Dr. Jessie Allen was an active physician and surgeon in Beloit for 42 years. She was born May 13, 1878 in Seneca, Illinois, the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Petrie. She had a brother Frank who also studied medicine and died at an early age. She studied medicine and graduated from Hahnemann Medical College in Chicago, Illinois, in 1904 and then came to Beloit to practice. Her office was on the second floor of the Goodwin Block on East Grand Avenue.

She married Dr. William J. Allen in Chicago on May 10, 1905 and both of them practiced medicine in Beloit. She was an active, kind, energetic, auburn-haired woman with a keen sense of justice and devotion to her family and she worked for causes for the better-ment of the community. Along with others, she was instrumental in petitioning for a Red Cross Chapter in Beloit in 1916.

She was honored for serving on Volunteer Medical Service and Health Commission of Council of National Defense in 1918, was Beloit Chairman of Wisconsin Children’s Service Society and President of Beloit Community Concerts in 1937 when many outstanding musicians came to Beloit. She was a member of the Art League, Treble Clef, Eastern Star and White Shrine, the First Congregation-al, active in political affairs and attended State Republican Con-ventions. She was a charter member of Altrusa and its second president, which was organized in 1930. Many honors were bestowed upon her and she was honored by the Wisconsin Federation of Women as “Career Woman of 1941.”

Her mother, Mrs. Annie Tempest Petrie Colburn, lived with her at 644 Park Avenue for about 40 years, until her death in 1941. She assisted in helping her raise her three children – Gertrude, Frank and Judson. In the medical field, Dr. Jessie was on Wisconsin State Board of Medical Examiners and they honored her at her death for her high ethical standards in the field of physical therapy from 1939 to 1947. She belonged to the Fellow American Medical Association, American Congress of Physical Therapy and was one of the early advocates of treatment. She was also on Staff at the Beloit Municipal Hospital.

In 1951 the Altrusa Club presented, in her memory, a crystal controlled diathermy machine to the Beloit Hospital on Olympian Boulevard. Some in the picture the day of presentation were Mary Evans, RN Supervisor, Mrs. Crystal Dane, Lela Lombard and Dr. Esther DeWerdt. Little is known of her work during the war with the FBI in drugs. She also belonged to Rock County and Wisconsin Medical Societies. She died at her home on October 12, 1947, after a short illness, at the age of 69. She was survived by her husband, Dr. William J. Allen, her daughter Mrs. Ludwig (Gertrude) Grauel, two sons Frank T. C. Jodson and two granddaughters Barbara and Margaret Grauel. Services were held at the First Congregational Church with the Reverend Stanley Crosland officiating and burial in Eastlawn Cemetery.  She gave a full and useful life to the community in her medical profession.