James Frank Allee (December 2, 1857 – October 12, 1938) was an American merchant and politician from Dover, in Kent County, Delaware.

[1] He is descended from French Huguenots from Artois (original surname spelled d'Ailly) who moved to New Jersey in the 1680s, then Delaware.

[3][4][circular reference] Following his education he learned the trade of jeweler and watchmaker from his father, whom he succeeded in business.

Unfortunately, as New Castle Republicans were prone to do, Higgins dismissed the request in such a manner that Allee, and his downstate associates, never forgot, and promptly sought assistance elsewhere.

Addicks was a wealthy gas company industrialist from Philadelphia, who had established a residence in northern Delaware.

He had contributed some money to both parties over the years, but now worked out an arrangement with Allee that sent massive amounts of cash to the downstate Republicans in return for their support for Addicks' candidacy for the U.S. Senate seat of Anthony Higgins.

This arrangement continued for a decade and was enormously beneficial in the rebuilding of the Republican Party in Kent and Sussex County, as a progressive alternative to the established political order.

In the meantime Allee and Addicks’ efforts continued to bear fruit to the extent that their supporters became a majority at the 1896 Republican State Convention.

Under much pressure, Addicks did finally compromise by allowing his lieutenant, Allee, to be elected to one of the U.S. Senate seats on March 2, 1903.

By the time Allee's term ended, Addicks had lost his fortune and left Delaware politics.