Thomas Allen (Wisconsin politician)

Thomas Scott Allen (July 26, 1825 – December 12, 1905) was an American printer, teacher, newspaper publisher, and politician. He served as the 9th Secretary of State of Wisconsin and served as a Union Army officer throughout the American Civil War.

Thomas S. Allen
9th Secretary of State of Wisconsin
In office January 1, 1866 – January 3, 1870
Governor	Lucius Fairchild
Preceded by	Lucius Fairchild
Succeeded by	Llywelyn Breese
Member of the Wisconsin State Assembly from the Iowa 2nd district
In office January 14, 1857 – January 13, 1858
Preceded by	Richard M. Smith
Succeeded by	Levi Sterling
Personal details
Born	Thomas Scott Allen (1825-07-26)July 26, 1825 Andover, New York
Died	December 12, 1905(1905-12-12) (aged 80) Oshkosh, Wisconsin
Resting place	Riverside Cemetery Oshkosh, Wisconsin
Political party	Republican
Spouse(s)	Natalia W. Weber (died 1930)
Children	Henry Asa Allen ^(b. 1867; died 1950) Alena K. Allen ^(b. 1869; 1892) Thomas Edward Allen ^(b. 1871; 1897) Georgia A. (West) ^(b. 1873; 1961) Emma Isabel Allen ^(b. 1874; 1897) Mary Allen Bishop ^(b. 1879; 1955)
Mother	Lydia (Kingsbury) Allen
Father	Asa Smith Allen
Profession	publisher, politician
Military service
Allegiance	United States
Branch/service	United States Army Union Army
Years of service	1861–1865
Rank	Colonel, USV Brevet Brigadier General, USV
Unit	Iron Brigade Army of the Potomac
Commands	2nd Reg. Wis. Vol. Infantry 5th Reg. Wis. Vol. Infantry
Battles/wars	American Civil War Manassas campaign First Battle of Bull Run Northern Virginia Campaign Second Battle of Bull Run Maryland campaign Battle of South Mountain Battle of Antietam Fredericksburg campaign Battle of Fredericksburg Gettysburg campaign Battle of Gettysburg Bristoe campaign Second Battle of Rappahannock Station

Background

Thomas Scott Allen was born in Andover, New York on July 26, 1825.[1][2] He attended Oberlin College.[1][2]

Public office

He served in the Wisconsin State Assembly in 1857, replacing Democrat Richard M. Smith in representing the new 2nd Iowa County district (Mineral Point, Mifflin, Linden and Waldwick). He was succeeded by fellow Republican Levi Sterling (Sterling, like Smith, was also from Mineral Point).[3]

After the war, he was nominated and confirmed for appointment to the brevet grade of brigadier general of volunteers in 1866.

Civil War

During the American Civil War, Allen served as a colonel in the 5th Wisconsin Volunteer Infantry Regiment.[4] He was mustered out of the volunteer service on August 2, 1864.[1] On January 13, 1866, President Andrew Johnson nominated Allen for appointment to the grade of brevet brigadier general of volunteers to rank from March 13, 1865, and the United States Senate confirmed the appointment on March 12, 1866.[1][2][5]

After the war

Allen was the Republican Party candidate for Secretary of State in the 1865 election, running alongside Republican gubernatorial candidate and fellow Gettysburg veteran, Lucius Fairchild. Both Republicans won their elections and were subsequently re-elected in 1867. Allen served as the state's ninth Secretary of State, from January 1866 through January 1870.

After leaving office, he moved to Oshkosh, Wisconsin, and became the publisher of the Oshkosh Northwestern newspaper. He ran the Northwestern until 1884. He then published a German language paper, the Wisconsin Telegraph until 1902.

Allen died of heart failure at his home in Oshkosh on December 12, 1905.[6] He was buried at Riverside Cemetery in Oshkosh.[1][2]

Notes

1. Eicher, John H., and David J. Eicher, Civil War High Commands. Stanford: Stanford University Press, 2001. ISBN 0-8047-3641-3. p. 102.
2. Hunt, Roger D. and Jack R. Brown, Brevet Brigadier Generals in Blue. Gaithersburg, MD: Olde Soldier Books, Inc., 1990. ISBN 1-56013-002-4. p, 12
3. Crane, L. H. D., ed. A Manual of Customs, Precedents, and Forms, in Use in the Assembly of the State of Wisconsin: Together with the Rules, the Apportionment, and Other Lists and Tables for Reference, with Indices Madison: James Ross, State Printer, 1859; p. 60
5. Eicher, 2001, p. 739.
6. "Veteran of Civil War". The Chippewa Herald. December 14, 1905. p. 1. Retrieved May 13, 2018 – via Newspapers.com.

References

• Anderson, William J.; William A. Anderson (ed.) (1929). The Wisconsin blue book. Madison, Wisconsin: Democrat Printing Company. p. 144. Retrieved 2008-08-23.CS1 maint: extra text: authors list (link)
• Barish, Lawrence S. (ed.) (July 2007). "Chapter 8: Statistical Information on Wisconsin". State of Wisconsin Blue Book 2007–2008 (PDF). Madison, Wisconsin: Wisconsin Legislative Reference Bureau. p. 721. ISBN 978-0-9752820-2-1. Archived from the original on 2011-08-11. Retrieved 2008-08-23.CS1 maint: extra text: authors list (link)
• Eicher, John H., and David J. Eicher, Civil War High Commands. Stanford: Stanford University Press, 2001. ISBN 0-8047-3641-3.
• Hunt, Roger D. and Jack R. Brown, Brevet Brigadier Generals in Blue. Gaithersburg, MD: Olde Soldier Books, Inc., 1990. ISBN 1-56013-002-4.

External links

• Thomas Allen at Find a Grave

Political offices
Preceded by Lucius Fairchild	Secretary of State of Wisconsin 1866–1870	Succeeded by Llywelyn Breese