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- "Elizabethton Star," Monday, March 10, 1947
Judge William R. Allen Dies After Long Illness [photo]
Was Founder Of Oldest Law Firm In State; Funeral To Be Held Tuesday At 3 p.m.
Judge William Robert Allen, 83, native and life long resident of Carter County and one of the most widely known lawyers of Tennessee, died at his home, 203 East "F" Street, Sunday at 2 p.m. after a long illness.
Judge Allen was born on July 4, 1865. He was admitted to the bar in 1893 and practiced law here the rest of his life. The law firm which he originally founded with the late John Simerly continued with changes to the time of his death. It is believed that it is the oldest firm of attorneys in continuous existence in the state of Tennessee.
Survivors are his widow, Mrs. Laura Renfro Allen; five sons, Ben, Clyde, J. Howard, Robert J. and Floyd Allen, all of Elizabethton; three daughters, Mrs. Allen S. Taylor, Elizabethton, Mrs. Burt Clemens, Knoxville, and Mrs. George S. Brown, Lebanon, Tenn.; 12 grandchildren and four great grandchildren.
Funeral services will be held at the First Baptist Church Tuesday at 3:30 p.m. with Dr. W. R. Rigell, pastor of Central Baptist Church of Johnson City, and the Rev. E. M. Umbach, pastor of First Presbyterian Church of Elizabethton officiating. The body will lie in state at the church from 2 p.m. until time of the funeral. Burial will be in the Highland Cemetery.
Judge Allen's reputation as a jurist and lawyer was well earned. He was Elizabethton's most widely known citizen. He was a close friend of the late Gov. Alf Taylor and took an active part in the campaign when Taylor ran as a Republican against his brother, the late governor and U. S. Senator, Robert L. Taylor, Democrat, in the famous "War of the Roses."
Previous to his admission to the bar, Judge Allen was graduated from Holly Spring College of Butler, Tennessee. He was elected and served as a member of the General Assembly of Tennessee in 1893 just before he became a lawyer.
While in the legislature he became a friend of Cordell Hull, who later gained world fame as secretary of state in President Franklin D. Roosevelt's cabinet. The friendship with Cordell Hull continued throughout Judge Allen's life.
In May 1922 Judge Allen was appointed to the Tennessee Court of Civil Appeals by his old friend, Alf Taylor, who then was Tennessee's first Republican Governor since Parson Brownlow. He served an appointment of two years and then returned to Elizabethton.
The original law firm of Allen and Simerly admitted Charles B. Clark as a member and became known then as Allen, Simerly and Clark. Later the judge's son, Ben Allen, became a member of the firm but withdrew when he became a circuit court judge.
After the death of both Messrs. Simerly and Clark, Roy C. Nelson, present city attorney of Elizabethton, was admitted as a partner. Later on J. Howard Allen, another son, became a member of the firm, which then became known as Allen, Nelson and Allen. This firm continued until Judge Allen's death. The law firm was in continuous existence 53 years, believed to be a record for law firms in Tennessee.
Judge Allen became a teacher of a woman's Bible class at First Baptist Church in 1896. He continued to teach the class until illness prevented his appearance. Name of the class was originally the Philathean. Later it became known as the T.E.L. Bible class.
Another Bible class at First Baptist Church was named the Laura Allen Thomas Class in honor of Judge Allen's daughter, Laura, who became Mrs. Jerry Thomas.
Judge Allen married three fine Christian women. The first wife was Sarah Smith, who became the mother of Ben, Clyde, Katherine and Ann (deceased) and Laura (deceased). The next wife was Diatha Hendrix who was the mother of J. Howard and Lena. The third wife was Laura Brown Renfro. To this union three children were born, Robert J., Floyd, and Mary Emma.
The 12 grandchildren are Caroline Clemens, J. Allen Thomas, Robert Whitfield Thomas, Laura Katherine Taylor, Patrica[sic] Ann Taylor, Dorothy Taylor, Rosalie Allen Williams, William Allen, Robert Allen, Elizabeth Allen and John Frederick Allen.
Music at the funeral will be in charge of Mrs. Graydon Rion. Active pallbearers will be Roy C. Nelson, Raymond Campbell, George Edens, Malcolm Shull, Wallace Taylor and William H. Clark. Honorary pallbearers will be members of the bar. Flower bearers will be members of the T. E. L. Bible class. The Roy Hathaway Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.
"Elizabethton Star," Tuesday, March 11, 1947
Judge Allen Rites Held This Afternoon
Funeral of Judge William Robert Allen, 83, life long resident of Carter County and one of the most widely known attorneys of Tennessee, was to take place at the First Baptist Church today at 3:30 p.m. with Dr. W. R. Rigell, pastor of Central Baptist Church of Johnson City, and the Rev. E. M. Umbach, pastor of First Presbyterian Church of Elizabethton, officiating. Burial was to be in Highland Cemetery.
The body was taken from the home at 203 East "F" Street to the church at 2 p.m. Scores of friends passed by the bier in a last tribute to a friend. The floral decoration were numerous and beautiful.
Active in civic and religious life for more than a half century, Judge Allen was one of the oldest members of the First Baptist Church. He taught the women's TEL Class since 1896.
Judge Allen was signally honored by members of the Carter County Bar Association on his 80th birthday on July 4, 1943, with a banquet. Two of his sons, Judge Ben Allen and Clyde Allen, served in World War I and two other sons, Dr. Robert J. Allen and Floyd Allen in World War II.
Surviving are his widow, Mrs. Laura Renfro Allen; five sons, Ben, Clyde, J. Howard, Robert J. and Floyd Allen, all of Elizabethton; three daughters, Mrs. Allen F. Taylor of Elizabethton, Mrs. Burt M. Clemens of Knoxville, and Mrs. George S. Bron of Lebanon, Tenn.; 12 grandchildren and four great-grandchildren.
Active pallbearers were Roy C. Nelson, a member of Judge Allen's law firm; Raymond C. Campbell, Wallace Taylor, George C. Edens, Malcolm Shull and William H. Clark.
Honorary pallbearers were members of the bar. Flower bearers were members of the TEL Bible Class.
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Abt 1864 - 1947 (~ 83 years)
