Ethan Allen Biography


	This biography appears on pages 31-32 in "History of Dakota 
	Territory" by George W. Kingsbury, Vol. V (1915) and was 
	scanned, OCRed and edited by Maurice Krueger, mkrueger@iw.net.

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				ETHAN ALLEN. 

	The name of Allen has been closely associated with the work of 
upbuilding and advancement in Rapid City and the Black Hills country. 
Ethan Allen was born at New Lebanon, Sullivan county, Indiana, March 7, 
1864. His father, Levi Allen, who made farming a life occupation, died 
when his son Ethan was but five years of age. The mother bore the 
maiden name of Eliza J. Cartwright and both were natives of Indiana, to 
which state the paternal grandfather, John Allen, removed on leaving 
Kentucky. He became one of the pioneers of Sullivan county, 
establishing his home there in 1835. 

	Ethan Allen acquired his education in the common schools of his 
native county and in a business college at Terre Haute, Indiana. At the 
age of nineteen years he became connected with the news and 
confectionery business, having a lobby stand in the Sullivan post 
office, where he remained for three years. On the expiration of that 
period he sold out and came to Dakota territory in May, 1886, to join 
his brother Edward. Making his way to Rapid City, the brothers formed a 
partnership for the conduct of a restaurant business and hater 
established a confectionery store, which they conducted for a year and 
a half. In 1887 they went to the Box Elder district, where they began 
stock-raising and farming. They secured a homestead, a tree claim and a 
preemption claim in that district. The mother went to the Box Elder 
district with her two sons and their adopted sister and likewise took a 
claim. The family added to their properties until they were owners of a 
ranch of twenty-four hundred acres, on which they engaged in the 
raising of cattle and horses and also carried on general farming and 
which was known as the Allen Brothers, A. L. N. Ranch. 

	In 1901 Ethan Allen came to Rapid City and the following year 
disposed of his ranch interests. On settling in Rapid City he opened a 
real-estate office and the next year was joined by his brother Edward 
under the firm style of Allen Brothers. They have since continued in 
the real-estate business with gratifying success. They organized the 
Rapid City Real Estate & Abstract Company, of which Ethan Allen is the 
secretary and treasurer. He is likewise secretary of the Rapid City 
Implement Company and is a stockholder in the Rapid Town Site Company. 
He is the vice president and one of the stockholders in the Unity 
Block, Inc., and is a stockholder in the Dakota Power Company, in the 
Rapid City Packing Company, the First National Life and Accident 
Insurance Company, the Black Hills Building & Loan Company and in the 
Rapid Investment Company. He has thus extended his interests and 
activities to various connections, making him one of the leading 
business men of this section of the state. His interests have ever been 
of a character which have contributed to public progress as well as to 
individual success. 

	Mr. Allen lost his mother on the 6th of August, 1912, when she 
had reached the age of seventy-four years. Since coming to South Dakota 
with her sons she had been continuously a resident of this state and 
had been connected with them in some of their business investments. 

	In his political views Mr. Allen has ever been an earnest 
republican and is one of the recognized leaders of the party in this 
section of the state. He was county assessor from 1892 until 1895 
inclusive, or for a term of four years, and for many years was 
treasurer of the Moulton school district. He also served as alderman of 
the first ward of Rapid City in 1907 and in 1911 he was appointed to 
fill a vacancy in the office of county treasurer, while later he was 
elected to that position for a term of two years, serving until January 
1, 1915. For six years he filled the office of clerk of the school 
board and in May, 1914, he was elected one of the first three city 
commissioners for a term of four years. He was made commissioner of 
police, fire, streets, alleys and public property and is now serving in 
that capacity, making a most creditable record in office by his 
fidelity and devotion to the general welfare. 

	In his fraternal connections Mr. Allen is an Elk and a Knight of 
Pythias. In the lodge of the latter organization he has been keeper of 
the records and seal for five years. He belongs to the Methodist 
church, is a member of its board of trustees and is a director of the 
Mountain View Cemetery Association. He has always taken an active 
interest in all progressive movements and is one of the representative 
citizens of the county and state. His untiring efforts have carried him 
steadily forward and his work has ever been of an important nature, 
contributing to public progress as well as to individual success.