Sheldon Allen, chief clerk of the railway service at Grand Rapids, MI, was born in Sugar Grove, Warren county, PA, on 5 November 1852, a son of George F. and Susan M. (Burlingham) Allen, also of Pennsylvania birth, but of Scotch and French descent, respectively. Of the family of nine children born to these parents, seven still survive, and of these Sheldon is the fifth in order of birth.

George F Allen was a farmer by vocation and with his wife was a member of the Presbyterian church. In politics he was a republican. Although of moderate means, Mr. Allen was quite prominent in his locality, and with his wife was highly respected by the entire community. Both are now deceased, having passed away in the state of which they were natives.

Sheldon Allen attended the public schools of his native town until sixteen years of age, then engaged in farm work for a year in the vicinity, after which he passed two years in the oil fields of Pennsylvania as laborer and pumper, and then came to Michigan in September, 1871, and for one year was employed as helper and foreman in a nursery at Kalamazoo. His next engagement was as salesman in the grocery of M. J. Bigelow & Co., with whom he remained three years. He was next appointed deputy sheriff for five years, after which, 26 December 1880, he entered the railway mail service, still retaining his residence at Kalamazoo. In 1889, he came from that city to Grand Rapids, having accepted his present position as chief clerk of the railway mail service covering western Michigan, and employing sixty-six men.

The marriage of Mr. Allen took place at Kalamazoo, 1 January 1876, to Miss Flora I. Wicks, who was born in Kalamazoo county MI, on 8 October 1855, and is a daughter of Edward S. and Mary (Vail) Wicks. This happy union has been blessed with three children, named Claude, Mabel E. and Florence. The family attend the Methodist Episcopal church, and have their pleasant home at No. 196 Hastings street, where they enjoy in a high degree the esteem of a large circle of warm friends.

In politics Mr. Allen is a republican. Fraternally, he is a Knight Templar Mason, a member of the Maccabees and the Court of Honor. Mr. Allen is personally very popular in the city, and his long tenure of office is evidence that he is competent for the duties of the responsible position he holds, and that he has given ample satisfaction to the authorities above him.

Transcriber: ES
Created: 14 February 2006
URL: http://kent.migenweb.net/bowen/ac/allens.html