He was born in Down, Ireland, in 1819/20. [sources: date: 3 (40 in 1861), 5, 6 (60 in ?1882 or (more likely) 1880), 7 (55 in ?1880 or 1886), 8 (60 in 1880), 10 (30 in 1850), 11 (49 in 1870), 12 (60 in 1880). place: 5, 6, 7, 8, 10, 11, 12]
He may be the John Allen who was living in ward 6, Kensington, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, in 1850. If so, he was a weaver, and was living with Jane Young and others. [source: 10]
Perhaps he is (a) the John Allen, weaver, living at 345 Master Street, or (b) the John Allen, weaver, living at 6 Deringer's Avenue, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, in 1860. [source: 13]
When he enlisted, he was a weav[er]. [source: 5]
When he enlisted, he was 5 feet 6 inches tall, and had a light complexion, blue eyes, and light brown hair. [source: 5]
He enlisted and was mustered into service on 8 November 1861. He was enlisted for three years, at Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, by Captain Gilbert. He was mustered in as a private, at Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. He was a private in company G. [sources: 1, 3, 5, 8, 14, 15]
On 20 December 1862, at Fredericksburg, Virginia, he contracted chronic diarrhea. [source: 8]
He was transferred to company C of the 6th Veterans' Reserve Corps on 20 or 30 June 1863. When he was transferred, he was a private, in company G. [sources: 1, 2, 3 (30 Jun), 4 (30 Jun), 5 (30 Jun), 8, 14, 15]
He served for 24 or 36 months. [sources: 6 (36), 7 (24)]
He lived in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. [source: 8]
He is probably the John Allen who was living at 1933 Blair Street, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, in 1870. If so, he was a carpet weaver, and was living (probably) with his brother Joseph, and others, including John Jr, who may be his son. [sources: 11, 13]
In 1880, he was living at 562 East Dickinson Street, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. He was a carpet weaver. He was living with his brother Joseph Allen, and others. He was suffering from debility. [sources: 12, 13]
He was admitted to the National Home for Disabled Volunteer Soldiers on 27 May 1880. He had chronic diarrhea. He was not receiving a pension. He was a widower. He was a weaver. His nearest relative was Joseph Allen, of 562 Dickinson Street, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. [sources: 6, 7, 8]
In 1882, he was present in the Central Branch of the National Home for Disabled Volunteer Soldiers. [source: 6]
As of 12 June 1883, a semi-annual [physical exam?] was no longer required. [source: 8]
He died on 21 November 1885, at the Central Branch of the National Home for Disabled Volunteer Soldiers. He died of consumption. He was buried in the Dayton National Cemetery, Dayton, Montgomery County, Ohio. Apparently, his gravestone mistakenly reads "1st Pa.". [sources: 7, 8, 9]
1 Bates, Samuel Penniman. History of Pennsylvania volunteers, 1861-5. Harrisburg: B. Singerly, state printer, 1869-71. 5 volumes. 'Ninety-first regiment', volume 3, pages 186-233. (In the roster) (John Allen)
2 consolidated morning report, 91st PA, 1 August 1863 (Private Allen)
3 Civil War Veterans' Card File, available at the Pennsylvania State Archives, searched 6 Aug 2004 (John Allen)
4 company G, register of men transferred (John Allen)
5 company G, descriptive roll, entry 21 (John Allan [sic])
6 Annual report of the Board of Managers of the National Soldiers Home, 30 December 1882 [for the fiscal year ending 30 June 1882]. Serial Set volume 2115, session volume 1, 47th Congress, 2nd Session, House Miscellaneous Document 13, page 378 (John Allen)
7 Report of the Board of Managers of the National Home for Disabled Volunteer Soldiers for the fiscal year ending June 30, 1886. Serial Set volume 2488, session volume 1, 49th Congress, 2nd Session, House Miscellaneous Document 1, page 194 (John Allen)
8 US National Homes for Disabled Volunteer Soldiers, 1866-1938, Dayton, Registers, C, transcribed from Ancestry (image 654/5222), 12 February 2011 (John Allen)
9 Find-a-grave, memorial 272354, imported from US Veteran's Affairs, added 25 February 2000, accessed 13 February 2011 [identification seems to be secured by the date and location, although the Find-a-grave memorial claims he served as a private in the cavalry] (John Allen)
10 1850 US census, Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Kensington, ward 6, microfilm series M432, film 807, page 482 recto = 965 handwritten (John Allen)
11 1870 US census, Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, ward 19, division 60, microfilm series M593, film 1405, pages 326 verso = 42 handwritten to 327 recto = 43 handwritten (John Allen)
12 1880 US census, Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, supervisor's district 1, enumeration district 183, microfilm series T9, film 1190, page 571 = 20 D handwritten (John Allen)
13 selected Philadelphia city directories
14 index to compiled service records of volunteer Union soldiers who served in organizations from the state of Pennsylvania (John Allen)
15 index to compiled service records of volunteer Union soldiers who served in organizations from the state of Pennsylvania (John Allan)
line | 8 |
Dwellings visited | [1123] |
Families visited | [1338] |
Name | John Allen |
Age | 30 |
Sex | M |
Color | |
Occupation of males over 15 years | weaver |
Real estate owned | |
Birthplace | Ireland |
Married within year | |
Attended school within year | |
Over 20 & can't read/write | |
Deaf, dumb, blind, etc. |
line | 38 | 39 | 40 | 1 | 2 | 3 |
Dwelling-house number | 315 | |||||
Family number | 392 | |||||
Name | Allen Jacob [sic] | John | Elizabeth | Allen Mary | John | John Jr |
Age | 45 | 16 | 14 | 9 | 49 | 17 |
Sex | M | M | F | F | M | M |
Color | W | W | W | W | W | W |
Occupation | Carpet Weaver | Works in Mill | House Keeper | Carpet Weaver | Carpet Weaver | |
Real estate value | ||||||
Personal estate value | 200 | |||||
Birthplace | Ireland | Penna | Penna | Penna | Ireland | Penna |
Father foreign born | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
Mother foreign born | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
Birth month if born within year | ||||||
Marriage month if married within year | ||||||
Attended school past year | 1 | |||||
Can't read | ||||||
Can't write | ||||||
Deaf, dumb, blind, etc. | ||||||
Male US citizen at least 21 years old | 1 | [blank] | ||||
Male US citizen at least 21 years old who can't vote ... |
line | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 |
street name | East Dickinson Street North Side | |||||
house number | 562 | |||||
dwelling visit # | 197 | |||||
family visit # | 230 | 231 | ||||
name | Allen Joseph | John | Graham Samuel | Mary | Joseph A | Allen John |
color | W | W | W | W | W | W |
sex | M | M | M | F | M | M |
age | 55 | 25 | 25 | 19 | 60 | |
month born if born in year | 6/12 [sic] | |||||
[the census date was 1 June] | ||||||
relationship | Son | Son in law | Daughter | Grand child | Brother | |
single | 1 | 1 | ||||
married | 1 | 1 | ||||
widowed/divorced | 1 | 1 | ||||
married during year | ||||||
occupation | Carpet Weaver | Carpet Weaver | Foreman in Carpet Mill | Keep House | Carpet Weaver | |
months unemployed | ||||||
currently ill? | Debility | |||||
blind | ||||||
deaf/dumb | ||||||
idiotic | ||||||
insane | ||||||
disabled | ||||||
school this year | ||||||
can't read | ||||||
can't write | ||||||
birthplace | Ireland | Pennsy | Pennsy | Pennsy | Pennsy | Ireland |
father's birthplace | Ireland | Ireland | Ireland | Ireland | Pennsy | Ireland |
mother's birthplace | Ireland | Ireland | Ireland | Ireland | Pennsy | Ireland |
Time and Place of Each Enlistment. | Novr 8. 1861 Philadelphia Pa |
Rank. | |
Company and Regiment. | G 91 Pa. Vol. Transferred to Co. C 6 Vet. R. Cor |
Time and Place of Discharge. | |
Cause of Discharge. | G.O. 365 A.G. Office Novr 13. 1863 |
Kind and Degree of Disability. | Chronic Diarrhoea |
When and Where Contracted and Received. | Decr 20. 1862. Fredericksburg Va |
Where Born. | Ireland |
Age. | 60 |
Residence Subsequent to Discharge. | Philadelphia |
Occupation. | Weaver |
Social Condition. | Widower |
Number and Kind of Relatives Requiring his Assistance | None |
P.O. Address of Family and Nearest Relatives. | Joseph Allen 562. Dickinson St Philad Pa |
Rate of Pension. | Date of Admission Re-Admission and Transfer. | Condition of Re-admission. | Date of Discharge and Transfer. | Cause of Discharge. | Date of Death. | Cause of Death. |
May 27. 1880 | Stone reads "1st Pa." | Nov 21 /85 E-15-24 | Consumption |
[identification is likely, given the 1880 census entry transcribed below]
[note that the only Jacob Allen in Gopsill's 1871 Philadelphia directory (on p.143) is 'Allen Jacob, driver, h 2023 Sepviva'. his age and occupation, and his apparent children John and Mary, match the 1880 census entry below; combined with John, this strongly suggests that Jacob is the Joseph in the 1880 census]
[note also the following correspondences to the city directory:]
or 'Hamilton William H., boilermkr, h 1430 Fkd av' (both p.656)]