Sewell Ellyson Allen

ALLEN, WHITING

Posted By: Connie Swearingen- Volunteer (email)
Date: 4/21/2015 at 20:34:05

Monona County History
1982

Sewell Ellyson Allen, p 86

Sewell Ellyson Allen son of George and Hilda Allen was born May 4, 1913 in Iowa City, Iowa and died of a heart attack in his home in Onawa on June 28, 1975. After graduating from Onawa High School in 1931, he attended Compton Junior College in Compton, California for two years, was deputy clerk of court for Monona County for two years and graduated from the University of Iowa Law School in 1939, at which time he joined his father, George E. Allen in the practice of law in Onawa. In 1940 he was elected State representative and was running for the Iowa Senate when he enlisted in the U.S. Army in 1942. He and Frances Whiting were married in Washington, D.C. on March 17, 1943 and Sewell’s outfit from Ft. George Meade, Maryland was sent to Italy the following August.

His father died while Sewell was overseas and the Allen Law Office was closed for over a year and until his discharge from the army in 1945. He became very active in county and state politics and served the next 25 years as Monona County Democratic Party Chairman. He ran on the state ticket for Lt. Governor with Frank Miles and again with Herschel Loveless, and served as 7th District Committeeman. Locally, he was a charter member of the Onawa Lions Club, past president of Kiwanis, past president of the Monona County Bar Association and a member of the Methodist Church where he taught the high school Sunday school class for five years.

Frances Whiting Allen, daughter of Willard B. and Lulu D. Whiting, was born and raised in Whiting, Iowa, graduated from high school there in 1931 and attended the Rockford College for two years and the University of Arizona for a year. She was working as secretary to the Administrator of Federal Housing Administration in Washington, D.C. when she and Sewell were married at the height of World War II.
After returning to Onawa and raising her two children, she worked as bookkeeper in the Allen Law Office and was appointed acting postmaster of Onawa in 1963. She is presently employed as bookkeeper by the law firm of Morrow, Allen & Capotosto in Onawa, Iowa.

Sewell and Frances have two children: 1. Stephen Whiting Allen, born 12-22-43, now living and practicing law in Onawa, Iowa and married to Joan A. Shook. They have two boys: Thomas Whiting Allen, and Anthony Michael Allen. 2. Ellyson Allen Reinhardt (Mrs. Thomas P.), born 9-18-46, now living in Minnetonka, Minnesota. They have three children: Melissa Ann, Rebecca Ann and Timothy Paul. Compiled and submitted by: Mrs. Sewel Allen