Joseph P. Allyn
Encyclopedia
Joseph Pratt Allyn was an American
jurist
and journalist
who served as one of the original Associate Justices of the Supreme Court of Arizona Territory
.
to Timothy Mather and Susan Ann (Pratt) Allyn on March 9, 1833. His family was wealthy and he was educated by private tutors due to chronic health problems. Upon reaching adulthood, Allyn went to work at a local wholesaling firm. His health problems soon reappeared and he took a tour of Europe in an attempt to recover.
In 1859 Allyn became a Congressional
attaché
, a position he held for two years. At the same time he served as a correspondent
to the Hartford Evening Press. In 1863, probably upon the recommendation of U.S. Secretary of the Navy Gideon Welles
, Allyn was appointed Associate Justice of the newly created Arizona Territory
by President Abraham Lincoln
. Following the death of Governor-delegate John A. Gurley
, Allyn joined with Secretary Welles and Territorial Secretary Richard C. McCormick petitioning for Chief Justice John N. Goodwin to be made governor and that a new Chief Justice be appointed for the territory.
Allyn traveled with the governor's party to the newly formed territory, arriving in December 1863. Shortly after his arrival he began traveling throughout the new territory and used the experiences of his journey and explorations to write a series of articles. His discoveries were published by the Hartford Evening Press under the name "Putnam" between September 21, 1863 and November 9, 1866. When judicial districts were organized, Allyn was assigned the second district, composed of all of Arizona west of the 114th meridian west
, and based in the town of La Paz
.
The Associate Justice began showing political ambitions shortly after his arrival in La Paz. He used his position as featured speaker at La Paz's 1864 Fourth of July celebration to acquaint himself with the citizenry. Later that year when Chief Justice William F. Turner
took a leave of absence, Allyn filled in for him at Prescott and used the opportunity to make the population of the capital aware of his capabilities. In September 1864, the Associate Justice ran to become Arizona Territory's Congressional Delegate. He placed second in a three-way race, receiving 381 votes to John N. Goodwin's 717 and Charles D. Poston's 206. Allyn then applied to replace Goodwin as territorial governor but did not receive the appointment.
Allyn considered creating a newspaper in La Paz, and traveled to San Francisco, California
in 1866 to buy a printing press. Instead of returning to Arizona he instead went home to Connecticut. As his four year term as judge was set to expire he notified President Andrew Johnson
by letter that he did not wish to be reappointed.
In July 1867, Allyn sailed to Europe for health reasons. There he visited Spain
, Algiers
, and Egypt
before going to France
in April 1869. Allyn died in Paris
on May 24, 1869. His body was returned to the Connecticut and he was buried in Hartford's Spring Grove Cemetery.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
jurist
Jurist
A jurist or jurisconsult is a professional who studies, develops, applies, or otherwise deals with the law. The term is widely used in American English, but in the United Kingdom and many Commonwealth countries it has only historical and specialist usage...
and journalist
Journalist
A journalist collects and distributes news and other information. A journalist's work is referred to as journalism.A reporter is a type of journalist who researchs, writes, and reports on information to be presented in mass media, including print media , electronic media , and digital media A...
who served as one of the original Associate Justices of the Supreme Court of Arizona Territory
Arizona Territory
The Territory of Arizona was an organized incorporated territory of the United States that existed from February 24, 1863 until February 14, 1912, when it was admitted to the Union as the 48th state....
.
Background
Allyn was born in Hartford, ConnecticutHartford, Connecticut
Hartford is the capital of the U.S. state of Connecticut. The seat of Hartford County until Connecticut disbanded county government in 1960, it is the second most populous city on New England's largest river, the Connecticut River. As of the 2010 Census, Hartford's population was 124,775, making...
to Timothy Mather and Susan Ann (Pratt) Allyn on March 9, 1833. His family was wealthy and he was educated by private tutors due to chronic health problems. Upon reaching adulthood, Allyn went to work at a local wholesaling firm. His health problems soon reappeared and he took a tour of Europe in an attempt to recover.
In 1859 Allyn became a Congressional
United States Congress
The United States Congress is the bicameral legislature of the federal government of the United States, consisting of the Senate and the House of Representatives. The Congress meets in the United States Capitol in Washington, D.C....
attaché
Attaché
Attaché is a French term in diplomacy referring to a person who is assigned to the diplomatic or administrative staff of a higher placed person or another service or agency...
, a position he held for two years. At the same time he served as a correspondent
Correspondent
A correspondent or on-the-scene reporter is a journalist or commentator, or more general speaking, an agent who contributes reports to a newspaper, or radio or television news, or another type of company, from a remote, often distant, location. A foreign correspondent is stationed in a foreign...
to the Hartford Evening Press. In 1863, probably upon the recommendation of U.S. Secretary of the Navy Gideon Welles
Gideon Welles
Gideon Welles was the United States Secretary of the Navy from 1861 to 1869. His buildup of the Navy to successfully execute blockades of Southern ports was a key component of Northern victory of the Civil War...
, Allyn was appointed Associate Justice of the newly created Arizona Territory
Arizona Territory
The Territory of Arizona was an organized incorporated territory of the United States that existed from February 24, 1863 until February 14, 1912, when it was admitted to the Union as the 48th state....
by President 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...
. Following the death of Governor-delegate John A. Gurley
John A. Gurley
John Addison Gurley was a U.S. Congressman from Ohio during the early part of the American Civil War. He was appointed as the first Governor of the Arizona Territory, but died before taking office....
, Allyn joined with Secretary Welles and Territorial Secretary Richard C. McCormick petitioning for Chief Justice John N. Goodwin to be made governor and that a new Chief Justice be appointed for the territory.
Allyn traveled with the governor's party to the newly formed territory, arriving in December 1863. Shortly after his arrival he began traveling throughout the new territory and used the experiences of his journey and explorations to write a series of articles. His discoveries were published by the Hartford Evening Press under the name "Putnam" between September 21, 1863 and November 9, 1866. When judicial districts were organized, Allyn was assigned the second district, composed of all of Arizona west of the 114th meridian west
114th meridian west
The meridian 114° west of Greenwich is a line of longitude that extends from the North Pole across the Arctic Ocean, North America, the Pacific Ocean, the Southern Ocean, and Antarctica to the South Pole....
, and based in the town of La Paz
La Paz, Arizona
La Paz was a short-lived, early gold mining town along the Colorado River in La Paz County on the western border of the U.S. state of Arizona. It was the location of the La Paz Incident in 1863, the westernmost confrontation of the American Civil War. The town was settled in 1862 in what was then...
.
The Associate Justice began showing political ambitions shortly after his arrival in La Paz. He used his position as featured speaker at La Paz's 1864 Fourth of July celebration to acquaint himself with the citizenry. Later that year when Chief Justice William F. Turner
William F. Turner
William F. Turner was the first Chief Justice of the Territory of Arizona, serving in that capacity for about 7 years. He presided over the Territorial Supreme Court of Arizona.-Early life:...
took a leave of absence, Allyn filled in for him at Prescott and used the opportunity to make the population of the capital aware of his capabilities. In September 1864, the Associate Justice ran to become Arizona Territory's Congressional Delegate. He placed second in a three-way race, receiving 381 votes to John N. Goodwin's 717 and Charles D. Poston's 206. Allyn then applied to replace Goodwin as territorial governor but did not receive the appointment.
Allyn considered creating a newspaper in La Paz, and traveled to San Francisco, California
San Francisco, California
San Francisco , officially the City and County of San Francisco, is the financial, cultural, and transportation center of the San Francisco Bay Area, a region of 7.15 million people which includes San Jose and Oakland...
in 1866 to buy a printing press. Instead of returning to Arizona he instead went home to Connecticut. As his four year term as judge was set to expire he notified President Andrew Johnson
Andrew Johnson
Andrew Johnson was the 17th President of the United States . As Vice-President of the United States in 1865, he succeeded Abraham Lincoln following the latter's assassination. Johnson then presided over the initial and contentious Reconstruction era of the United States following the American...
by letter that he did not wish to be reappointed.
In July 1867, Allyn sailed to Europe for health reasons. There he visited Spain
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
, Algiers
Algiers
' is the capital and largest city of Algeria. According to the 1998 census, the population of the city proper was 1,519,570 and that of the urban agglomeration was 2,135,630. In 2009, the population was about 3,500,000...
, and Egypt
Egypt
Egypt , officially the Arab Republic of Egypt, Arabic: , is a country mainly in North Africa, with the Sinai Peninsula forming a land bridge in Southwest Asia. Egypt is thus a transcontinental country, and a major power in Africa, the Mediterranean Basin, the Middle East and the Muslim world...
before going to France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
in April 1869. Allyn died in Paris
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
on May 24, 1869. His body was returned to the Connecticut and he was buried in Hartford's Spring Grove Cemetery.