Bio: Allen, William N. (1881)

Surnames: Allen

----Source: The History of Northern Wisconsin, Marathon County, Wis. (1881) page 556

WILLIAM N. ALLEN, County Surveyor, Marathon County. Residence, Wausau. First settled with his parents at Manitowoc Rapids, in the Fall of 1856. His parents still reside there. He lived there about seven years, then went to Marquette, Mich., arriving there in the Spring of 1863. He engaged in helping surveyors, and gained a knowledge of the business. He remained until 1866, when he went to Stevens Point, also Grand Rapids, and was back and forth, and followed a raftsman's life until 1871, when he came to Wausau. He has followed the life of woodsman and surveyor since. He is sometimes known as the Shanty Boy Poet, and has the title of Red Squirrel among the Indians. He prides himself as being the homeliest man in Wisconsin. He has seen as much of pioneer life as perhaps any person in the Northwest. Some of his productions of poetry are claimed to have received flattering notices by the press, such as "Big Pine Tree," etc. He was born in St. Stephens, N.B., Dec. 20, 1843.