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John Allen
Allen County received its name from Col. John Allen, who fell in the disastrous
battle of the river Raisin. He was born in Rockbridge County, Virginia, the
30th of December, 1773. His father, James Allen, emigrated to Kentucky in the
fall of the year 1780, and settled at Dougherty's station, on Clark's run, about
one and a half miles below the present town of Danville. Here he termed an
acquaintance with Joseph Daveiss, the father of Col. Joseph Hamilton Daveiss.
Becoming impatient of the close confinement of the station, these fearless and
ardent men removed farther down the creek, and erecting a small station, lived
there for three years. At the expiration of this period, Mr. Daveiss purchased
a tract of land three or four miles west of Danville, and removed to it.
In 1784, the father of John Allen removed to Nelson County, and settled on
Simpson's creek, seven and a half miles from Bardstown. In 1786, the subject of
this notice attended a school in Bardstown, kept by a Mr. Shackleford, where he
acquired a slight knowledge of the classics. This school was succeeded by one
under the charge of Dr. James Priestly, with whom young Allen finished his
education. At this school, Joseph H. Daveiss, John Rowan, Felix Grundy,
Archibald Cameron, John Pope, and John Allen, all distinguished in after life,
formed one class.
In the year 1791, John Allen commenced the study of the law in the office of
Col. Archibald Stewart, of Stanton, Virginia. He pursued his legal studies with great
assiduity for about four years, and in 1795, he returned to Kentucky and
settled in Shelbyville, where he continued to practice law till 1812. As a
lawyer, he ranked with the first men of his profession.
On the breaking out of the war in 1812, he raised a regiment of riflemen, for
the campaign under Harrison in the north-west. Part of this regiment was in the
battle of Brownstown, on the 18th of January, 1813. In the fatal battle of the
river Raisin, Col. Allen's regiment formed the left wing of the American force.
The termination of this affair is too well known to require recapitulation here;
and among the many noble and chivalrous Kentuckians who there found a bloody
grave, there was none whose loss was more sensibly felt or deeply deplored than
Col. Allen. Inflexibly just, benevolent in all his feelings, and of undaunted
courage, he was a fine specimen of the Kentucky gentleman of that day, and his
name will not soon pass away from the memory of his countrymen.
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