Biographical Sketches
T. J. Allen
Thomas Jefferson Allen, one of the largest stock-growers and stock-dealers in Kansas City, was born at Mount Vernon, Illinois, December 28, 1841. His father, John R. Allen, a native of Sumner county, Tennessee, settled on a farm in Illinois in 1822. He served as a volunteer officer in the Black Hawk war, and in 1831-2 was stationed at Fort Leavenworth. He visited the western country, going as far South as New Mexico. In 1856 his name was presented as a candidate for congress from Illinois, which was at that time and place equal to an election, but he firmly declined to run, preferring to work for his friend, John A. Logan, who was elected. His farm in Illinois was devoted to the raising of fine stock, and was one of the largest and finest of its kind in Jefferson county.
Our subject remained on his father's farm until of age; then he began to deal in stock on his own account. Thanks to the years of experience under the supervision of his father, and keen judgment, he had developed a sagacity and intelligence in the selection of animals that would have done credit to an older head. Going to Texas, he bought 1,000 head of cattle, which he collected at Abilene, Kansas, and from there shipped to Chicago. This venture proving successful, he decided to engage in the business on a larger scale, and noting the advantages that were offered in the West he removed in 1870 to Kansas City, when the stock trade was still in its infancy. As one of the pioneers in the business at this place he has perhaps done as much as any man to develop this industry throughout the west.
In 1872, Mr. Allen went to Colorado, where he made his record as the first man to ship Colorado stock over the first railroad from Denver. His business increased rapidly and that very fall he was enabled to fill 308 cars from Denver. This transaction in its immensity made his fellow dealers in trade open their eyes and inclined them to dub him a reckless speculator. They changed their opinion, however, when the returns registered him a handsome profit. Two years later he went to Virginia City and Helena. Montana, where he bought 1,200 head of cattle, drove them to Ham's Fork on the Union Pacific, where the road built switches and loaded them on. Mr. Allen was also the first man to ship from Montana to the east. He drove 800 miles to the railroad before the stock reached transportation. The Oregon short line now leaves the Union Pacific and branching off goes North over his old trail.
In 1875 our subject went to Texas, where be bought cattle and shipped them to St. Louis, handling about 10,000 head in all. Returning to Kansas City, he bought and shipped cattle to Chicago and New York. At that time there were but two packinghouses in Kansas City. Two years later he bought the first drove, ever driven from Oregon. They numbered 2,000 head, and were the heaviest lot of cattle which had ever passed through the western markets. After being driven so long a distance they were shipped from near Cheyenne to Kansas City. The lot was purchased in Idaho, for $75,000, thus bringing a larger piece than any other Oregon cattle ever brought.
In 1878, Mr. Allen formed a partnership with Wilson and Fenlon, of Leavenworth, Kansas, and took a contract to furnish government beef and stock cattle to the Indians. The firm, under the name of Wilson, Fenlon & Company, furnished to the Kiowas, Comanches, Wichitas, Cheyennes, Arapahoes, Osages, Pawnees, Poncas, and several other tribes of the Indian Territory. The contracts required about 20,000 head within Indian Territory, and at Rosebush agency, Dakota, 11,000 Most of the cattle were driven from South of the Red River. Mr. Allen did the greatest part of the actual work, driving the stock and delivering them to their respective destinations. For 6 years, Mr. Allen gave to this contract his exclusive attention. This connection being severed in 1884, our subject went to New York and sold for E. B. Herold and E. J. Ikard, a ranch in Greer county, Texas, containing 68,000 head of cattle, with horses, etc., at $22.50 per head, amounting to $1,400,000. The sale was made to the Franklin Land and Cattle Company, of New York, controlled by Charles Franklin, executor of the late Edwin Cunard, of the Cunard line of steamers. This was the largest sale made up to that time and resulted in a handsome commission for Mr. Allen.
In 1885 our subject invested in a 500-acre farm 12 miles South of Kansas City and stocked it with a superior breed of shorthorns. These he cared for exclusively, and at the end of three years sold them at a handsome profit. In 1887 he sold his farm, having two years previously taken another Indian contract, furnishing to the Apaches at San Carlos and Fort Apache, of Arizona, 4,000 head of cattle.
On the first of June, 1887, Mr. Allen was married to Miss Mary Lee Arkins, daughter of Judge R. S. Adkins, ex-county judge and ex-postmaster of Kansas City. The remainder of the summer Mr. and Mrs. Allen spent in Europe, visiting all the places of interest, which struck their fancy. Mr. Allen has traveled extensively in the United States, especially in the South and West, where he went in the interests of the Kansas City stockyards.
In politics he is a republican, though formerly a democrat. The tariff question, to which he has given thought and attention, and, as he says the incompetency of the democratic party, have changed his opinion and made him a republican on that issue. He takes an active interest in city affairs, but avoids holding office, preferring rather to use his influence in establishing men in office whose capabilities he modestly considers superior to his own. He has one son, John Robert Allen, a lad of seven years, whose education he has decided shall be of a practical character. He wisely argues that the most finished education, if not adapted to use, is worse than none at all, and he intends to avoid any such contingency in the molding of his son's future.
This page was last updated August 2, 2006.