John Riley Allen

1848 - 1927  (78 years)

• Name	John Riley Allen
  Birth	18 Nov 1848	Wirt, Allegany Co., New York, USA
  Gender	Male
  Death	30 Apr 1927	Binghamton, Broome Co., New York, USA
  Burial	Allentown Cemetery, Alma, Allegany Co., New York, USA
  Notes	Funeral Services Are Conducted for Late Riley Allen Allentown, May 7. —Funeral services for Riley Allen, pioneer oil operator in the Allegany County field, who died, suddenly in Binghamton, were held Tuesday at the home with the Rev. Chauncey officiating. The Wellsville Masonic lodge with W. S. Spargur as master had charge of the services. Those from out of town that were in attendance were W. G. Richardson, George Beers, A. L. Shaner, B. X. Dunn, 0. H. Bradley, Asa Root, Mrs. Orr Snowden, George Parker, Charles Parker and Mr. and Mrs. Forest Woodard of Bolivar, Mr. and Mrs. E. R. Townsend of Richburg, Oscar Burdick of Little Genesee; H. Corbin of Friendship; Dr. and Mrs. T. J. Earley, Mr. and Mrs. B. S. Nichols. Mr. and Mrs. H. Stone, Mr. and Mrs. J. F. Dailey, Mr. and Mrs. D. M. Hancock, Mrs. O. Nelsen. Mrs. C. Johnson, and Mrs. O. R. Cauffield of Olean. Mr. Allen was a man of wide interests and many friends. He drilled in the first gusher in the Allegany field at Richburg in 1881. He was a director of the First Trust Company, Wellsville, stockholder in the Citizens National Bank, Wellsville, large owner in the Fassett hotel. Riley Allen was born at Wirt, November 18, 1848, the son of Clinton Allen. He attended school until he was old enough to work and since that time his education has been in the practical school of life. He was early in life engaged in lumbering operations in Scio and Northern Pennsylvania and when the oil excitement arose at Richburg was one of the pioneers to undertake the work of recovering the precious fuel. With O. P. Taylor, he formed the firm of Allen and Taylor and their first producing well was located at Sawyer’s Station. This was followed by their first oil at Allentown. They then demonstrated the rich productivity of the Richburg territory when they struck a gusher in 1881. Since that time, he had been closely associated with the rising and falling fortunes of the surrounding territory. Mr. Allen was a member of the Wellsville Masonic body, a thirty-second degree Mason, a member of the Mystic Shrine and the B.P.O.E. He was closely affiliated with the fraternity's and the civic life, the Allentown public school being largely due to his personal interest and liberality. Surviving him are four daughters, Mrs. Charles Boyd of Allentown, Mrs. A. E. Ewing. Mrs. W. C. Foss, Mrs. D. D. Conable of Olean; three sons, Floyd Allen, of Findlay Ohio, Orville Allen of Allentown, and Claude Allen of Bolivar; two sisters, Mrs. Mina Sutherland of Olean and Mrs. Emily Holley of Ceres. (The Olean Evening Times, Saturday, May 7, 1927)
  Person ID	I2361	OurNorthernRoots
  Last Modified	2 Jan 2023

  
  

  Father	DeWitt Clinton Allen,   b. 1818, Marcellus, Onondaga Co., New York, USA d. 1864, Alma, Allegany Co., New York, USA (Age ~ 45 years)
  Mother	Susan Russell,   b. 1828, Cortland Co., New York, USA d. 1874 (Age 46 years)
  Marriage	Abt 1847
  Family ID	F1513	Group Sheet  |  Family Chart

  
  

  Family	Melvina Prince,   b. 1850, Pennsylvania, USA d. 15 Aug 1917 (Age 67 years)
  Marriage	Abt 1870
  Children	+ 1. May Allen,   b. 1876   d. 1954 (Age 78 years)   2. Sarah Allen,   b. 1877   d. 31 May 1911, Alma, Allegany Co., New York, USA (Age 34 years) + 3. Kate Allen,   b. Abt 1879 + 4. Ida Allen,   b. 1881 + 5. Ada Allen,   b. 1881, Allentown, Alma, Allegany Co., New York, USA d. 22 Jan 1950, Allentown, Alma, Allegany Co., New York, USA (Age 69 years) + 6. Orville P. Allen,   b. 1883   d. 1939, Alma, Allegany Co., New York, USA (Age 56 years)   7. Floyd R. Allen,   b. Abt 1885 + 8. Claude E. Allen,   b. Abt 1886
  Photos		Riley Allen Family
  Family ID	F2467	Group Sheet  |  Family Chart

  
  

• Event Map		Birth - 18 Nov 1848 - Wirt, Allegany Co., New York, USA Death - 30 Apr 1927 - Binghamton, Broome Co., New York, USA Burial - - Allentown Cemetery, Alma, Allegany Co., New York, USA  = Link to Google Earth
  Pin Legend	: Address       : Location       : City/Town       : County/Shire       : State/Province       : Country       : Not Set

  
  

• Photos

  Riley Allen