Samuel Henderson Allen

He was raised on his father's farm near Thomaston, ME. In 1847 he worked at the State Prison and in 1850 went to New Orleans and served as mate on ships to France. In 1853-54 he was superintendent on the Brunswick (GA) Canal during its construction. He returned to Thomaston in 1856 and served a term in the state legislature and in May 1861 was appointed Deputy Collector of the port of Thomaston.

He was commissioned Major of the First Maine Cavalry on 21 October 1861 and promoted to Colonel on 1 March 1862.

He commanded his regiment in Maryland and was appointed Military Governor of Frederick, MD on 13 September 1862.

He resigned his commission for poor health on 5 January 1863.

Later in 1863 he traveled to California and Nevada by way of Panama, returning east to New York in 1864. He was in the oil business in Pennsylvania from 1865-67, then he ran an inn, the Stevens House, on Broadway in New York City. In 1877 he went into the lumber and ice businesses on the Kennebec River, and in 1888 was appointed warden of the Maine State Prison, serving to at least 1900. He was a member of MOLLUS and the GAR. He was Governor of the National Home for disabled volunteer soldiers at Togus, and died there in 1905.

Service from the Adjutant General.1 Details from a sketch in Chase's Representative Men of Maine (1893) and the History,2 source also of his photograph. His gravesite is on Findagrave.

10/17/1826; Cushing, ME

09/19/1905 Togus, ME; burial in Elm Grove Cemetery, Thomaston, ME