Thomas Allen (Massachusetts)
Encyclopedia
Thomas Allen was a railroad builder and later a member of the United States House of Representatives
from Missouri
.
Allen was born in Pittsfield, Massachusetts
, to Jonathan and Eunice Larned Allen, and was grandson to Rev. Thomas Allen, a noted American revolutionary. He attended Pittsfield Academy and Berkshire Gymnasium, graduated from Union College
in 1832, where he obtained his degree with Phi Beta Kappa
honors and was an early member of The Kappa Alpha Society
. He then studied law and was admitted to the New York
bar in 1835. In 1837, he moved to Washington, D.C.
, where he founded the newspaper
The Madisonian, a Democratic
newspaper. He was the printer of the United States House of Representatives from 1837 to 1839, and printer to the United States Senate from 1839 to 1842.
In 1842 Allen married Ann Russell and moved to St. Louis, Missouri
. He was elected to the Missouri State Senate in 1850, remaining a member of that body through 1854. In 1851 he became president of the St. Louis, Iron Mountain & Southern Railway (Pacific Railroad
), and in 1852 took the first steam locomotive to cross the Mississippi River
. He was also the organizer of the banking house Allen, Copp & Nisbet in 1858. He subsequently sold his railway interests and retired from business. He was the founder of the Allen professorship of Mining and Metallurgy at Washington University in St. Louis
and in 1876 he donated the Berkshire Athenaeum
to his hometown of Pittsfield, Massachusetts
.
Allen was elected to the United States House of Representatives
from Missouri in 1881, and died in Washington, D.C.
before his first term was completed, in April, 1882. He was buried in Pittsfield Cemetery, Pittsfield, Massachusetts
. Allenville, Missouri
was named after him.
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...
from Missouri
Missouri
Missouri is a US state located in the Midwestern United States, bordered by Iowa, Illinois, Kentucky, Tennessee, Arkansas, Oklahoma, Kansas and Nebraska. With a 2010 population of 5,988,927, Missouri is the 18th most populous state in the nation and the fifth most populous in the Midwest. It...
.
Allen was born in Pittsfield, Massachusetts
Pittsfield, Massachusetts
Pittsfield is the largest city and the county seat of Berkshire County, Massachusetts, United States. It is the principal city of the Pittsfield, Massachusetts Metropolitan Statistical Area which encompasses all of Berkshire County. Its area code is 413. Its ZIP code is 01201...
, to Jonathan and Eunice Larned Allen, and was grandson to Rev. Thomas Allen, a noted American revolutionary. He attended Pittsfield Academy and Berkshire Gymnasium, graduated from Union College
Union College
Union College is a private, non-denominational liberal arts college located in Schenectady, New York, United States. Founded in 1795, it was the first institution of higher learning chartered by the New York State Board of Regents. In the 19th century, it became the "Mother of Fraternities", as...
in 1832, where he obtained his degree with Phi Beta Kappa
Phi Beta Kappa Society
The Phi Beta Kappa Society is an academic honor society. Its mission is to "celebrate and advocate excellence in the liberal arts and sciences"; and induct "the most outstanding students of arts and sciences at America’s leading colleges and universities." Founded at The College of William and...
honors and was an early member of The Kappa Alpha Society
Kappa Alpha Society
The Kappa Alpha Society , founded in 1825, was the progenitor of the modern fraternity system in North America. It was the first of the fraternities which would eventually become known as the Union Triad...
. He then studied law and was admitted to the New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
bar in 1835. In 1837, he moved to Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, "the District", or simply D.C., is the capital of the United States. On July 16, 1790, the United States Congress approved the creation of a permanent national capital as permitted by the U.S. Constitution....
, where he founded the newspaper
Newspaper
A newspaper is a scheduled publication containing news of current events, informative articles, diverse features and advertising. It usually is printed on relatively inexpensive, low-grade paper such as newsprint. By 2007, there were 6580 daily newspapers in the world selling 395 million copies a...
The Madisonian, a Democratic
Democratic Party (United States)
The Democratic Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party. The party's socially liberal and progressive platform is largely considered center-left in the U.S. political spectrum. The party has the lengthiest record of continuous...
newspaper. He was the printer of the United States House of Representatives from 1837 to 1839, and printer to the United States Senate from 1839 to 1842.
In 1842 Allen married Ann Russell and moved to St. Louis, Missouri
St. Louis, Missouri
St. Louis is an independent city on the eastern border of Missouri, United States. With a population of 319,294, it was the 58th-largest U.S. city at the 2010 U.S. Census. The Greater St...
. He was elected to the Missouri State Senate in 1850, remaining a member of that body through 1854. In 1851 he became president of the St. Louis, Iron Mountain & Southern Railway (Pacific Railroad
Pacific Railroad
The Pacific Railroad was a railroad based in the U.S. state of Missouri. It was a predecessor of both the Missouri Pacific Railroad and St. Louis-San Francisco Railway.The Pacific was chartered by Missouri in 1849 to extend "from St...
), and in 1852 took the first steam locomotive to cross the Mississippi River
Mississippi River
The Mississippi River is the largest river system in North America. Flowing entirely in the United States, this river rises in western Minnesota and meanders slowly southwards for to the Mississippi River Delta at the Gulf of Mexico. With its many tributaries, the Mississippi's watershed drains...
. He was also the organizer of the banking house Allen, Copp & Nisbet in 1858. He subsequently sold his railway interests and retired from business. He was the founder of the Allen professorship of Mining and Metallurgy at Washington University in St. Louis
Washington University in St. Louis
Washington University in St. Louis is a private research university located in suburban St. Louis, Missouri. Founded in 1853, and named for George Washington, the university has students and faculty from all fifty U.S. states and more than 110 nations...
and in 1876 he donated the Berkshire Athenaeum
Berkshire Athenaeum
The Berkshire Athenaeum is a public library based on a previously private athenaeum, and now located at 1 Wendell Avenue, Pittsfield, Massachusetts in the Berkshires, USA. Like many New England libraries, the Berkshire Athenaeum started as a private organization.A private Public Library...
to his hometown of Pittsfield, Massachusetts
Pittsfield, Massachusetts
Pittsfield is the largest city and the county seat of Berkshire County, Massachusetts, United States. It is the principal city of the Pittsfield, Massachusetts Metropolitan Statistical Area which encompasses all of Berkshire County. Its area code is 413. Its ZIP code is 01201...
.
Allen was elected to the United States House of Representatives
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...
from Missouri in 1881, and died in Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, "the District", or simply D.C., is the capital of the United States. On July 16, 1790, the United States Congress approved the creation of a permanent national capital as permitted by the U.S. Constitution....
before his first term was completed, in April, 1882. He was buried in Pittsfield Cemetery, Pittsfield, Massachusetts
Pittsfield, Massachusetts
Pittsfield is the largest city and the county seat of Berkshire County, Massachusetts, United States. It is the principal city of the Pittsfield, Massachusetts Metropolitan Statistical Area which encompasses all of Berkshire County. Its area code is 413. Its ZIP code is 01201...
. Allenville, Missouri
Allenville, Missouri
Allenville is a village in Cape Girardeau County, Missouri, U.S. As of the 2000 census, the population was 104. It is part of the Cape Girardeau–Jackson, MO-IL Metropolitan Statistical Area.-Geography:Allenville is located at ....
was named after him.
See also
- Who Was Who in America Historical Volume, 1607-1896. Chicago: Marquis Who's Who, 1967.