Henry Martin “Mart” Allen was born in 1842 in Gouverneur and educated in local schools.
He enlisted in the Army on August 25, 1862; mustered in as a private in Company 1, 11th New York Cavalry and was promoted to corporal the same day. He mustered out May 11, 1865. He returned to Gouverneur and attended Gouverneur Wesleyan Seminary. He taught school for a time in the Little Bow district. He did survey work for the railroad. Late in the 1860s, he was employed by Isaac Starbuck in his lumber company. He worked his way up to superintendent of the Starbuck Lumber Yard in Gouverneur. He and Mr. Starbuck then entered into a partnership to open a Starbuck & Allen Lumber company in Watertown, which was located at 54 Court Street.
Mr. Allen became involved in politics in the 1880s and served as City Alderman for two years. He was elected Mayor in 1885 for a one-year term. He lost his bid for re-election to William E. Hart. He was described as a good mayor and an agreeable man. He was a Mason.
In 1893, Mr. Allen moved to Washington, D.C to open a branch of the then-rapidly growing Woolworth Department Store. He later was employed by the government in the public printing office.
He was married three times and widowed twice. He first married Marion Bullard and the couple had two children who both died. After Marion died, he married Frances E. Miller and had one son, Raymond H. Allen. Later in life, he married Theresa Johnston in Washington D.C.
Mr. Allen died in Washington, D.C. on September 18, 1919 at the age of 77. He is buried in Union Cemetery in Fort Edward.
