VT BIO - Chittenden Co - ALLEN, Charles Edwin

1st Biography of Charles Edwin ALLEN

Encyclopedia Vermont Biography: A Series of Authentic Biographical Sketches 
of the Representative Men of Vermont and Sons of Vermont in Other States. P. 
C. Dodge. Burlington: Ullery Publishing Company, 1912, p 98

Charles Edwin ALLEN, Lawyer, Burlington [Chittenden County, Vermont]. 
Charles Edwin ALLEN was born at Burlington, 28 November 1838, son of Joseph 
Dana and Eliza Rachel (JOHNSON) ALLEN. He was educated in the Burlington 
public schools, and University Vermont, class of 1859; and Albany Law School 
(Union College) 1864. In 1867 married Ellen Cornelia LYMAN, only daughter of 
Elias and Cornelia (HALL) LYMAN of Burlington, who died 1896; they had three 
children: (1) Joseph Dana, of Buffalo [Erie County], New York; (2) Dr. 
Lyman ALLEN; and (3) Florence Lyman, Mrs. William P. REMINGTON, of 
Minneapolis [Hennepin County], Minnesota. He was admitted to the Vermont Bar 
in 1864; made a specialty of patent laws; practiced law in New York City 
1864-1867, since then in Burlington. Republican; alderman of the city 
1878-1882; city assessor 1882; school commissioner 1883-1896; city clerk 
1886-1903. Is an Episcopalian; was for several years vestryman of St. Paul's 
Church, Burlington. Secretary of Alumni Association University of Vermont 
since 1870; member of Ethan Allen Club; Algonquin Club; Sons of American 
Revolution; Society of Colonial Wars; Chittenden County Bar Association, of 
which he has been vice president and president; and the State Bar Association.



2nd Biography of Charles Edwin ALLEN

Men of Vermont: an Illustrated Biographical History of Vermonters and Sons of 
Vermont. Ullery. Brattleboro, VT: Transcript Pub. Co., 1894, Part II, Sons of 
Vermonters, p 5 (portrait p 5)

Charles Edwin ALLEN, of Burlington [Vermont], was born 28 November 1838 in 
Burlington [Chittenden County, Vermont], son of Joseph Dana and Eliza R. 
(JOHNSON) ALLEN. He was educated in the Burlington public and high schools, 
and was graduated from the University of Vermont in August 1859. During 1861 
he studied law with Hon. Isaac F. REDFIELD at Windsor [Windsor County, 
Vermont], and in 1862-1863 with Hon. Milo L. BENNETT in Burlington. He 
entered the Albany Law School (Union College) in September 1863, and was 
graduated in June 1864. After practicing his profession in the New York 
Courts for three years, Mr. ALLEN returned to Burlington in the spring of 
1867, and there opened an office, making a specialty of patent law.

Mr. ALLEN was elected assistant secretary of the Senate in 1862-1863; 
Republican; in 1878 was elected alderman from Ward I for two years, 
re-elected 1880; in 1882 elected city assessor; in 1883 school commissioner, 
re-elected in 1884, and successively chosen for terms of two years. During 
this period, with the exception of one year, he has served as clerk of the 
school board, and his annual reports of the census and condition of the city 
schools are highly esteemed for their accuracy and completeness. In 
September 1886 he was elected city clerk, and has been unanimously re-elected 
each year since. In 1870 he was chosen secretary of the Alumni Association 
of the University of Vermont, and has held the office since that time. 
During 1867-1868 Mr. ALLEN was local editor of the Burlington Free Press, and 
reported for New York papers.

Mr. ALLEN is a member of the Protestant Episcopal church, of which he is now, 
and has been for several years, a vestryman and its Sunday school 
superintendent, and a frequent delegate to its diocesan conventions. He is a 
member of the Algonquin Club of the Vermont Press Association, and has 
published, in pamphlet form, statistics of the town and city of Burlington 
from 1763, including complete meteorological observations since 1840, besides 
several historical papers connected with his native town. On 31 October 1867 
Mr. [Charles Edwin] ALLEN was married to Ellen C., daughter of Elias and 
Cornelia (HALL) LYMAN. Of this union are three children: Joseph Dana, 
Lyman, and Florence I.

Submitted by Cathy Kubly