Samuel Allen was the son of Richard and Mary Allen. He immigrated to the United States from England with his parents and siblings about 1845, settling first in Fall River, Massachusetts, where his niece Sophia and nephew Samuel were born. By 1850 when the federal census was taken, the family had settled permanently in Honey Creek, Iowa.

Samuel married Nancy Stout, the presumed daughter of John Stout, on 8 January 1853 in Kanesville, Pottawattamie Co., Iowa.

Samuel and Nancy Allen had three children, William Thomas b. 1853, Mary Jane b. 1855, and Richard b. 1857. Nancy appears on census records only two times, first as a 17-year-old in 1850 with her presumably widowed father in Appanoose Co., Iowa, and second as a young wife and mother on the 1856 state census in Pottawattamie County with her husband and their two children, Thomas, 3, and M.J., 0.

In 1858 Nancy Allen died.

On the 1860 federal census, Samuel Allen is living near his family in Honey Creek with his two sons, William Thomas and Richard. His daughter, Mary Jane Allen, is living with her aunt Catherine (Allen) Points and her husband, William Points, in Decatur, Nebraska Territory. The Points have been married since 1852 and have no living children of their own. The census taker recorded the little girl's name as Mary Jane Points.

The war began in 1861, and Samuel Allen enlisted as a Fifer on August 9, 1862 at the age of 31. Joined Co. A, 29th Iowa Infantry Regiment on November 7, 1862. Mustered out on August 10, 1865 at New Orleans, LA.

In April of 1868, Samuel Allen died from injury and exposure following an incident with his wagon during a severe storm on the ride home from Council Bluffs. The Morning Weekly Bugle reports:

"Sad-- It is our melancholy duty to chronicle the death of Mr. Samuel Allen of Boomer Township on last Thursday night.

As we learn the case, Mr. Allen came to this city during the day, Thursday, for some medicine, and started home with his son in a wagon in the evening. The terrible storm overtook them on the road, and as they were driving along in the darkness and storm the wagon was upset from some cause when they were within a mile or so of their home, and Mr. Allen was somewhat hurt, perhaps more that he thought for.

Arranging matters as best they could, from their almost perishing condition, the boy was put upon the horse and sent home where he arrived in a very sad plight having to be lifted from the horse.

Mr. Allen, suffering from his hurt and the chilling he received during the ride, was unable to proceed at once, and it is supposed set down to rest, where he perished before aid could reach him.

Mr. Allen was about thirty-five years of age, an old settler in this section, and leaves a wife and family, with many friends to mourn his untimely death."

--- 30 April 1868 (transcript posted to Ancestry by another user)

Samuel Allen was survived by his three children, his parents, and at least five of his six siblings: Joseph, Elizabeth (John Booth), Catherine (William Points), Ann (James Smith), and Martha (Humphrey Bay). His older brother James presumably died after being recorded on the 1850 census in Pottawattamie County with the rest of the Allen family.