Mary Alexander Allen

Mary (Alexander) Allen was a great benefactor to the City of Bonham and the entire County. She and her husband H. C. Alexander came to Bonham in 1851. Mr. Alexander built up a big mercantile business and became the merchant prince of all North Texas. He had a business house in Dallas and Paris as well as in Bonham. He died in 1865.

His business partner was S. B. Allen. Mrs. Alexander married Mr. Allen in 1880, and he died in 1902. As a memorial to Mr. Allen, Mrs. Allen erected, equipped and donated to the public at an expense of over $20,000 the S. B. Allen Memorial Hospital. She also donated the land for the Bonham Post Office and the land for the Trinity Episcopal Church.

Her obituary states: Mrs. Allen was a wonderful woman in physical strength, mental capacity and moral worth. Hers was a broad and well developed mind, a warm heart, a generous hand, a helpful spirit. Many the kind word she spoke to the despondent, many the good deed that she did, many the hope she awoke in the breast of the discouraged. She was as generous with her ample means as she was with kind words. No worthy cause appealed to her in vain, no hungry went from her door unfed nor naked unclothed. She blessed the world in living, and the years of her earthly service will be rewarded by an eternity of usefulness and happiness in the world to come.