Biography

02/08/1757 - 08/11/1837

Henry Allshouse (D16) Indiana, Jefferson and Westmoreland Counties 1819-1822 (D18) Westmoreland County 1822-1827

Early Life:

Henry Allshouse, born February 8, 1757, Easton, Northampton County, Pennsylvania; son of Heinrich and Susannah Alshaus: enlisted fifer, prisoner of war, captain, Continental Army, 1776-1780; Major, Pennsylvania Militia, 1783; joined his family, parents, Hempfield Township, Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania, 1790; elected, Commissioner, Westmoreland County, 1798; elected, Democrat, Pennsylvania State House of Representatives, 1802-1805; unsuccessful campaign, Pennsylvania State Senate, 16th district, 1811; elected, Democrat, Pennsylvania State House of Representatives, 1812-1815;  elected, Democrat, Pennsylvania State House of Representatives, 1817-1818; elected, Democrat, Pennsylvania State Senate, 1819-1826; married first, Catherine Marie Kunkel, second, Catherine Elisabeth Truxell, 1781, thirteen children; died, November 8, 1836 (aged 79), Jeannette, Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania; interment, Henry Allshouse Memorial, Jeannette, Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania.  

Early Career:

Enlisted, Continental Army, Revolutionary War, 15-year-old fifer with General George Washington; 1st battalion of the Associators in Northampton Company, July 9, 1776, first Company, commanded by Captain John Arndt Sr. of Easton, Pennsylvania; Company was under the command of Major Baxter and was taken to Long Island, New York, first battle fought, August 27, 1776. In this battle there were two Sergeants, nineteen privates, two non-commissioned officers wounded and missing. The next battle was fought at Fort Washington on the Island, November 16, 1776. There were 37 listed as killed, wounded and missing and Henry Allshouse, fifer and John Arndt Jr., drummer, were of the missing. Many if not all were imprisoned on British ships anchored in the New York harbor. Henry was a prisoner for 18 months upon one of these ships. On his release he returned home where he enlisted in the Fifth Battalion, Northampton Company Militia, Forks Township Company, 1778. This unit was sent against the Indians who had been equipped by the British and incited by them to war against the northern settlers of the Western Hemisphere. Pennsylvania Archive records he was listed as Captain for his service in the Revolutionary War; listed, Major Pennsylvania Militia. (Commissioned Captain, Continental Army, 1780; Major, 6th Battalion, 1783.) Made application for a pension January 14, 1833, at which time he was 75 and his pension was allowed for 8 months of actual service.

The move to Westmoreland; one source has that he signed the oath of allegiance May 29, 1780, at Easton, Pennsylvania. Tax records show that he was living in Northampton County, Pennsylvania, 1785, 1786, and 1788. The 1790 census shows that he was living in Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania. In 1796 land was conveyed to him in Westmoreland County, Hempfield Twp, where he brought his wife and family of 13 children to live. He was the owner of 380 acres of land at the time of his death. 

Pennsylvania Politics:

Elected, Commissioner, Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania, 1798.

Elected, Democrat, Pennsylvania House of Representatives, December 1802-1805.

Unsuccessful campaign, Pennsylvania State Senate, 16th district, 1811.

Elected, Democrat, Pennsylvania House of Representatives, 1812-1815.

Elected, Democrat, Pennsylvania House of Representatives, 1817, 1818.

Elected, Democrat, Pennsylvania State Senate, 16th district, Indiana, Jefferson, and Westmoreland Counties, 1819-1822. 

Elected, Democrat, Pennsylvania State Senate, 18th district, Westmoreland County, 1822-1827. 

Pennsylvania House of Representatives Biography:

Not currently available. 

Legacy: 

Married, Catherine Marie Kunkel, six children: Elizabeth Ann Allshouse; Henry Allshouse Sr.; Joseph Allshouse; Esther Allshouse; Priscilla Allshouse and George Allshouse; second marriage, Gertrude Truxell, Easton Pennsylvania, seven children: John Allshouse; Susannah Allshouse; Jacob Allshouse; Samuel Allshouse; Isaac Israel Allshouse; Nancy Ann Allshouse and Magdalena Allshouse.

Daughters, Nancy Ann Allshouse, 1808 (d.1820), Priscilla Allshouse, married, John J. Klingensmith Jr., Pennsylvania State Senate, 18th district, Westmoreland County 1831-1834. John J. Klingensmith Jr. - Pennsylvania Senate Library (pasen.gov)

Burial, the graveyard (near the corner of Frothingham and Margaret Street) where he is buried was at the junction of lands of Daniel Klingensmith, John P. Klingensmith, "Richfield", and John Klingensmith. The Allshouse family owned a tract of land here in 1806, a part of "Richfield". The granite marker for Henry Allshouse was placed by E. E. Allshouse (attorney in Greensburg) in 1945. It is the last and only marker on what once was the graveyard for burial of early settlers and their families. With the years an alley and a street shrank the area. Relatives removed bodies to Brush Creek and other cemeteries. A few remained, with records faulty or missing.

Inscription of the headstone in Jeannette: Near this spot in 1836 was laid HENRY ALLSHOUSE Revolutionary soldier Member of Penna. Assembly for 20 years also his son Isaac. This stone erected in 1945 by E. E. ALLSHOUSE Great Grandson of Henry Grandson of Isaac And son of Henry II.

Cited:

Cox, Harold. Senate Members "A" (wilkes.edu). Wilkes University Election Statistics Project. Wilkes University.

A New Nation Votes (tufts.edu)

Henry Allshouse (1757-1836) - Find a Grave Memorial