Ref: 13 Jun. 1988, Burlington Hawkeye, Burlington, IA -- Detroit Lakes, MN (AP) -- Byron G. "Barney" Allen, former assistant to U. S. Commissioner of Agriculture Orville Freeman and a key figure in the merger of the Democratic and Farmer-Labor parties, has died at the age of 86.
Allen, who was the DFL's first candidate for governor in 1944, died Friday at St. Mary's Hospital in Detroit Lakes.
A native of Iowa, Allen was elected to the Iowa Legislature at age 25 and served there until 1932. A year later, he was appointed secretary of the Iowa Senate. He was director of the Iowa Old Age Assistance System, a predecessor to the Social Security system, from 1934 to 1939.
He and his family moved in 1940 to Detroit Lakes, where he continued a farm management and insurance business founded by his grandfather.
Allen was a member of the fusion committee that met in June 1944 to found Minnesota's Democratic-Farmer-Labor party.
Ref: Funeral Notice -- Byron Gilchrist "Barney" Allen -- newspaperman, politician, farm leader, and a personal friend of many of the nation's leading politicians -- died Friday, June 10, at St. Mary's Hospital in Detroit Lakes. He was 86.
A resident of Detroit Lakes since 1940, he came here after owning and operating the Pocahontas (IA) Democrat (a weekly newspaper) and also serving in the Iowa State Legislature.
Four years after moving to Detroit Lakes, he was instrumental in the merger of the Democratic and Farmer-Labor parties in Minnesota and -- in 1944 -- was the first Minnesota DFL candidate for governor. In that same year,he gave one of the seconding speeches when Franklin Delano Roosevelt was nominated by the national Democratic party for his fourth term as president of the United States.
During the 1948-55 period, Mr. Allen was Minnesota's national Democratic committeeman and, in 1955, was appointed as Minnesota's commissioner of agriculture, serving in that position until 1961. Orville L. Freeman appointed Mr. Allen as assistant U. S. secretary of agriculture in 1961 and he continued in that capacity until 1969, when he returned to Detroit Lakes and the family farm management business.
Barney Allen was the recipient of numerous awards, including the first Hubert H. Humphrey Award for party service "out of the limelight," an award accorded in 1984.
Among other awards was being named Becker County Senior Citizen of the Year.
Prior to coming to Detroit Lakes, he was named secretary of the Iowa Senate in 1933 and helped draft a bill creating a moratorium in the fields of banking, insurance companies and farm mortgages. He was appointed as the first director of the Iowa Old Age assistance System, a forerunner of the present Social Security System, in 1934 and served until 1939.
When the Allens moved to Detroit Lakes in April, 1940, they were involved in the insurance and farm management business.
Byron G. Allen, son of Joseph Holmes & Grace (Gilchrist) Allen, was born at Laurens, IA on 13 Sep. 1901, and later lived at Pocahontas, where he graduated from high school. He graduated from Iowa State College at Ames in 1924 and was married to Elsa Ellanora Erickson at Laurens on Dec. 18, 1926.
Surviving are a son, Eric Allen, Two Harbors; a daughter -- Mrs. Flemming (Virginia) Jensen, Hellerup, Denmark, and a sister -- Josephine Allen, Detroit Lakes. There are five grandchildren and a host of friends.
Mr. Allen was preceded in death by his parents, his wife, Elsa (who died 2 July 1983), a son (Joseph), and a daughter-in-law (Mary T.).
Allen, who was the DFL's first candidate for governor in 1944, died Friday at St. Mary's Hospital in Detroit Lakes.
A native of Iowa, Allen was elected to the Iowa Legislature at age 25 and served there until 1932. A year later, he was appointed secretary of the Iowa Senate. He was director of the Iowa Old Age Assistance System, a predecessor to the Social Security system, from 1934 to 1939.
He and his family moved in 1940 to Detroit Lakes, where he continued a farm management and insurance business founded by his grandfather.
Allen was a member of the fusion committee that met in June 1944 to found Minnesota's Democratic-Farmer-Labor party.
Ref: Funeral Notice -- Byron Gilchrist "Barney" Allen -- newspaperman, politician, farm leader, and a personal friend of many of the nation's leading politicians -- died Friday, June 10, at St. Mary's Hospital in Detroit Lakes. He was 86.
A resident of Detroit Lakes since 1940, he came here after owning and operating the Pocahontas (IA) Democrat (a weekly newspaper) and also serving in the Iowa State Legislature.
Four years after moving to Detroit Lakes, he was instrumental in the merger of the Democratic and Farmer-Labor parties in Minnesota and -- in 1944 -- was the first Minnesota DFL candidate for governor. In that same year,he gave one of the seconding speeches when Franklin Delano Roosevelt was nominated by the national Democratic party for his fourth term as president of the United States.
During the 1948-55 period, Mr. Allen was Minnesota's national Democratic committeeman and, in 1955, was appointed as Minnesota's commissioner of agriculture, serving in that position until 1961. Orville L. Freeman appointed Mr. Allen as assistant U. S. secretary of agriculture in 1961 and he continued in that capacity until 1969, when he returned to Detroit Lakes and the family farm management business.
Barney Allen was the recipient of numerous awards, including the first Hubert H. Humphrey Award for party service "out of the limelight," an award accorded in 1984.
Among other awards was being named Becker County Senior Citizen of the Year.
Prior to coming to Detroit Lakes, he was named secretary of the Iowa Senate in 1933 and helped draft a bill creating a moratorium in the fields of banking, insurance companies and farm mortgages. He was appointed as the first director of the Iowa Old Age assistance System, a forerunner of the present Social Security System, in 1934 and served until 1939.
When the Allens moved to Detroit Lakes in April, 1940, they were involved in the insurance and farm management business.
Byron G. Allen, son of Joseph Holmes & Grace (Gilchrist) Allen, was born at Laurens, IA on 13 Sep. 1901, and later lived at Pocahontas, where he graduated from high school. He graduated from Iowa State College at Ames in 1924 and was married to Elsa Ellanora Erickson at Laurens on Dec. 18, 1926.
Surviving are a son, Eric Allen, Two Harbors; a daughter -- Mrs. Flemming (Virginia) Jensen, Hellerup, Denmark, and a sister -- Josephine Allen, Detroit Lakes. There are five grandchildren and a host of friends.
Mr. Allen was preceded in death by his parents, his wife, Elsa (who died 2 July 1983), a son (Joseph), and a daughter-in-law (Mary T.).
Ref: 13 Jun. 1988, Burlington Hawkeye, Burlington, IA -- Detroit Lakes, MN (AP) -- Byron G. "Barney" Allen, former assistant to U. S. Commissioner of Agriculture Orville Freeman and a key figure in the merger of the Democratic and Farmer-Labor parties, has died at the age of 86.
Allen, who was the DFL's first candidate for governor in 1944, died Friday at St. Mary's Hospital in Detroit Lakes.
A native of Iowa, Allen was elected to the Iowa Legislature at age 25 and served there until 1932. A year later, he was appointed secretary of the Iowa Senate. He was director of the Iowa Old Age Assistance System, a predecessor to the Social Security system, from 1934 to 1939.
He and his family moved in 1940 to Detroit Lakes, where he continued a farm management and insurance business founded by his grandfather.
Allen was a member of the fusion committee that met in June 1944 to found Minnesota's Democratic-Farmer-Labor party.
Ref: Funeral Notice -- Byron Gilchrist "Barney" Allen -- newspaperman, politician, farm leader, and a personal friend of many of the nation's leading politicians -- died Friday, June 10, at St. Mary's Hospital in Detroit Lakes. He was 86.
A resident of Detroit Lakes since 1940, he came here after owning and operating the Pocahontas (IA) Democrat (a weekly newspaper) and also serving in the Iowa State Legislature.
Four years after moving to Detroit Lakes, he was instrumental in the merger of the Democratic and Farmer-Labor parties in Minnesota and -- in 1944 -- was the first Minnesota DFL candidate for governor. In that same year,he gave one of the seconding speeches when Franklin Delano Roosevelt was nominated by the national Democratic party for his fourth term as president of the United States.
During the 1948-55 period, Mr. Allen was Minnesota's national Democratic committeeman and, in 1955, was appointed as Minnesota's commissioner of agriculture, serving in that position until 1961. Orville L. Freeman appointed Mr. Allen as assistant U. S. secretary of agriculture in 1961 and he continued in that capacity until 1969, when he returned to Detroit Lakes and the family farm management business.
Barney Allen was the recipient of numerous awards, including the first Hubert H. Humphrey Award for party service "out of the limelight," an award accorded in 1984.
Among other awards was being named Becker County Senior Citizen of the Year.
Prior to coming to Detroit Lakes, he was named secretary of the Iowa Senate in 1933 and helped draft a bill creating a moratorium in the fields of banking, insurance companies and farm mortgages. He was appointed as the first director of the Iowa Old Age assistance System, a forerunner of the present Social Security System, in 1934 and served until 1939.
When the Allens moved to Detroit Lakes in April, 1940, they were involved in the insurance and farm management business.
Byron G. Allen, son of Joseph Holmes & Grace (Gilchrist) Allen, was born at Laurens, IA on 13 Sep. 1901, and later lived at Pocahontas, where he graduated from high school. He graduated from Iowa State College at Ames in 1924 and was married to Elsa Ellanora Erickson at Laurens on Dec. 18, 1926.
Surviving are a son, Eric Allen, Two Harbors; a daughter -- Mrs. Flemming (Virginia) Jensen, Hellerup, Denmark, and a sister -- Josephine Allen, Detroit Lakes. There are five grandchildren and a host of friends.
Mr. Allen was preceded in death by his parents, his wife, Elsa (who died 2 July 1983), a son (Joseph), and a daughter-in-law (Mary T.).
Allen, who was the DFL's first candidate for governor in 1944, died Friday at St. Mary's Hospital in Detroit Lakes.
A native of Iowa, Allen was elected to the Iowa Legislature at age 25 and served there until 1932. A year later, he was appointed secretary of the Iowa Senate. He was director of the Iowa Old Age Assistance System, a predecessor to the Social Security system, from 1934 to 1939.
He and his family moved in 1940 to Detroit Lakes, where he continued a farm management and insurance business founded by his grandfather.
Allen was a member of the fusion committee that met in June 1944 to found Minnesota's Democratic-Farmer-Labor party.
Ref: Funeral Notice -- Byron Gilchrist "Barney" Allen -- newspaperman, politician, farm leader, and a personal friend of many of the nation's leading politicians -- died Friday, June 10, at St. Mary's Hospital in Detroit Lakes. He was 86.
A resident of Detroit Lakes since 1940, he came here after owning and operating the Pocahontas (IA) Democrat (a weekly newspaper) and also serving in the Iowa State Legislature.
Four years after moving to Detroit Lakes, he was instrumental in the merger of the Democratic and Farmer-Labor parties in Minnesota and -- in 1944 -- was the first Minnesota DFL candidate for governor. In that same year,he gave one of the seconding speeches when Franklin Delano Roosevelt was nominated by the national Democratic party for his fourth term as president of the United States.
During the 1948-55 period, Mr. Allen was Minnesota's national Democratic committeeman and, in 1955, was appointed as Minnesota's commissioner of agriculture, serving in that position until 1961. Orville L. Freeman appointed Mr. Allen as assistant U. S. secretary of agriculture in 1961 and he continued in that capacity until 1969, when he returned to Detroit Lakes and the family farm management business.
Barney Allen was the recipient of numerous awards, including the first Hubert H. Humphrey Award for party service "out of the limelight," an award accorded in 1984.
Among other awards was being named Becker County Senior Citizen of the Year.
Prior to coming to Detroit Lakes, he was named secretary of the Iowa Senate in 1933 and helped draft a bill creating a moratorium in the fields of banking, insurance companies and farm mortgages. He was appointed as the first director of the Iowa Old Age assistance System, a forerunner of the present Social Security System, in 1934 and served until 1939.
When the Allens moved to Detroit Lakes in April, 1940, they were involved in the insurance and farm management business.
Byron G. Allen, son of Joseph Holmes & Grace (Gilchrist) Allen, was born at Laurens, IA on 13 Sep. 1901, and later lived at Pocahontas, where he graduated from high school. He graduated from Iowa State College at Ames in 1924 and was married to Elsa Ellanora Erickson at Laurens on Dec. 18, 1926.
Surviving are a son, Eric Allen, Two Harbors; a daughter -- Mrs. Flemming (Virginia) Jensen, Hellerup, Denmark, and a sister -- Josephine Allen, Detroit Lakes. There are five grandchildren and a host of friends.
Mr. Allen was preceded in death by his parents, his wife, Elsa (who died 2 July 1983), a son (Joseph), and a daughter-in-law (Mary T.).
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