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William Charles Allen Collected Papers

 Collection
Identifier: SCPC-CDG-A-Allen, William Charles

Overview

William C. Allen was born in 1857 in Chester County, Pennsylvania. He was a member of the Society of Friends. Allen was deeply opposed to war and wrote often about the problems of propaganda, censorship, conscription, imperialism, and the munitions industry. He traveled widely and wrote many articles about his experiences abroad.

Dates

  • 1895-1937
  • Majority of material found within 1913-1937

Creator

Language of Materials

Materials in English.

Limitations on Accessing the Collection

None

Copyright and Rights Information

None

Biographical

William C. Allen was born on March 9, 1857 on the premises of the Westtown School, Chester County, Pennsylvania. He was a member of the Philadelphia Yearly Meeting (4th and Arch Streets) of the Society of Friends, and was recorded as a Minister there in 1898 (circa). He lived for many years in San Jose, California, and later moved to Denver, Colorado in 1925 (circa). He was married in 1883 to Elizabeth C. Bromly. They had one surviving daughter, Grace Allen Bell.

Allen was deeply opposed to war and wrote often about the problems of propaganda, censorship, conscription, imperialism, and the munitions industry. He contributed articles on the Christian's attitude toward war and its causes to over twenty church papers. Allen traveled widely, going twice to Asia, four times to Australia and New Zealand, and three times to South Africa. He wrote many articles about his experiences abroad; perhaps most significant were the ones which championed the rights of native peoples in South Africa. Allen worked against conscription in California, he was a strong advocate for the temperance movement, and he was actively interested in the Federal Council of Churches, to name a few involvements. He established the Peace Committee of the Churches of the Pacific Coast.

Allen wrote several books, among them A Quaker in the Orient and War! Behind the Smoke Screen. These are available in the tri-college consortium.

Allen died on November 14, 1938.

Extent

0.88 Linear Feet (10.5 linear in.)

Other Finding Aids

For the catalog record for this collection, and to find materials on similar topics, search the library's online catalog.

Custodial History

The Swarthmore College Peace Collection is not the official repository for the papers of this individual.

Immediate Source of Acquisition

Gift of William C. Biddle.

Legal Status

Copyright is retained by the authors of items in these papers, or their descendents, as stipulated by United States copyright law.

Processing Information

Processed by Anne M. Yoder, December 1997.

Description rules
Describing Archives: A Content Standard
Language of description
English
Script of description
Latin

Find It at the Library

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