Representative Edward Payson Allen

Edward Payson Allen (October 28, 1839 – November 25, 1909) was an American Civil War veteran, lawyer, jurist, and Republican politician from the state of Michigan who served two terms in the United States House of Representatives from 1887 to 1891. Over the course of his public career he held a variety of local, state, and federal offices and was an active participant in the legislative and democratic processes during a significant period in American history.

Allen was born in Sharon, Vermont, where he spent his early years before moving west with his family. In 1853 he settled in Michigan, a state that would remain the center of his professional and political life. He attended the common schools and pursued further studies at the State Normal School at Ypsilanti (later Eastern Michigan University), preparing for a career in education. Before the outbreak of the Civil War he worked as a teacher, gaining early experience in public service and community leadership.

With the onset of the Civil War, Allen entered military service in the Union Army. He enlisted as a private in Company F, Fourth Regiment, Michigan Volunteer Infantry, and later received a commission as a first lieutenant in Company H of the Twenty-ninth Regiment, Michigan Volunteer Infantry. He served in the field until the close of the war, emerging as a Civil War veteran whose service shaped his subsequent public career. After the war he returned to Michigan and resumed civilian life, turning his attention to the study of law.

Allen studied law in Ypsilanti and was admitted to the bar in 1867, commencing practice in that city. He quickly became involved in local affairs and was elected prosecuting attorney of Washtenaw County, serving from 1872 to 1876. In addition to his legal work, he engaged in educational administration and civic activities. He served as city attorney of Ypsilanti and was elected mayor of Ypsilanti in 1880, reflecting the confidence of his community in his leadership and administrative abilities.

Allen’s political career advanced to the state level when he was elected as a member of the Michigan House of Representatives, serving from 1880 to 1882. In the legislature he gained experience in lawmaking and party politics as a member of the Republican Party. He later served as a member of the State Board of Agriculture from 1882 to 1888, participating in the oversight and development of Michigan’s agricultural and educational institutions. His growing prominence in Republican circles and his record in local and state office laid the groundwork for his election to Congress.

In 1886 Allen was elected as a Republican to the Fiftieth Congress and was reelected in 1888 to the Fifty-first Congress, serving from March 4, 1887, to March 3, 1891, as a Representative from Michigan in the United States Congress. During his two terms in the House of Representatives he contributed to the legislative process and represented the interests of his constituents at a time of industrial expansion, economic change, and evolving federal policy. As a member of the House, he participated in debates, committee work, and the broader democratic process in Washington, D.C. He was an unsuccessful candidate for renomination in 1890, which concluded his service in Congress after two consecutive terms in office.

After leaving Congress, Allen returned to Michigan and resumed the practice of law in Ypsilanti. He continued to hold public positions, including service as a member of the State Board of Corrections and Charities, where he contributed to the oversight of state institutions and social policy. He also served as postmaster of Ypsilanti from 1897 to 1906, a federal appointment that reflected his continued standing in the Republican Party and his ongoing role in public life. In his later years he remained a respected figure in his community, known for his long record of military, legal, and political service.

Edward Payson Allen died in Ypsilanti, Michigan, on November 25, 1909. He was interred in Highland Cemetery in Ypsilanti. His career, spanning from Civil War service through local, state, and national office, reflected the trajectory of many nineteenth-century American public figures who combined military experience, legal training, and partisan political activity in service to their state and nation.