Edward Jay Allen (April 27, 1830 - December 26, 1915) was a pioneer, entrepreneur, and businessman. Edward Jay Allen traveled west over the Oregon Trail in 1852 and made his way to Puget Sound, arriving in December of that year. Allen played a significant role in the early history of Washington Territory and left a detailed account of his years in the west (1852-1855.) Upon returning to Pittsburgh, he married, raised a family, served with distinction in the Civil War as a colonel in the 155th Pennsylvania Infantry, and in later life became quite prosperous as secretary/treasurer of the Atlantic and Pacific Telegraph Company. He was a member of the South Fork Fishing and Hunting Club that gained notoriety in the aftermath of the Johnstown, Pennsylvania flood. Allen also was a poet and write