HISTORY OF KENTUCKY, by Lewis Collins, and J.A. & U.P. James, published 1847. Reprinted by Henry Clay Press, Lexington, Ky., 1968, p. 168 [Shelby county]. This county [Allen] received its name from Col JOHN ALLEN, who fell in the disastrous battle of the river Raisin. He was born in Rockbridge county, Virginia, the 30th of December, 1772. His father, James Allen, emigrated to Kentucky in the fall of the year 1780, and settled at Dougherty's station, on Clarke run, about one and a half miles below the present town of Danville. Here he formed an acquaintance with Joseph Daviess, the father of Col. Joseph Hamilton Daviess. Becoming impatient at the close confinement of the station, these fearless and ardent men removed farther down the creek, and erecting a small station, lived there for three years. At the expiration of this period, Mr. Daviess purchased a tract of land three or four miles west of Danville, and removed to it. In 1784, the father of John Allen removed to Nelson county, and settled on Simpson's creek, seven and a half miles from Bardstown. In 1786, the subject of this notice attended a school in Bardstown, kept by a Mr. Shackleford, where he acquired a slight knowledge of the classics. This school was succeeded by one under the charge of Dr. James Priestly, with whom young Allen finished his education. At this school, Joseph H. Daviess, John Rowan, Felix Grundy, Archibald Cameron, John Pope, and John Allen, all distinguished in after life, formed one class. In the year 1791, John Allen commenced the study of the law in the office of Col. Archibald Stewart, of Stanton, VA. He pursued his legal studies with great assiduity for about four years, and in 1795, he returned to Kentucky and settled in Shelbyville, where he continued to practice law till 1812. As a lawyer, he ranked with the first men of his profession. On the breaking out of the war in 1812, he raised a regiment of riflemen, for the campaign under Harrison in the north-west. Part of this regiment was in the battle of Brownstown, on the 18th of January, 1813. In the fatal battle of the river Raisin, Col. Allen's regiment formed the left wing of the American force. The termination of this affair is too well known to require recapitulation here; and among the many noble and chivalrous Kentuckians who there found a bloody grave, there was none whose loss was more sensibly felt or deeply deplored than Col. Allen. Infexibily just, benevolent in all his feelings, and of undaunted courage, he was a fine specimen of the Kentucky gentleman of that day, and his name will not soon pass away from the memory of his countrymen. Allen Dougherty Clarke Daviess Shackleford Priestly Rowan Grundy Cameron Pope Stewart Harrison = Rockbridge-VA Danville-Boyle-KY Bardstown-Nelson-KY Allen-KY http://www.rootsweb.com/~kygenweb/kybiog/shelby/allen.j.txt