Biographical Memoirs of Wells County, Indiana, 1903. pp. 592-593.

HAMON ALLEN.

Hamon Allen is a native of Stark county, Ohio, and was born November 9, 1845, a son of Robert and Mary (Miller) Allen. He is one of the respected citizens of the county and is a man of honor and integrity. Although by trade he is a blacksmith, he engages also in agriculture. He has also served as a defender of his nation's flag in her hour of direct trouble, and of this episode in his life further mention will be made.

Robert Allen, father of Hamon Allen, was also a blacksmith by trade. While still a young man he migrated from Pennsylvania to Ohio and there became acquainted with the Miller family, who were also natives of Pennsylvania and with whom he later became more closely allied. Mr. Allen remained in Ohio until 1846 when he sold his blacksmith shop and other possessions and came to Wells County, Indiana, and located in the town of Murray, where he erected a shop and carried on his trade in connection with farming until about 1851, when he removed to Huntington county, and settled one mile west of Markle and later moved into the village. He was the first and only blacksmith and mechanic in the place at that time, and there he and his wife passed the remainder of their days. To the marriage of Mr. and Mrs. Allen were born ten children, of whom five are still living, viz: William, Levi, Hamon, Alfred and Etura, the last named being the wife of Leander Ubanks.

Hamon Allen was a mere babe when brought to Indiana by his parents. His father died in 1857 and his brother William succeeded to the charge of the homestead, as Novell as of the blacksmith shop, and Hamon partially learned his trade under his brother, but had not finished a legitimate apprenticeship when the stern tocsin of war vibrated throughout the land and the terrible struggle for the predominance of freedom or slavery began. Young Allen was decidedly in favor of the former and was, moreover, patriotic to the very core of his heart, and at once enlisted in the military service. In 1864, being then not nineteen years of age, he enlisted in Company D, Fifty-first Indiana Volunteer Infantry, with which he took part in the battles of Nashville and Franklin, Tennessee, and also followed the rebel general Hood in his notorious flight. Although Mr. Allen passed through this campaign without a bodily wound, he was deprived of his hearing, in part compensation for which misfortune he now receives a pension of twenty dollars per month. From Tennessee Mr. Allen was sent with his regiment to Texas, where he served until honorably discharged in November, 1865, some months after the war had been closed. On his return home he resumed work in the blacksmith shop and cared for his mother with filing tenderness until her death.

In 1868 Mr. Allen was united in marriage with Miss Laura A. Brickley, a daughter of George and Bulinda (Wolfcale) Brickley. The young couple settled down to housekeeping in Markle, Huntington county, where Mr. Allen took charge of the blacksmith shop and conducted it until 1891, when he removed to his farm, one mile east of Markle, where he still follows his trade in conjunction with farming. To Mr. and Mrs. Allen have been born seven children, namely: Nettie M., wife of Charles Line; George F., who married a Miss Meadaugh; Bertha, wife of George Brown, a resident of Rock Creek township; Lewis, Lawrence W., Grace O. and Ralph E., all four still at home. The parents are members of the Methodist Episcopal church at Markle, and in politics Mr. Allen is a Democrat. No family in Wells County are more highly respected than that of Mr. Allen and he is himself regarded as one of its most honorable citizens.