Senator George S. Allyn View All Years

HON. GEORGE S. ALLYN

MR. SPEAKER: Your committee, appointed to prepare resolutions in commemoration of the life, character and services of the Hon. George S. Allyn, beg leave to submit the following report:

George S. Allyn, son of the Rev. and Mrs. Henry Allyn, was born March 9, 1847, at Clinton, DeWitt county, Illinois, and departed this life at his home in Mount Ayr, Iowa, July 17, 1928, at the age of eighty-one years, four months and eight days. Surviving him are his devoted wife, daughters Madge and Georgia, sons, Earle K. Clare G., and Clinton D., residents of Ringgold county; a sister, Angie M., of Waverly, Illinois; the only brother, John H., of Lincoln, Nebraska, and his six grandchildren.

As the son of a Methodist circuit rider, Mr. Allyn’s first years were spent in many Illinois communities, for a circuit rider’s efforts in the betterment of mankind called for continuous and constant travel. Death ended the early mission of this family by claiming Mr. Allyn’s father in 1855, leaving the loyal mother and the five small children to face life’s battles alone. Realizing the family’s serious predicament, the subject of this sketch assumed a portion of the family’s financial responsibility by becoming a wage earner at the tender age of nine. His recompense was only $1.50 a week, and the employment was in the rural communities. The majority of these employers were just, but a few were very harsh and inconsiderate.

At the outbreak of the Civil War, this thirteen-year-old boy was denied a drummer’s commission through failure to secure his mother’s consent. His inability to serve his country at this time was a lifelong regret.

In 1866, George Allyn with brother, youngest sister and mother, emigrated to Ringgold county by covered wagon and team, and settled on a farm south of Blockton, where with the help of generous neighbors a crude home was constructed for the venturesome newcomers. Here, with winter approaching and the family’s finances exhausted, Mr. Allyn’s training in a minister’s home again served him to good purpose, for it had indirectly fitted him for school teaching, and schoolmasters were scarce on this frontier. He was elected teacher of the home school and in this capacity he began his long career as a faithful public servant.

Occupied with teaching during the winter months and farming throughout the summer, Mr. Allyn lived in Clinton township until 1872, when he moved to Mount Ayr to assume the duties of the clerk of the district court. While in this office, he was united in marriage to Miss Mary V. Kinsell, June 21, 1876. After three terms in the clerk’s office, he was appointed and served as postmaster of Mount Ayr for two years under the Hayes administration, when he resigned to enter the banking and real estate business with C. B. Morris in the year 1880. This partnership was terminated in 1886 with the entry of John H. Allyn, and the firm of Allyn Brothers came into existence and served the people in a faithful manner for years.

Mr. Allyn was honored through election to the Twenty-sixth, Twenty-seventh, Twenty-eighth, and Twenty-ninth General Assemblies as State Senator, and was returned to the Thirty-eighth and Thirty-ninth General Assemblies as Representative of the people of Ringgold county. He was appointed trustee of the Agricultural College at Ames, and filled this appointment for the term. His unique official record is with the local board of education, for his activities with this body have been in the capacity of president for fifty-two consecutive years.

In 1915 Mr. Allyn retired from active business duties and had since resided on his acreage adjoining Mount Ayr where he delighted in garden and flower culture; his restful moments were spent in wholesome reading. In this manner he retained a youthful and entertaining mind to the end of his life.

Membership in the Methodist Episcopal church came at a very early age, the baptismal rite being performed by the Rev. Peter Cartright, a compatriot of the Rev. Henry Allyn. Interest in the church’s welfare and the church’s activities were always in his mind; his devotion was conscientious; his time, talents and money were unsparingly donated as occasion demanded. Loyalty to the Sunday School of his church is best evidenced through the fulfillment of the superintendent’s duties for a period of some twenty-five years.

No higher tribute can be paid Mr. Allyn than to say he was a consistent Christian, honest and true, mild-mannered and fair, tolerant and cheerful, passionately devoted to his family and his home, a consecrated worker in the “vineyard of his Lord.” The memory of his worthy life will ever prove a priceless heritage to his beloved wife, his children and his grandchildren. He has fought a good fight, he has finished his course, he has kept the faith. “Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord.”

Therefore, Be It Resolved by the House of Representatives of the Forty-third General Assembly, That in the passing of the Hon. George S. Allyn, the state has lost an honored and valuable citizen, a man of high ideals in Christian living and useful citizenship.

Be It Further Resolved, That a copy of these resolutions be spread upon the Journal of the House, and that the Chief Clerk be directed to forward an enrolled copy of it to the relatives of the deceased.

D. A. VAUGHN,

JOHN M. BIXLER,

GEORGE C. FIGGINS,

Committee.

Unanimously adopted April 8, 1929.