John James ALLEN, Congress, VA (1797-1871)

ALLEN, John James, (brother of Robert Allen), a Representative from Virginia; born in Woodstock, Shenandoah County, Va., September 25, 1797; attended Dickinson College, Carlisle, Pa., in 1811 and 1812, and Washington College (now Washington and Lee University), Lexington, Va., in 1814 and 1815; studied law; was admitted to the bar in 1819 and commenced practice at Campbell Courthouse; moved to Clarksburg, Harrison County, Va., and continued practice; member of the State senate 1828-1830; Commonwealth attorney for Harrison, Lewis, and Preston Counties in 1834, serving while a Member of Congress; elected as an Anti-Jacksonian to the Twenty-third Congress (March 4, 1833-March 3, 1835); unsuccessful candidate for reelection in 1834 to the Twenty-fourth Congress; judge of the seventeenth circuit court of Virginia 1836-1840; judge of the State supreme court of appeals 1840-1865, serving as presiding justice 1852-1865; president of the executive council in 1861; author of the “Botetourt resolutions” of 1861; retired to private life and engaged in the management of his large estate; died at Beaverdam, near Fincastle, Botetourt County, Va., September 18, 1871; interment in the family burying ground in Lauderdale Cemetery, near his estate in Botetourt County, Va.

Source: Biographical Directory of the United States Congress, 1771-Present