GENERAL EDGAR ALLAN.
The subject of this sketch was born in Birmingham, England, February
26, 1842. He attended parochial school in Birmingham in childhood,
but at the age of ten years went into the printing business. He
served five years as a compositor, attending night school. From fifteen
to nineteen years of age he traveled in the printing and wholesale paper
business. In 1863 he came to America, and at Detroit enlisted in Company
M, 7th Michigan Cavalry, Federal army, as private. During most
of his service he was on special detail, as clerk on courtmartial, or at
General Merritt's headquarters. He was wounded at Shepherdstown,
August 24, 1864, but served till the close of the war.
Making his home in Virginia, he studied law in Prince Edward county,
and was admitted to the Bar in December, 1867, beginning practice in
Prince Edward and adjoining counties. He was a member of the Constitutional
Convention of 1867-8, from Prince Edward and Appomattox
counties; was elected Commonwealth Attorney for Prince Edward in
1870, and continuously up to 1882, when he resigned on removing to
Richmond; was State senator from Prince Edward, Cumberland and
Amelia counties, 1873-77; was delegate-at-large to Republican National
Convention at Chicago in 1868, and voted for General Grant; was
Presidential Elector-at-Large in 1876. Since 1869 General Allan has
been connected with the Grand Army of the Republic, in 1885-6 was
commander of Phil. Kearney Post of Richmond; in 1886, at San Francisco,
was elected National Junior Vice Commander-in-Chief and presided
as Commander-in-Chief at the Centennial celebration of the adoption
of the American Constitution, in Philadelphia, in 1887. Since 1882 he
has been doing a large practice in the City of Richmond. He is an active
member of the Grace Street Baptist Church.
In Prince Edward county, Virginia, February 6, 1867, General Allan
married Mary Edna Land. The children of the union are four: Edith
Edna, married F. H. Crump of Richmond, Virginia, now resides in
Washington, D. C., Lola Land, Lottie Lillian, and Edgar, jr. Mrs.
Allan was born in Casey county, Kentucky, the daughter of William
and Elizabeth (Morton) Land. Her parents were born in Buckingham
county, Virginia, and both died in Kentucky in 1852.
