Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1879-07-17
Death OF Ex-Governor Allen.


William Allen. lat, governor of
Ohio. expired suddenly At his homo
near Chiilico,be.cn Friday NOR ing.
from supposed di-va,c Of Tho
heart. Gov. Alien was an aged
man-of about 70 yeers-was a ma
tive of the Buckeye state, and led
an eventful life. He had been a
member OF the national house of re-
representatives., United States sena.
tor, and governor Of his state. He
was always Democrat, and was
much esteemed by his party as his
integrity was unquestioned. To ear.
ly life he was an extreme bard mon
ey Tom Benton man. In later
years be fell into the soft money
theory to the astopishment of all
who knew bis earlier convictions
Ho was elected governor of Ohio in
1873 over Gen. Noyes. In 1875 he
was renominated and confronted by
X. B. Hayes. Hayes victory over
Allen and his soft money theories
made him President of tho United
States. Had Allen succeeded he
would probably have been the
Democratic nominee in 1876 in the
place Of 8. J. Tilden. AS it was his
defeat dropped him into compare
tive obscurity.
Allen was The uncle of Senator
Allen G. Thurman, and was con.
nected with some of the leading
families in Ohio. 10 early life he
was poor boy, but died in the pos
session of large fortune, which be
acquired through his marriage with
the only child and beiress of Gov
ernor Macarthur of Ohio. The cir.
cumstances connected with this
marriage, as we had reason to know
at the time, were truly romantic.
Allen was strong Jackson Demo.
crat Macarthur was strong Clay
Whig; Allen was rising man and
had paid some attention to Miss Nc.
Arthur and they became engaged.
But Allen never could subordinate
his politics to his personal inclina.
tions. Tho Wings nominated Nc.
Arthur for congress in the Ross
district. Nevertheless Allen con-
sented to accept the Democratic
nomination against his future faith.
erin law. The contest was exceed.
ingly sharp and animated, and AL,
len beat Macarthur by one vote and
took his seat 10 the House OF Re-
representatives.. This so enraged the
old gentleman that he insisted tina,
the engagement should be broken
off, and his daughter was finally in.
duced TO marry another man. Oh
course Allen felt this deeply, and
therefore immersed himself more
than ever in politics. He gradually
rose in position and became senator
of the United States, but did not
marry. 10 the course of ten years
Gov. Macarthur died, and the hus,
band of mis- daughter also departed
this life. Allen renewed his suit
was accepted, and they were mar.
ried. The widow had portion o.
$1,000 or more That was some,
thing of an item five. and-thirty
years ago.
The circumstances of his maria &c
were called wildly to the memory
of the writer from the fact that AL
len, on his bridal tour, visited AL
bany. Silas Wright was then Gov
ernor of New York. He had served
for some years in the senate with
Allen. They were warm friends,
because Allen was Jealous Demo.
crat with hsrd-money convictions
similar 10 those of Wright.
The writer was then living in AL
bany, and, during call at the exec.
utive mansion, the Governor sad to
him : "Allen has been here to-day.
He is happy man. He has jus:
married the woman whom he loved
in early life, Gov. McArtbur's only
child, and he gets nice plum with
her-$200,00 Since bis marriage
aside from the intervals of politics
Allen has lived upon their estate
near Chilicothe.
His death will exert no influence
on Ohio politics because his career
and his influence were virtually end
ed when he was defeated by Gov
Hayes. But it was a source of re.
grot TO those who knew Allen in
early life that man with his con
victions should ever have allo wed
himself to have been tinged with
the soft money iunacy. 1t indicated
that there was weak spot in bis
head. Allen was considered a good
stump speaker, possessing a voice
of immense volume that could still
up the Democracy to the farthesi
confines of the crowd MHaoauket
Wisconsin.