The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1903-08-18
]. ?. ALLEN Is DEAD
Oldest Druggist in Wichita
Passed Away.
AT TER TWO YEARS ILLNESS
Was Father of First v hite
Child Born in City.

J. P Allen. one of the early settlers
of Wichita, the oldest business man of
the city and one of the most influential
citizens of Wichita died at O'Clock yes
terday afternoon at his home at the cor
ner of Lawrence avenue and Third street.
9ir Allen was also the father OF the first
child born in this city and the lots on
which is the home where he died were
given to that child by the city.
Mr.. Allen has not been well for over
two years but has been able to attend
10 his drug business the greater part
of the time. About two months ago he
became seriously i'll and since that time
he has been confined 10 his home with
the exception of an occasional visit to
his store. He made his last visit to his
stort last Thursday but since then he has
been unable to leave his home and Sun
Cay it was thought that he could live
but a short time. Sunday night he be-
came worse and lapsed into unconscious
ness from which he cid not rally before
his death which occurred at cock
yesterday afternoon. His immediate
family was at his bedside at the time
of his death and Or. Allen of Kiowa also
arrived in time to be with him when he
passed away.
In the death of Mr. Allen Wichita not
only loses a good business man bat
good citizen and one who in the % years
that he has been resident of this city
has probably done as much or more for
its upbuHding that any other one man.
He was public spirited ana never allowed
an opportunity to pass whereby he could
do something of benefit for Wichita.
IN February OF the year 1870 he came
here from Leavenworth. There was no
railroad running into Wichita at that
time and Mr.. Alien in company with his
brother, DR.. Allen, came as far rs Omega
on the railroad and there left it to come
the rest of the way in a wagon. When
be drove into Wichita there was very
little city here but Mr.. Allen was pleased
with the town and people and when he
returned to Leavenworth he said h
would return and make this city his
home True TO his word he returned in
the following May and mas made this
city his home from that day. On arriv-
ing here he established a small drug
store in a building opposite what is now
the Baltimore hotel on North Main street
This drug store was the first established
81 Wichita and was the only one for
some time. Ten years later he bought
the lots at los East Douglas and after
erecting the building which now stands
on them moved his drug store to that
place Since then the store has remained
in that building. G
Mr. Alien was a thorough business
man and his business was never neglect
ed. He could always be found at the
store and it is said that when the store
closed yesterday because of his death it
was the first time in SO years that the
doors had been closed to customers. Mr.
Allen inserted his business card in the
first issue of the Eagle and since that
tine there has never been an issue IN
v hich an advertisement did not appear,
record that is held only by him. He be
gan with the Weekly Eagle and when
the Daily was established his advertise
ment appeared in it.
Mr. alien made many friends and few
enemies and his long residence in Wich-
TIA gave him wide acquaintance. II
s. said that until the last few years
there We're very few men in Wichita
with whom he did not have at least
Speaking acquaintance. He was not only
wen known I'm Wichita but throughout
an southern Kansas. In the SO years that
he spent here he saw Wichita grow from
f.ffv ~
its rises and falls and until his last sick
ness he could tell the standing of al
most every business man in Wichita
He was among the first business men
and was the only remaining one Of the
many who started when he did. He saw
men start in business and saw them
fail he saw values 90 IN TO almost m
conceivable heights and fan to CORES
ronding depths but througn it all he con-
Quoted the same business in the same
place and in the same manner.
He understood the conditions in this
city as probably no other man did, yet
was not quick to assert an opinion re-
garding them. and did only when asked.
He was an honest. straightforward bust
ness man. and had no use for one who
was not. either in a business or political
way In this way he made friends with
the proper class of people. and those
who were not of this class, while they
were not exactly friendly with him. re-
spected him for his principle and integ-
rity. Those who were not his friends
had nothing evil to say Of him. and
when he passed away yesterday there
were few men in the city who knew him
who did not remember some kindness that
sometime in the thirty-three years Of
residence here, Mr.. Allen had done for
him He was a conservative man ana
helped only when help was necessary.