Page:History of the University of Pennsylvania - Montgomery (1900).djvu/66

62 account of this notable feast in the Pennsylvania Gazette of 30 September, 1736:

Thursday last William Allen, Esq., Mayor of this city for the year past made a Feast for his citizens at the Statehouse, to which all the Strangers in Town of Note were also invited. Those who are Judges of such Things say That considering the Delicacy of the Viands, the Excellency of the Wines, the great Number of Guests, and yet the Easiness and Order with which the Whole was conducted, it was the most grand and the most elegant Entertainment that has been made in these Parts of America.

Mr. Allen became the partner of Joseph Turner, also with him a Trustee of the Academy, and in his business he was very successful and amassed a fortune which was enlarged by fortunate land investments. He was appointed Recorder of Deeds by the Common Council, 7 August, 1741, succeeding therein his father-in-law Andrew Hamilton who had died 4 August. In the local struggle to secure proper appropriations from the Quaker Assembly to put the colony in a state of defence against threatened enemies, for the war of England with Spain promised to involve the American provinces in its issues, Allen became the head of the anti-Quaker party, but the result of what was long known as the bloody election of 1742 was the return of the leader of the other party, Isaac Norris, to the Assembly; but as Recorder he could maintain the policy of the city in support of the Governor in his struggle against Norris' friends in the Assembly. Yet, but seven years later, these two united in support of Franklin's efforts to establish the great educational institution he had been planning. He continued Recorder of the City, then an important judicial office, until 2 October, 1750, when he resigned the office having been appointed Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of the Province. "He was the only Chief Justice before the Revolution who was a native of Pennsylvania, and the only one before or since excepting Shippen and Sharswood who has been a native of Philadelphia." He, however, continued his business interests uninterruptedly, and from 1756 up to the Revolution was a member of the Assembly from Cumberland County. About 1750 his country seat was