Francis Olcott Allen

FRANCIS OLCOTT ALLEN, born at Hartford, Conn., March Fourteenth 1840, died at his residence on Graver's Lane, Chestnut Hill, Philadelphia, Pa., December Third 1909. His father, Olcott Allen, born October 13th, 1806, at Enfield, Conn., removed to Hartford, where he was a Deacon in Dr. Bushnell's Church and forty years head of the Pratt Street Saving Fund. His wife (the mother of F. 0. Allen) was Lucy Ann Parsons, born October 25th, 1812, at Enfield, daughter of Eben and Anna (Hall) Parsons, of that place. The Allens were descended from Samuel Allen, who had a grant of land at Windsor, Conn., in 1640, and Ann, his wife ; the line of descent being as follows : John Allen (Son of Samuel and Ann), killed with Lathrop at "Bloody Brooks" in King Philips War ; married Mary Hannum. John Allen, Jr., an early settler at Enfield, where he had a grant in 1696; married Bridget Boath. Azariah Allen, an active freeman of Enfield, mar. Martha Burt. Moses Allen (1746-1826), a leading man of affairs in Enfield and a Revolutionary Soldier ; married Mary Adams. Major Moses Allen, commanding militia of several towns that met at Enfield for drill ; married Esther Chapin. Olcott Allen married Lucy Ann Parsons. F. 0. Allen was also descended from Governor William Bradford of the "Mayflower ", William Vassall, a patentee of the Massachusetts Bay Colony, Worshipful William Whiting of Hartford, Conn., Gov. Thomas Welles of Conn., Capt. Richard Leach of Salem, Mass ; Capt. John Pease of Salem, Mass. and Enfield, Conn ; Deacon Edward Crollins ( 274 ) Francis Olcott Allen. 275 of Cambridge, Mass., Capt. Samuel Terry ; and Lieut. Abel Wright. Mr. Allen was admitted to this Society February 19th., 1894. He was elected a Director March 4th., 1904 and his resignation as such was accepted on the day he was made an Honorary member March 21, 1904. He also served as Corresponding Secretary from March 18, 1895 to March 17, 1902. Mr. Allen was educated at Williston Seminary, East Hampton, Mass., and Yale College, Class of '62, but left the latter before graduation on account of ill health. He lived in Hartford, where he was connected with his father's bank, until 1866, when he removed to Philadelphia. At the time of his admission to the Genealogical Society 1894, he was living at 1539 Pine Street, but very soon moved ("around the corner") to 323 South 16th Street (N. E. corner Rundle, now DeLancey St.). By 1898, however, had removed his winter residence to Graver's Lane, Chestnut Hill, Philadelphia, having a summer residence called "Enfield Farm" in Montgomery County, Pennsylvania, named for his ancestors' home in Connecticut. He was President and principal owner of the German Fire Insurance Co., of Phila., whose charter be eventually sold to the Perpetual Insurance Co., of Phila. Also a Director of the Presbyterian Life Insurance Co., and the Board of Relief for Disabled Ministers of the Presbyterian Church. He was an Elder of the Presbyterian Church at Chestnut Hill. In the latter part of his life Mr. Allen was largely engaged in historical and antiquarian pursuits. On April 25th, 1895, he read a paper on "The Provincial or Colonial Flag of Pennsylvania," before the local Society of Colonial Wars, at Philadelphia. Entertaining a great regard for the home of several lines of his ancestors, he compiled and published a most valuable and comprehensive "History of Enfield, Connecticut," in three volumes, the most complete 276 Francis Olcott Allen. of its kind ever published of any town in America. He wrote several other lesser historical articles, including some in this Society's "Publications." Francis Olcott Allen was elected a member of the Society of Colonial Wars in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania November 24th, 1893, his eligibility coming from Governor William Bradford and other distinguished progenitors mentioned above. On May 14th, 1894, he was elected a member of the Pennsylvania Society of Sons of the Revolution, being great-grandson of Moses Allen (1746-1826) and Ensign Nathaniel Chapin (1738-1831), and great-great grand-son of Samuel Pease (1718— ) and Ephraim Terry (1701-1795). Mr. Allen was a Founder and the Governor of the Society of Mayflower Descendants in Pennsylvania, and Deputy Governor-General of the National Society of the same. He was also Attorney for the Society of the Cincinnati in New Hampshire. F. 0. Allen married first, October 7, 1862, Isabelle C. Jones, daughter of Daniel A. and Mary (Hams) Jones, a descendant of Lewis and Ann Jones, who came to America in 1630. Their children are : Clarence Jones Allen, born June 7, 1865. Bessie Cynthia Allen, born Nov. 29, 1868. F. 0. Allen married second, 1870, Elizabeth Homer Dulles, daughter of Joseph Heatly and Margaret (Welsh) Dulles, of Philadelphia, and had children : Margaret Dulles Allen, born May 14, 1871, married Josiah B. Bartow, a mem. Penna. Soc. Sons of the Revolution. Francis Olcott Allen, Jr., M. D., born Oct. 15, 1874. Joseph Heatly Dulles Allen, born Feb. 11, 1879, married Dec. 1, 1909, Miss Louise Ewing, of Nashville, Tenn. Dr. Allen and his sister Mrs. Bartow are living at their father's former residence, 323 South 16th St., Philadelphia. Nom—In the sketch of William Henry Jenks, on page 120, it is incorrectly stated that his wife was the daughter of Jonathan Hacker. It should have been Jeremiah Hacker.