Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1882-04-20
MISSOURI STATE NEWS.
Obituary.

Hon. Thomas Allen, member OF Congress
from the Second District of Missouri, died in
Washington, d. c., April s. surrounded by his
family and u few personal friends. The re-
mains were taken to Pittsfield, Mass, for in.
terInent. The cause of Mr.. Aliens death was
cancer of the bladder. The terrible disease
has been making inroads on his constitution
surely and steadily during the past winter.
His family and physicians have well known
for several months that recovery was impos
sible. He leaves a widow, four sons and three
daughters. Mr.. Allen was born at Pittsfie;d
Mass, Aug. %, 1913 His family was prorci-
nent one in Massachusetts, and known in the
history of the Old Bay State. at the age OF 16
he entered Union College, and three years
later he was graduated, although his college
career was not remarkable. In the
same year, 1882, he began his legal
studies at A1bany,but the cholera became ep-
idemic there and lie had to leave. Then fam
lily mfsfortunes overlook him, and late in the
year he left Pittsfield for New York with $25 IN
his pocket, that sum being furnished him by
his father. at the latter place he hired as
clerk in the office of the law firm of Hatch
&Cambreling, the only pay he received be-
ing the privilege of reading law books in the
office. Young Allen was a hard student and
made good use of this opportunity during
his three years. study with the firm. In
1884 he attained his majority and was admit
ted to the bar. His first entrance into the
political arena was in 1886, when he sup
ported Martin Van Buren, for the Presidency,
making speeches at Pittsfeld and other
places in Massachusetts,. In 1887 MI. Allen
removed to Washington where he establish
ed paper, called the Madisonion, and soon
after, as a result of a stubborn contest, he
was elected Government Printer, despite
the opposition of the Van Buren, Ad-
minlStratiOn. His napar. summarized Harri
and Tyler during the next campaign, and
though the Office was burnt out, probably by
1ncendiaries, the Madison;dn became more
vigorous than ever, and before the end of the
campaign had attained q circulation of %, on0
In the spring of 1910 Mr.. Allen removed to st.
Louis, and on July II, 1912, he was married to
Miss Ann c. Russell, daughter of William Rus
SELL He opened law office, but did not long
continue the practice of his profession. He
interested himself in public affairs, and in
1913 he made his first effort in behalf of rail
road building. In 1851 he attained his first
political distinction in Missouri, being chosen
State Scnatorfor term of four years. At the
outbreak of the civil war Mr.. Allen re-
manned Union man, and in 1862 was
candidate for Congress in the Second
District. The contest was hot one, and he
was defeated. In 1867 he purchased the Iron
Mountain Railroad, which had been suTren-
dered to the state, and of which only eighty
six miles had been completed. He extended
the road to Belmont, built a branch from
Pilot Knob into Arkansas, and soon after he
and his associates purchased the Cairo Sc
Fulton Road and completed it from Cairo to
Texarkana. Notwithstanding the vast bust
ness interests which commanded his atien- |
ton, Mr.. Allen contributed many valuable |
articles to the press. During the last two OF |
three years of his life he wrote several able |
9rtirIeS hi roptoliSpo which cnnini
in many of the leading foreign journals. lie |
was not only respected for his ability, patri-
otism, public spirit and energy, but for his |
kind and amiable disposition. |