Samuel Henderson Allen
Samuel Henderson Allen was an American businessman, prison warden, and politician from Maine. He served one term in the Maine legislature and later served as an officer during the Civil War.
Career
Henderson was a founding member of the Maine Republican Party. He was elected to the Maine House of Representatives in 1856 from his home in Thomaston. In May 1861, he was named Deputy Collector of Customs of the Port of Thomaston, a patronage position due to the election of Republican Abraham Lincoln.Military service
He resigned in October of that year and instead was appointed Major in the 1st [Maine Volunteer Cavalry Regiment]. He was promoted to colonel the following May. In September 1862, he was appointed military governor of Frederick, Maryland and served until his resignation from the Union Army on January 5, 1863, due to poor health.Private sector and business career
After leaving the army, Allen traveled to California and Nevada before returning East. He worked for Charles Gould and Amos Gaylord Throop to purchase land for mining in Kentucky and West Virginia. In 1865, he worked in the oil business of western Pennsylvania. From 1877 to 1888, he was involved in the sale of lumber and ice from Maine's Kennebec River. In 1888, he was appointed Ward of the Maine State Prison, a position held until at least 1900.Henderson was a member of the Military Order of the Loyal Legion of the United States as well as the Grand Army of the Republic.