ALLEN, ROBERT, was born in the year 1800, in Greensburg, Green county, Ky. He was married there to a Miss Anderson, and came to Springfield, Ill., in 1831. Col. Allen engaged in the mercantile business as a member of the firm of Allen & Blankenship, soon after coming to Springfield. He also became a mail contractor on a very extensive scale, and brought a large number of fine stage coaches from Nashville, Tenn., being the first ever introduced into the State. He made Springfield his headquarters, and on some occasions had as many as five hundred horses on hand at one time. Col. Allen was one of the directors of the old State Bank. He was connected with the army in the Mormon war in 1845, and in the Mexican war of 1846-7. Not long after coming to Springfield, Mrs. Allen died, and Mr. Allen was married in April, 1833, to Jane Eliza Bergen. They had two children, one of whom died young. Their son,

ROBERT, Jun., born Feb. 28, 1837, in Springfield, and brought up in the city. When the rebellion broke out he was commissioned, August 28, 1861, as Captain of Co. --, 30 Ill. Inf., and served as such until May 25, 1863, when he was promoted to Major of the regiment, in front of Vicksburg. He served part of the time in the Quartermaster's department; also acted as Assistant Inspector-General of the 3d Div. 17th Army Corps, and resigned August 8, 1864. Major Robert Allen was married Dec. 5, 1865, in Springfield, to Anna M. Purdy, who was born May 12, 1838, in Trenton, N. J. They had three children. GEORGE B., the youngest, died August 12, 1872, in his second year. HENRY T. and FANNIE M. reside with their parents in Springfield. Major Allen is a practicing attorney.

Col. Robert Allen died Dec. 1, 1854, and his widow, Mrs. Jane Eliza Allen, died March 18, 1857, both one mile north of the old State house in Springfield