▁Army . ▁He ▁was ▁the ▁first ▁African ▁American ▁to ▁reach ▁the ▁rank ▁of ▁lieutenant ▁colon el . ▁He ▁plant ed ▁numerous ▁churches , ▁and ▁in ▁ 1 9 0 8 ▁founded ▁All ens worth , ▁California , ▁the ▁only ▁town ▁in ▁the ▁state ▁to ▁be ▁founded , ▁fin anced ▁and ▁govern ed ▁by ▁African ▁Americans . ▁ ▁During ▁the ▁American ▁Civil ▁War , ▁he ▁escaped ▁by ▁joining ▁the ▁ 4 4 th ▁Illinois ▁Vol unte ers ▁and ▁later ▁served ▁two ▁years ▁in ▁the ▁n avy . ▁After ▁being ▁ord ained ▁as ▁a ▁minister , ▁he ▁worked ▁as ▁a ▁teacher , ▁studied ▁the ology ▁and ▁led ▁several ▁churches . ▁In ▁ 1 8 8 0 ▁and ▁ 1 8 8 4 , ▁he ▁served ▁as ▁the ▁only ▁black ▁delegate ▁from ▁Kentucky ▁in ▁the ▁Republican ▁National ▁Con vent ions . ▁In ▁ 1 8 8 6 , ▁he ▁gained ▁an ▁appointment ▁as ▁a ▁military ▁chap lain ▁to ▁a ▁unit ▁of ▁Buff alo ▁Sold iers ▁in ▁the ▁West ▁and ▁served ▁in ▁the ▁US ▁Army ▁for ▁ 2 0 ▁years , ▁ret iring ▁in ▁ 1 9 0 6 . ▁ ▁In ▁addition ▁to ▁his ▁work ▁in ▁developing ▁churches , ▁he ▁was ▁notable ▁for ▁found ing ▁the ▁town ship ▁of ▁All ens worth , ▁California ▁in ▁ 1 9 0 8 ; ▁it ▁was ▁intended ▁as ▁an ▁all - black ▁community . ▁Although ▁environmental ▁conditions ▁in hib ited ▁its ▁success ▁as ▁a ▁far ming ▁community ▁and ▁the ▁residents ▁abandoned ▁it ▁after ▁a ▁few ▁gener ations , ▁much