Entrepreneur, Arizona Territorial Treasurer, Mayor of Tucson, Builder, Rancher, Farmer
John B. Allen was rechristened "Pie" Allen based on his successful Tucson-area based pie business. He came to Arizona in 1857, attempting to make a fortune in gold in Yuma. He eventually came to Tucson and sold dried apple pies to the rough characters of the western town. With his proceeds, he later purchased a large ranch and alfalfa farm in Maricopa Wells and built a fine store in Tombstone. As his fame and fortune grew, he was elected to the Territorial Legislature and as Territorial Treasurer from 1867 to 1872 he balanced the books. As Adjutant General, he became known as "General Pie." He filled two terms as Mayor of Tucson. He was also known for his building projects and concern for forward looking projects.
In 1899, Pie was dying of cancer and many citizens of Tucson hosted a honorary dinner for him. After dinner and pie, Pie was presented with a gift purchased by Zeckendorf and Company. It was understood that the man who had lived in the rough frontier would recognize his fate -- the gift was his already engraved tombstone and it was recieved well. He died within the month and was buried in a Tucson cemetery. When the city changed its laws and ordered the removal of bodies from cemeteries within the city limits, Pie's remains were not claimed by family members, nor was he buried in one of the fraternal sections. Pie was apparently not moved at all. Tucson archealogist Homer Thiel says that only his sunken headstone was moved to county sections at the rear of Evergreen Cemetery along with the rest of the unclaimed.∼John B. "Pie" Allen was an important figure in the history of southern Arizona. Somewhat a wanderer, Allen was born in Maine in 1818, some say October 22, others say November 10. He was educated in Boston schools. The scent of gold lured him to California, and placer fields drew him to Arizona in 1857. A year later he was baking and selling pies made from dried apples, an enterprise that gained him the nickname of "Pie Allen." He laid the foundation for modern-day Tucson, building a number of buildings in the Old Pueblo. He twice served as Tucson's mayor and acted as the town's postmaster for a while; was elected to the Arizona legislature in 1867, and would be elected two more times, and was territorial treasurer from 1867 to 1872. He also introduced the first honey bees to Arizona in 1877. The first hint of the silver strike in the Tombstone hills drew his interest to that portion of southern Arizona. He opened a store in the fall of 1878 at Gird's Camp, or Old Tombstone, between the Contention and Grand Central claims; and in early 1879 he had a mercantile outlet in a canvas tent at Millville, Gird's millsite on the east bank of the San Pedro River, located about 12 miles from present day Tombstone. He served as Millville's first and only postmaster. Allen Abandoned his store at Gird's Camp and moved to the new camp in the summer of 1879, establishing a new 24 X 35 foot store, with an adjacent blacksmith and stable on the south west corner of Fourth and Allen streets; the latter thoroughfare named for him. Allen was not through with that portion of south eastern Arizona that would become Cochise County. From January until December 1880 he pioneered the building up of Dragoon City, and established a mercantile outlet at Bisbee in late 1880 which served as the camp's post office and stage depot for a short period of time. In the mid-1880's when Quijotoa boomed in Pima County, Allen turned his attention there, establishing a hotel. That mining camp was short lived and Allen's hostelry failed. That was the story of his later ventures, and he was living in poverty in Tucson, where he died on June 13, 1899, following surgery on facial cancer. (1)
(1) Cochise County Stalwarts by: Lynn R. Bailey and Don Chaput.
John B. Allen was rechristened "Pie" Allen based on his successful Tucson-area based pie business. He came to Arizona in 1857, attempting to make a fortune in gold in Yuma. He eventually came to Tucson and sold dried apple pies to the rough characters of the western town. With his proceeds, he later purchased a large ranch and alfalfa farm in Maricopa Wells and built a fine store in Tombstone. As his fame and fortune grew, he was elected to the Territorial Legislature and as Territorial Treasurer from 1867 to 1872 he balanced the books. As Adjutant General, he became known as "General Pie." He filled two terms as Mayor of Tucson. He was also known for his building projects and concern for forward looking projects.
In 1899, Pie was dying of cancer and many citizens of Tucson hosted a honorary dinner for him. After dinner and pie, Pie was presented with a gift purchased by Zeckendorf and Company. It was understood that the man who had lived in the rough frontier would recognize his fate -- the gift was his already engraved tombstone and it was recieved well. He died within the month and was buried in a Tucson cemetery. When the city changed its laws and ordered the removal of bodies from cemeteries within the city limits, Pie's remains were not claimed by family members, nor was he buried in one of the fraternal sections. Pie was apparently not moved at all. Tucson archealogist Homer Thiel says that only his sunken headstone was moved to county sections at the rear of Evergreen Cemetery along with the rest of the unclaimed.∼John B. "Pie" Allen was an important figure in the history of southern Arizona. Somewhat a wanderer, Allen was born in Maine in 1818, some say October 22, others say November 10. He was educated in Boston schools. The scent of gold lured him to California, and placer fields drew him to Arizona in 1857. A year later he was baking and selling pies made from dried apples, an enterprise that gained him the nickname of "Pie Allen." He laid the foundation for modern-day Tucson, building a number of buildings in the Old Pueblo. He twice served as Tucson's mayor and acted as the town's postmaster for a while; was elected to the Arizona legislature in 1867, and would be elected two more times, and was territorial treasurer from 1867 to 1872. He also introduced the first honey bees to Arizona in 1877. The first hint of the silver strike in the Tombstone hills drew his interest to that portion of southern Arizona. He opened a store in the fall of 1878 at Gird's Camp, or Old Tombstone, between the Contention and Grand Central claims; and in early 1879 he had a mercantile outlet in a canvas tent at Millville, Gird's millsite on the east bank of the San Pedro River, located about 12 miles from present day Tombstone. He served as Millville's first and only postmaster. Allen Abandoned his store at Gird's Camp and moved to the new camp in the summer of 1879, establishing a new 24 X 35 foot store, with an adjacent blacksmith and stable on the south west corner of Fourth and Allen streets; the latter thoroughfare named for him. Allen was not through with that portion of south eastern Arizona that would become Cochise County. From January until December 1880 he pioneered the building up of Dragoon City, and established a mercantile outlet at Bisbee in late 1880 which served as the camp's post office and stage depot for a short period of time. In the mid-1880's when Quijotoa boomed in Pima County, Allen turned his attention there, establishing a hotel. That mining camp was short lived and Allen's hostelry failed. That was the story of his later ventures, and he was living in poverty in Tucson, where he died on June 13, 1899, following surgery on facial cancer. (1)
(1) Cochise County Stalwarts by: Lynn R. Bailey and Don Chaput.
Entrepreneur, Arizona Territorial Treasurer, Mayor of Tucson, Builder, Rancher, Farmer
John B. Allen was rechristened "Pie" Allen based on his successful Tucson-area based pie business. He came to Arizona in 1857, attempting to make a fortune in gold in Yuma. He eventually came to Tucson and sold dried apple pies to the rough characters of the western town. With his proceeds, he later purchased a large ranch and alfalfa farm in Maricopa Wells and built a fine store in Tombstone. As his fame and fortune grew, he was elected to the Territorial Legislature and as Territorial Treasurer from 1867 to 1872 he balanced the books. As Adjutant General, he became known as "General Pie." He filled two terms as Mayor of Tucson. He was also known for his building projects and concern for forward looking projects.
In 1899, Pie was dying of cancer and many citizens of Tucson hosted a honorary dinner for him. After dinner and pie, Pie was presented with a gift purchased by Zeckendorf and Company. It was understood that the man who had lived in the rough frontier would recognize his fate -- the gift was his already engraved tombstone and it was recieved well. He died within the month and was buried in a Tucson cemetery. When the city changed its laws and ordered the removal of bodies from cemeteries within the city limits, Pie's remains were not claimed by family members, nor was he buried in one of the fraternal sections. Pie was apparently not moved at all. Tucson archealogist Homer Thiel says that only his sunken headstone was moved to county sections at the rear of Evergreen Cemetery along with the rest of the unclaimed.∼John B. "Pie" Allen was an important figure in the history of southern Arizona. Somewhat a wanderer, Allen was born in Maine in 1818, some say October 22, others say November 10. He was educated in Boston schools. The scent of gold lured him to California, and placer fields drew him to Arizona in 1857. A year later he was baking and selling pies made from dried apples, an enterprise that gained him the nickname of "Pie Allen." He laid the foundation for modern-day Tucson, building a number of buildings in the Old Pueblo. He twice served as Tucson's mayor and acted as the town's postmaster for a while; was elected to the Arizona legislature in 1867, and would be elected two more times, and was territorial treasurer from 1867 to 1872. He also introduced the first honey bees to Arizona in 1877. The first hint of the silver strike in the Tombstone hills drew his interest to that portion of southern Arizona. He opened a store in the fall of 1878 at Gird's Camp, or Old Tombstone, between the Contention and Grand Central claims; and in early 1879 he had a mercantile outlet in a canvas tent at Millville, Gird's millsite on the east bank of the San Pedro River, located about 12 miles from present day Tombstone. He served as Millville's first and only postmaster. Allen Abandoned his store at Gird's Camp and moved to the new camp in the summer of 1879, establishing a new 24 X 35 foot store, with an adjacent blacksmith and stable on the south west corner of Fourth and Allen streets; the latter thoroughfare named for him. Allen was not through with that portion of south eastern Arizona that would become Cochise County. From January until December 1880 he pioneered the building up of Dragoon City, and established a mercantile outlet at Bisbee in late 1880 which served as the camp's post office and stage depot for a short period of time. In the mid-1880's when Quijotoa boomed in Pima County, Allen turned his attention there, establishing a hotel. That mining camp was short lived and Allen's hostelry failed. That was the story of his later ventures, and he was living in poverty in Tucson, where he died on June 13, 1899, following surgery on facial cancer. (1)
(1) Cochise County Stalwarts by: Lynn R. Bailey and Don Chaput.
John B. Allen was rechristened "Pie" Allen based on his successful Tucson-area based pie business. He came to Arizona in 1857, attempting to make a fortune in gold in Yuma. He eventually came to Tucson and sold dried apple pies to the rough characters of the western town. With his proceeds, he later purchased a large ranch and alfalfa farm in Maricopa Wells and built a fine store in Tombstone. As his fame and fortune grew, he was elected to the Territorial Legislature and as Territorial Treasurer from 1867 to 1872 he balanced the books. As Adjutant General, he became known as "General Pie." He filled two terms as Mayor of Tucson. He was also known for his building projects and concern for forward looking projects.
In 1899, Pie was dying of cancer and many citizens of Tucson hosted a honorary dinner for him. After dinner and pie, Pie was presented with a gift purchased by Zeckendorf and Company. It was understood that the man who had lived in the rough frontier would recognize his fate -- the gift was his already engraved tombstone and it was recieved well. He died within the month and was buried in a Tucson cemetery. When the city changed its laws and ordered the removal of bodies from cemeteries within the city limits, Pie's remains were not claimed by family members, nor was he buried in one of the fraternal sections. Pie was apparently not moved at all. Tucson archealogist Homer Thiel says that only his sunken headstone was moved to county sections at the rear of Evergreen Cemetery along with the rest of the unclaimed.∼John B. "Pie" Allen was an important figure in the history of southern Arizona. Somewhat a wanderer, Allen was born in Maine in 1818, some say October 22, others say November 10. He was educated in Boston schools. The scent of gold lured him to California, and placer fields drew him to Arizona in 1857. A year later he was baking and selling pies made from dried apples, an enterprise that gained him the nickname of "Pie Allen." He laid the foundation for modern-day Tucson, building a number of buildings in the Old Pueblo. He twice served as Tucson's mayor and acted as the town's postmaster for a while; was elected to the Arizona legislature in 1867, and would be elected two more times, and was territorial treasurer from 1867 to 1872. He also introduced the first honey bees to Arizona in 1877. The first hint of the silver strike in the Tombstone hills drew his interest to that portion of southern Arizona. He opened a store in the fall of 1878 at Gird's Camp, or Old Tombstone, between the Contention and Grand Central claims; and in early 1879 he had a mercantile outlet in a canvas tent at Millville, Gird's millsite on the east bank of the San Pedro River, located about 12 miles from present day Tombstone. He served as Millville's first and only postmaster. Allen Abandoned his store at Gird's Camp and moved to the new camp in the summer of 1879, establishing a new 24 X 35 foot store, with an adjacent blacksmith and stable on the south west corner of Fourth and Allen streets; the latter thoroughfare named for him. Allen was not through with that portion of south eastern Arizona that would become Cochise County. From January until December 1880 he pioneered the building up of Dragoon City, and established a mercantile outlet at Bisbee in late 1880 which served as the camp's post office and stage depot for a short period of time. In the mid-1880's when Quijotoa boomed in Pima County, Allen turned his attention there, establishing a hotel. That mining camp was short lived and Allen's hostelry failed. That was the story of his later ventures, and he was living in poverty in Tucson, where he died on June 13, 1899, following surgery on facial cancer. (1)
(1) Cochise County Stalwarts by: Lynn R. Bailey and Don Chaput.
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Ter. Treas. 6 Yrs
Mayor of Tucson 2 Terms
A Man Without an Enemy
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