The Allen Family

Lem S. Allen discusses his memories of his grandfather, Lemuel Allen. (3 minutes)

ARDEN: Do you remember your father’s parents? Your grandparents, the Allens?

ALLEN: Yes.

ARDEN: You knew them. Can you tell me a little bit about your grandpa Allen? Do you remember him?

ALLEN: Yes.

ARDEN: What can you tell me about him?

ALLEN: He was quite active in politics. He was a Democrat and was in the legislature a number of times.

ARDEN: Did he talk to you about his early days here? Did you have some chats together? Did he tell you stories?

ALLEN: Yes. He told about when they were coming in and crossing a river up here and they had to pay to get across. He didn’t have the money and offered them some groceries that he had in place of it. They weren’t going to accept it, but he got out his whip and went across (laughing) 

ARDEN: (laughing) He threatened them and he got across there.

ARDEN: We’ll talk about your father now, okay? What was your father’s full name? Do you remember?

ALLEN: Lemuel Lidey Allen

ARDEN: And do you know where he was born? Was he born here in this area?

ALLEN: He was born here in Fallon on the old Allen Ranch out in the St. Clair district.

ARDEN: And, um, ah, I want to stay with your father for a while, and from your earliest memories, because we want what you remember - we can get a lot of things in books - when you were old enough to remember your life on the ranch with your mom and dad, what were your earliest memories? Yes, you had started to tell me about that.

ALLEN: Well, my dad had bought a piece of the old Grandpa’s ranch over in the St. Clair District and build a house on it, and that’s where I was born.