William Allen
William Allen, merchant, Plain City, was born in Vermont, April 15, 1811. He is a son of Calvin and Eunice (Delano) Allen. natives of Vermont, the former of Irish and the latter of French descent, who emigrated to this county in 1815. His father was a brick-mason. Our subject was reared on the farm and worked with his father until twenty years of age. He served a two-years' apprenticeship to the brick-mason's trade, and followed his trade for nearly a quarter of a century. In 1863, he engaged in mercantile pursuits in Plain City, where he still continues. He was married, in 1839 to Harriet N. Ewing. a daughter of Joshua Ewing, who settled here in 1822. By this union eight children were born, five surviving, viz., A. W., Caroline, Lyman, Mary and Wilbur G. A. W. Allen is the junior member of the firm of Hager & Allen, dealers in groceries, boots, shoes and produce. and extensive shippers of eggs. This firm shipped in 1881, 1,200 barrels of eggs, with seventy-five dozen eggs in each barrel, making 1,080,000 eggs A W. Allen enlisted in 1861 in Company G. Seventeenth Regiment Ohio Volunteer Infantry, for three months, and, at the expiration of his term, re-enlisted in Company I. Forty-seventh Ohio Volunteer Infantry, Col. James A. Garfield, and was honorably discharged at the end of his term of service. He was wounded at the battle of Port Gibson, and did not rejoin his regiment until they were at the siege of Vicksburg. in which they participated. Caroline is the wife of Rev. C. S. Irwin. Lyman B. is a train dispatcher and telegraph operator in California. Mary is the wife of R. C. Hager. of Hager & Allen. Wilbur G. is in the store with his father. Mrs. Allen died in 1868. She and her husband were members of the Presbyterian Church, and he has been an Elder and Deacon in the church at Plain City. He is a Republican in politics, and has been Township Trustee and Justice of the Peace. He is a man of reliable business principles and strict morality.
From HISTORY OF MADISON COUNTY - W. H. Beers [Chicago, 1883]