Thomas Allcock

Thomas Allcock (1815–1891) was the inventor of a plaster for pain relief and the founder of the Allcock Manufacturing Company.

Early life
Allcock was born and educated in Birmingham, England. At age 15, he studied and practiced chemistry. Alcock emigrated to the United States in 1845, settled in New York and opened a drug store. In 1854, he invented a porous plaster for the relief of pain, and subsequently formed Alcock Manufacturing.

Military career
Alcock became connected with the New York State Militia, and was appointed Captain on 27 October 1856 with the Second Brigade, a post he held until he mustered with the Fourth New York Heavy Artillery as Major on 4 January 1862. With the outbreak of hostilities in the American Civil War, Allcock was made Assistant Adjutant General on 13 April 1861, headquartered in the New York Depot. He was engaged in the battles of the Wilderness, Spottsylvania, North Anna, Totopotomoy, Hanover Court-House, Cold Harbor, Petersburg, first and second, Deep Bottom, Weldon Railroad, and Ream's Station. He was wounded while in command of the Third Battalion at the First Battle of Ream's Station on 25 August 1864 and was on detached duty as an invalid from September 1864 to December, 1865 when he was discharged due to the end of the war.

Allcock returned to New York after the war and joined up with Benjamin Brandreth in the manufacturing and sale of popular patent medicines.

He died on 27 December 1891 of a stroke. He was buried at Dale Cemetery in Ossining, New York. He was survived by two sons and two daughters.