Biographer, academic scholar and evangelical Congregationalist, Allen graduated at Cambridge (Harvard University) in 1802. He studied theology for two years from Rev. John Pierce of Brookline and his father, Thomas Allan. Although licensed to preach, he became a regent at Harvard in 1805 and devoted himself to the publication of "American Biographical and Historical Dictonary" (1809).
In 1810 he was ordained pastor of the Pittsfield First Congregational Church (succeeding his father), a position he held for seven years. He married Maria Wheelock in 1813, daughter of Rev John Wheelock president of Dartmouth College. In 1816 the Dartmouth College charter was amended to become Dartmouth University and Rev Allen filled its presidency for its short-lived life of two years.
Upon the death of Bowdoin College's president Jesse Appleton, Allen was inaugurated as the third president in 1820. He established Medical School of Maine during his tenure at Bowdoin with the assistance of his friend Nathan Smith. Maria Wheelock died in 1828 and Allen was remarried in 1831 to Sarah Johnson Breed, daughter of John Breed. The Maine State Act removed him from the presidency but he was later reinstated and served until his resignation in 1839.
He moved to Northampton and devoted himself to publishing a third edition of the "Biographical Dictionary."
Allen published several works during his tenure at Bowdoin including "Memoir of Dr Eleazar wheelock", "An Account of Remarkable Shipwrecks", "Junius Unmasked", "Poems of Nazareth and the Cross", "Vale of Hoosatunnuk" as well as numerous discourses given on special occasions.
Source:
- The history of the descendants of Elder John Strong (Vol 2) By Benjamin Woodbridge Dwight (1871)
- History of Bowdoin college By Nehemiah Cleaveland (1882)
Biographer, academic scholar and evangelical Congregationalist, Allen graduated at Cambridge (Harvard University) in 1802. He studied theology for two years from Rev. John Pierce of Brookline and his father, Thomas Allan. Although licensed to preach, he became a regent at Harvard in 1805 and devoted himself to the publication of "American Biographical and Historical Dictonary" (1809).
In 1810 he was ordained pastor of the Pittsfield First Congregational Church (succeeding his father), a position he held for seven years. He married Maria Wheelock in 1813, daughter of Rev John Wheelock president of Dartmouth College. In 1816 the Dartmouth College charter was amended to become Dartmouth University and Rev Allen filled its presidency for its short-lived life of two years.
Upon the death of Bowdoin College's president Jesse Appleton, Allen was inaugurated as the third president in 1820. He established Medical School of Maine during his tenure at Bowdoin with the assistance of his friend Nathan Smith. Maria Wheelock died in 1828 and Allen was remarried in 1831 to Sarah Johnson Breed, daughter of John Breed. The Maine State Act removed him from the presidency but he was later reinstated and served until his resignation in 1839.
He moved to Northampton and devoted himself to publishing a third edition of the "Biographical Dictionary."
Allen published several works during his tenure at Bowdoin including "Memoir of Dr Eleazar wheelock", "An Account of Remarkable Shipwrecks", "Junius Unmasked", "Poems of Nazareth and the Cross", "Vale of Hoosatunnuk" as well as numerous discourses given on special occasions.
Source:
- The history of the descendants of Elder John Strong (Vol 2) By Benjamin Woodbridge Dwight (1871)
- History of Bowdoin college By Nehemiah Cleaveland (1882)
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