Sir John Campbell Allen, born on October 1, 1817, and passing away on September 27, 1898, held a prominent position in the legal realm of New Brunswick. From 1865 to 1896, he served as a justice of the colonial and provincial Supreme Court of New Brunswick, eventually becoming the Chief Justice of New Brunswick from 1875 to 1896.

Born in Kingsclear Parish, Sir John Campbell Allen was the grandson of Isaac Allen, a respected judge of the New Brunswick Supreme Court. He pursued his legal studies under the tutelage of John Simcoe Saunders.

Sir John Campbell Allen’s political career included serving as a member of the New Brunswick House of Assembly from 1856 to 1865. During his time in the assembly, he held various notable positions such as Solicitor General from 1856 to 1857, Speaker of the House from 1863 to 1865, and Attorney General in 1865.

In 1873, Sir John Campbell Allen delivered the majority decision of the New Brunswick Supreme Court in Dow v. Black, a significant constitutional law case concerning the division of powers between the federal and provincial governments. He ruled that a provincial statute related to municipal taxation was unconstitutional. However, his decision was overturned on appeal by the Judicial Committee of the Privy Council, which served as the court of last resort for the British Empire at that time.

Sir John Campbell Allen found his final resting place in the Forest Hill Cemetery in Fredericton, where he is buried. His contributions to the legal and political landscape of New Brunswick left a lasting impact.

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