Allen, Ethan

Allen, Ethan, 1738-89, hero of the American Revolution, leader of the Green Mountain Boys, and promoter of the independence and statehood of Vermont, b. Litchfield (?), Conn. He had some schooling and was proud of his deist opinions, which he later incorporated in Reason the Only Oracle of Man (1784). After fighting briefly in the French and Indian Wars, he interested himself in land speculation, and in 1770 he appeared as one of the proprietors in the New Hampshire Grants. He and his brothers, notably Ira Allen, became the leaders of the New England settlers and speculators in the disputed lands—inveterate enemies of the Yorkers (settlers under New York patents) and violent opponents of all attempts of New York to exert control in the area. He was active in forming the Green Mountain Boys and became their leader in defying the New York government and harrying the Yorkers. Governor Tryon of New York put a price on the heads of Allen and two of his followers, but Ethan was not captured. After the outbreak of the American Revolution, he made the Green Mountain Boys into an independent patriot organization. Joined by Benedict Arnold (with a commission from Massachusetts) and some Connecticut militia, Ethan Allen and his men captured Fort Ticonderoga from the British on May 10, 1775. Legend says that when the British officer asked him under what authority he acted, Ethan Allen roared, "In the name of the Great Jehovah and the Continental Congress!" The story is, however, apocryphal. Allen then urged an expedition against Canada, and the Green Mountain Boys were attached to Gen. P. J. Schuyler's invasion force, but the men chose not Allen, but his cousin Seth Warner, as leader. Allen went on the expedition and, in a rash effort to capture Montreal before the main Continental army arrived, was captured (Sept., 1775) by the British. He told his own story of this in the popular Narrative of Colonel Ethan Allen's Captivity, which appeared in 1779, a year after he had been exchanged. He returned to Vermont, which had declared its independence but was unrecognized by the Continental Congress. Ethan and his brother Ira then devoted themselves to insuring the new political unit in one way or another. The region remained in danger of British attack, and the British late in 1779 opened negotiations with Ethan Allen in an attempt to attach Vermont to Canada. No conclusion was reached, and the victory at Yorktown ending the American Revolution also ended the talks. Ethan Allen withdrew from politics in 1784. When he died, Vermont was still independent and still dickering with Congress and dealing with internal struggles between the Allen party and their opponents.

(born Jan. 21, 1738, Litchfield, Conn.—died Feb. 12, 1789, Burlington, Vt., U.S.) American soldier and frontiersman. After fighting in the French and Indian War (1754–63), he settled in what is now Vermont. At the outbreak of the American Revolution, his force of Green Mountain Boys (organized in 1770) helped defeat the British in the Battle of Ticonderoga (1775). As a volunteer with troops commanded by Gen. Philip Schuyler, he attempted to take Montreal but was captured by the British and held prisoner until 1778. He returned to Vermont, where he worked for statehood. Failing to achieve this, he attempted to negotiate the annexation of Vermont to Canada.

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Allen is a town in Allegany County, New York, United States. The population was 462 at the 2000 census. The town is named after Ethan Allen.

The Town of Allen is in the north-central part of Allegany County.

History

The Town of Allen was founded in 1823, formed from part of the Town of Angelica. In 1829 more territory was added from the Town of Birdsall.

Geography

According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 36.6 square miles (94.8 km²), of which, 36.4 square miles (94.2 km²) of it is land and 0.2 square miles (0.6 km²) of it (0.60%) is water.

Demographics

As of the census of 2000, there were 462 people, 178 households, and 132 families residing in the town. The population density was 12.7 people per square mile (4.9/km²). There were 411 housing units at an average density of 11.3/sq mi (4.4/km²). The racial makeup of the town was 98.92% White, 0.43% Native American, and 0.65% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.22% of the population.

There were 178 households out of which 30.9% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 62.9% were married couples living together, 4.5% had a female householder with no husband present, and 25.8% were non-families. 22.5% of all households were made up of individuals and 6.7% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.60 and the average family size was 3.01.

In the town the population was spread out with 25.1% under the age of 18, 6.9% from 18 to 24, 29.4% from 25 to 44, 25.5% from 45 to 64, and 13.0% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 39 years. For every 100 females there were 123.2 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 123.2 males.

The median income for a household in the town was $27,386, and the median income for a family was $29,688. Males had a median income of $26,528 versus $21,563 for females. The per capita income for the town was $13,830. About 16.4% of families and 18.7% of the population were below the poverty line, including 19.2% of those under age 18 and 14.3% of those age 65 or over.

Communities and locations in Allen

• Allen Center -- A hamlet on County Route 15 (Basswood Hill Road), centrally located in the town.
• Aristotle -- A hamlet near the south town line on County Route 15.
• State Road -- A location near the eastern town line.
• West Allen -- A location southwest of Allen Center.
• Wigwam Creek -- A stream flowing through the west part of the town.

References

External links

• History of Allen