Allen Maxcy Hiller, who for twenty years has engaged in the practice of law in New Haven, his native city, is a son of Jonathan and Abigail M. (Allen) Hiller, both of whom came of English and Scotch ancestry. The latter was a daughter of Samuel Allen, who was an officer in Captain Asa Fairbanks' Company in the Revolutionary war. The former was a nephew of Captain Hiller, a commander in the United States navy, who was lost at sea when his vessel went down off Cape Hatteras about 1812. Jonathan Hiller was one of the old residents of New Haven, where for many years he engaged in the banking, brokerage and real estate business. He was a friend and contemporary of Gerald Hallock, Philip Marett, Stephen Whitney, Professor Gibbs and others of the old time residents of the city. Hie wife was educated at Edward Herrick's famous boarding school, located where Woolsey Hall now stands. They were married at the home of her relative, the late James Brewster, who was the pioneer carriage builder of New Haven.

In the acquirement of his education Allen M. Hiller attended the Hopkins grammar school of New Haven and was successively a student in the Edward L. Hart Classical School of Farmington, the Cheshire Military Academy, the Pennsylvania State Military Academy and Yale University. He received the degree of Master of Arts from Yale in 1893 and, entering upon preparation for the bar, he won his LL. B. degree upon graduation from Yale with the class of 1897. In early manhood he had been engaged in journalism and literary work in New York. Following his admission to the Connecticut bar as attorney in 1897, he entered upon practice in New Haven, where he has since remained. His practice has been general and of an important character, connecting him with many prominent litigated interests. He is financially interested in various institutions in New Haven.

On the 28th of September, 1892, in Hatfield, Massachusetts Mr. Hiller was married to Miss Clara Louise Thayer, of West Medway, Massachusetts, a daughter of Judge Addison Thayer of that place. She is a daughter and granddaughter of Massachusetts jurists and is a direct descendant on both her mother's and father's sides from colonial families. To Mr. and Mrs. Hiller have been born three children, Helen Thayer, Constance Lane and Celia Farnam.

Mr. Miller has been connected with Trinity church and Center church of New Haven. He belongs to the Young Men's Republican Club and has always been a stanch supporter of the republican party from the time when age conferred upon him the right of franchise. For a number of years he was a member of the New Haven republican town committee and assisted in the founding of the Young Men's Republican Club. He became a director of the Young Men's Republican Club Company and also of the New Haven Free Public Library. He is a member of the Grand Army of the Republic and of the University Club.

Mr. Hiller has done much important public service. He was a member of the board of aldermen from 1888 until 1894, was a member of the board of compensation from 1895 until 1898 and in the latter year served as its president. He aided in the establishment and in the work of securing a charter for the New Haven Free Public Library in 1886, was president of its board of directors for three years and a member of that board for sixteen years. He also became president of the New Haven University Extension Center upon its incorporation in 1890 and has so continued to the present time.

The military record of Mr. Hiller covers service with the Union army during the latter part of the Civil war. In September 1864, he became a private soldier of Company G, One Hundred and Ninety-ninth Regiment of Pennsylvania Volunteer Infantry, at which time he was a youth of sixteen years. He served as a volunteer cadet in repelling Morgan's raid in Kentucky in 1864 and on the 1st of October of that year he was promoted to the rank of second lieutenant. Subsequently he received promotion to the rank of first lieutenant and acting adjutant of the regiment and was discharged as brevet captain from the military service of the United States on the 28th of June, 1865.

A spirit of patriotism has characterized his entire career and his loyalty to his country has ever been as marked as when he followed the stars and stripes on the battlefields of the south. His activities in behalf of his city have been far reaching and resultant and his course reflects credit and honor upon a name that has figured prominently in connection with the development and substantial upbuilding of Connecticut from colonial days.