Gaston, Joseph.  "The Centennial History of Oregon, 1811-1912."  Vol. 2. 
Chicago, Clarke Publishing Co., 1912. p. 1043.
 
EDWARD CLARENCE ALLEN

     a member of the firm of Allen & Wright, merchants of Hillsboro, was born in
Waseca county, Minnesota, May 11, 1857, and represents one of the old pioneer
families of that state. His father, William E. Allen, went to Minnesota about
1842, long before the organization of that section of the country into state and
territory. He was a volunteer soldier in the Indian wars in Minnesota and is a
veteran of the Civil war. He took an active and helpful part in reclaiming the
wild region for the purpose of civilization and was closely associated with its
upbuilding and progress until 1867, when he moved to Missouri, settling in Bates
county, where he lived until 1885. He then moved to Oregon, settling in Grant
county, where he spent his remaining days, his death occurring in 1908. He
followed farming and stock-raising and his life was one of diligence and
perseverance. In early manhood he married Philena Ward, who was born in
Cattaraugus county, New York, and represents one of the old colonial families,
several of whose members were soldiers of the Revolutionary war.  E. C. Allen is
also a direct descendant of Colonel Ethan Allen, the leader of the Green
Mountain boys and hero of the battle of Ticonderoga. His closest relations are
the Allen family of Barre, Vermont, one of them, Stillman Allen, being a
director in the Bank of Barn and a member of the board of directors of Vermont
University. In the family of Mr. and Mrs. William E. Allen there were ten
children: James F., a farmer residing at Salem, Oregon; Edward C.; Elbert G.,
who is engaged in farming in Coos county, Oregon; Charles S., who is supposed to
have been killed by the Indians; Estella, the wife of F. Rice, a retired
stockman living in Portland; William P., who is engaged in mining in Alaska;
Minnie B., deceased; Lilly B., a twin sister of Minnie; May Frank and Archie,
deceased.
     Edward C. Allen spent his youthful days in the state of his nativity until
he was ten years old and then went with his parents to Missouri where wise
training and the education afforded by public schools fitted him for the
practical and responsible duties of life. He was eighteen years of age when he
determined to seek his fortune on the Pacific coast, making his way to
California in 1875; two years later he came to Oregon and settled in what was
then called Baker county but is now Malheur county. There he engaged in mining
for a time and later went by horseback to California but in the fall of the same
year returned to Malheur county, where he resided until 1880. He afterward
engaged in driving the stage in what is now Morrow county for two years, and
then again went to Malheur county where he was engaged in the live stock
business for two years. Subsequently he made his home in Grant county and while
there residing was the founder and builder of the town of Long Creek. In the
little village he established a general mercantile store and in addition to its
conduct carried on stock-raising and mining, but in 1894 left that place for
Pendleton, Oregon, where he engaged in the hotel business, owning and conducting
the Golden Rule Hotel until 1897. In that year he gave his attention to the
cattle business, which he followed until 1903, after which he was connected with
mining interests in Grant county until 1906, when he went to Portland where he
carried on a livery business for two years. He afterward became a dealer in real
estate and timber lands, his time being thus occupied until his removal to
Hillsboro in April, 1911, since which time he has been engaged in merchandising
as senior proprietor of the Allen & Wright stores. His business in this
connection is growing along substantial and gratifying lines and is bringing him
a satisfactory return.
     Pleasantly situated in his home life, Mr. Allen was united in marriage to
Mrs. Martha Dale, nee Ernest, of Albany, Oregon, her father having been one of
the early settlers of this state. Mrs. Allen was adopted and reared by N. B.
Oliver and his wife, of College Place, Whitman county, Washington. This marriage
has been blessed with two sons, Richard, who was killed by accident in 1875 and
Clarence A., who after attending the Pacific University spent one year in Leland
Stanford University of California and is now engaged in farming at Butterville,
Oregon. Politically Mr. Allen is an earnest republican and is a representative
member of the Masonic fraternity and of the Knights of Pythias. He served as
first chancellor commander of the Knights of Pythias lodge in Grant county and
is a member of the grand lodge of the order in Oregon. He has never regretted,
his determination to come to the far west, for in this great and growing Pacific
coast country he has found the opportunities he sought and step by step has
worked his way upward until he is now one of the leading merchants of Hillsboro.


*******************

Submitted to the Oregon Bios. Project in July 2013 by Diana Smith.  Submitter
has no additional information about the person(s) or family mentioned above.