had made a visit to Kansas but took up his residence in
Missouri and remained there until the fall of 1860, when he left Kansas City and
returned to Ohio to become one of the soldiers in his native State. In 1869 he
returned to Kansas and in July, 1869, he built a home on the corner of Sixth
avenue and Fillmore street, Topeka. Later he removed to his present beautiful
home at No. 336 Woodlawn avenue, Potwin. He hats been identified with the
building development of this beautiful suburb ever since, much of its
improvement coming directly under his care and superintendence. He accompanied
the engineer in laying out the parks, placing the stakes for trees and
beautifying the addition of Potwin. He built the first house on Woodlawn avenue,
opposite his own residence, for Mr. Potwin. Four years later another modern
residence was built, which was then the beginning of something like a "boom."
Now 450 voters have delightful homes in this most aristocratic suburb of Topeka,
and many of these Mr. Allen has constructed, among these being the palatial
residences of W. M. Forbes, Mrs. Burlingame and Mr. Kent. His work is to be
found in all sections of Topeka, particularly in residence districts. He has
been delegated by the First Baptist Church as superintendent of the construction
of their new edifice opposite the State House.

    Mr. Allen married Katie Nesbaum. They have no children. Both have long been
very devoted workers in the religious circles of the city. Mr. Allen has been a
member of the First Baptist Church for the past 35 years and is one of its board
of trustees. Fraternally, he is a Mason. He is a member of Lincoln Post, No. 1,
G. A. R., of Topeka.


Additional Comments:
Extracted from:

HISTORY OF SHAWNEE COUNTY, KANSAS
AND
REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS

EDITED AND COMPILED BY
JAMES L. KING
TOPEKA, KANSAS 

"History is Philosophy Teaching by Examples"

PUBLISHED BY
RICHMOND & ARNOLD,
GEORGE RICHMOND; C. R. ARNOLD.
CHICAGO, ILLINOIS,
1905.

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