Allen, A.D.

MAYDOLE, YERTON, MOMENT, ORVIS

Posted By: BCGS
Date: 12/16/2009 at 13:15:06

A.D. Allen, who has resided within the borders of Bremer county since 1856 and is therefore largely familiar with its history from pioneer times to the present, has made his home at Sumner for the last quarter of a century and is a prominent and influential citizen of the town, having served as president of the board of education for the past twenty-four years and as chief of the fire department since its organization. Prior to his removal to Sumner he was for a number of years actively and successfully identified with general agricultural pursuits in Dayton township.

Mr. Allen was born in Steuben county, New York, on the 1st of October, 1848, his parents being B.J. and Irene (Maydole) Allen, who were born, reared and married in the Empire state. In 1856 they came to Bremer county, Iowa, locating on a tract of two hundred acres in Dayton township which the father had secured from the government in the previous year at a dollar and a quarter per acre. He improved the property and there carried on general agricutural pursuits until 1878, when he put aside the active work of the fields and removed to Sumner, where he passed away at the age of sixty-three. During the last five years of his life he suffered so severely from rheumatism that he was unable to walk. B.J. Allen was one of the earliest settlers of this county and underwent all of the hardships and experiences of pioneer life. In February, 1857, after an unusually severe winter, he started with his family from New York, crossing the Mississippi at Dubuque when the ice at the edges of the river was covered with water and looked treacherous. The little party crossed in safety but later heard that on the next day the ice had broken up and had begun moving. In the early days Mr. Allen hauled his wheat by ox teams to McGregor. He held a number of township offices and was widely recognized as a substantial and representative citizen of his community. His political allegiance was given to the democracy until the time of Lincoln's second administration, when he espoused the principles of the republican party. His religious faith was indicated by his membership in the Methodist Episcopal church of Dayton township, to which his wife also belonged. The latter passed away in Sumner on the 30th of April, 1910.

A.D. Allen, a lad of eight years when he came with his parents to this county, was reared to manhood in Dayton township and attended the common schools in the acquirement of an education. When twenty-four years of age he started out as an agriculturist on his own account, purchasing eighty acres of land near the center of the township from his father. Subsequently he bought one hundred and sixty acres on section 12, improved his property and successfully carried on farming until 1899, when he disposed of the land and took up his abode in Sumner, where he has resided continuously since.

Mr. Allen has been twice married. On the 1st of January, 1873, he wedded Miss Estella Yerton, a native of New York, who died in Sumner, three years ago. They had two children, one of whom survives, Lillian May, of Sumner, who is the wife of A.H. Moment and has one child, Leo Allen Moment. For his second wife Mr. Allen chose Jeannie L. Orvis, of Fayette, Iowa.

In his political views Mr. Allen is a staunch republican. He has served in the capacity of street commissioner for twelve years and has acted as chief of the fire department since its organization. As president of the board of education, which position he has held for the past twenty-four years, his labors have been a potent element in the intellectual growth and advancement of the community. He attends and contributes to the support of the Presbyterian church and his life has been in large measure an exemplification of his belief in the universal brotherhood of man. He has won uniform trust and good-will by reason of a life which in all its phases is straight-forward and honorable and actuated by unusual ideals of personal service.

History of Bremer County, Iowa Vol. II 1914