Mr. Allen was reared to manhood in Vermont and received a good common school education, attending the Craftsbury Academy. On October 2, 1861, in answer to the President’s call for volunteers to defend the Union, he enlisted for three years in Company I, First regiment, Vermont cavalry. He was mustered in with the regiment November 19, 1861, at Burlington, Vt., as bugler, and was mustered out of the service November 18, 1864. He left Burlington December 12, 1861, for Washington, D. C., and remained there with his regiment until February, 1863, at which time he was detailed at General De Forest’s headquarters as musician. Afterwards, he was detailed to General Kilpatrick’s headquarters as musician and remained there until General Wilson took command of the division in April, 1864. He was then detailed to General Sawyer’s headquarters until October, 1864, at which time he came to Burlington Vt., where he was mustered out of the service. Mr. Allen was in thirty-seven engagements during his three years of service, and was never wounded nor captured, nor was he absent from duty a single day on account of sickness. His regiment did notable service under Generals Sheridan and Custer, and he was engaged in the famous battle of Winchester. An incident of Mr. Allen’s army career is well worth recording. He effected, single handed, the capture of four Confederate soldiers, and the story of the capture is one of the historical incidents of the great conflict. The incident took place near Lightersville, Md., and it was after the regiment had taken part in the battle of Huntersville, Pa., July 2, 1863, and the battle of Gettysburg, July 3, 1863, the battle of Monterey on the Fourth of July, Lightersville on July 5, and on the sixth of July occurred the battle of Hagerstown. The men were all fatigued and had been deprived of both sleep and rest for several nights in succession, Joseph Allen among the rest. When they had ridden nearly all night to a point near Lightersville, they halted for rest in the small hours of the morning. Many were dismounted and fell asleep on the ground, Mr. Allen doing likewise. He slept so soundly, however, that when he awoke his comrades were gone. It was dark and he was uncertain in which direction the command had gone. He mounted his horse and let the animal pursue its own way without guidance. Dashing down the road, horse and rider came out into a main highway and unexpectedly came upon four men who were as much taken by surprise and fright as Allen himself. The rebels, supposing that there was a larger number of Union men following, made haste to surrender without waiting for an invitation. Allen promptly accepted their surrender and took them along to the main body which was some distance ahead. His prisoners proved to be a major, a captain and two lieutenants of the Eighth Georgia regiment.
Mr. Allen rode during the war a very sensible and intelligent cavalry horse, and thereby hangs a tale. In one of the cavalry engagements in which he participated he and his comrade were riding together under heavy fire. His riding partner was shot from the saddle and Mr. Allen felt his own horse sinking under him. Believing that the animal was mortally hurt he dismounted and jumped on the back of his dead comrade’s mount and rode away to safety. That night while lying in his blankets with the earth for his couch and the starlit sky for a canopy overhead he felt something soft and gentle nudging him. Startled, he arose hastily and was overjoyed to find that it was his favorite horse which had returned safely, but badly wounded, from the battlefield, and had hunted out his master from among the hundreds of recumbent and sleeping forms on the camping ground.
He returned to Craftsbury after his war service and engaged in mercantile business which he continued until 1870, when he came to Atchison at the solicitation of his brother, Frank H., who was at that time the junior member of the firm of McPike & Allen, wholesale druggists of Atchison. Mr. Allen entered the employ of the company as traveling salesman and was thus engaged for a period of three years. He then embarked in the grocery business in partnership with Colonel Quigg under the firm name of Quigg & Allen. Colonel Quigg commanded the Thirteenth Kansas infantry regiment during the Civil war. The firm of Quigg & Allen carried on a wholesale grocery business for about three years. Then Mr. Allen purchased his partner’s interest, and three years later consolidated with the A. B. Symns Grocer Company. A. B. Symns became the president of the company and Mr. Allen became vice-president. When Mr. Symns died in 1905 Mr. Allen became president and held the position until 1911 when he retired from active participation in the business, although he still retains a substantial interest in the company. Mr. Allen was one of the dominant individuals in the development of the Symns Grocer Company in the extensive concern which it is at the present time. When he joined forces with Mr. Symns their combined capital did not exceed $15,000, and during his period of association with this company their business developed into enormous proportions, and the capital of the Symns Grocer Company now amounts to $300,000. Mr. Allen was a natural salesman and had complete charge of the traveling sales department of the Symns Grocer Company, and, in fact, during the first few years was the entire traveling sales force himself. Later, as additional salesmen were added to the force he continued to direct the sales department of the business. Mr. Allen is a prominent factor in the business world of Atchison, and is vice-president of the Atchison Savings Bank. He is a member of the Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks, and in his political views is absolutely independent.
RALPH U. PFOUTS.
Ralph U. Pfouts, a leading young attorney of Atchison, is a native son of Atchison county. He was born at Monrovia December 4, 1890, and is a son of William A. and Ollie (Sharpless) Pfouts. William A. Pfouts, the father, is also a native Kansan, born in Nemaha county in 1861 and is a son of James and Caroline (Kellam) Pfouts, natives of Pennsylvania, where they were reared and married, and in 1860 came to Kansas, locating in Nemaha county. The father, James Pfouts, died a few months after coming to this State and his wife returned to Pennsylvania with her little family. A few years later, however, the Pfouts family returned to Kansas, locating at Lancaster, Atchison county, and here William A. Pfouts was educated and reared to manhood. He followed farming in early life and for eighteen years was a school teacher. In 1896 he engaged in the general mercantile business at Lancaster. To William A. and Ollie (Sharpless) Pfouts were born two children, as follows: Ralph, the subject of this sketch, and Mabel, deceased. The wife and mother died in 1901, and in 1905 William A. Pfouts married Miss Sadie M. Monnies.
Ralph U. Pfouts was educated in the public schools of Atchison county, and Kansas University, at Lawrence, Kan., graduating from the law department of the latter institution with the class of 1914. Shortly after graduating he passed the State bar examination and engaged in the practice of his profession at Atchison where he is meeting with well merited success. He has appeared in connection with important litigations in both the State and Federal courts and is enjoying a lucrative practice. He possesses the natural qualities of an able lawyer and is an untiring student, and those who know him best predict for him a successful career in his chosen profession. Politically, he is a Republican. Mr. Pfouts is a member of the Ancient Order of United Workmen, Independent Order of Odd Fellows, and Atchison Aerie No. 173, Fraternal Order of Eagles.
OLE G. GIGSTAD.
Ole G. Gigstad, farmer and stockman, Lancaster township, was born in Norway, October 25, 1856. He is a son of Gulick and Anna (Grannan) Gigstad. He was one of seven children, one of whom is now dead. Four sons and one daughter are now living in the United States. A brother, Knud G. Gigstad, is also a farmer and stockman in Lancaster township. The father was a native of Norway and spent his life there. Ole Gigstad left Norway in May, 1883, and came to Atchison county, Kansas, where he worked a year for his brother, Knud. Then for three years he rented a farm from his uncle in Brown county, Kansas, and in 1887 bought the farm in Lancaster township. It is an eighty acre farm and Mr. Gigstad has made improvements to the extent of $5,000, including a fine house and barn. He now owns 320 acres of well improved land, 160 acres of which are being farmed by his oldest son, Gustave, and it has a comfortable residence.
Ole Gigstad attended school in Norway, but when he sailed for America he could not speak the English language, and when he arrived here he was in debt to the extent of fifty dollars, which was an additional handicap. But his industry has brought him to the front rank of Atchison county farmers. He owns a fine herd of graded stock and is a successful farmer and stockman. He rented eighty acres additional in 1915 and he had 100 acres in corn last year.
Mr. Gigstad was married in 1888 to Severine Knudson, who was born in Norway, September 23, 1866. She left her native land in the spring of 1883 and settled at Everest, Kan., where her brothers were living at the time. In 1884 she removed to St. Joseph, Mo., where she worked four years. Her parents were Knud and Inger Sofie (Berntson) Knudson, natives of Norway. Her father was born in 1814, and immigrated to America in 1891, coming to Atchison county, Kansas, where he lived with his children until his death, in 1894. The mother was born in 1827, and died in her native country in 1887. Mr. and Mrs. Gigstad have eight children: Gustave A., farming the 160 acres west of his father’s farm; Ida, Charles, Albert, Emma, Edna, Alice, Benjamin, all living at home. Mr. Gigstad is a member of the Lutheran church and is a Republican.