Virginian-pilot. (Norfolk, Va.) 1898-1911, 1900-03-25
william F. Allen.

litical life of William f. Allen and to
present n few facts in support of his
claims to the position of City Sergeant,
which he is now seeking at the hands
OF the Democrats of Norfolk.
To begin with, he is now and al
ways has been Democrat, and from
the time he cast his first ballot to the
present he has had an abiding faith In
the principles of his party, never wa
verins in times that tried mems souls,
nor falling to respond to the call of
his marty when his assistance was
needed
In 1854 Mr.. Allen was working in the
Norfolk hayward as a journeyman
sailmaker. Leaving the yard. he start
ed In the saiinakinE business on his
own account in loft over store oc-
cupied by Bockover e Wilder, on Roa-
noke square, and continued in same
business and location for about three
years. He quit this business. however.
IN the latter part of 1855 and started,
IN very small way, Il retail grocery
on CampbelPs wharf. and after con-
Quoting said business for about three
years decided to enlarge the sphere of
his operations in the commercial world
ana accordingly embarked in the whole
sale grocery trade on old Commercial
Row, continuing In that location and
business until 1866, taking in in the
mean time as partner Mr.. James T.
Borum, of Portsmouth. who remained
with the house until 1889.
In 1866 the firm changed its base of
operations from Commercial Row to
the corner of Rothery's lane and Water
street. which was then known as
Broadwater street as contradistin-
guished from Little Water street, by
which name Elizabeth street was then
known. Mr.. Allen continued in bust
ness ut last named stand until 1897.
when he retired from active CONNER
cial pursuits.
The house of William F. Allen G.
co. was we'll known In every State
south of Mason and Dixon's line. and
was the alma mater of many q young
man who afterward became prominent
In the business life of Norfolk. Among
these may be mentioned Mr.. Jordan,
OF the firm Of Waller, Maigne e Jor-
dan; j. Is. Camp. OF Washington Tay-
lor d Co.: W. Lane Kelly. ]. d. Adj
dinEton; ]. #. Borum and John w.
Borum. of Arlington. Kelly & Borum,
Mr.. Addington and Mr.. John w Borum
being now dead; Mr.. Il. II. Powell, of
Eastman & Powell, and Mr.. v. c.
Mathews. of the firm of a. Brinkley &.
Co.
Mr.. Aliens house for several years
did q business amounting annually to
nearly a million dollars, it's goods leav-
ing the city by every rail and steamer
line. Six statesmen. all first-class and
high salarled. were kept constantly on
the road while the clerical force at
home was even larger being eight in
number.
Mr.. Allen was always a man OF Iiber-
al ideas.and carried these ideas into his
business. paying his employees hand
some salaries. one of the clerks receiv-
Ing $500 n year.
The Merchants Exchange was or
EaniZed in 1850 with twelve members.
Mr.. Allen being made president I'm
der his leadership it's growth was so
phenomenal that in less than twelve
months it had n membership of 800.
comprising every merchant of repute in
the city.
The subject of this sketch was for
many years an active fireman of the
old Aid Company, Captain Taylor,
father of our we'll known citizen. Cap
tain Washington Taylor. Beginning
his career in that branch of the public
service as a lamp boy. he worked his
way up to the presidency of the COM
pany. There was still further promo
ton for him, however, as q knight OF
the red shirt. being elected as one Of
the Board of Fire Wardens. his co-lab-
orers on the board being Thomas b.
Rowland and James Steed, the latter
long since dead, and for whom the fire
engine Steed was named. These war
dcns had full control at fires, and to be
elected one OF them was considered
quite an honor.
In March. 1869. Governor Gilbert C.
Walker appointed Mr.. Allen n mem
Der of the City Council to serve until
July 1st, 1870. when a new Council was
elected by popular vote. This new
body was the first Council elected after
the close OF the war, and was COM
posed OF men OF high rank in their re-
spective walks of life. as the following
list will show. and but a few members
OF this Council are living:
First Ward-C. Billups, B. r. Te-
hault, n. C. Newton. ]. B. Neale, Hen
ry McPhail. Samuel Kimberly. f. c..
Robinson, S. G. Tuttle and Frank Pfeif-
fer
Second Ward-E. W.Williams. Joseph
Wilson. p. Sykes. Thomas Paige. Rich
ard Smith and Sylvester Woolhiser.
George r. Wilson. Charles II. Row
land, r. L. Vaughn. w. F. Allen. S. r.
White r. a. Napp. William Stevens,
w. w. Ciwathmey, T. T. Kemp. A. o.
Oberndorfer.
Fourth Ward-W. II. Turner. S. A.
Stevens. ". c. Marrow, d. c. Crowell.
James Montgomery, John James, r. w.
Moore. George Stayor. John l.. Roper,
joel c. White, r. p. Crowell.
In that Council Mr.. Allen was placed
on the Finance Committee. where he
found ample opportunity to display
that ability for which he was afterward
so greatly marked. The cty's finances
were in n deplorable condition. Few.
If any. taxes had been collected for
several years and the city had to re-
deem a large amount of city script.
But the Finance Committee worked
hard to restore the citys finances to
n healthy state. and no man on that
committee was deserving of more praise
for accomplishing that result than the
subject of this article.
Mr.: Allen has been a member of the