Frank Edward Allen, 1850-1899

ALLEN, GILLET

Posted By: Emmet County IAGenWeb Coordinator (email)
Date: 6/25/2009 at 07:10:41

FRANK E. ALLEN DEAD,

Passes Away at His Home in this City After a Long and Painful Illness

“Can storied urn or animated bust
Back to its mansion call the fleeting breath
Can honors voice provoke the silent dust
Or flattery soothe the dull cold ear of death?”

Frank Edward Allen, born it Maumee, Ohio, February 20, 1850 died at Estherville, Iowa, January 18, 1899. The son of John O. and Nancy Kirtland Allen, the sixth of a family of ten children of whom five yet survive. He received a common school and academic education, after which he was placed in his father's store to learn the business of a merchant. While yet scarcely out of his teens the stories of the opportunities offered the young in the newer country west of the Mississippi tempted him to seek his fortune there, and in company with his brother George, the present county auditor, he came to Fort Dodge, Iowa, where after serving a brief clerkship, they embarked successfully in business and later removed their business to Estherville. The business was successful until the financial panic of 1873 when the stringency of the money market, the credit system then in vogue, and the destitution caused by the grasshopper plague, brought ruin to the young merchants and the business was closed out. Nothing daunted, with no fortune but his own good name, he resolutely faced the future and set himself to work to rebuild his shattered fortune, working at whatever he found to do. Soon after he was elected to the office of auditor of Emmet county, served the people creditably, studied law, was admitted to the bar and entered on a remunerative practice. Adding to his law practice the sale of real estate he soon acquired the foundation of a comfortable competence. His business ventures from this time on were successful and at the time of his death he was the active manager and virtual head of several banks and other business institutions; thus leaving his family in comfortable financial condition. Soon after his removal to Estherville he formed the acquaintance of Miss Emma Gillett, a teacher, the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. David Gillett, then of Lost Island, Iowa, now of this city; the acquaintance resulted in a friendship that ripened into affection and on May 12th, 1874, they were by a Rev. Coats, of Spencer, united in marriage and lived happily until his death. The fruits of this marriage were four children, two girls resting now beside their father and two boys, Edward and Donald, who remain to cheer their sorrowing mother.

For several years he had beep in falling health but did not consider the matter as serious until a little over a year ago when he repaired to Battle Creek, Michigan, where he was told that he had stomach trouble and would soon regain his health; returning home his condition did not improve and in May became suddenly worse and was confined to his bed. Local physicians and those from surrounding towns and different points in the state were summoned and counselled as to his ailment; they differed in their views. In June a specialist on abdominal surgery was summoned from Chicago who gave him temporary relief by draining an accumulation of pus from the interior of the body but was unable to locate the difficulty. After rallying from the operation, he was, on the advice of physicians, removed to the mountain air of Denver City, Colorado, but the extreme altitude caused more injury than the air did good and be was forced to return home. About Sept. 1st he arranged his business affairs and repaired to Chicago where he was specially examined by two or three physicians renowned for their skill in the treatment of abdominal diseases and in surgery and they differed in opinion as to the malady but agreed that be should visit the sea shore. Following this advice he went to Atlantic City, thence to Southern Pines, N. Carolina, but soon found that the raw ocean air was an injury rather than a benefit. He returned to the place of his birth and at his mother's home was again critically examined by an eminent specialist who differed in opinion from those who had formerly examined him and gave the family little encouragement as to the probabilities of his recovery. In the late fall be was accompanied home by the family physician where he remained until the end which peacefully came. The disease from first to last seemed to mystify and completely puzzle all the learned men who examined him or treated him.

His faithful wife was constantly at his side from first to last and personally saw that the treatment and advice of physicians was carried out to the letter and never abandoned hope until a few days prior to his death. F. E. Allen as a man will be missed in the community, not only by family and relatives, but in business, church, social and civic circles. As a father and husband he was ever kind, thoughtful and indulgent. As a neighbor he was agreeable, ever thoughtful of others, generous, and in his home the floors of hospitality always stood open. As a business man he was of keen discernment, quick to act and of excellent judgment. His was a nature that appealed to the friendship of all who knew him and everybody knew him by the familiar name of "Frank." Having known penury and felt sorrow his impulses ever went out to the suffering and the afflicted and few in actual distress appealed in vain to his generosity which was on the principle that the left hand should not know what the right hand doeth. Public spirited in all things he was always one of the first called upon and counselled in matters pertaining to the public welfare, all feeling that his mind was broad enough to view the subject aside from any sordid or selfish personal interest; and this confidence was frequently evidenced by the positions of public honor and private trust that were accorded to him. He was a faithful, consistent and conscientious member and supporter of the faith of his ancestors in the Episcopal church. An active and esteemed member of the several Masonic bodies in his home city.

The funeral service of the Episcopal church was held for the family in the parlor of his own home on the morning of January 20, after which the burial services were conducted under the auspices of the Masonic bodies of which he was a member, and as the sun began its decline to the west the body was laid beside those of his children ho loved so well, on a beautiful eminence in Oak Hill cemetery, there to await the resurrection morn, freed from pain, in restful sleep, surrounded yet by ties of love.

Source: Estherville Democrat, Estherville, Emmet County, Iowa; January 25, 1899.