He was born on 2 October 1843, to Thomas C Allen and Elizabeth Rudolph, in Pennsylvania. [sources: date: 27, 33; 16 (18 in 1861), 20, 21 (20 in 1863), 28 (26 in 1870), 29 (36 in 1880), 30 (56 (?) in 1900), 31 (66 in 1910), 32 33 and 34 (78 at death in 1921), 35 (76 in 1920), 36 (6 in 1850), 37 (16 in 1860). place: 20, 21, 27 (Delaware Cty PA), 28, 29, 30, 31, 35, 36, 37. parents: 27, 33, 36, 37]
In 1850, he seems to have been living in Upper Darby Township, Delaware County, Pennsylvania. If so, he was living with his parents Thomas and Elizabeth Allen, and with Mary A (presumably his sister). He had attended school within the year. [source: 36]
In 1860, he seems to have been living in Upper Darby Township, Delaware County, Pennsylvania. If so, he was living with his parents Thomas and Elizabeth Allen, with Mary (presumably his sister), and with Martha Rudolph. He had attended school within the year. [source: 37]
When he enlisted, he was a farmer, and was living in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. [sources: 16, 20, 21]
When he enlisted, he was 6 feet tall, and had a light complexion, dark eyes, and dark hair. [sources: 16, 20, 21]
He enlisted and was mustered into service as a private on 19 November 1861, at Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. He was enlisted for three years, at Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, by Captain Fetter. He was a private, in company F. [sources: 1, 16, 17 (20 Nov 61), 20, 26 (25 Dec), 27, 38, 40]
He was promoted to corporal on 23 December 1861. He was promoted to sergeant on 5 September 1862 or possibly 5? December 1862 or even 1 January 1863. [sources: 1 (sgt 5 Dec 62), 16 (sgt 5 Sep 62), 19 (sgt 5 Sep 62), 20 (sgt: has both 5 Sep 62 and 1 Jan 63?)]
He fought at the Battle of Gettysburg. [source: 24]
He reenlisted as a veteran volunteer on 24 December 1863, at Bealton, Virginia. He was enlisted by Lt Swann. [sources: 1, 16, 21, 41 (26 Dec 63)]
He was promoted to first sergeant on 9 March 1864. [sources: 4, 16]
He was promoted to first lieutenant on 10 October 1864. On 30 October 1864, he received a commission as first lieutenant from the Governor of Pennsylvania. On 31 October 1864, Sellers asked that he be discharged to enable him to accept that commission. He was mustered in on 3 November 1864, by Captain Laughlin, of the 155th Pennsylvania Infantry. [sources: 1, 5, 16, 18, 22, 26 (discharged 1 Nov)]
On 6 November 1864, he was assigned to command company K in addition to his present command (F). On 11 November 1864, captains John Donnell, William Michael, and Lieutenant John Graham were appointed a board of survey to determine for how much government property in company K he was responsible. [sources: 7, 8]
He was relieved from commanding company K, and appointed acting adjutant and acting regimental quartermaster on 30 November 1864, shortly before Howard Shipley (then acting adjutant) was discharged. [sources: 9, 23]
He was a witness to the charge preferred against Thomas Walter on 4 January 1865. [source: 6]
In January 1865 and 31 March 1865 he was acting adjutant. [source: various orders]
On 16 January 1865, he was relieved as acting adjutant by Adam Murphy. [source: 10]
He went on leave on 17 January 1865. He returned on 1 February 1865, when it expired. [source: 12 (citing special order 14, 5th army corps)]
He was promoted to adjutant effective 3 November 1864. [sources: 1, 2, 3 (19 Nov 1864), 16 (17 May 1865), 25 (reported 18 May 1865)]
On 17 May 1865, he was mustered in as adjutant, near Washington DC, by Captain Chamberlain. He replaced Benjamin Tayman, who had been discharged on 4 December 1864. [source: 41]
On 20 May 1865, he was relieved of duty as acting regimental quartermaster, and ordered to turn over all public property to Archibald Nimmo. [source: 11]
On 29 May 1865, 31 May 1865, and 4, 5, and 9 June 1865, he was adjutant. On 13 June 1865, William Carpenter wrote him asking for a leave. [source: various orders]
On 15 and 16 June 1865, William Letourneau was acting adjutant. (Other men were acting adjutant at roughly the same time.) [source: various orders]
On 15 June 1865, he went on a leave, which expired on 4 July 1865 (12, citing special order 132, 5th Corps).
He was adjutant on 6 July. [souce: order]
He mustered out with the regiment on 10 July 1865. He was the regimental adjutant. He had last been paid through 17 May 1865, by Major Gresson. [sources: 1, 3, 16, 17, 38, 40, 41]
He lived in Delaware County, Pennsylvania, and Armstrong County, Pennsylvania. [source: 27]
In June 1870, he married Sarah Delight [Hill?]. She was born in Pennsylvania, in March 1850. They apparently had the following six children:
[sources: 28, 29, 30, 31]
In 1870, he was living in Darby Township, Delaware County, Pennsylvania. He was living with his wife Delight S. They were living with James and Elizabeth Hill (perhaps her parents?) and others. He was a merchant, and owned $4,000 in personal property. [source: 28]
In 1880, he was living in Parker City, Armstrong County, Pennsylvania. He was living with his wife Sarah, and children F H [?], Bessie, Mattie, and James. He was a bookkeeper. [source: 29]
In 1881, he moved to Cecil County, Maryland. [source: 27]
He successfully applied from Maryland for a pension on 3 April 1884. [sources: 3, 15, 26]
In 1890, he was living in Rising Sun, Maryland. He had been injured in his back and left arm, and had been cut in the face with shot. [source: 17]
In 1900, he was living in Cecil County, Maryland. He was living with his wife Sarah D, and children Bessie I, James C, Rudolph S, and Thomas C. He was a farmer. [source: 30]
In 1910, he was living on Telegraph Road, Cecil County, Maryland. He was living with his wife Sara D, and children Mattie D, Bessie, and Thomas C Allen. He was retired. [source: 31]
In 1920, he was living in Thornbury Township, Delaware County, Pennsylvania. He was living with his daughters Bessie and Rachel, and granddaughter E Dorothy. He was a bookkeeper for a commercial house. [source: 35]
On 7 September 1921, he died, in West Chester Hospital, West Chester, [Chester County,] Pennsylvania. His skull was fractured when he was struck by an automobile as he turned into the gate of his home in Thornton, Delaware County. The driver was blinded by the lights of an oncoming automobile. He was a bookkeeper, for Horst Brothers, 139 North Sixth Street, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. He was a member of Darby Meeting of Friends, of Garfield Post Grand Army of the Republic, of the Chester Lodge of Masons, and the Knights Templar. The services were held in the Darby Friends' Meeting House. He was buried in Mount Zion Cemetery, Collingdale, Delaware County, Pennsylvania. [sources: 3 (9 Sep 21), 32, 33, 34, 38, 39]
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)
3 pension index by regiment (John R Allen)
4 special order 17, HQ 91st PA, 9 March 1864
5 letter, Sellers to Tayman, 31 October 1864
6 charge and specification against Thomas Walter, 4 January 1865 (J R Allen)
7 special order 105, HQ 91st PA, 6 November 1864 (John R Allen)
8 special order 107, HQ 91st PA, 7 November 1864
9 special order 115, HQ 91st PA, 30 November 1864
10 special order 6, HQ 91st PA, 16 January 1865 (JR Allen)
11 special order 27, HQ 91st PA, 20 May 1865 (John R Allen)
12 undated officers' furlough list, in regimental letter, order, guard, and furlough book (two entries) (John R Allen)
13 [undated and untitled chart with officers' names] (John R Allen)
14 [deleted]
15 pension index, by name (John R Allen)
16 Civil War Veterans' Card File, available at the Pennsylvania State Archives, searched 16 May 2004 (John R Allen)
17 1890 US census, veterans schedule, Maryland, supervisor's district 2, enumeration district 19, page 3, line 27 (John R Allen)
18 list of commissioned officers ([John] R Allen)
19 company F, list of non-commissioned officers (John R Allen)
20 company F, descriptive roll, [unnumbered entry after number 13] (John R Alleln)
21 company F, second descriptive roll, #1 (John R Allen)
22 consolidated morning report, 91st Pennsylvania, 4 November 1864 (1st Sergt Allen)
23 consolidated morning report, 91st Pennsylvania, 1 December 1864 (J R Allen)
24 Pennsylvania Memorial, Gettysburg, Pennsylvania (John R Allen)
25 consolidated morning report, 91st Pennsylvania, 18 May 1865 (not named)
26 pension index, by name (John R Allen)
27 'Patrick Allen'. In Immigrant Ancestors of Marylands as found in Local Histories. Compiled by Martha and Bill Reamy. Page 4 (John R Allen)
28 1870 US census, Pennsylvania, Delaware County, Darby Township (post office Darby), microfilm series M593, film 1336, page 236 = 194 handwritten (John R Allen)
29 1880 US census, Pennsylvania, Armstrong County, Parker City, supervisor's district 10, enumeration district 16, microfilm series T9, film 1096, page 348 = 26 B to 349 = 27 C handwritten (John Allen)
30 1900 US census, Maryland, Cecil County, Election District no 9, supervisor's district 2, enumeration district 27, microfilm series T623, film 620, page 255 = 6 A handwritten (John R Allen)
31 1910 US census, Maryland, Cecil County, election district no 9 Calvert, supervisor's district 1, enumeration district 29, microfilm series T624, film 563, page 318 = 9 A to 9 B handwritten (John R Allen)
32 'Automobile kills Major John R. Allen', Philadelphia Inquirer 9 September 1921 page 10; transcribed 26 March 2011, from GenealogyBank (John R Allen)
33 'Motor accident fatal to Major John R. Allen', Evening Public Ledger (Philadelphia PA), 8 September 1921, Night extra, page 1 (John R Allen)
34 [death notice], Evening Public Ledger (Philadelphia PA), night extra, 9 September 1921, page 23 (John R Allen)
35 1920 US census, Pennsylvania, Delaware County, Thornbury Township, supervisor's district 2, enumeration district 203, microfilm series T625, film 1563, page 86 = 5 B handwritten (John R Allen)
36 1850 US census, Pennsylvania, Delaware County, Upper Darby Township, microfilm series M432, film 776, page 278 verso = 554 handwritten (Jno Allen)
37 1860 US census, Pennsylvania, Delaware County, Upper Darby Township, post office Kellyville, microfilm series M653, film 1105, pages 712 = 41 handwritten to 713 = 42 handwritten (John Allen)
38 Pennsylvania veterans burial records, available on Ancestry (transcribed 20 March 2012) (John Rudolph Allen)
39 Pennsylvania death indices, 1921 ("[A]450 John R Allen 88316 W Chester 9/7")
40 index to compiled service records of volunteer Union soldiers who served in organizations from the state of Pennsylvania (John R Allen)
41 muster-out roll, Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission, record group 19, series 19.11, records of the Department of Military and Veterans' Affairs (John R Allen)
ALLEN, PATRICK, b. Ireland, to America at age 18 & settled first in DE, manufacturer of woolen cloth; afterward removed to PA. His son, Thomas C. Allen, b. in Delaware Co., PA, blacksmith & machinist in Burmond. Thomas C. d. in Philadelphia in 1876, aged 59; m. Elizabeth Rudolph of Delaware Co., d/o William Rudolph. Their son, John R. Allen, b. 2 Oct. 1843 in Delaware Co., PA. 1861 enlisted in Co. F., 91st PA Inf. After the war he res. Delaware Co., PA, Armstrong Co., PA & in 1881 to Cecil Co., MD & settled on the William Kirk place. H/C: 382 ['H/C' is presumably the local history, but the relevant page isn't visible on the Google Books preview]
| line | 33 | 34 | 35 | 36 |
| Dwellings visited | 166 | |||
| Families visited | 167 | |||
| Name | Thos. Allen | Eliz. " | Jno " | Mary A " |
| Age | 30 | 25 | 6 [?] | 5/12 |
| Sex | M | F | M | F |
| Color | ||||
| Occupation of males over 15 years | BlackSmith | |||
| Real estate owned | ||||
| Birthplace | Delaware | Pa. | " | " |
| Married within year | ||||
| Attended school within year | 1 | |||
| Over 20 & can't read/write | ||||
| Deaf, dumb, blind, etc. |
| line | 39 | 40 | 1 | 2 | 3 |
| Dwelling number | 279 | ||||
| Family number | 292 | ||||
| Name | Thomas Allen | Elizabeth " | John Allen | Mary " | Martha Rudolph |
| Age | 45 | 37 | 16 | 10 | 28 |
| Sex | m | f | m | f | f |
| Color | |||||
| Occupation | Black smith | Dress Maker | |||
| Value of real estate owned | 600 | ||||
| Value of personal estate | 100 | ||||
| Place of birth | Delaware | Penna | Penna | Do | Do |
| Married within year | |||||
| Attended school within year | 1 | 1 | |||
| Cannot read & write | |||||
| Deaf, dumb, blind, etc. |
| line | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 |
| Dwelling-house number | 242 | ||||||
| Family number | 211 | ||||||
| Name | Hll, James C | - Elizabeth | - James F | - Martha E | Hendington Sara | Allen John R | - Delight S |
| Age | 48 | 46 | 17 | 12 | 35 | 26 | 20 |
| Sex | M | F | M | F | F | M | F |
| Color | " [sc. W] | " | " | " | " | " | " |
| Occupation | Drover | K. H. | Farmer | Servt | Merchant | At home | |
| Real estate value | 10,000 | ||||||
| Personal estate value | 2000 | 4000 | |||||
| Birthplace | Conn | Ohio | do | do | Penna | do | Ohio |
| Father foreign born | |||||||
| Mother foreign born | |||||||
| Birth month if born within year | |||||||
| Marriage month if married within year | June | ||||||
| Attended school past year | 1 | ||||||
| Can't read | |||||||
| Can't write | |||||||
| Deaf, dumb, blind, etc. | |||||||
| Male US citizen at least 21 years old | 1 | 1 | |||||
| Male US citizen at least 21 years old who can't vote ... | |||||||
| line | 50 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 |
| street name | ||||||
| house number | ||||||
| dwelling visit # | 269 | |||||
| family visit # | 278 | |||||
| name | Allen John | Allen Sarah | F. H. [?] | Bessie | Mattie | James |
| color | W | W | W | W | W | W |
| sex | M | F | M | F | F | M |
| age | 36 | 20 | 9 | 8 | 6 | 3 |
| month born if born in year | ||||||
| relationship | Wife | Son | Daughter | " | Son | |
| single | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | ||
| married | 1 | 1 | ||||
| widowed/divorced | ||||||
| married during year | ||||||
| occupation | Book keeper | |||||
| months unemployed | ||||||
| currently ill? | ||||||
| blind | ||||||
| deaf/dumb | ||||||
| idiotic | ||||||
| insane | ||||||
| disabled | ||||||
| school this year | 1 | 1 | ||||
| can't read | ||||||
| can't write | ||||||
| [Each of the four children has a crossed-out '1' in 'can't read' and in 'can't write'] | ||||||
| birthplace | Pa | Pa | Pa | Pa | Pa | Pa |
| father's birthplace | Pa | Conn | Pa | Pa | Pa | Pa |
| mother's birthplace | Pa | Ohio | Pa | Pa | Pa | Pa |
| line | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 |
| street | ||||||
| house number | ||||||
| dwelling number | 118 | |||||
| family number | 120 | |||||
| name | Allen, John R | - Sarah D | - Bessie I | - James C | - Rudolph S | - Thomas C |
| relationship | Head | Wife | Daughter | Son | Son | Son |
| color | W | W | W | W | W | W |
| sex | M | F | F | M | M | M |
| birth date | Oct 1843 | Mch 1850 | June 1872 | Nov 1876 | Sept 1884 | July 1890 |
| age | 56 [??] | 50 | 27 | 23 | 15 | 9 |
| married? | M | M | S | S | S | S |
| # years married | 30 | 30 | ||||
| mother of how many children? | 6 | |||||
| # of children living | 6 | |||||
| birthplace | Penna | Penna | Penna | Penna | Maryland | Maryland |
| father's birthplace | Delaware | Conn | Penna | Penna | Penna | Penna |
| mother's birthplace | Penna | Ohio | Penna | Penna | Penna | Penna |
| immigration year | ||||||
| # years in USA | ||||||
| naturalized citizen? | ||||||
| occupation | Farmer | Dressmaker | F Laborer | At School | At School | |
| # months not employed | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | ||
| # months in school | 9 | 9 | ||||
| can read | yes | yes | yes | yes | yes | yes |
| can write | yes | yes | yes | yes | yes | yes |
| speaks English | yes | yes | yes | yes | yes | yes |
| owned/rented | O | |||||
| free or mortgaged | M | |||||
| farm/house | F | |||||
| # of farm schedule | 58 |
| line | 47 | 48 | 49 | 50 | 51 |
| street | Telegraph Rd | ||||
| house nr | |||||
| dwelling nr | 129 | ||||
| family nr | 134 | ||||
| name | Allen John R | - Sara D | - Mattie D | - Bessie | Allen Thomas C |
| relationship | Head | Wife | Daughter | Daughter | Son |
| sex | M | F | F | F | M |
| color | W | W | W | W | W |
| age | 66 | 60 | 36 | 37 | 19 |
| marital status | M1 | M1 | S | S | S |
| #years present marriage | 39 | 39 | |||
| mother of # children | 6 | ||||
| mother of # living children | 6 | ||||
| birthplace | Pennsylvania | Pennsylvania | Pennsylvania | Pennsylvania | Maryland |
| father's birthplace | Delaware | Conn | Pennsylvania | Pennsylvania | Pennsylvania |
| mother's birthplace | Pennsylvania | Ohio | Pennsylvania | Pennsylvania | Pennsylvania |
| immigrated | |||||
| naturalized/alien | |||||
| speaks English | English | English | English | English | English |
| occupation | Retired | None | None | None | Attending School |
| nature of industry etc. | |||||
| employer etc. | |||||
| out of work 15 Apr 1910? | |||||
| # weeks out of work 1909 | |||||
| can read | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | |
| can write | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | |
| school since 1 Sep 09 | Yes | ||||
| owned/rented | O | ||||
| owned free or mortagaged | M | ||||
| farm/house | F | ||||
| nr on farm schedule | 77 | ||||
| civil war vet | |||||
| blind | |||||
| deaf & dumb | |||||
| line | 63 | 64 | 65 | 66 |
| street | Crick [?] road | |||
| house number | x | |||
| dwelling visit number | 98 | |||
| family visit number | 104 | |||
| name | Allen John R | - Bessie | - Rachel D | - E [?] Dorothy |
| relationship | head | daughter | Daughter | GrandDaughter |
| own/rent | O | |||
| free/mortgaged (if owned) | M | |||
| sex | M | F | F | F |
| race | W | W | W | W |
| age at last birthday | 76 | 47 | 46 | 18 |
| marital status | Wd | S | S | S |
| year of immigration | ||||
| naturalized/alien | ||||
| year of naturalization | ||||
| attended school since Sept 1919 | yes | |||
| can read | yes | yes | yes | yes |
| can write | yes | yes | yes | yes |
| birth place | Pennsylvania | Pennsylvania | Pennsylvania | Maryland |
| native language | ||||
| father's birthplace | Pennsylvania | Pennsylvania | Pennsylvania | Pennsylvania |
| father's native language | ||||
| mother's birthplace | Pennsylvania | Pennsylvania | Pennsylvania | Maryland |
| mother's native language | ||||
| can speak English | yes | yes | yes | yes |
| occupation | Book Keeper | none | none | none |
| industry, business | Commercial house | |||
| employment status | Em | |||
| number of farm schedule | 57 | |||
| NUMBER OF EACH GRADE. | 1 | ||
| NAMES. PRESENT AND ABSENT. | John R Allen | ||
| RANK. | Adjt | ||
| AGE. | |||
| JOINED FOR SERVICE AND ENROLLED AT GENERAL RENDEZVOUS--COMMENCEMENT OF FIRST PAYMENT BY TIME. | WHEN. | Dec 26 /63 | |
| WHERE. | Bealton Va | ||
| BY WHOM. | Lt Swann | ||
| PERIOD. | 3 yrs | ||
| MUSTERED INTO SERVICE. | WHEN. | May 17 /65 | |
| WHERE. | Near Washington DC | ||
| BY WHOM. | Capt Chamberlain | ||
| LAST PAID. | BY PAYMASTER. | Maj Gresson | |
| TO WHAT TIME. | May 17 /65 | ||
| TRAVELING. | To place of rendezvous, No. of miles. | ||
| From place of discharge home, No. of miles. | |||
| Clothing Act | Due U.S | ||
| Due Soldier | |||
| AMOUNT for clothing in kind, or in money advanced. | |||
| VALUE OF equipments, arms &c., received from the United States, to be paid for if lost or destroyed. | |||
| Bounty | Paid | ||
| Due | |||
| REMARKS | |||
| Promoted from 1st Lt Compy F [?] to Adjt vice Tayman discharged | |||
A fracture of the skull, received when he was struck by a friend's automobile at the gate of his home in Thornton, Delaware county, proved fatal to Major John R. Allen, a Civil War veteran employed as a bookkeeper for Horst Brothers, 139 North Sixth street, this city, who died on Wednesday in the West Chester Hospital. He was seventy-eight years old.
The accident occurred on Tuesday when the major, returning home at dusk, turned into his gate just as two motor cars, going in opposite directions, passed by the front of his house. Laurence Beebe, a neighbor, was driving one of the machines, and it was when he became blinded by the lights of the other auto that he struck Major Allen.
West Chester, Pa., Sept. 8.--Major John R. Allen, seventy-eight, prominent resident near Thornton, Delaware County, and for ten years an employe of Horst Brothers, Philadelphia, died in the Chester County Hospital last night while undergoing an operation following injuries Tuesday evening when struck by an automobile.
Allen was a major in the Ninety-first Infantry, Pennsylvania Volunteers, during the Civil War, and afterward a farmer for several years in Maryland. He was a member of Darby Meeting of Friends, Garfield Post, G.A.R., Chester Lodge of Masons and the Knights Templar.
Major Allen came of old Quaker stock. His father, Thomas C. Allen, came from Delaware in 1822 to Upper Darby. He was descended on the maternal side from the Paschalls, who settled Paschallville.
He is survived by two sons and two daughters, and one sister, Mrs. Mary A. Dougherty, of Aldan, Pa.
ALLEN.--Sept. 7, JOHN R. ALLEN, of Thornton, Pa., in his 78th year. Services in Darby Friends' Meeting House, Darby, Pa., Sat., 2:30 P.M. Int. Mount Zion Cem.