George Franklin Allen, the eldest of six children in the home of George W. and Lydia Saunders Allen, was born in Alfred, Oct. 26, 1832.
Of the brothers and sisters, the only survivors are Dea. J. G. Allen of Alfred, and Mrs. Warren Willard of Little Genesee. Mr. Allen grew up on the farm, attending the district school and Alfred Academy. Dec. 20, 1855, he was married to Olive Burdick, who shared his home nearly forty-nine years until her death. Their six children are all living; there are eighteen grandchildren and one great-granddaughter. After an attack of pneumonia many years ago he had a cough. Although troubled also with heart disease and asthma and the weakness of old age, he pluckily continued his work until a year ago last February. Thursday morning, Nov. 7, "God's finger touched him and he slept."
Mr. Allen's grandfather, (being a grandfather of President Allen) came to Alfred in 1817 with his family, driving an ox team through its unbroken woods. It was a sturdy race of pioneers, men who had scarcely completed their log homes before they began to built the church and school.
Mr. Allen was baptized at his majority and continued a faithful member of the First Alfred Church. Family prayer was continued in his home for half a century. He was one of those sturdy heroes in private life who make the strength of the church and forward the welfare of the world.
Services at the home, Nov. 9. Pastor's text, Phil. 4: 3. L. C. R.
