Ethan Allen |
Ethan Allen | |
---|---|
![]() An engraving depicting Ethan Allen demanding the surrender of | |
Born | January 21, 1738 |
Died | February 12, 1789 (aged 51) |
Buried | Greenmount Cemetery, Burlington |
Allegiance | ![]() ![]() ![]() |
Service/ | ![]() ![]() ![]() |
Years of service | 1757 1770–1775 Green Mountain Boys[1] |
Rank | |
Commands held | |
Battles/wars | |
Other work | farmer, politician, land speculator, philosopher |
Ethan Allen (January 21, 1738 [
Born in rural
Upon his release, Allen returned to the Grants, which had
Allen wrote accounts of his exploits in the war that were widely read in the 19th century, as well as philosophical treatises and documents relating to the politics of Vermont's formation. His business dealings included successful farming operations, one of
Ethan Allen was born in
Seven siblings, all of whom survived to adulthood, joined the family between Allen's birth in 1738 and 1751.[8] Allen had five brothers (Heman, Heber, Levi, Zimri, and
Although not very much is known about Allen's childhood, the town of Cornwall was frontier territory in the 1740s. By the time Allen reached his teens, the area, while still a difficult area in which to make a living, began to resemble a town, with wood-frame houses beginning to replace the rough cabins of the early settlers. Joseph Allen died in 1755; at the time of his death he was one of the wealthier landowners in the area, ran a successful farm, and had previously served as town
Allen was forced to end his studies upon his father's death. While he volunteered for militia service in 1757 in response to French movements resulting in the
By most accounts Allen's first marriage was an unhappy one. His wife was rigidly religious, prone to criticizing him, and barely able to read and write. In contrast, Allen's behavior was sometimes quite flamboyant; and he maintained an interest in learning.[17] In spite of these differences the marriage survived until Mary's death in 1783. Allen and Mary had five children together (Loraine, Joseph, Lucy, Mary, and Pamela), only two of whom reached adulthood.[18]
Allen's exploits in those years introduced him to the wrong side of the justice system, which would become a recurring feature of his life. In one incident, he and his brother Heman went to the farm of a neighbor, some of whose pigs had escaped onto their land, and seized the pigs. The neighbor sued to have the animals returned to him; Allen pleaded his own case, and lost. Allen and Heman were fined ten shillings, and the neighbor was awarded another five shillings in damages.[19] He was also called to court in Salisbury for
When he moved to Salisbury, Allen met
It was not until many years later, after Young's death, that Allen was able to recover the manuscript. He expanded and reworked the material, and eventually published it as Reason: the Only Oracle of Man.[22]
While Heman remained in Salisbury, where he ran a general store until his death in 1778, Allen's movements over the next few years are poorly documented.[23] He is known to have been living in