John Allen

John Allen (died March 11, 1851) was an American pioneer and a co-founder, along with Elisha Rumsey, of the U.S. city of Ann Arbor, Michigan. Early life John Allen, the son of a wealthy farmer, was born in Augusta County, Virginia, on May 17, 1796. He had two children with his first wife, Mary Crawford: James and Elizabeth. After Crawford's death, he married Ann I. (Barry) McCue, a widow with two sons: John and Thomas. Both Crawford and McCue had large inheritances, but historical records maintain that Allen left Virginia primarily to escape financial difficulties. Allen left Virginia in fall 1823 with a herd of cattle which he intended to sell in Baltimore. From Baltimore, he went to Buffalo, New York, where he stayed for two months while looking for an associate. He moved on to Detroit in January 1824, where he met Elisha Rumsey. Rumsey was also looking for an opportunity to escape the mistakes of his past and work toward a better future. Ann Arbor