William J. Allen

William Joshua Allen (June 9, 1829 - January 26, 1901) was a U.S. Representative from Illinois during much of the American Civil War.

Born in Wilson County, Tennessee, as a son of Willis Allen, he moved with his father to Franklin (now Williamson) County, Illinois, about 1830, and in 1839 settled in Marion.He attended the common schools.He studied law.He was admitted to the bar in 1849 and commenced practice in Metropolis. Enrolling and engrossing clerk of the State house of representatives in 1849 and 1851.He moved to Marion, Illinois, in 1853 and continued the practice of his profession.He was appointed prosecuting attorney for the twenty-sixth judicial circuit of Illinois in 1854.He served as member of the State senate in 1855.

Allen was elected judge of the circuit court of the twenty-sixth judicial circuit on June 24, 1859, and served until 1861.

Allen was elected as a Democrat to the Thirty-seventh Congress to fill the vacancy caused by the resignation of John A. Logan.He was reelected to the Thirty-eighth Congress and served from June 2, 1862, to March 3, 1865.He was not a candidate for reelection in 1864.He served as member of the State constitutional conventions in 1862 and 1870.He served as delegate to all Democratic National Conventions from 1864 to 1888.He moved to Springfield, Illinois, in 1886.He was appointed United States district judge for the southern district of Illinois on April 18, 1887, and served until his death January 26, 1901, while visiting in Hot Springs, Arkansas.He was interred in Oak Ridge Cemetery, Springfield, Illinois.

References

* [http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GRid=21263 William J. Allen] at Find-A-Grave