Stephen Allen, Mayor 1821-1824: Allen (1767 – 1852) was a wealthy sailmaker and had one enslaved person in his household in the 1810 census. He supported the colonization of slaves. He was orphaned during the Revolutionary War and his memoirs are in the New York Public Library.

From the book on working class New York, Chants Democratic: “Near the dry docks, Stephen Allen, the sailmaker, cleared by his own estimate $100,000 between 1802 and 1825, largely because of his early success in bypassing the city’s ship chandlers to purchase his materials directly from the wholesalers. By the time Allen retired, at age fifty-eight, his financial interests and his reputation had won him a career in politics and seats on the boards of two banks and two insurance companies.”[1]

The only Stephen Allen in New York City in 1810 has one enslaved person and one free person in his household in New York City in the census. It is likely this free person was an indentured servant.

• 1810 census, one enslaved person, one freeperson, and eleven household members.[2]
• 1816 jury census: Allen is listed as a sailmaker and has no enslaved persons or “colored inhabitants” in the household at 73 Bowery. There are fifteen inhabitants.[3]
• 1819 jury census: Allen,47, is listed as sailmaker and has no enslaved persons or “colored inhabitants” in the household. There are twelve inhabitants of the household.[4]
• 1830 Census: Stephen Allin, 1 “free colored person.”[5]
• 1840: male between 24 and 36 “free colored person.”[6]

[1] Chants Democratic, p.37

[2] Year: 1810; Census Place: New York Ward 4, New York, New York; Roll: 32, FamilySearch

[3] NYC Archives, Jury Ward Census, 1816, Volume 6, Ward 10, 73 Bowery

[4] NYC Archives, Jury Ward Census, Volume 15, Ward 10, 71 Bowery

[5] 1830 directory: Stephen Allen, merchant, 186 Front, house 71 Bowery, NYPL, 1829-1830 directory, p.58, link; 1830-1831 directory, p.96, link; 1830 Census search, Ancestry.com, New York Ward 10

[6] 1840 Census search, Ancestry.com, New York Ward 15

Copyright 2025 Paul Hortenstine