The Allen Families of Summit County, Ohio

LEVI ALLEN, Jr., farmer; P. O. Aki'on; was born July 28, 1824, on the farm where he now lives; his education was sufficient to enable him to teach. He remained with his father until the spring of 1850, when he started from Aki'on to Sacramento City, Cal., going most of the way on foot in company with Edwin Allen, Isaac Spicer, Sterns SpaiTowhawk and Ephraim Bellows; they endured a great deal of hardship and suffering on account of lack of provision and water; he lived in the principal cities, and engaged in mining in the mountains. The latter years of his stay there were spent on a ranch in the stock business and the raising of grain. At one time while returning on horseback to Sacramento City from his mining interests in the mountains, he was chased by two desperadoes (there being a great number in that country), for eighteen miles, and only escaped by the superiority of his steel and the approach upon civilization; many more incidents of the experience of about sixteen years of frontier life might be related, but space will not permit. On the 24th day of December, 1856, he was married to Mary E. Ware, a native of Amherst Co., Va., by whom he has had three children, a pair of twin boys who were buried there with their mother, and Mary E. P., born Aug. 16, 1858.

As printed in the source³. Wording is the original; obvious scanning errors have been corrected, and a few may remain.

ALBERT ALLEN was long one of the leading and successful business men of Akron. He was born March 12, 1827. in Coventry Township, Summit County. Ohio, and was a son of Levi and Phebe (Spicer) Allen.

The parents of Mr. Allen had settled in Coventry Township in 1811 and he grew up amid pioneer surroundings. Instead of turning his attention to agricultural pursuits when he reached his majority, he learned the millwright's trade and worked at the same for nine years. In 1856 he was given the contractor converting the old Perkins woolen mill into a flouring mill and when it was completed he was retained in the employ of the firm of Perkins & Company. Later, in partnership with Alexander IT. Com mi ns, he bought the Stone mill, and under the firm name of Commins it Allen a large amount of business was done. Mr. Commins died in 1880. leaving his entire estate in the hands of Albert Allen, his will being such that Air.

Allen had the disposition of all the property without bonds. The firm name of Coinrains & Allen was continued until the business was merged into the F. Schumacher Milling Company, in 1886. Mr. Allen became vice-president of this company and one of its directors and continued his interest until his death, which occurred September 25. 188S, when he was over sixty-one years of age.

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As printed in the source². Wording is the original; obvious scanning errors have been corrected, and a few may remain.

MINER JESSE ALLEN, prominently identified with the American Cereal Company, is one of Akron's substantial citizens whose large interests make him a notable factor in its Vmsiness life. Mr. Allen was born November 11, 1829, in Coventry Township, Sunnnit County, Ohio, and is a son of Levi and Phebe (Spicer) Allen.

Jesse Allen, the paternal grandfather of Miner J., was born in 1770, in Litchfield County, Connecticut, and came to Ohio in 1811, purchasing a large tract of wild land in Coventry Township, Summit County. He reared a family of ten children. The maternal grandfather, Major Miner Spicer, was also a native of Litchfield County, Connecticut, and came on horseback to Summit County, Ohio, in 1810, buying 260 acres of land in what is now Portage Township. He settled here with his family in 1811. During the War of 1812 he served as a major of militia. Major Spicer married Cynthia Allyn, who traced her ancestry back to Lieutenant Governor Jones, who was the first governor of the New Haven Colony.

Levi Allen was born February 10, 1799, in Tompkins County, New York, and was the second child of his parents. He was twelve years of age when he walked from there to Coventry Township, Summit County, Ohio, driving the cattle and sheep with which his father proposed to stock the new farm. He assisted in clearing and developing the land until his majority, when he purchased land for himself on which he resided until 1868. He then retired to Akron, where he died May 11, 1887. On December 10, 1823, he was married to Phebe Spicer, who was a daughter of Major Miner and Cynthia (Allyn) Spicer, and they had the following children: Levi, Miner S., Albert, Miner J., Walter S. and Cynthia. Mrs. Levi Allen died January 10,

Miner J. Allen, the direct subject of this sketch, was engaged in farming in Coventry Township, where he was reared and educated, until 1867, Avhen he came to Akron to assume the duties of local, and also traveling, grain buyer for the firm of Commins & Allen. In 1884 he invested in a one-fifth interest in the Akron Milling Company, which was merged two years later into the F. Schumacher Milling Company. Later this organization was merged into the American Cereal Company, and Mr. Allen is still connected with this great corporation, being one of its directors.

Mr. Allen was married June 1, 1876, to Frances C. De Wolf, a daughter of Samuel and Margaret (King) De Wolf, of Trumbull County, Ohio. Mrs. Allen's grandparents were Joseph and Sarah (Gibbons) De Wolf, the former of whom was a Revolutionary soldier. Mrs. Allen can trace a clear ancestral line to early colonial days, members of her family residing at Wethersfield, Connecticut, as early as 1664. Mr. and Mrs. Allen have five children, namely: Albert Mark, Miner W., Margaret P., Christine C, and Frances De Wolf. The family home is at No. 30 Howery Street. Mr. and Mrs. Allen are members of the First Disciples' Church at Akron. They have always evinced a deep interest in educational matters, and Mrs. Allen was one of the first two ladies to be elected a member of the Akron Board of Education. In earlier years Mr. Allen was interested in politics, but since taking up his residence at Akron he has been too closely engaged in business to give much time to political affairs. His public spirit, however, has often been proved and he stands high in the estimation of his fellow citizens.

As printed in the source². Wording is the original; obvious scanning errors have been corrected, and a few may remain.

WILLIAM ALLEN, fai-mer; P. O. Akron; son of Jonah Allen, was born Oct. 14, 1798; died May 15, 1874; he of Jesse Allen. His mother was Cynthia Spicer ( for further history of Spicer family, see Avery Spicer); she was born May 21, 1803, and died Sept. 11, 1860. The family of Jonah and Cynthia were Catharine, born Nov. 5, 1822; Mrs. Beckwith, who died Jan. 23, 1855; Edward, born Aug. 18, 1824, died July 9, 1841; William, the subject of this sketch, bom Feb. 18, 1827; John, whose history appears in another place in this woi'k; and Cynthia, who died in infancy. William received but a meager district-school education, being employed upon the farm until about 17 years of age, when he began work at the Akron City Woolen Mill, his father being a heavy stockholder, where he learned the various branches of the business, such as cai'ding, coloring, finishing, etc.; subsequently returning to the old farm south of the city, "where he and his brother John farmer together for a time; then returned to the city, where he kept for one year the boai'diug department for the Perkins Company, to whom the former company had sold. At the expiration of that year, the factory being converted into a flour- ing-mill, he again returned to the farm, where he has since resided. He was married Nov. 11, 1847, to Amy Amanda Beckwith, daughter of Chauncy and Susannah (Barnes) Beckwith, who came to Norton Township, about 1820, from Hartford, Conn. Mrs. Allen was the second daughter of a family of six child'en, three sons and three daughters; she was born Sept. 16, 1830, and by her marriage has two children — Newton W,. born April 2, 1857; and Cynthia Anna, Sept. 11, 1860. Newton was married, April 28, 1880, to Mary E. Grove, daughter of David Grove, a prominent farmer of Franklin Township. Mr. Allen has held the most prominent positions in the township, such as Trustee, Township Clerk and President of the School Board; a man of good business tact, which has been conducive to his success, and of a Christian spirit, he and family being members of the Disciples' Church, to which he is a liberal giver as fell as to all other societies promoting the cause of Christianity.

As printed in the source³. Wording is the original; obvious scanning errors have been corrected, and a few may remain.

JOHN ALLEN, farmer; P. O. Akron; was born Oct. 20, 1829, to Jonah Allen, whose history appears in another place in this work, under the head of William Allen. The subject of this sketch spent his early life in assisting in the farm work, and in securing as good an education as the common schools of his time would admit of. On the Dth of December, 1857, he was married to Ann Morgan, daughter of Isham and Juliette (Meech) Morgan, who came to Newburg, Cuyahoga Co., Ohio, in 1811, from Groton, Conn. The Morgan family was among the oldest and most prominent families of Cuyahoga Co. Mr. Allen by his marriage has four children: Emma C, born Nov. 2, 1858, and married June 2, 1880, to Henry B. Sisler, one of the coal merchants of Akron; Jesse M., born April 6, 1864; Isham F., Jan. 2, 1868: John R., March 23, 1871. The Allens are a quiet and unassuming people, not aspiring to office, but paying strict attention to the most improved methods of agriculture, in which they are engaged, and very successful. They are members of the Disciples' Church, and have at heart the improvement of the morals of the people, and the advancement of education and religion.

As printed in the source³. Wording is the original; obvious scanning errors have been corrected, and a few may remain.

I. F. ALLEN, vice president and treasurer of the R. & A. Supply Company, wholesale and retail dealers in hardware, located at No. 66 South Howard Street, is also vice president and secretary of another large business enterprise of Akron, the Jahant Heating Company. He was born in 1868, in Summit County, Ohio, and is a son of John Allen, a retired resident of Akron. Mr. Allen's father was born in 1829, on the same farm in Summit County on which his son was burn thirty-nine years later. He is a son of Jonah Allen, who came to this section of Ohio from Connecticut in 1811. The family is one of the most respected and substantial ones of the county.

After completing his education, which included a full commercial course at Hammel's Business College, I. F. Allen went to Cleveland, and for seven years was connected with the George Worthington Llardware Company, of that city. In 1891 he came back to Akron and bought the interest of Mr. Williams in the hardware firm of Williams & Rohrbacher, the firm of Rohrbacher & Allen being then established. In October, 1907, the business was incorporated as the R. & A. Supplv Companv with a capital stock of $50,000. The officers are: A. C. Rohrbacher, president; T. F. Allen, vice president and treasurer, and Mr.. Hawkins,.secretary. The members of the finn are all practical hardware men and the business is one which extend? over a wide extent and does a large amount of annual trading.

In 1891 Mr. Allen was married to Eva May Geddes, of Cleveland, and they have one child, Clifford I., who is a bright student in the Akron public schools. Mr. and Mrs. Allen are members of the First Church of Christ, Akron. Fraternally, Mr. Allen is a Knight Templar Mason, affiliated with the Masonic club, also an Odd Fellow.

As printed in the source². Wording is the original; obvious scanning errors have been corrected, and a few may remain.

ANDREW HARPER ALLEN, a well-known resident of Cuyahoga Falls, now living retired in his pleasant home on Sackett Street, was born at Pond Creek, Bureau County, Illinois, August 18, 1856, and is a son of Robert Henry and Mary Phylura (Cochran) Allen.

The Allen family in Summit County, came from Scotch and Irish ancestors. John Allen, the great-grandfather of Andrew H., was born in County Antrim, Ireland, where he died, leaving a family of six children. George Allen, his third son, born in County Antrim, in 1799, married Elizabeth Harper, and they came to America in 1832, settling first at Lee, Massachusetts, and in 1836, coming to Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio. He followed papermaking almost all his active life. He was a man of great industry and prudence and invested in land in Summit County, which became very valuable, a part of his eighty-acre farm being now included in the city of Cuyahoga Falls. He had ten children, namely: Jane, Andrew H., John M., Robert H., William A., George L., Julia, Mary Alexander and the first Mary, who died in infancy while the family was crossing the Atlantic ocean.

Robert Henry Allen, father of Andrew H., was born December 25, 1882, at Lee, Massachusetts, and came to Cuyahoga Falls with his father, in 1836. For twenty years after reaching maturity he was engaged in the carriagemaking trade at Cuyahoga Falls, but in 1874 he moved to a farm which was situated in Stow Township, on which he lived until 1882. He then moved to Akron, where he resumed work at his trade of carriage manufacture, but one year later he discontinued it, and bought a farm of 170 acres in Stow Township, to which he moved. He now turned his attention to acquiring land and continued to add one parcel to another until his possessions aggregated 600 acres. He was a man of exceptional business faculty, but he gained his ample fortune without dishonesty, mainly through his steady perseverance and frugality.

On October 5, 1855, Mr. Allen married.Mary Phylura Cochran, who was born at Cuyahoga Falls, July 18, 1837, a daughter of John M. and Jane (Semple) Cochran. Both the Cochran and the Semples were old colonial families of Scotch-Irish lineage that had generations of honest ancestors behind them. John M. Cochran was born in 1775, at Calcutta, Ohio, and in 1814 was married to Jane Semple, who was born in County Tyrone, Ireland, but who had been reared in Beaver County, Pennsylvania, where her father, James Semple had settled, being an early teacher in that locality. The children of Robert Henry and Mary P. Allen were:.Vndrew H., Maria, William A. and Arthur M. Mrs. Allen ls a consistent member of the Ejiiscopal Church. Mr. Allen was identified with the Republican party, and wa one of its founders in Summit County. He died May 5, 1902, aged sixty-nine years.

Andrew Harper Allen's parents resided only one year at Pond Creek, moving then to Cuyahoga Falls, where he was reared and educated. After completing the High School course, he learned the trade of wagon-maker with his father and uncle. After finishing his apprenticeship with the firm of W. A, Allen & Company, he was married and moved to Lafayette, Indiana, where he worked for about a year. He was then in partnership with John Spafford, at. Akron, for a year, and for another year with John Agne, under the firm name of Allen & Agne. doing business enough to encourage him to organize the Allen Wagon Company. This enterprise was entirely successful and Mr. Allen carried it on for some years,.giving employment to thirty people in his works. After disposing of his interests in this concern, in partnership with his father he purchased the old Galloway farm, and on it was engaged in general farming and dairying for five years.

After retiring from the farm Mr. Allen went to the Goodrich Rubber Company as a millwright and pattern-maker, where he continued for five years. He then started a pattern shop of his own, at Cuyahoga Falls, which he continued to operate, with two assistants, until the spring of 1907. Mr. Allen then retired from active business life, being able to look back over a useful and prosperous career of many years.

Mr. Allen was married, first, to Ora Warner, who was a daughter of William Warner, of Mogadore. She died in 1897, aged thirty-seven years. Her three surviving children are: Walter M., residing at Akron; Edna Grace, who married E. 0. Hale, residing at Akron, and S. Blanche, who married F. F. Bingham, and resides at Bedford, Indiana. Mr. Allen was married, second, to Emma Willgohs, who is a daughter of Dr. Charles F. Willgohs, of Doylestown. Mr. and Mrs. Allen are members of the Episcopal Church. In political sentiment, Mr. Allen is a Democrat. He has been identified with much of the development of Cuyahoga Falls, at all times performing his full duty to the community as becomes a worthy citizen.

As printed in the source². Wording is the original; obvious scanning errors have been corrected, and a few may remain.

ARTHUR M. ALLEN, residing on his line farm of 235 acres, situated in Stow Township, where he carries on general farming and dairying, is one of the substantial and leading citizens of this section. Lie was born at Cuyahoga Falls. October 18, 1875, and is a son of Robert II. and Mary R. (Cochrane) Allen.

George Allen, the grandfather of Arthur M., was born in County Antrim, Ireland. lie married Elizabeth Harper, and with his wife and three children came to America and settled at Lee, Massachusetts, removing later to Cuyahoga Falls. He followed the. trade of paper-making to within a few years of his death, when he moved on a farm near the Falls, which is now largely built over. Both he and his wife were members of the Episcopal Church.

Robert H. Allen was born at Lee, Massachusetts, December 25, 1832, and was-till an infant when his parents came to Cuyahoga Falls, where he was reared. During boyhood he worked in the paper mills. He subsequently learned the trade of wagon-maker, and in partnership with his brother, W. A. A. Allen, was engaged for many years in the manufacturing business under the firm name of R. II. Allen & Company. About 1887, he bought 640 acres of land in Stow Township, and settled on a part of it. where he engaged in extensive farming, cattle-raising and dairying. He had large business dealings with his fellow-citizens, and enjoyed their confidence and esteem. Though he was no politician, he took an intelligent interest in good local government. For a number of years he was a member of Star Lodge, No. 187, F. A.V. M., Cuyahoga Falls.

In early manhood Robert II. Allen married Mary R. Cochrane, who is a daughter of John M. Cochrane, of Cuyahoga Falls. She was born July 18, 1837. and 'till survives, residing with her son, Arthur M. Her parents were John M. and Jane (Sample) Cochrane the former of whom came to Cuyahoga Falls from Calcutta, Columbiana County. Ohio, and conducted a blacksmith business. Mr. and Mrs. Robert 11. Allen had four children, three of whom survive, namely: Andrew Harper, residing at Cuyahoga Falls: William residing in Stow Township; and Arthur M. Robert 11. Allen died May 14. 1902.

Arthur M. Allen was reared on the home farm and was educated in the1 public schools of Cuyahoga Falls and at Hudson Academy. At the time of his father's death, he received 235 acres, 150 of which he has under cultivation. He continues the dairying interest in which his father was engaged, keeping about forty head of cattle, and ships hi milk to Cleveland. lie raises his own hay and feed, and he is also interested in threshing and baling hay, doing a large amount of work of this kind throughout the county, keeping three men constantly employed. He is a member of the board of directors of the Springdale Horse Company, the syndicate that owns the $3,000 Belgian stallion, Toto. Mr. Allen is intimately concerned with all agricultural interests in his locality and is looked on as a man of business enterprise and sound judgment. Mr. Allen was married to Mertie Best, who was born in Northampton Township, Summit County, and is a daughter of TTonrv Best. Thev have one daughter. Mildred E. Politically Mr. Allen is a Republican.

As printed in the source². Wording is the original; obvious scanning errors have been corrected, and a few may remain.

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At the age of seventeen years our subject came to Richfield, entering in the employ of Jonathan Page, under whom he acquired a mastery of the harness and saddlery trade. After serving a competent apprenticeship in this line he opened a store and factory of his own and has continued in business at that place until at present he has a very large and growing trade in this line, the excellence of his manufactured goods commanding for them a large sale, his harness being shipped to all parts of the country, and his name is widely known as a manufacturer.

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; Walter, Maieh 10, 179S. The material grand- I parents of Mrs. Allen were David and Catli- I eine (Tod; Baldwin, wfio had the followir.

children: David Rubic, Lucy, Stephe-i";

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Lucy M., August 30, 1856, wife of William

Whitney; Elmer E., February 13, 1864:

Enmia C, May 31, 1866.

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I tempted by a desire for ol?:ce. He is a n -

' ber of Richfield lodge, No. 266, F. 'l' A.

As printed in the source¹. Wording is the original; obvious scanning errors have been corrected, and a few may remain.

GEORGE G. ALLEN, attorney, of Akron, member of the law firm of Alien, Waters, Young and Andres, was born in Granger, Medina County, Ohio, August 26, 1855. He was graduated from the Akron High school in 1873, and began the study of law in the offices of John J. Hall and Edward Oviatt. lie then took a six months' course in the law department of Michigan University, at Ann Arbor, and was admitted to the bar at Akron in August, 187b. He began practice in association with Edward Oviatt under the firm name of Oviatt and Allen, and has since built up a very successful practice. He lias taken an active part also in business and public affairs, and in 1883 was for a short time acting mayor of Akron.

As printed in the source². Wording is the original; obvious scanning errors have been corrected, and a few may remain.

W. G. ALLEN, general manager of the Niagara Fire Extinguisher Company, with offices in the Hamilton Building, Akron, is one of the city's capable business men, and has been a resident here since 1900. He was born at Dundee, Michigan, in 1872, and was reared and educated in his native state. During almost the whole of his business life, he has been in his present line of business. For fourteen years he was connected with the Automatic Sprinkler Company, of Chicago, as department manager, leaving there in 1900, in order to become general manager of the Niagara Fire Extinguisher Company, at Akron, where the company has a factory for the manufacture of automatic sprinkling appliances. The output of this factory is of standard excellence and the sale of the company's goods, under Mr. VUen's progressive business methods, is constantly increasing.

In 1897 Mr. Allen was married to Jessie D. Bryden, of Milwaukee, Wisconsin, and they have one child, Jeanette M. Mr. Allen is a man of social tastes and belongs to all of Akron's exclusive clubs.

As printed in the source². Wording is the original; obvious scanning errors have been corrected, and a few may remain.