The Biographical Dictionary of America/Allen, William Francis

ALLEN, William Francis, educator, was born at Northborough, Mass., Sept. 5, 1830. He was graduated at Harvard in 1851. He was a private tutor in New York city, 1851-'54, studied in Europe, 1854-'55, interesting himself in historical and antiquarian subjects, and taught in a private school in West Newton, Mass., 1855-'63 In 1863 he entered the employ of the Freedmen's and Sanitary commissions, and collected material for a book, "Slave Songs," published in 1867. After the war he taught a year each at Antioch college, Ohio, and at Perth Amboy, N.J. He was professor of ancient languages and history, 1867-'70, professor of Latin and history, 1870-'76, and professor of history, 1876-'81, in the University of Wisconsin. He wrote the annals of "Tacitus" and a "Short History of the Roman People." He died at Madison, Wis., Dec. 9, 1889.