- Willis Allen
Willis Allen (
December 15 1806 -April 15 1859 ) was a U.S. Representative fromIllinois , and the father ofWilliam J. Allen .Born near
Roanoke, Virginia , Allen attended the common schools. He taught school. He moved toTennessee and settled in Wilson County. He moved to Franklin (now Williamson) County, Illinois in 1830 and engaged in agricultural pursuits. He studied law. He was admitted to the bar and commenced practice in Marion. He was sheriff of Franklin County 1834-1838. He served as member of theIllinois House of Representatives 1838-1840. He served as prosecuting attorney of the 1st judicial circuit in 1841. He served as member of theIllinois Senate 1844-1847. He served as member of the state constitutional convention in 1847 and 1848.Allen was elected as a Democrat to the Thirty-second and Thirty-third Congresses (
March 4 1851 -March 3 1855 ). He was not a candidate for reelection in 1854. He resumed the practice of his profession.Allen was elected judge of the twenty-sixth circuit court of Illinois on
March 2 1859 , and served until his death while holding court in Harrisburg onApril 15 1859 . He was interred in Marion Cemetery in Marion.References
*CongBio|A000154
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