Exploring the Legendary Life and Legacy of Amos Allman
Tauheed Ahmad Nawaz
Amos Allman is among the honored dead of Lake County, whose memory is enshrined in the hearts of many who enjoyed his friendship. He used to live a simple life, and his conduct was so manly. His actions are so sincere and unaffected that he won the warm regard of all with whom he was associated, and left behind him an untarnished name.
Amos Allman was born at Alwick, in Yorkshire. England, February 17, 1825. His parents were Major and Margaret (Haxby) Allman, who were also natives of England, and there the mother spent her entire life. She passed away in 1826, leaving six children, of whom Amos was the youngest. Four years later, in 1830, the father bade adieu to friends and his native country and sailed for the new world with his children, first settling in Canada. In 1843, he became a resident of Crown Point.
Amos Allman accompanied his father on the emigration to the New World when he was five years old and lived in Toronto and Whitby, Canada, residing with his eldest sister. In 1842, at about seventeen years of age, he entered upon an apprenticeship to the tailor’s trade in Sturgis, Michigan, and the following year he moved to Crown Point, where he worked at his trade, but was soon obliged to abandon this vocation because of the partial failure of his eyesight. Several years later, he returned to Sturgis, Michigan, and there embarked on merchandising, continuing in business at that place until 1855.
In the latter year, Amos Allman once again came to Lake County to look after his father’s business, and except for one year spent in Niles, Michigan, he remained continuously a resident of Crown Point from 1855 until his death. His father had served as county recorder up to the time of his death in 1856, and in that year, Amos Allman was elected to the position, which he filled for eight consecutive years, having been re-elected. He was also, for eighteen months, beginning in 1856, deputy revenue collector at this port.
After he retired from office, Amos Allman turned his attention to the abstract and real estate business, which he continued for a long time, becoming widely known in that way. He handled much valuable property, negotiated many important real estate transfers, and did a large abstract business so that his clientage in both departments brought him a good financial return, and as he carefully managed his resources, he was eventually enabled to retire from active business life and spend his remaining days in the enjoyment of a well-earned rest. He erected several buildings in Crown Point, including his own beautiful home, and thus he contributed substantial “measures to the improvement of the city. Mr. Allman was twice married. On November 26, 1857, he was joined in wedlock by Miss Olive Wilcox, who died on June 1, 1859.
On March 22, 1890, Amos Allman was again married, his second union being with Miss Mary A. Luther, and they became the parents of five children, who survived the father, whose death occurred at his home in Crown Point on January 14, 1897, when he was nearly seventy-three years of age. Mr. Allman held membership in no church but lived a most upright, honorable life, was always temperate in his habits, and was generous in his support of religious and benevolent enterprises. Indeed, his career was, in many respects, the most exemplar}’.
Amos Allman was always deeply interested in the growth and progress of the city, and his cooperation could always be counted upon to aid in the advancement of any movement that promised to be of lasting benefit to Crown Point. He possessed a strong love of nature and was never happier than when he could find time to get away from his office and spend some hours nearer to nature.
Amos Allman was a man whom to know was to respect and honor. Numbered among Crown Point’s pioneers, his entire life to his fellow townsmen was an open book that all might read. He possessed strongly domestic tastes, and while he accomplished much in the business world and ratified his friendships with kindly sympathy and thoughtful consideration for others, his greatest depth of love was reserved for his family.
