John Delbert Van Allen

John Delbert Van Allen
175 px Portrait of John D. Van Allen
Born	October 5, 1850 Crystal Lake, Illinois
Died	December 30, 1928 Clinton, Iowa
Occupation	Retailer, Department Store Owner
Spouse(s)	Alice Jane Holmes
Children	Frederick Holmes Van Allen & Bessie Dell Van Allen Morris
Parent(s)	Abram Van Allen & Olive Ransom

John Delbert Van Allen was a retail dry goods merchant and department store owner who came to Clinton, Iowa in 1892 and established a department store that was the last surviving traditional store of its type in the city. He is most noted nationally for having hired Louis Sullivan to design the Van Allen Building that is now listed as a National Historic Landmark.

Mr. Van Allen applied for membership in the Holland Society of New York on August 10, 1908 and was admitted on October 8, 1908. He was a direct lineal descendent of Laurens Van Allen who was a resident of New Amsterdam in 1658. (Application below)

Gallery

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  Van Allen Building, A National Historic Landmark

• Van Allen Column Capital.jpg

  The Van Allen Building, Column Capital

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  Detail of ornamentation of the Van Allen Building

• July 18, 2005 251 2.JPG

  Van Allen family crest

• John D. Van Allen & Son.JPG

  John D. Van Allen & Son

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  Van Allen building front elevation detail

• Van Allen Building 1.jpg

  Van Allen building SE corner detail

• Van Allen 1913 summer.jpg

  Van Allen building under construction in 1913

• Van Allen 1914.jpg

  Van Allen building under construction in 1914

• Van Allen Christmas 1934.jpg

  Van Allen Store 1934

• Van Allen, John Holland Society 1.jpg

  John D. Van Allen application Holland Society of New York

• Van Allen, John Holland Society.jpg

  John D. Van Allen application Holland Society of New York reverse side

References

• The Clinton Herald January 2, 1929