Mark W. Allen (August 23, 1877 – October 12, 1958) was an American lumber dealer and politician.
Early life and education
Allen was born on August 23, 1877, in
Fairfax County, Virginia
Fairfax County, officially the County of Fairfax, is a County (United States), county in the Commonwealth (U.S. state), Commonwealth of Virginia. With a population of 1,150,309 as of the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, it is the most p ...
, the son of Thomas Douglass Allen and Mary Elizabeth Williams.
Allen attended the Trinity
Methodist Episcopal Church
The Methodist Episcopal Church (MEC) was the oldest and largest Methodist denomination in the United States from its founding in 1784 until 1939. It was also the first religious denomination in the US to organize itself nationally. In 1939, th ...
in
West New Brighton
West New Brighton (also called West Brighton) is a neighborhood of Staten Island, New York City, situated in the central area of North Shore, Staten Island, North Shore. The neighborhood is bordered by New Brighton, Staten Island, New Brighton ...
, and founded the popular Trinity Men's Bible Class. He was a member of the
Freemasons
Freemasonry (sometimes spelled Free-Masonry) consists of fraternal groups that trace their origins to the medieval guilds of stonemasons. Freemasonry is the oldest secular fraternity in the world and among the oldest still-existing organizati ...
, the
Royal Arch Masons
Royal Arch Masonry (also known as "Capitular Masonry") is the first part of the American York Rite system of Masonic degrees. Royal Arch Masons meet as a ''Chapter'', and the Royal Arch Chapter confers four degrees: ''Mark Master Mason, Past Mas ...
, the
Knights Templar
The Poor Fellow-Soldiers of Christ and of the Temple of Solomon, mainly known as the Knights Templar, was a Military order (religious society), military order of the Catholic Church, Catholic faith, and one of the most important military ord ...
, the
Scottish Rite
The Ancient and Accepted Scottish Rite of Freemasonry is a List of Masonic rites, rite within the broader context of Freemasonry. It is the most widely practiced List of Masonic rites, Rite in the world. In some parts of the world, and in the ...
, the
Shriners
Shriners International, formally known as the Ancient Arabic Order of the Nobles of the Mystic Shrine (AAONMS), is an American Masonic body, Masonic society. Founded in 1872 in New York City, it is headquartered in Tampa, Florida, and has over ...
, the
Odd Fellows
Odd Fellows (or Oddfellows when referencing the Grand United Order of Oddfellows or some British-based fraternities; also Odd Fellowship or Oddfellowship) is an international fraternity consisting of lodges first documented in 1730 in 18th-cen ...
, the
Junior Order of United American Mechanics
Junior Order United American Mechanics (Jr. O.U.A.M.) is a fraternal organization founded on May 17, 1853, in Germantown, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, as a youth auxiliary to the Order of United American Mechanics (O.U.A.M.). Established during ...
, and the
Knights of Pythias
The Knights of Pythias is a Fraternal and service organizations, fraternal organization and secret society founded in Washington, D.C., on . The Knights of Pythias was the first fraternal organization to receive a charter under an Act of Co ...
. In 1907, he married Bessie E. Vorhees of
Belford, New Jersey
Belford is an unincorporated community and census-designated place (CDP) in Middletown Township, Monmouth County, New Jersey, United States. Bessie died in 1936. Allen then married Julia Maud Smiles of Port Richmond in 1937. Julia died in 1945. Allen then married his third wife, Lila A. Zorn of West New Brighton.
Career
Allen moved to
Staten Island, New York
Staten Island ( ) is the southernmost of the boroughs of New York City, five boroughs of New York City, coextensive with Richmond County and situated at the southernmost point of New York (state), New York. The borough is separated from the ad ...
in 1898 and began working as a carpenter for the
Baltimore and Ohio Railroad
The Baltimore and Ohio Railroad was the oldest railroads in North America, oldest railroad in the United States and the first steam engine, steam-operated common carrier. Construction of the line began in 1828, and it operated as B&O from 1830 ...
. In 1902, he was promoted to superintendent of carpenters. In 1906, he entered the lumber business, and he and his brother George started the Allen Brothers Lumber Company. The firm later merged with another firm and became the Allen-Wheeler Lumber Company, with Allen as its president. In 1935, the firm became the Mark W. Allen Lumber Company. The company sold building supplies, erected buildings, and developed real estate. He was also president of the Staten Island Chamber of Commerce, the Port Richmond Board of Trade, and the West New Brighton Board of Trade, and was a member of the local school board.
In 1922, Allen was elected to the
New York State Senate
The New York State Senate is the upper house of the New York State Legislature, while the New York State Assembly is its lower house. Established in 1777 by the Constitution of New York, its members are elected to two-year terms with no term l ...
as a
Democrat
Democrat, Democrats, or Democratic may refer to:
Politics
*A proponent of democracy, or democratic government; a form of government involving rule by the people.
*A member of a Democratic Party:
**Democratic Party (Cyprus) (DCY)
**Democratic Part ...
, representing
New York's 24th State Senate district
New York's 24th State Senate district is one of 63 districts in the New York State Senate. It has been represented by Republican Andrew Lanza since 2007. District 24 is the most Republican-leaning district in the State Senate. Prior to the 202 ...
(
Richmond
Richmond most often refers to:
* Richmond, British Columbia, a city in Canada
* Richmond, California, a city in the United States
* Richmond, London, a town in the London Borough of Richmond upon Thames, England
* Richmond, North Yorkshire, a town ...
1923
In Greece, this year contained only 352 days as 13 days was skipped to achieve the calendrical switch from Julian to Gregorian Calendar. It happened there that Wednesday, 15 February ''(Julian Calendar)'' was followed by Thursday, 1 March ' ...
and
1924
Events
January
* January 12 – Gopinath Saha shoots Ernest Day, whom he has mistaken for Sir Charles Tegart, the police commissioner of Calcutta, and is arrested soon after.
* January 20–January 30, 30 – Kuomintang in Ch ...
. While in the Senate, he helped get three Staten Island bridges built: the Kill Van Kull Bridge, the
Goethals Bridge
The Goethals Bridge () is a pair of cable-stayed bridge spans connecting Elizabeth, New Jersey, to Staten Island, New York, United States. The spans cross a strait known as Arthur Kill, and replaced a cantilever bridge span built in 1928. Th ...
, and the
Outerbridge Crossing
The Outerbridge Crossing, also known as the Outerbridge, is a cantilever bridge that spans the Arthur Kill between Perth Amboy, New Jersey, Perth Amboy, New Jersey, and Staten Island, New York (state), New York, United States. It carries New Yor ...
. He unsuccessfully ran for Staten Island Borough President in 1929 and 1933, as well as for
city council
A municipal council is the legislative body of a municipality or local government area. Depending on the location and classification of the municipality it may be known as a city council, town council, town board, community council, borough counc ...
New York City Designated Landmark
The New York City Landmarks Preservation Commission (LPC) is the New York City agency charged with administering the city's Landmarks Preservation Law. The LPC is responsible for protecting New York City's architecturally, historically, and c ...
by the
New York City Landmarks Preservation Commission
The New York City Landmarks Preservation Commission (LPC) is the Government of New York City, New York City agency charged with administering the city's Historic preservation, Landmarks Preservation Law. The LPC is responsible for protecting Ne ...
Moravian Cemetery
The Moravian Cemetery is a cemetery in the New Dorp neighborhood of Staten Island, New York, United States.
Location
Located at 2205 Richmond Road, the Moravian Cemetery is the largest and oldest active cemetery on Staten Island, having opened ...
in
New Dorp
New Dorp ( ) is a neighborhood on the South Shore of Staten Island, New York City, United States. New Dorp is bounded by Mill Road on the southeast, Tysens Lane on the southwest, Amboy and Richmond Roads on the northwest, and Bancroft Avenue on ...