Border State Quandaries: The Complicated Life of Dr. Samuel Allen During the Civil War

Dr. Samuel Allen was at the epicenter of the American Civil War, Missouri. As a slave-owning native Virginian that lived in the shadows of pro-Union Columbia and a Union occupied Jefferson City, he was challenged at every turn with the new state of affairs after the outbreak of the Civil War. His southern Boone County home in a township, country and state was split on the issue of slavery. An old veteran’s simple suggestion caused this respected doctor to end up imprisoned. This is the saga of his life, imprisonment and release in southern Boone County Missouri. Dr. Allen found himself not only in a situation of local complications, but one of national implications. President Lincoln wanted to rejoin the Union and pushed for a policy that benefited Dr. Allen. The intervention of a Congressman and this new policy returned Dr. Allen to his home and practice.