Joseph Turpin Allen, Sr.

Term of Office, 1933-1945

 Joseph T. Allen, Sr., fondly known as “Joe T,” was born on November 11, 1894 in the Point Baker Community area of Santa Rosa County. He was the fourth generation of a Florida pioneer family whose ancestors had moved to the “territory” in 1836. As a young man, he was educated in a one-room schoolhouse in rural Santa Rosa County. Allen’s grandfather, Professor I.E. Allen, a renowned Escambia County educator, was a great influence on his academic achievements.

 At age nineteen, Allen met and married Flossie Wilkinson, a young schoolteacher of Baker, Florida. Soon afterwards, they moved to Bagdad where they reared their three children. Allen soon became Chief Engineer of the Power Department, supervising over fifty men. He remained in this position until 1932, when he successfully campaigned for sheriff of Santa Rosa County. One of his campaign promises was to ensure that justice would prevail in the Collins/Gainer murder case. He vowed to assist John H. Collins in bringing his brother’s murderer to justice. While sheriff, he witnessed the establishment of Whiting Field and was responsible for supervising a maintenance crew to maintain the county courthouse. Allen was best known as a “no nonsense man” who was kind and generous and driven by integrity. Some referred to him as the “Old Warhorse of Santa Rosa County Politics.”

 To this day, stories still circulate about a large nickel plate Smith & Wesson 357 pistol that Allen purchased, when they were first issued. When the pistol arrived, many of the courthouse personnel gathered at Pond Creek to witness a shooting demonstration of the weapon. During his time as sheriff, Allen is believed to have actually arrested himself on two separate occasions for assault and battery. He believed that he was not above the law and while having an altercation with prisoners, held himself accountable for making physical contact with them. Due to this charge, he incurred the respective fines of fourteen and seven dollars that he dutifully paid. 

In the 1950’s, Allen went on to serve the county once more in the capacity of county commissioner, for a total of two terms. Allen died on November 6, 1961 and is buried in the Milton Cemetery.