Edwin Alvin Allen was born on December 9, 1865 in Log City, north of Galesburg, Illinois in Knox County and would be a lifelong resident of Knox County. Edwin was the son of Sheldon O. Allen and Zeporah (Edwards) Allen. At the time of the 1880 census, the Allen family is found in Henderson Township, Knox County, Illinois;
S O Allen Self M 42 Illinois
Zipporah Allen Wife F 36 Illinois
Dora F Allen Daughter F 17 Illinois
Edward A Allen Son M 13 Illinois
George S Allen Son M 9 Illinois
Laura M Allen Daughter F 3 Illinois

Edwin Alvin Allen was married to Desdemona S. Burkhalter on December 27, 1894 in Knox County, Illinois. Desdemona was born on August __, 1866 in or near Maquon, Knox County, Illinois, the daughter of James Louis Burkhalter and Martha E. Adle.

The children born to Edwin and Desdemona include;
1. James Burkhalter Allen, born February 22, 1896 in Illinois. James served as a Sergeant in the 58th Field Artillery Battalion during World War I. James B. Allen was married to Betty "Grandma Jim"Underwood, who was born on Nov. 7, 1904.
James and Betty were the parents of;
A. Martin Edwin Allen, born July 12, 1921 in Illinois. Martin Edwin Allen served as a Private in the United States Army during World War II. Martin E. Allen died on April 3, 1984 and his mortal remains were laid in Linwood Cemetery in Galesburg, Knox County, Illinois. See his Find A Grave Memorial# 136551345.

At the time of the 1940 census, James and his family are found in Knox Township, Knox County, Illinois;
James B Allen Head M 43 Illinois
Betty V Allen Wife F 36 Illinois
Martin E Allen Son M 18 Illinois
Edwin A Allen Father M 73 Illinois

Sgt. James Burkhalter Allen died on January 5, 1973 and his mortal remains were laid in Linwood Cemetery in Galesburg, Knox County, Illinois. See his Find A Grave Memorial# 136551286.

2. Desdemona Burkhalter Allen, born June 14, 1901 in Illinois. Desdemona was married to Walter Albert Miller on ______________ __, 19__. Two children were born to Desdemona and Walter;
A. John A Miller, born c. 1926/27 in Illinois.

B. Martha Ann Miller, born c. 1929/30 in Illinois.

At the time of the 1930 census, Dedemona and her family reside on Webb Street in Calumet, Cook County, Illinois;
Walter A Miller Head M 27 Illinois
Desdemona A Miller Wife F 28 Illinois
John A Miller Son M 3 Illinois
Martha Ann Miller Daughter F 0 Illinois

Desdemona Burkhalter (Allen) Miller died on March 25, 1951. Her mortal remains were laid in the _________________ Cemetery in ____________, ____________.

3. Deane Edwin Allen, born February 28, 1906 in Illinois. Deane died on February 21, 1918, just a week short of his 12th birthday, on a ruptured appendix. His mortal remains were laid in the Linwood Cemetery in Galesburg, Knox County, Illinois. See his Find A Grave Memorial #178508708.

Note: Both James B. Allen & Desdemona B. Allen had Burkhalter (their mother’s maiden name) as their middle names, to honor their Grandfather Capt. James Louis Burkhalter.

At the time of the 1900 census, the Allens are found residing with Desdemona's father, James L. Burkahalter, in Galesburg Township Galesburg city Ward 5, Knox County, Illinois;
James L Burkhalter Head M Apr 1835 65 Pennsylvania
Edwin A Allen Son-in-law M Dec 1856 44 Illinois
Dessie B Allen Daughter F Aug 1866 34 Illinois
James L Allen Godson M Feb 1896 4 Illinois
Alvin C Burkhalter Son M Jun 1878 22 Illinois
Alice Burkhalter Daughter-in-law F Sep 1882 18 Illinois
Anna E Burkhalter Sister F Jun 1855 45 Pennsylvania

At the time of the 1910 census, the Allens are found in what is called Ward 5 of the city of Galesburg, Knox County, Illinois;
Edwin Allen Head M 43 Illinois
Dedemonia Allen Wife F 43 Illinois
James Allen Son M 14 Illinois
Desdemona Allen Daughter F 8 Illinois
Deane E Allen Son M 4 Illinois
Gertrude Berkhalter Niece F 18 Illinois

At the time of the 1920 census, the Allens are found in Galesburg Ward 6, Knox County, Illinois;
Edwin A Allen Head M 53 Illinois
Dessie B Allen Wife F 53 Illinois
Desdemona B Allen Daughter F 18 Illinois
Henry L Burkhalter Brother-in-law M 58 Illinois

At the time of the 1930 census, the Allens are found in Galesburg, Knox County, Illinois;
Edwin Allen Head M 63 Illinois
Desdemona Allen Wife F 63 Illinois
James Allen Son M 34 Illinois
Betty Allen Daughter-in-law F 27 Illinois
Martin Allen Grandson M 8 Illinois

At the time of the 1940 census, it appears that Desdemona and Edwin do not live together and may be seperated. Desdemona Allen, who is 73 at this time, resides at 522 W. Academy Street in Ward 6 of the city of Galesburg, Galesburg Township, Knox County, Illinois and is actually listed as widowed, which is not correct. She may be divorced or seperated, but not widowed. She is listed as Head of Household.

At the time of the 1940 census, Edwin A. Allen is found in Knox Township, Knox County, Illinoisliving with his son, James B. Allen, who was the census taker. The family is listed as Fruit Growers, having an Apple orchard;
James B Allen Head M 43 Illinois
Betty V Allen Wife F 36 Illinois
Martin E Allen Son M 18 Illinois
Edwin A Allen Father M 73 Illinois

Desdemona S. (Burkhalter) Allen died on December 24, 1942 in Galesburg, Knox County, Illinois and her mortal remains were laid in the Linwood Cemetery in Galesburg, Knox County, Illinois.
Edwin Alvin Allen died on October 2, 1958 in Knoxville, Knox County, Illinois. The following obituary came from the Friday, October 3, 1958 edition of the Galesburg Register and was contributed by Edwin Alvin Allen's great granddaughter, Micky (Miller) Dawson.

"Edwin Allen, 92, Installer of First Lighting System, Dies.

Edwin A. Allen, 92, of 522 N. Academy St., a former electrician and electrical contractor, who installed the first street electric lighting system in Galesburg, died Thursday at 12:30 pm at the Good Samaritan Home, Knoxville. He had been ill eight weeks. The system which Allen installed to inaugurate street lighting by electricity was located in the center of the Public Square. It consisted of a tall pole, to which five arc lights were attached. Electricity for the lights was provided by a generator, placed near Central Church. The generator was acquired from George Westinghouse, with whom Allen had worked on the lighting system for the Columbian Exposition in 1892 at Chicago. Following the exposition, Westinghouse founded the present Westinghouse Electric Co.

Recall Street Cars...
Allen also installed the first motors on streetcars in Galesburg, when just prior to 1900, horse drawn-cars were converted into cars operated by electricity. He also was the electrical contractor on the former post office building at Simmons and Cherry streets, Central Church, and Public Library when it was constructed a half century ago. When he retied from his own business, Allen became a salesman for various electrical and technical firms. He was born Dec. 9, 1865 in Log City, north of Galesburg in Knox County, and was a lifelong resident of this community. He attended Knox College for three years, starting in 1886 and was a member of the 50-Year Club. He was married Dec. 27, 1894 in Galesburg to Desdemona Burkhalter. He was a member of the Knox County Home Workshop Club.

Survivors are a son, James B. Allen, president of the Galesburg Building Trades Council; four grandchildren and nine great grandchildren.

Funeral services will be conducted Saturday at 2 p.m. in the First and Puckett Funeral Home and burial will be in Linwood Cemetery. Friends may call this evening at the funeral home. The Rev. Kermit W. Petersen, pastor of first Presbyterian Church, officiated and organ music was by Mrs. Michael Gravino. Pallbearers were Martin Allen, James Miller, John Miller, and George Dietrick."

Edwin's grave may be unmarked as it is recorded in the Linwood Cemetery records that Edwin's grave is in Block 0,Lot 0, which we believe means that they do not know where he is buried.