Lincoln Herald, April 2, 1885

March 31- As noted in your locals of last week, Col. Wm. M. Allen died at the residence of Mr. Jesse Holden, this place, about 9 o’clock Wednesday, the 25th inst. Mr. Allen was born in Morris County, N. J., August 16, 1805; became a citizen of Knox county, O., in 1814, where he married in 1828, Miss Jane Lyon. In 1839 they moved to this county, settling near this place. He had nine children by his first wife, she dying in 1867. Theirs was a home of great hospitality. No house was more known in this prairie land for open doors and generous greetings than the happy home of Wm. M Allen, and his “Welcome” was their watch word. His second marriage occurred in 1870, to Mrs. Orpha Wright. The union proved incompatible and continued but a few years. Selling his farm, he has for several years made his home, temporarily, here, in your city, and since last fall, again in this place.

Mr. Allen was a man of great industry and labor-making himself useful almost to the end of his days. A man of sterling integrity and honesty of purpose, fraud and deceit were not a part of his nature. Tender of heart and feeling, he was always ready to be merciful to the needy. He scorned the wrong-doer. While not a stickler for religious forms and observances, he was nevertheless devoted to his ideas of religion, firm to the belief that God is the beginning and the end, the Alpha and the Omega, the all and in all, the omnipotent, omnipresent and omniscient- nothing, only Him, the great Jehovah, and Father of the human family and all to be ultimately saved through his son, Jesus Christ. He lived, and in that faith he quietly and most peacefully passed away.

In politics, from a Whig he became a leading Republican in the early organization of that party. Having accomplished its purpose, he saw in Prohibition a new field of usefulness. Believing that the paramount question of the day, he turned all his energies for a number of years, in that direction.

While a useful citizen and ever ready to assist in church or state, he filled but few public positions. He was the first man to propose the Gilman, Clinton & Springfield railroad , and became one of its first directors after the company was organized. His friendships were warm, open and frank. His love for his old friend and pastor, the Rev. D.P. Bunn, was always marked and most cordial. The latter was with him a few days before his death. Great gratification and consolation was afforded him in his last hours in receiving a letter of profound love and hope from his brother in Cincinnati, Ohio.

And thus passed away another landmark-an old settler-a good and upright man. His remains lie by the side, in Mt. Pulaski Cemetery, of his wife who stood on the other side awaiting him. Peace to his honored ashes. The funeral services were conducted by the Rev. D.P. Bunn, who paid a warm and glowing tribute to the memory of his old friend whom he had known for so many years.