Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1911-10-30
CHARLES {. ALLEN
Dies, Friday Night, at
Home in Dresden.
Well known in Maine and Es-
teemed as Historian.
His Life as Printer, Soldier and a
Farmer, a Useful One.

Dresden, Me. Oct tSpeciaD.-
Charles Edwin Allen. an old and we'll
known citizen OF his town. died very
suddenly at his home. Cedar Grove.
at about 1890 Saturday morning,
death being due to apoplexy. lie was
- years of age, and the widow and
one son. Charles. survive. Funeral
services will be held at o'clock. Tues
day afternoon.
Mr.. Allen was born in the town OF
Sanford, Sprinsvale village. York
county. Aug. Is. 1899. His father. Chas.
Allen, who traced his family back 10
old York, was native OF the town Of
Alfred. and WAS trader in ship timber
in Alfred. Sanford and WATERFORD.
Young Alien attended the common
schools, Standish Academy and the
seminary at New Hampton. y. H.. un
til he attained the age of sixteen
years. Then he went to Dover, y. H.,
and became printers apprentice i'll
the office of the Morning Star, a Free
Baptist paper. now published in Bos
ton. He had been in Dover some six
years when, in the fall of 1861, he en-
listed III the First Rhode Island Cav
airy After nearly a years service in
the civil War. he was discharged for
disability caused by injuries received
and returned to his trade,
He worked at the case for one year
on the Portland Argus. was for a short
time on the Boston Journal and for
three years vas employed as compos-
itor and proof reader at the Riverside
Press, Cambridge. Mass. After that he
entered the counting room of the Cam
bridge establishment and was for eight
years bookkeeper and cashier for ii.
o. Houghton & Co. predecessors of the
We'll known publishing house of
Houghton, Mlnlin & Co. He left their
employ soon after they purchased the
Atlantic Monthly. with William Dean
Howells as its litor. and after their
business of printing, binding and pub
fishing had at least trebled in amount
and value, although it was even then
about half what it is at the present
time.
In 1874, having purchased farm on
| the bank of the Kennebec river at
| Dresden. he repoved from Cambridge,
and has since given his attention with
enthusiasm to agricultural pursuits,
chiefly as a practical working farmer.
In i.olitics Mr. Allen was an indie
uendent with decidedly Democratic
| tendencies. His first vote was for
| Stepken A. Douglas After the war he
voted with the Republicans for 20
wears. except in 1872, when he followed
tho disastrous fortunes of Horace
Greeley. About this time conversation
with William Lloyd Garrison and his
| son. Francis jackson, caused him to
| examine the tariff question more care
| fully. after which he became an out
| spol<en free trader. He still adhered
! to the Republican party, however, in
tho hope that when the issues arising
| from the Civil War were settled, that
| party would abandon the high tariff
| doctrine. AS a Republican, he served
one year in the Maine House, where
he acquired some reputation as dill
| ieent member and by service on I'M
Dortant committees. This was in 1855.
| Mr.. Allen had written much on po-
| litica.. industrial, historical and agrl-
! cultural subjects for various publlca-
4 lions and many of his writings have
appeared in the columns of the Times.
He at first wrote anonymously.
A series of articles by him in favor
| of free trade attracted attention. and,
when President Cleveland's famous
tariff message of December, 1887, APP
neared. Mr. Allen warmly endorsed 1t,
and by advice of his friend, General
and Ex-Governor Harris M. Plaisted,
over his own signature. In 1888 the
Democrats nominated him for Con
oress in the Second district in OPPOSE
finn to Nelson Dingley, Jr., and again
IN 1890 and although he made a can
yass his constituency in the Second
district and the State in general was
so largely Republican that an election
was quite out of the question. In 1891
Mr. Allen acted with the Peoples par
~ on the silver and other questions
and in 1896 he was their candidate tof
Congress from the Second district.
He had held various town offices ana
several honorary positions. He had al
WAYS been interested in local history
adm was the author of several import
ant historical papers prepared for the
Maine Historical Society, the Lincoln
Sagadahoc and Kennebec Societies, III
each of which he was member. Wher