Bio-Sawyers
SURNAMES: ABLES, JEFFREYS,
Prominent among the successful business men of Palo Alto, whose
integrity and progressive methods have highly commended themselves to
their fellow-citizens, and so provided for them a loyal, patronizing
public, is William Benjamin Allen, a native son of Santa Clara County,
who was born in San Jose in 1878. He is a son of Mr. and Mrs. Benjamin
Graves Allen, well-known pioneers, Mr. Allen having come to San Jose
from New York State in 1856 and spending the greater part of his life
in this vicinity. In 1871 he married Harriet Ables, whose family was
prominent in the Berryessa District. William B. Allen was educated in
the public schools of San Luis Obispo County, and when sixteen years
old started working in a hardware store, and has continued in that
important field ever since. Pushing out into the world, he sailed for
the Hawaiian Islands, where he remained for five years. At San Jose, on
June 26, 1901, Mr. Allen married Miss Winifred Jeffreys, a native
daughter. They have two children, Lloyd Jeffreys, born in Honolulu, May
26, 1902, and Edyth Winifred, born in Palo Alto, January 9, 1906.
In 1903, Mr. Allen returned to California and pitched his tent in Palo
Alto. Here he established the Palo Alto Hardware Company, which is
among the enterprises most worthy of mention in the community. It is
located in the Nevada Building, at a corner of University avenue and
Bryant street, and occupies the entire ground floor and basement. The
purchase of this building and the maintenance of high-grade stock are
the substantial evidences of the faith the Palo Alto Hardware Company
has in the permanent growth of this renowned academic center. The Palo
Alto Hardware Company was incorporated at the same time it was
established, and for the past nineteen years has occupied a leading
place among the mercantile establishments of Palo Alto. It has been
under the active management of W. B. Allen, its president and manager,
who had associated with him, his father, B. G. Allen, as secretary and
treasurer, until the latter's death in January 1919. At all times the
company has had an efficient staff of assistants, which has enabled it
to maintain a high standard of service, much appreciated by this
community of representative people.