Decatur County Journal
June l9, l902

Died, at his home, No. 2l5 North B Street, at 5:30 o'clock Tuesday
morning, June l0, l902, of stomach and heart trouble and complications,
CAPTAIN LEAMON J. ALLEN, aged 68 years, l0 months and l0 days.

The funeral is announced to be held at the Congregational Church at 3
p.m. Wednesday under the auspices of the K.of P. Lodge and attended by
the Odd Fellow and G.A.R. organizations of the city.

CAPTAIN ALLEN was perhaps one of the best known men in Oskaloosa. He
had been a public man for a number of years and his popularity was quite
largely distributed. The deceased was a native of Bath, Steuben County,
New York, born July 3l, l833. He removed with his parents to Iowa about
l848. He received a good elementary education, but quite early in life
engaged in the work of a machinist and became an expert steel fitter and
boiler maker. In l862, MR. ALLEN enlisted in Company B, l9th Iowa Vol.
Inf., and saw two years of very active service. He was brought up from
the ranks for meritorious work through the places of first and second
Lieutenant to the Captaincy of his company, and was mustered out at
Keokuk at the close of the service. After the war CAPTAIN ALLEN was in
Fairfield for a time and then in Ottumwa for a number of years. The
gentleman has taken a keen interest in the public affairs of the city
since coming as a resident, and recognizing his worth, he was taken up
by the service and made Chief of Police of the city in l896. He had
seen previous service of this nature on the police force of Ottumwa
where he had been both in the capacity of Officer and Chief for a term
of six years. He served the city as Chief of Police through several
terms. MR. ALLEN was a prominent lodge man and was one of the central
figures of the state organization of the Knights of Pythias at one
time. He was Colonel of the Second Regiment of the Uniformed Rank for a
period of eight years. In the home lodge he was equally popular and was
always having a share of the burden bearing or whatever there was to
do. He served in the Subordinate Lodge No. 58 as the master of finance
for a continuous term of eleven years and his resignation was tendered
the lodge because he was not able to be present at the meetings. He was
a member of the I.O.O.F. and in that organization has filled all of the
chairs and has represented the local body at the State Grand Lodge.

The deceased leaves a wife and two sons by a former wife, CURTIS and
EVERETT P., both of Chicago. E.P. ALLEN arrived in the city on Sunday
evening and was at the bedside at the time of the passing away of the
father. ALBERT J. ALLEN, a brother, arrived in the city Monday from
Leon and was with the sick man at the time of his death.

CAPTAIN ALLEN was a good man. He was kind in disposition and ways and
was a friend to every one and every one liked him. Besides being a man
of public service, MR. ALLEN had been a man of business and had gathered
together enough of the world's goods to provide himself a competence
equal to his needs. The death of the old gentleman causes general
regret and the family has the sympathy of the entire community.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The funeral of the late CAPT. L.J. ALLEN was held from the
Congregational Church, Wednesday afternoon at 3 o'clock and interment
was made in Forest Cemetery.

The funeral was military in character and was under the auspices of the
Uniformed Rank of the Knights of Pythias of which order the deceased was
a most prominent member. The attendance was large at the church and the
crowd seeking to pay tribute to the memory of the departed, was a most
representative one in all particulars. The ceremony was in accordance
with the ritual of the order and was most impressive throughout. The
sermon was by the Rev. Cato Kaye of the Congregational
Church.

The procession to the cemetery was one of the most impressive funeral
corteges seen upon the streets of the city for many a day. It was
military in character and was a fitting close to the service of the
funeral. "The empty saddle" was a feature of the parade that was most
touching in its expressiveness and brought tears to the eyes of many.
The procession was headed by the Iowa Brigade Band. The Odd Fellow
Lodge and the G.A.R. Post of the city also turned out and acted as
organized escorts. The following of citizens in carriages to the grave
was also very large. The scene at the grave was doubly solemn and
impressive and scarcely an eye witnessing the last rites that was
undimmed by tears.

General Manchester, Colonels Gerriott and Epps, and Majors Vet Ayer and
Seneca Cornell, of Ottumwa, were in attendance at the services.

The pall bearers were Frank Shafer, W.G. Miller, Ralph O'Hara, L.L.
McCord, Frank Christie and W.J. Ennis.

Honorary pall bearers were appointed from the G.A.R. as follows: Ben
Cruzen, C. Woodruff, Wm. Kirkpatrick and D.H. Pollock.

--OSKALOOSA HERALD.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
Copied by Nancee(McMurtrey)Seifert
August ll, 200l
 

==============================
Shop Ancestry - Everything you need to Discover, Preserve & Celebrate
your heritage!
http://shop.myfamily.com/ancestrycatalog