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HON. WILLIAM G. ALLEN, an early settler of Louisa County, Iowa, now a resident of Wapello, and a distinguished officer of the late war, was born in Mercer County, Pa., Sept. 22, 1826. His parents were Thomas and Sarah (Gundy) Allen, both of whom were natives of Pennsylvania, the father of Irish and the mother of German descent. William Allen received a common-school education, and then served a regular apprenticeship to the carriage and wagon making trade at New Castle, Lawrence Co., Pa. After working as a journeyman for several years, he formed a partnership with Cornelius Johnson in the line of his trade, they continuing business at New Castle until 1852, when they emigrated to Iowa, and opened a carriage and wagon shop at Columbus City, Louisa County. Two years later Mr. Allen purchased his partner’s interest, and carried on the business alone for a few years, when the former relations were resumed, and continued without interruption until the summer of 1862, when Mr. Allen entered the service in the late war. He enlisted Aug. 2, 1862, and raised a company, which was organized as Company F, 25th Iowa Infantry, of which he was elected Captain, his commission bearing the date of Sept. 27, 1862. His regiment was assigned to the Western Army, under Gens. Logan and Sherman, and took part in the Yazoo River campaign against Vicksburg, the capture of Arkansas Post, and the siege and capture of Vicksburg. From there his command went to Memphis, and thence across the country to Chattanooga in time to participate in the hard-fought battles of Chattanooga, Lookout Mountain and Missionary Ridge. He was through all the battles in the Atlanta campaign, and with Sherman in the celebrated march to the sea; then from Savannah up through the Carolinas, where Columbus was surrendered to their Colonel, George A. Stone. Thence to North Carolina, where they fought the last battle of the Western Army, at Bentonville. Up to that time Capt. Allen, while having taken part in the hottest battles and the hardest fought campaigns of the war, had escaped without bodily injury, and then when the war was virtually ended, and he could hope to return to this family to enjoy the well-earned blessings of peace, he was stricken down by the enemy’s bullet, sustaining a wound that came near proving mortal. He was kneeling on the left knee at the time, and the ball struck the upright knee, passing through the thigh lengthwise, shattering the bone and passing out at the back of the hip. His leg was amputated near the body, on the field of battle. For two days Capt. Allen was hauled in an ambulance over corduroy roads to Goldsboro. Remaining in that place in the hospital for ten days, he was then removed on an open car to New Berne, N. C., where he met an old friend and neighbor from Iowa. Feeling satisfied that he could not receive proper care at New Berne, he decided to try and make his way home. By the assistance of his friend and without the consent of the surgeon of the hospital, he was carried on board a steamer and was conveyed to New York; arriving in that city, he was placed in the hospital at David’s Island, where he remained until May, when he secured transportation and returned home.
The following year after his return Capt. Allen was appointed Probate Judge of Louisa County, to fill a vacancy, and was elected to the same office at . . .
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. . . the succeeding election, and served about four years, or until the office was abolished by law. During the last year of his service as Probate Judge the office of County Auditor was created, and fell to his lot ex-officio until an election was held. He discharged the duties of both offices until elected County Auditor at the succeeding election, which position he filled for two full terms. It thus happened that he was the last Probate Judge and the first Auditor of Louisa County. On being appointed Probate Judge he removed to Wapello, the county seat, where he has since resided, with the exception of four years from 1877 to 1881 inclusive, which he spent on his farm in Elm Grove Township, in hopes of benefiting his health. In 1882 he engaged in the lumber and coal business at Wapello, which he carried on until 1886, when he sold out his lumber-yard, still retaining the coal business.
On the 11th of January, 1854, at Columbus City, Iowa, Judge Allen was united in marriage with Miss Matilda Gore, daughter of Philip Gore. Mrs. Allen was born in Maryland, and came to Louisa County when but six years of age. Six children were born of their union, four of whom are living: Estella, the eldest, died in childhood; Alethea D. is the wife of Samuel E. Woodward, of Grand View Township; William E. married Miss Carrie Oxley, and is in the employ of the Omaha Gas Company, of Omaha, Neb.; Cora died at the age of eighteen years; Harry G. and Frank E., the two younger members of the family, are at home.
Judge Allen is a Republican in politics, and has held various minor offices in addition to those of Probate Judge and County Auditor. He was chosen Mayor of Wapello four times, and served during the year 1869 and from 1874 to and including 1876. Soon after coming to Louisa County he was elected Justice of the Peace, and has been re-elected to that office many times since. He is now serving his second term since his return from the farm. He is Secretary of the Farmers’ Mutual Fire Insurance Company of Louisa County, Iowa, and has aided materially in the successful management of that institution. He is one of the charter members of the Columbus City Lodge No. 107, A. F. & A. M., now located at Columbus Junction, Iowa, and has retained his membership to this date. He is also one of the charter members of A. M. Taylor Post No. 153, G. A. R., of Wapello, of which he has the honor of having been Commander since its organization in March, 1883.
A portrait of Capt. Allen appears upon an accompanying page.
