William J. Allen

William Joshua Allen ( born June 9, in 1829 Wilson County, Tennessee; † January 26, 1901 in Hot Springs, Arkansas) was an American lawyer and politician. Between 1862 and 1865 he represented the state of Illinois in the U.S. House of Representatives; later he became a federal judge.

Career

William Allen was the son of Congressman Willis Allen ( 1806-1859 ). Around the year 1830 he came with his father in the later Williamson County, Illinois. In 1839 they settled in Marion, where he attended the public schools. After a subsequent law degree in 1849 and its recent approval as a lawyer Allen began in Metropolis to work in this profession. Between 1849 and 1851 he was an administrative employee at the House of Representatives from Illinois. He then practiced law in Marion. In 1854 he was prosecutor in the 26th Judicial District of Illinois. Politically, he joined the Democratic Party. In 1855 he was elected to the Illinois Senate. From 1859 to 1861 he held office as a judge in the 26th Judicial District.

After the resignation of Representative John A. Logan Allen won the by-election for the ninth seat from Illinois, whereupon it on June 2, 1862 from his position in the House of Representatives in Washington DC took. After a re-election in the 13th electoral district of his state he could remain until March 3, 1865 Congress. This period was marked by the event of civil war. In 1864 he renounced a new Congress candidacy.

In the years 1862 and 1870 was William Allen delegate to meetings to revise the Constitution of Illinois. He also participated in 1864 and 1888 Democratic National Conventions at the respective part. Since 1886 he lived in Springfield. Since 1887 until his death on January 26, 1901 in Hot Springs Allen served as a judge at the Federal District Court for the Southern District of Illinois.