John Allison (Representative)
Encyclopedia
John Allison was an American politician, most notably serving in the U.S. House
as a Representative of Pennsylvania
during the 1850s.
Allison was born in Beaver, Pennsylvania
and grew up to study law
. He was the son of James Allison, Jr.
He was admitted to the bar, but did not practice, instead establishing a hat
factory
. He served in the Pennsylvania House of Representatives
in 1846, 1847, and 1849; he ran successfully for the U.S. House as a Whig
in the 1850 election. He lost his bid for re-election in 1852, but won back the seat in 1854. He then retired from the House in 1856.
After retiring from the House, he was active in the politics of the nascent Republican Party; he served as a delegate to their 1856 convention
, where he nominated Abraham Lincoln
for Vice President
.
On April 3, 1869, Allison was appointed Register of the U.S. Treasury, a post he held until his death. He was interred in Beaver Cemetery.
United States House of Representatives
The United States House of Representatives is one of the two Houses of the United States Congress, the bicameral legislature which also includes the Senate.The composition and powers of the House are established in Article One of the Constitution...
as a Representative of Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania
The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is a U.S. state that is located in the Northeastern and Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States. The state borders Delaware and Maryland to the south, West Virginia to the southwest, Ohio to the west, New York and Ontario, Canada, to the north, and New Jersey to...
during the 1850s.
Allison was born in Beaver, Pennsylvania
Beaver, Pennsylvania
Beaver is a borough in and the county seat of Beaver County, Pennsylvania, United States, at the confluence of the Beaver and Ohio Rivers. As of the 2000 census, the borough population was 4,775, having dropped from 5,641 in 1940....
and grew up to study law
Law
Law is a system of rules and guidelines which are enforced through social institutions to govern behavior, wherever possible. It shapes politics, economics and society in numerous ways and serves as a social mediator of relations between people. Contract law regulates everything from buying a bus...
. He was the son of James Allison, Jr.
James Allison, Jr.
James Allison, Jr. was a member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Pennsylvania.James Allison, Jr. was born near Elkton, Maryland. He moved with his parents to Washington County, Pennsylvania, in 1774. At seventeen years of age he enrolled in the school of David Johnson of Beaver,...
He was admitted to the bar, but did not practice, instead establishing a hat
Hat
A hat is a head covering. It can be worn for protection against the elements, for ceremonial or religious reasons, for safety, or as a fashion accessory. In the past, hats were an indicator of social status...
factory
Factory
A factory or manufacturing plant is an industrial building where laborers manufacture goods or supervise machines processing one product into another. Most modern factories have large warehouses or warehouse-like facilities that contain heavy equipment used for assembly line production...
. He served in the Pennsylvania House of Representatives
Pennsylvania House of Representatives
The Pennsylvania House of Representatives is the lower house of the bicameral Pennsylvania General Assembly, the legislature of the U.S. state of Pennsylvania. There are 203 members, elected for two year terms from single member districts....
in 1846, 1847, and 1849; he ran successfully for the U.S. House as a Whig
Whig Party (United States)
The Whig Party was a political party of the United States during the era of Jacksonian democracy. Considered integral to the Second Party System and operating from the early 1830s to the mid-1850s, the party was formed in opposition to the policies of President Andrew Jackson and his Democratic...
in the 1850 election. He lost his bid for re-election in 1852, but won back the seat in 1854. He then retired from the House in 1856.
After retiring from the House, he was active in the politics of the nascent Republican Party; he served as a delegate to their 1856 convention
1856 Republican National Convention
The 1856 Republican National Convention convened from June 17 to June 19, 1856 at the Musical Fund Hall in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States, and nominated General John C. Frémont of California and former Senator William Dayton of New Jersey for President and Vice President of the United...
, where he nominated Abraham Lincoln
Abraham Lincoln
Abraham Lincoln was the 16th President of the United States, serving from March 1861 until his assassination in April 1865. He successfully led his country through a great constitutional, military and moral crisis – the American Civil War – preserving the Union, while ending slavery, and...
for Vice President
Vice President of the United States
The Vice President of the United States is the holder of a public office created by the United States Constitution. The Vice President, together with the President of the United States, is indirectly elected by the people, through the Electoral College, to a four-year term...
.
On April 3, 1869, Allison was appointed Register of the U.S. Treasury, a post he held until his death. He was interred in Beaver Cemetery.