Stephen Allen

Stephen Allen

Stephen Allen ( July 2, 1767 , † July 28, 1852 in the Bronx , New York ) was an American politician . He was Mayor of New York City between 1821 and 1824 .

Career

Stephen Allen grew up with an uncle and aunt in New York City after the early death of his father. There he experienced the time of British occupation during the War of Independence . In his memoirs, he describes how his aunt supplied soup to American prisoners of war who were very poorly equipped. He completed an apprenticeship as a rope maker and later also worked in this profession. During the British-American War of 1812 he supplied the United States Navy with sailcloths and made considerable fortune. Later he also worked in the real estate industry and in the banking industry. In the meantime he also worked as a judge.

At the same time he embarked on a political career. His party affiliation is not mentioned in the sources. He was Mayor of New York between 1821 and 1824. He was appointed to this office by the Council of Appointment in 1821 . His other appointments came after a law reform by the city ​​council . Sing Sing Prison was established during his time as mayor . Allen also worked to improve the water supply and the quality of drinking water. Until 1898, the urban area of ​​New York essentially extended to what is now Manhattan . After the merger with the Bronx, Brooklyn , Queens and Staten Island in 1898, the New York emerged within its current boundaries.

In 1826, Stephen Allen was elected to the New York State Assembly ; from 1829 to 1832 he was a member of the State Senate . Until his death he was involved in many societal and social projects. He died at the age of 85 in a shipping disaster on the Hudson River near the Bronx when the steamer Henry Clay caught fire and sank.

Web links

• Stephen Allen in the database of Find a Grave (English)
• The Political Graveyard

predecessor	Office	successor
Cadwallader D. Colden	Mayor of New York City 1821–1824	William Paulding