Henry Justin Allen
Encyclopedia
Henry Justin Allen was the 21st Governor of Kansas
(1919–1923) and U.S. Senator from Kansas
(1929–31).
Allen was born in Warren County, Pennsylvania
to John and Rebecca Elizabeth (Goodwin) Allen. His family moved to Kansas in 1870, where they settled in Clay County
.
Before becoming active in politics, Allen acquired ownership of newspapers throughout Kansas
, beginning with the Manhattan Nationalist in Manhattan, Kansas
in 1894. He owned the Topeka State Journal with Arthur J. Carruth, Jr
and William P. Snyder. Generally forward-looking in his outlook, he hired Frank Lloyd Wright
to design his home in Wichita, Kansas
. Allen's home is the only residence designed by Wright in Kansas.
Allen was in France
with William Allen White
inspecting the facilities provided to Kansas soldiers of the American Expeditionary Force
during World War I
when his party nominated him for the office of governor. During the campaign in 1918, Allen never spent any of his own money and learned about his nomination from a Paris newspaper.
Allen expressed some admiration for Benito Mussolini
's policies in the 1920s and pushed through a similar industrial court provision. When publisher William Allen White
objected, he was arrested in a free speech battle. White won the 1923 Pulitzer Prize
for his editorial "To an Anxious Friend," published July 27, 1922 opposing the law.
Allen died in 1950 following a cerebral thrombosis in Wichita, Kansas
. He is buried at the Maple Grove Cemetery in Wichita, Kansas
. Allen was posthumously inducted into the Kansas Newspaper Hall of Fame two years later.
Governor of Kansas
The Governor of the State of Kansas is the head of state for the State of Kansas, United States. Under the Kansas Constitution, the Governor is also the head of government, serving as the chief executive of the Kansas executive branch, of the government of Kansas. The Governor is the...
(1919–1923) and U.S. Senator from Kansas
Kansas
Kansas is a US state located in the Midwestern United States. It is named after the Kansas River which flows through it, which in turn was named after the Kansa Native American tribe, which inhabited the area. The tribe's name is often said to mean "people of the wind" or "people of the south...
(1929–31).
Allen was born in Warren County, Pennsylvania
Warren County, Pennsylvania
Warren County is a county located in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania. As of 2010, the population was 41,815. It was formed in 1800 from parts of Allegheny and Lycoming counties; attached to Crawford County until 1805 and then to Venango County until Warren was formally organized in 1819. Its county...
to John and Rebecca Elizabeth (Goodwin) Allen. His family moved to Kansas in 1870, where they settled in Clay County
Clay County, Kansas
Clay County is a county located in North Central Kansas, in the Central United States. As of the 2010 census, the county population was 8,535...
.
Before becoming active in politics, Allen acquired ownership of newspapers throughout Kansas
Kansas
Kansas is a US state located in the Midwestern United States. It is named after the Kansas River which flows through it, which in turn was named after the Kansa Native American tribe, which inhabited the area. The tribe's name is often said to mean "people of the wind" or "people of the south...
, beginning with the Manhattan Nationalist in Manhattan, Kansas
Manhattan, Kansas
Manhattan is a city located in the northeastern part of the state of Kansas in the United States, at the junction of the Kansas River and Big Blue River. It is the county seat of Riley County and the city extends into Pottawatomie County. As of the 2010 census, the city population was 52,281...
in 1894. He owned the Topeka State Journal with Arthur J. Carruth, Jr
Arthur J. Carruth, Jr
Arthur J. Carruth, Jr. was a leading newspaperman and civic leader in Kansas for more than five decades.-Education:...
and William P. Snyder. Generally forward-looking in his outlook, he hired Frank Lloyd Wright
Frank Lloyd Wright
Frank Lloyd Wright was an American architect, interior designer, writer and educator, who designed more than 1,000 structures and completed 500 works. Wright believed in designing structures which were in harmony with humanity and its environment, a philosophy he called organic architecture...
to design his home in Wichita, Kansas
Wichita, Kansas
Wichita is the largest city in the U.S. state of Kansas.As of the 2010 census, the city population was 382,368. Located in south-central Kansas on the Arkansas River, Wichita is the county seat of Sedgwick County and the principal city of the Wichita metropolitan area...
. Allen's home is the only residence designed by Wright in Kansas.
Allen was in France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
with William Allen White
William Allen White
William Allen White was a renowned American newspaper editor, politician, author, and leader of the Progressive movement...
inspecting the facilities provided to Kansas soldiers of the American Expeditionary Force
American Expeditionary Force
The American Expeditionary Forces or AEF were the United States Armed Forces sent to Europe in World War I. During the United States campaigns in World War I the AEF fought in France alongside British and French allied forces in the last year of the war, against Imperial German forces...
during World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
when his party nominated him for the office of governor. During the campaign in 1918, Allen never spent any of his own money and learned about his nomination from a Paris newspaper.
Allen expressed some admiration for Benito Mussolini
Benito Mussolini
Benito Amilcare Andrea Mussolini was an Italian politician who led the National Fascist Party and is credited with being one of the key figures in the creation of Fascism....
's policies in the 1920s and pushed through a similar industrial court provision. When publisher William Allen White
William Allen White
William Allen White was a renowned American newspaper editor, politician, author, and leader of the Progressive movement...
objected, he was arrested in a free speech battle. White won the 1923 Pulitzer Prize
1923 Pulitzer Prize
-Journalism awards:*Public Service:**Memphis Commercial Appeal, for its courageous attitude in the publication of cartoons and the handling of news in reference to the operations of the Ku Klux Klan.*Reporting:...
for his editorial "To an Anxious Friend," published July 27, 1922 opposing the law.
Allen died in 1950 following a cerebral thrombosis in Wichita, Kansas
Wichita, Kansas
Wichita is the largest city in the U.S. state of Kansas.As of the 2010 census, the city population was 382,368. Located in south-central Kansas on the Arkansas River, Wichita is the county seat of Sedgwick County and the principal city of the Wichita metropolitan area...
. He is buried at the Maple Grove Cemetery in Wichita, Kansas
Wichita, Kansas
Wichita is the largest city in the U.S. state of Kansas.As of the 2010 census, the city population was 382,368. Located in south-central Kansas on the Arkansas River, Wichita is the county seat of Sedgwick County and the principal city of the Wichita metropolitan area...
. Allen was posthumously inducted into the Kansas Newspaper Hall of Fame two years later.