Joseph H. Allen (September 5, 1821 – April 24, 1884) was an industrial businessman, an officer in the Civil War, and a town supervisor[a] of Brunswick, New York.

Allen was born in Alburg, Vermont, to parents of British descent and left home at an early age.

He returned home to reopen his factory, which was instrumental to the industrial success of the hamlet of Eagle Mills in the mid to late 19th century.

He left home when he was eight years old "to carve out a fortune for himself", as Sylvester put it in his History of Rensselaer County, New York.

However, he soon obtained credit, and again shipped a number of horses to the West Indies, this time successfully, enabling him to pay all his debts and even earning him a profit.

[1] Allen soon resumed his place in the auger factory in Connecticut, where he remained until September 1, 1843, when he moved to Troy, New York.

Also unsuccessful, Catlin and Saxton abandoned the business and James McChesney (whose name was still on the deed) sold the property to Groome and Shattuck, who began manufacturing monkey wrenches.

[2] The factory was located on the rocky banks of the Poesten Kill, a creek that was commonly used for water power in the area.

[5][6] He was also elected justice of the peace in 1861,[7] but he did not finish his term because he decided to serve in the Civil War; this time he ran as a Democrat, and remained one for the rest of his life.

[1] In early 1862, the 125th Volunteer Infantry Regiment had been put together in Brunswick and a call by President Lincoln for more troops was answered by Allen that September.

Residents of the town raised the money necessary to cover various "bounties and expenses" incurred by Allen's soldiers while en route to war.

[1] Allen returned to Brunswick after the war and reopened the Planters' Hoe Company in association with George T. Lane.