Person:Robert Allen (94)

Allen Family and Descendants of Latimerstown, Wexford, Ireland [1663-1900 ] -
Notes for Robert Thomas Pritchard ALLEN:
RTP Allen resided in Randallstown, Baltimore Co., Maryland, the son of an impoverished Irish-born widow, the former Sarah Hughes. He received his early education from his tutor Rector Charles C. Austin at St. Thomas Church in Baltimore Co. He lived four or five miles from the church and walked there every day.

When he applied to West Point, his uncle John Allen wrote: "I take the liberty of recommending to your friendly attention my nephew Mr. Robert T.P. Allen, who is a candidate for admission to the academy at West Point. He has made considerable proficiency in the study of the Greek and Latin languages and the Mathematics, and has for some timepast pursued his studies as a pupil of mine, and I consider him a young man of very good talents, and of industrious, sober and regular habits." (A copy of this letter, which was dated 9 Feb 1830, was obtained by Pat Woodson from West Point.)

After graduating fifth from his class in West Point in 1834, Robert used his commission from his brief service in the Seminole War to become,in turn, a civil engineer; a Methodist minister; and a professor successively at Allegheny College in Pennyslvania, at Transylvania University in Kentucky and Kentucky Military Institute, the latter which he founded. He moved to the Far West in 1849 and worked as a special agent for the Unites Post Office Department in California and Oregon. He later owned and published the San Francisco Pacific News before moving in 1857 to Texas where he founded the Bastrop (TX) Military Institute. There the cadets reportedly loved and honoured him.

During the Civil War, he was a Colonel in the Confederate army from 1861-1865. He was placed in charge of Camp Clark, a camp of instruction on the San Marcos River near Martindale. He briefly commanded the Fourth Texas Infantry Regiment, but "although a man of thorough military education...he was not acceptable to either men or officers. In fact, the high-spirited Texans literally drove him from their camp on his horse because of the reputation as a "Rarin,' Tearin,' Pitchin,'" martinet that he attained while supervising their training at Camp Clark. (Source: The New Texas Handbook Online) His half-niece, Katherine S. Forwood had this to say about her uncle in 1905: "One of my mother's half-brothers was...Col. Robt. T.P. Allen (nicknamed Rearin' Tearin' Pitchin' Allen), a brilliant, but erratic character who caused his relations many sorrowful hours by his misdirected talents."

The New Texas Handbook goes on to say that Allen re-surfaced at Bastrop and on 26 Feb 1862, recruited the Seventeenth Texas Infantry Regiment of John G.Walker's Texas Division, which he commanded until November 1863, when he was given charge of Camp Ford, a prisoner of war camp near Tyler. There is some evidence that as a compassionate Christian, Allen drew the appreciation of prisoners and the condemnation of guards and local inhabitants, leading some to attribute his subsequent removal or withdrawal from Camp Ford to the sympathies he showed the enemies of the Confederacy. (Source: Librarian Vicki Betts, University of Texas) In any case, Robert Allen must have been conflicted; members of his own family, including his brother-in-law, Civil war financier Jay Cooke, were fighting on the other side.

After the war Robert was helped by this very brother-in-law to regain his old position as superintendent of Kentucky Military Institute, where he continued to serve until 1874. Kentucky placed no restrictions on military schools, such as those placed on Bastrop Military School in Texas where Robert's dream of providing military educations for the sons of planters had collapsed.

Robert Allen drowned while fishing in the Kissimmee River in Florida.
Source, death date:Historical Register and Dictionary of the United States Army.

"GEN. R.T.P. ALLEN was born in Baltimore County, Md., September 26, 1813, and is a son or Richard and Sarah (Hughes) Allen, both of Ireland. Gen. Allen graduated at the military academy at West Point in 1834; went into the Third Artillery, but served with the topographical engineers one year, until the Florida war; served as lieutenant of artillery in Gen. Scott's campaign against the Seminoles, when he resigned to go as a civil engineer in the government service, building harbors on Lake Erie, where he was engaged until the fall of 1838. He then resigned and became professor of the chair of mathematics and civil engineering in Alleghany College, at Meadville, Penn., where he remained until 1841, when he was appointed to the same chair of Transylvania University, Lexington, Ky., which he remained until 1845. In the fall of that year he established the Kentucky Military Institute, continuing until 1849 as superintendent, when he was appointed by President Taylor to take charge of the postoffice department of California and Oregon, which duty he performed until 1851. He then resigned and came back to Kentucky, to Franklin County, and resumed the position of superintendent of the Kentucky Military Institute, which he retained until 1854; then resigned and went to Cleveland, Ohio, and engaged until 1857 in general business, but principally in the coal business. In 1857 he went to Texas and established the Bastrop Military Institute; continued as superintendent of the school until the late war, when he closed the school and raised a regiment for the Confederate Army and went into the field in 1862. He remained two years and was then appointed to take charge of the prison camp near Tyler, Tex., where he remained one year; then resigned and took charge of the school in Texas again and remained until 1866; resigned and came to Franklin County, Ky., and resumed charge of the Kentucky Military Institute and continued as superintendent until 1874. Then his son, Col. Robert D. Allen, became superintendent, and the General became professor of the chair of mathematics, and continued until 1877, when he resigned and moved to Florida. There he engaged in orange culture until 1884, but in the meantime, from 1877 to 1884, was engaged in steamboat transportation between Lakes Tohopokaliga and Ocheechobee, Florida. (He was also listed as a fruit grower in the 1880 United States census in Precinct 3, Orange, Florida.) In 1884 he returned to the Kentucky Military Institute and became professor of natural science, and still holds that position. His son, Col. Robert D. Allen, is the superintendent, and John T. Gray the business manager. Gen. Allen was married July 8, 1834, to Julia A. Dickinson, of Nashville, Tenn., daughter of Jacob T. and Patsy (Bond) Dickinson, and great-granddaughter of Fell, who once owned the eastern part of Baltimore, Md. Two children blessed this union: Robert D. Allen, whose first wife was Miss Laura Sims, of Texas, by whom he had four children, of whom one only survives. Miss Minnie Green, of Louisville, Ky., is his second wife. Maj. Robert Sims Allen, the only surviving child, is now commandant of cadets at the Kentucky Military Institute. John Howard Allen is the general's second son, and is now practicing law in Orlando, Fla. He married Miss Sallie Bell, of Texas, and has five children: Howard J., Jay Cooke, Walter, Mary B. and Percy. Mrs. Sallie B. Allen died in 1886. Gen. Allen and wife are members of the Methodist Episcopal Church South, and he has been an elder for a number of years. He is also a Knight Templar. The secret of Gen. Allen's success in both public and private life rests in his stanch adherence to principle, his energy, his accuracy and a thorough performance of every duty. He is modest with regard to himself, unselfish and thoroughly amiable in disposition."