Allen E. Herr was born in Lancaster county, Pennsylvania, on May 17, 1870, 
     a descendant of the Reverend Hans Herr, born in 1639 near Zurich, Switzerland,
     coming to Lancaster in 1709. There the Herrs built a large stone dwelling in
     1719, which has been restored and is a visitor's center today.
       Allen's parents, Abraham Reider Herr and Elizabeth Ann Shenk, with their
     five children - Allen Ethan, Abraham Lincoln, Uriah Clayton, John Nevin, and
     Ada May - came to New Kiowa by train on March 12, 1886, setting on a half-
     section of land two miles west of Kiowa. Alen's father died within three
     months on June 16, 1886. Allen was forced at 16 to assume the responsibility
     of the farm. In June, 1887, his mother married Henry Sommer. They had two
     children, Lyman and Mabel (Hood).
       At 18 Allen attended Teachers Institute, took the teacher's examination,
     and taught school 12 miles south of Kiowa. The six month school paid $25 a
     month. Room and Board cost $2 a week - if he went home from Friday night to
     Sunday night. At the end of his country school term in March, he attended
     high school in Kiowa for the remainder of the Kiowa school term. The next
     term he taught eight miles southwest of Medicine Lodge and was paid $35 a
     month. He later served one and a half years as court stenographer in Barber
     County.
       Allen took a claim in the Cherokee Strip in September, 1893. Since his
     stepfather had died in August, 1893, he again managed his mother's place
     west of Kiowa, as well as his own claim.
       On January 16, 1894, Allen married Laura Melvina Taylor at her home seven
     miles southeast of Medicine Lodge. They lived on the Oklahoma claim. Allen
     was active in politics in Oklahoma and served as secretary to Harry Landis,
     an Oklhaoma State Senator.
       Allen and Laura had five children: Georgie Clayton, born 2-5-1895, died
     1900; Ethan Allen, born 11-20-1896; Susan Grace, born 10-29-1898; Mabel May,
     born 1-30-1901; died 8-15-1977; Francis Floyd, born 4-7-1903, died 1-17-1975.
       On November 2, 1904, Laura died of tuberculosis. Allen was left with four
     little children. He never forgot Laura. He said on the day he died, "Now maybe
     I will see Laura."
       Soon after Laura's death, Allen sold his claim in Oklahoma, buying a ranch
     northwest of Medicine Lodge. He also worked at a feed and grain elevator in 
     town. The grandparents Taylor helped to care for the children. They attended
     the Medicine Lodge schools and the Methodist church. All four became Kansas
     State graduates.
       Allen joined IOOF in 1901 in Oklahoma and later transferred membership to
     Medicine Lodge. He was a faithful lodge member, holding many high IOOF local,
     state, and national offices. He took seriously his duties. He aided many
     people in times of trouble and sickness.
       Allen was chairman of the county Democratic Central Committee for 25 years.
     He was a census taker, forman of a WPA project, and assessor. At 70 he took
     the federal census; at 74 he served as janitor of the grade school, and later
     became janitor of the Methodist church.
       Allen died on April 29, 1959, at 88 and is buried in Kiowa.
                 
     Source:Chosen Land - Barber County, Kansas,  pg. 225 
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