CORNELIUS FREDRICK ALLEN

Con And Laura and 13 children, DuBoise, PA Holy Name Band in Front.

Con Allen Shoe Store, Dubois, PA

Con Allen Shoe Store, Dubois, PA

Click here for an ad to the shoe store.

In 1894 Con was the first delegate to represent his fellow miners at DuBois, Reynoldsville, and Punxsutawney and was financial secretary for the United Mineworkers of America, No. 134. He was attending night school to become a mine foreman. However in this same year he abrubtly changed his occupation. He gave up his driver position at Atlantic Mine No. 1 (an operation by Berwind & White Coal Co. in Woodward Township) to become self-employed and to make shoes. Using the skills that he learned from his father Thomas his work was diligent and successful and in 1897 he opened his Houtzdale shoe store. (Houtzdale Citizen, Nov 8, 1906. From Con-Laura scrapbook.) Family lore records that he invented a mining sole that was immensely popular and he saw the possibilities of creating a better financial base for his growing family. We read in the Houtzdale Observer on Jan 5, 1899, " Mr. Con Allen Houtzdale Boot and Shoe manufacturer, will start on a trip Monday through Cambria and Somerset counties to introduce his popular mining shoe which has been having a great sale in this locality for some time." (genel disc Hout2.doc., NY Public Library ZY 83 (PA) Houtzdale Observer publishes on Thursdays. Research by Nancy Halli.) Were Con's brothers Peter Allen & Dave Doran partners in this business? How long did this store exist? Did Con sell or close it when he moved to Clearfield and then to DuBois?We do know that shortly after Con was elected sheriff or Clearfield County that he opened a shoe store in DuBois on March 4, 1907. There is no mention that both stores coexisted.

"SHOE STORE OPENING - CON ALLEN IS HAVING A LARGE CROWD AT THIS STORE "The opening of the new shoe store of Con Allen, in the Avenue theatre building on West Long Avenue is taking place this afternoon and the affair is being attended by large crowds of people. The store is one fo the finest in the city and is handsomely decorated for the opening, which commenced at two 0'clock and will be continued until ten tonight. This afternoon the visitors are being shown the new goods. The ladies are being presented with carnations and whistles are being given to the children. The store room is beautifully decorated with palms, and the entire interior has a verying of the store is entitled to special mention. It is finished in a very attractive manner and is the work of Milt Alcorn, of this city. The walls and counters are hung and laid with kid skins, the floors are covered with green matting, and the benches and furniture are finished in imitation black mahogany. This evening there will be music by an orchestra composed of four of the children of the proprietor of the store. Miss Marie will preside at the piano, Thomas on the violin, Ralph on the cornet while Charles will play the violin and furnish vocal music. The finish of the fixtures are of mission and golden oak. The musical program will be rendered from seven to ten this evening and no good will be sold after six o'clock." (Newsarticle from Con- Laura scrapbook is not identified by name or date.)

Con And Laura and 13 children, DuBoise, PA Holy Name Band in Front.

These musical events continued for many years at the store to celebrate the anniversary of the opening.
Click here for an article on the family band in 1916.

After retiring from his postmaster the Daily Express of DuBois (date unknown) notes "ALLEN TO GIVE ENTIRE TIME TO SHOE STORE - AFTER 18 YEARS PUBLIC SERVICE, RETIRING POSTMASTER PLANS TO BRANCH OUT IN PRIVATE BUSINESS "Cornelius Allen, who retired as postmaster of DuBois on Saturday took up control of his shoe business in this city, after serving the public in one capacity or another for nearly 18 years...With his retirement from the post office, Mr. Allen intends to retire also from politics...thereby refusing the urge of some friends that he become a candidate for congress or state senator ŒI feel that I owe something to myself and that I ought to devote my entire time to my business,' declared Mr. Allen. ŒI propose to put all my efforts behind it now and hope that in a short time I may see an opportunity to expand it or branch out.'" (newspaper article from Con-Laura scrapbook.) The family lore is that most of the children worked at the shoe store some time in their life. Oldest boy Tom was taken out of high school to work as a clerk and the school principal, a Mother Superior, marched into the store to demand that Tom return and finish his diploma. At one point Con wrote son Ed and requested that he return to DuBois to run the shoe store. Ed gave up a playing in the big band of Ace Brigode and a glamorous life style and returned to DuBois to comply. Elymra was the bookkeeper and most of the girls helped out when needed. Two of the wives of Bus and Jack helped out in the early 40s when things were busy. Helen Allen remembers Ed calling her and Kitty (Bus) during the holiday rush and asking them to come in and she would ask the neighborhood to baby sit the boys and run downtown to work. Helen remembers the backdoor of the store being called the "Allen Arcade." Apparently there was a large parking lot behind the store and instead of walking around the business district, everyone would come in the store backdoor and say "hi" and a short visit, maybe shop for shoes, and then go out to the business street via the front door. So everyone knew the Allen shoe store. After Con's third son Charlie married Emma Lou they opened another fine shoe store in DuBois. It was called The Charles Shoe Shop and was located on Brady Street near Hayes Drug Store. It also carried a fine assortment of the best shoes. There was third shoe store - Browns Boot Shop which was not owned by the Allens.

Everyone was attracted to the Con Allen store because they knew they were going to find a large, quality inventory and have friendly and expert service. There was always two clerks working with Ed and a much bigger staff for the sales and holidays. One clerk Bill Smith became an long-time fixture in the basement department. After the death of Cornelius Ed carried on the business of the Con-Allen shoe store and it stayed successful until Ed's health started to wan and he looked earnestly for one of the Allens of the next generation to take over but by that time everyone had just about departed DuBois. It was sold about 1975? More information is needed for the last years of the store and about the final sale.

Information compiled by Judy Wolfe Allen, Feb, 2000. More information and stories would be appreciated

THE CON ALLEN FAMILY HOME (1910 -1941) 415 WEST WEBER AVENUE, DUBOIS, PA

last update - 16 Jun 2000

In December of1909 Cornelius and Laura Baumgardner Allen moved their family of ten children from Clearfied, PA to DuBois,PA. when Cornelius's term as Sheriff of Clearfield County had ended. Con had planned for some time not to return to Houtzdale, PA but to settle in DuBois. He had already opened the Con Allen Shoe Store there in March of1907 and on October 15, 1909 Laura Allen bought a section of property on 415 West Weber, DuBois, for $1605.

The Allens first moved to a rental house on North Main Street to await the completion of their new house. Marie and Tom were high school students (ages 18, 17) and Leo was the newborn. Sometime in 1910 they moved into the lovely home at 415 West Weber Avenue. (The last two children would be born in this house the summer of 1912 and spring of 1915.) The house was located near the corner of Weber Avenue and State Street on a large lot and at one time had a tennis court. On May 14, 1913 Cornelius Allen bought another section of West Weber which gave the family a large back yard. Around the sides and front were maple trees that Grandpa Con white washed the trunks. Grandma Laura planted geraniums in the boxes along the front of the house. The Allen phone number was 708-R.

Their new abode was a large three storied red-brick Georgian house with a wrap around porch supported by thin Ionic columns. There was a hip roof with dormer windows on each side. The roof arrived at a point decorated by a rounded finial - the crown jewel of the house! or was it a lightening rod? The front door was glass and wood with two glass panels on each side. Large double hung windows were on all floors and on the sides two bay windows sunlit the first floor. The front porch was constantly used by the children for playing and sleeping in the summer. In his retirement years Grandpa Con had a rocking chair on the side of the house (on the porch extension facing downhill - it's gone now) where he would sit and rock in his straw hat. Summer and winter there was always a brush by the front door that Con used to check his hat and shoes. The photograph of the house was probably taken between 1911-1917 as the Holy Name Boys' Band is assembled out front.

Across the street was St. Catherine's Church and the entire family were faithful in attending mass every Sunday. Barbara Moulthrop Shepard remembers attending mass with her Grandpa Con every day of third grade. He would sit by the third sculpture of the Way of the Cross on the right side of the church except once a week he would sit on the left and then go to confession. Nancy Roller DePrisco remembers the minstrels that Grandpa Con produced in the basement of St. Catherine's. He always wore a white suit and was Mr. Interlockutor!

Jack and Helen Allen lived at the family home in the late 30's and this is how Helen Allen remembered the interior. In typical Georgian stye there was a large lovely central entrance hall. To the right there was a formal parlour unused except for parties or formal visitors. The furniture was a collection of brocade and velvet settees, Queen Anne style chairs and a large victrola. When Con Allen was "laid out" for his funeral in 1940 it was in this room. There was a funeral procession from the parlour, out the front door and the line stretched to the church. At the end of the parlour sliding wooden doors opened to the library. Today we would call the library the family room. It had a fire place where the family gathered every night on large davenports and massive chairs with floor lamps scattered about. Behind the davenport was a "picture window" that was clear on the bottom and stained glass panels on the top. The furniture was covered with a wonderful English chintz that Helen admired and she felt it was a most cozy, comfortable and inviting room. There was a large Philco radio where the Allens gathered to listen to Lowell Thomas, The Amos and Andy Show and the fights.

On the other side of the entrance hall was a music room with a piano used often as a place to practice and entertain. There was a large roll top desk used by Con Allen and along side a play desk for the children. At the end of the music room were sliding doors that led to the dining room. It had a very large banquet table with twelve matching chairs, sideboard and china cabinet. After Sunday supper the doors to the music room would be rolled back and the Allen family commenced an afternoon of family fun. Each member would be expected to entertain. Jack, the twelth child in the family, remembers well being placed in the middle of the table at a very young age being expected to sing, dance or tell a story, something that he continued to do the rest of his life! The Allen grandchildren carried on the tradition of entertaining each other during the many family gatherings and reunions. Barbara Moulthrop Shepard remembers Elmyra and Jean playing the piano and Aileen, Nancy and Barbara doing "their stuff." Barbara did "the butterfly" where she would hold out her skirt to the sides and place the right foot forward and bow, then the left, and then twirl around holding the dress out gracefully - of course.

There was a large kitchen in the back of the house with a small table for breakfast. No one ate at the same time and there was a steady parade of Allens. There was an enclosed outside staircase from the kitchen to the second floor so access to food was easy. Jack Sr. loved to tell the story about family member who arrived at the table early had whole milk and he who arrived later drank "blue" milk . It was your job to keep filling up the bottle with water. Everyone came home for lunch and dinner so you can imagine the hours that Grandma Laura spent preparing meals for thirteen children. During the depression days she also fixed a plate of food for the many "bums" who came to the back door. Grandma Laura was still cooking for six during her forty-ninth year of marriage!

Off the kitchen there was the sink pantry storage cabinets and on the other side was the Butlers pantry mainly used for food storage. All the doors were in perfect alignment and the lads had the job of rolling-in the groceries. From the back door they would form a fireman's line and pass or roll all the cans through the kitchen through the pantry and into the butler's pantry and onto the shelves. By the pantry were the stairs that led down to the laundry room in the basement. The walls were white-washed and there was an assortment of washing tools - what were they? Did they have a mangle (a machine that rolled and pressed the sheets and shirts?) The first electric washing machine was invented in 1910. Did the Allens have one when they moved to their new house? or? Also in the basement was Con's workshop. Anyone know what he did down there?

Nancy Roller DePrisco was born in the Weber Street house and left it for college in 1948. She describes the upstairs of the 1930-40's. If we go back to the central hall and move to the large sweeping staircase we find a powder room nestled under the stairs - quite progressive for those times! The stairs were of dark wood and highly polished and only used on special occasions. At the top of the stairs was a bureau with a large gold statue of Jesus with his arms outstretched and a brass filigree clock which never worked. (Nancy has the clock and it still doesn't tick! - except for the memories.) From the landing of the first set of stairs on the left we would find the bathroom, then Ida's small room filled with records for her victrola; guest room; and Grandma Laura's room. To the right were two bedrooms for Ed and Ralph and the room that Elymra and Nancy shared. There was a little nook with a front facing window between Elymra's and Grandma Laura's room.

The stairs to the third floor were plain wooden steps. When you arrived at the top to the right was a large long room used for storage. There were trunks full of dresses and costumes that were terrific for playing dress-up or putting on a homespun production. On the third floor landing Grandma Laura kept bushels of apples and pears till they were ready for canning. Nancy still remembers their fragrance. To the left of the landing were Con Allen's two rooms. One was a bedroom and the other his multi-purpose room. The furniture was mainly a desk and glass-front book cases which held the Catholic Encylopedia and other reference sets. There weren't any closets so his suits were hung on a metal pole. To hold the creases in the jacket sleeves he had a contraption of string and clothespins and an empty vaseline jars. (These hung from the bottom of the sleeve to keep the crease.) Con Allen was very meticulous about his clothes and shoes. Nancy said he always told her that you could always tell an Allen by their posture and shiny shoes. Nancy remembers her elderly grandfather spending a lot of time in those rooms and that he was still a handsome, larger-than-life man. Cornelius died in January 1940 and Laura and a few of her children and grandchild Nancy continued to live there until 1941. It was too large for a house for 70 year old Laura to keep up to her standards and so the remaining family moved just around the corner to 203 South State Street.

We would love to receive more stories and descriptions of the house and the family life so let them roll!

Contributers to the Allen Family Home story: Nancy Roller DePrisco, Helen Allen, Barbara Moulthop Shepard, Judy Allen Stoufer. Many thanks for Art Allen's research into DuBois Property Resgistration and for making copies of the deeds. Description of the exterior of the house: Judy Wolfe Allen.

Compilers: Judy & Jack Allen jwolfe2000@aol.com

Reunion: Leo, Ralph, Ed, Charles McDermott, Jack (in back), Bus Allen In front: Jackie, tommie, Freddie, Bobbie, Billie Allen