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Charles Edwin Allen Papers

 Collection
Identifier: mss-227

Scope and Contents

The Charles Edwin Allen Papers consist of a variety of materials relating both to Allen's life and his historical studies and writings. There are three volumes of Allen's notes from classes he attended at Albany Law School in the 1860's, a few papers from his legal practice and local patent cases, and miscellaneous Allen-Lyman family and genealogical items. However, much of the collection concerns Allen's work on Burlington and Vermont history, including manuscripts and typescripts of several of his published articles, as well as manuscript notes on state and local heritage. In addition, there are typescripts and corrected printed copies of his Burlington, Vermont: Statistics 1763-1893 and About Burlington, Vermont, as well as the manuscript constitution and record book from 1887 of the Burlington Historical Society. There is also a manuscript --and printed-- "Records of the Executive Comm. Of the [Lake Champlain] Tercentenary Celebration" for 1903, and manuscript versions of Charles Adams' recollections of the early history of the University of Vermont, written about 1860, and edited later by Allen for publication in the Burlington newspapers.

Boxes one and two have been arranged chronologically, with bound volumes and individual pieces in separate boxes.

Boxes three and four of the collection consist of family correspondence from the period 1836-1909 and a miscellany of papers accumulated by Allen as Burlington City Clerk relating to Burlington property and real estate. Allen family members represented in the correspondence include the following: Charles E. Allen; his parents, Joseph D. and Elizabeth R. Johnson Allen; his brother John Johnson Allen (1842-1926); and a variety of other relatives from the Johnson, Shaler and Allen families.

The Burlington land records include papers of 1912-1914 concerning the new lakeside railroad station, title abstracts on assorted local properties, and a few items concerning Allen family holdings in the Burlington area.

The additions have been divided into family correspondence and land papers, each of which has been arranged chronologically. The updated land records are grouped alphabetically by subject.

Dates

  • 1860-1914

Access:

Collection is open for research.

Publication Rights:

All requests for permission to publish or quote from manuscripts must be submitted in writing to the Curator of Manuscripts.

Biography

Charles Edwin Allen, lawyer, Burlington public official and historian, was born in Burlington on November 28, 1838. Educated in the Burlington public schools, Allen graduated from the University of Vermont in 1859 and from Albany Law School (Union college) in 1864. He joined the Vermont Bar in 1864 and after three years of practice in New York City, returned to Burlington to specialize in patent law. Allen held a number of positions in the city government in Burlington, including alderman (1878-1882), city assessor (1882), school commissioner (1883-1896), and city clerk (1886-1903). In addition, he developed a deep interest in state and local history, helping to found the Burlington Antiquarian Society. Allen published the results of his historical research in a number of articles, pamphlets, and books in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. His most substantial published efforts were Burlington, Vermont: Statistics 1763-1893 (1893) and About Burlington, Vermont (1905). Charles Edwin Allen died in 1915.

Extent

1.6 Linear Feet (4 boxes)

Language of Materials

English

Abstract

The Charles Edwin Allen Papers consist of materials relating both to Allen's life and his historical studies and writings, with the bulk concerning Allen's work on Burlington and Vermont history, including manuscripts and typescripts of several of his published articles and books.

Physical Location

Library Research Annex; contact uvmsc@uvm.edu for access.

Title
Guide to the Charles Edwin Allen Papers
Status
Completed
Date
1998
Language of description
Undetermined
Script of description
Code for undetermined script
Language of description note
English

Repository Details

Part of the University of Vermont Libraries, Special Collections Repository

Contact:
Silver Special Collections Library
48 University Place, Room B201
Burlington Vermont 05405 U.S.A. US
(802) 656-2138
(802) 656-4038 (Fax)