Henry Justin Allen

For other people named Henry Allen, see Henry Allen (disambiguation).
Henry J. Allen

Allen in 1918
United States Senator
from Kansas
In office
April 1, 1929 – November 30, 1930
Preceded by Charles Curtis
Succeeded by George McGill
21st Governor of Kansas
In office
January 13, 1919 – January 8, 1923
Lieutenant Charles Solomon Huffman
Preceded by Arthur Capper
Succeeded by Jonathan M. Davis
Personal details
Born (1868-09-11)September 11, 1868
Warren County, Pennsylvania
Died January 17, 1950(1950-01-17) (aged 81)
Wichita, Kansas
Political party Republican
Spouse(s) Elsie Jane Nuzman
Profession newspaper editor
Religion Methodist

Henry Justin Allen (September 11, 1868 – January 17, 1950) was the 21st Governor of Kansas (1919–1923) and U.S. Senator from Kansas (1929–31).[1]

Allen was born in Warren County, Pennsylvania to John and Rebecca Elizabeth (Goodwin) Allen. His family moved to Kansas in 1870, where they settled in Clay County.

Before becoming active in politics, Allen acquired ownership of newspapers throughout Kansas, beginning with the Manhattan Nationalist in Manhattan, Kansas in 1894. He owned the Topeka State Journal with Arthur J. Carruth, Jr and William P. Snyder.[2] Generally forward-looking in his outlook, he hired Frank Lloyd Wright to design his home in Wichita, Kansas.[3] Allen's home is the only residence designed by Wright in Kansas.

Allen was in France with William Allen White inspecting the facilities provided to Kansas soldiers of the American Expeditionary Force during World War I when his party nominated him for the office of governor. During the campaign in 1918, Allen never spent any of his own money and learned about his nomination from a Paris newspaper. He served from 1919 to 1923.

Allen expressed some admiration for Benito Mussolini's policies in the 1920s and pushed through a similar industrial court provision. When publisher William Allen White objected, he was arrested in a free speech battle. White won the 1923 Pulitzer Prize for his editorial "To an Anxious Friend," published July 27, 1922 opposing the law.[4]

After leaving the governorship, Allen was U.S. Special Commissioner for Near East Relief in Armenia, Turkey, Greece, and Southern Russia. In 1928 he was Director of Publicity for the Republican National Committee.

In April 1929 was appointed to the United States Senate to fill the vacancy caused when Charles Curtis resigned to become Vice President. Allen served from April 1, 1929 to November 30, 1930. He ran unsuccessfully for the remainder of Curtis' term, and was succeeded by George McGill.

Allen died in 1950 following a cerebral thrombosis in Wichita, Kansas. He is buried at the Maple Grove Cemetery in Wichita, Kansas. Allen was posthumously inducted into the Kansas Newspaper Hall of Fame two years later.[5]

References

  1. ↑ http://politicalgraveyard.com/bio/allen4.html
  2. ↑ "Topeka Journal is Sold; Stauffer Buys Paper Owned by Henry Allen and Partners," New York Times, January 12, 1940
  3. ↑ Bleiberg, Larry (June 7, 2015). "10 Great: Frand Lloyd Wright Homes". USA Today.
  4. ↑ "William Allen White". Kansas Newspaper Hall of Fame. Retrieved January 1, 2010.
  5. ↑ "Henry J. Allen". Kansas Newspaper Hall of Fame. Retrieved January 1, 2010.
Political offices
Preceded by
Arthur Capper		 Governor of Kansas
1919–1923 		Succeeded by
Jonathan M. Davis
United States Senate
Preceded by
Charles Curtis		 United States Senator (Class 2) from Kansas
1929–1930 		Succeeded by
George McGill
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