FLORENCE M. (DOWNING) ALLEN

Born in Dubois, Pennsylvania on March 28, 1886 to William J. and Mary A. Downing. Lived at 501 Brady Street, in Dubois. After her mother died she moved in with Fanny McConahy and her mother, Sarah. She worked in Fanny's hat shop. Florence made hats, a milliner. Peter Allen owned a Model T repair shop on Brady St in Dubois. Florence married Peter Allen in Dubois, PA on Feburary 3, 1915. The first son James was born and they moved to Buffalo, New York. They first moved to 343 Prospect Ave. She had 3 more sons. The then moved to 45 Harriet St. It was 1944 Peter and Florence move to Cherry St above the shop.

The Scarlet Fever Story Recorded by granddaughter Kristine Gazzo and remembered by son Bill

Do you remember the scarlet Fever quarantine story -- how Grandma got rid of Pop's friend from DuBois who was a moocher and drank like a fish? Well, the story is true, but there's more to it. Billy, in third grade, was taking an exam. He had ecxema on his hands at the time and they were red and cracked. The teacher came by, watching him write, and demanded to see his hands. She marched him to the Principal's office, saying, "Contact the Health Dept. This child has scarlet fever." Billy said he wasn't sick, the teacher insisted he had s.f., Billy got mad and kicked the teacher and said, "You're CRAZY. You're nuts!" And promptly got expelled. By the time he got home, the quarantine sign was already on the door. They were stuck - for a month. Joe and Fran came home, so they were stuck inside too. Jim ended up staying at a neighbor's house, so he had to do all three paper routes by himself. Now here's the good part, that Dad remembered. Florence realized that this was her chance to get rid of the bum (Paul was his name). She put the 3 boys in pj's and had them lie around the living room, moaning, when PH came in for supper, after his usual day at the bar. She greeted him at the door, said he was just in time for supper -- and by the way, he'd be here a month, because they were quarantined. The drunken gentleman flipped out (since he knew Mrs. Allen allowed no liquor in her home). Pop helped him escape that night out the back door, through the back yard, and Pop hoisted him through the back window of the garage and over the fence. He never came back.