He was 41 years old when he was enlisted (3, 5, 6 [60 in ?1882 or (more likely) 1880], 7 [55 in ?1880 or 1886]). He was born in Down, Ireland (5, 6, 7).
He was a weav[er] when he was enlisted (5).
He was 5 feet 6 inches tall, and had a light complexion, blue eyes, and light brown hair (5).
He was enlisted and mustered into service on 8 November 1861 (1, 3, 5). He was enlisted for three years, at Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, by Captain Gilbert (3, 5). He was mustered in as a private, at Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (3). He served as a private in company G (1).
He was transferred to the Veterans' Reserve Corps on 20 or 30 June 1863 (1, 2, 3 [30 Jun], 4 [30 Jun], 5 [30 Jun]).
He served for 36 months (6) or 24 months (7).
He was admitted to the National Soldiers Home on 27 May 1880 (6, 7). He had diarrhea (6, 7). He was not receiving a pension (6, 7).
In 1882, he was present in the Central Branch of the National Soldiers Home (6).
He died on 21 November 1885, at the Central Branch of the National Soldiers Home (7).
1 Bates, Samuel Penniman. History of Pennsylvania volunteers, 1861-5. Harrisburg: B. Singerly, state printer, 1869-71. 5 volumes. 'Ninety-first regiment', volume 3, pages 186-233. (In the roster) (John Allen)
2 consolidated morning report, 91st PA, 1 August 1863 (Private Allen)
3 Civil War Veterans' Card File, available at the Pennsylvania State Archives, searched 6 Aug 2004 (John Allen)
4 company G, register of men transferred (John Allen)
5 company G, descriptive roll, entry 21 (John Allan [sic])
6 Annual report of the Board of Managers of the National Soldiers Home, 30 December 1882 [for the fiscal year ending 30 June 1882]. Serial Set volume 2115, session volume 1, 47th Congress, 2nd Session, House Miscellaneous Document 13, page 378 (John Allen)
7 Report of the Board of Managers of the National Home for Disabled Volunteer Soldiers for the fiscal year ending June 30, 1886. Serial Set volume 2488, session volume 1, 49th Congress, 2nd Session, House Miscellaneous Document 1, page 194 (John Allen)
[I did not find an entry for him in the Ancestry index to the 1890 census, veterans' schedules (but some John Allen's had no identifying information) (searched September 2006)]
[I did not find an entry for him in the Ancestry index to the pension index by name (searched September 2006)]