Allen family papers
Scope and Content
This collection contains newspaper clippings, correspondence, awards and ceremony programs, and scrapbooks collected by the Allen family. The bulk of the collection pertains to Ivan Allen, Sr. and Ivan Allen, Jr.'s business, civic, and political affairs. Ivan Allen, Sr.'s state senate campaign and election, and Ivan Allen, Jr.'s mayoral campaign and election, and both father and son's work with various charities and civic minded associations are included. Of note are the numerous scrapbooks documenting Allen family accomplishments and the awards and certificates presented to Ivan Allen, Sr. and Ivan Allen, Jr. for leadership and service. The newspaper clippings and scrapbooks document political issues associated with both Ivan Allen, Sr.'s state senatorial election and service, as well as Ivan Allen, Jr.'s mayoral campaign, election and run-off, and service as mayor of Atlanta. Other newspaper articles address the management of the Ivan Allen Company and the family's decision to sell the business in the 1990s, as well as Louise Richardson Allen's involvement in community and horticultural associations. There are also several newspaper articles reporting the suicide of Ivan Allen, III, Ivan and Louise's oldest son.
Dates
- 1899-2004, undated
Creator
- Allen family (Family)
Conditions Governing Access
This collection is open for research.
Conditions Governing Reproduction and Use
Unpublished manuscripts are protected by copyright. All requests to publish, quote, or reproduce must be submitted through the Kenan Research Center.
Administrative/Biographical History
The Georgia roots of the Allen family began shortly after the Civil War when Daniel "Earnest" Allen (1847-1879) of Greene County, Tennessee, moved to Dalton, Georgia, to work in a dry goods business. In 1870 he married Susie Harris (1859-1936) of Dalton and in 1876 they had a son, Isaac. After Earnest's death, Susie renamed their son Ivan Earnest Allen. Ivan Allen (1876-1968) was a businessman and civic booster who moved to Atlanta in 1895 and co-founded his office supply company with entrepreneur James Fielder in 1900. The company changed owners in 1919 and became the Ivan Allen-Marshall Company, and later the Ivan Allen Company. He and his wife Irene Beaumont (1890-1972) gave birth to a son, Ivan in 1911. Ivan Allen, Jr. (1911-2003) served as president of the Ivan Allen Company and also as mayor of Atlanta from 1962-1970. Allen is credited with leading Atlanta through an era of significant economic growth while maintaining relative calm during the civil rights movement. Allen married Louise Richardson (1917-2008), the granddaughter of Atlanta businessman Hugh T. Inman (1846-1910) in 1936. Louise was very active in various Atlanta community organizations such as Junior League of Atlanta and Mimosa Garden Club, and was instrumental in saving the Swan House, an Atlanta landmark. Ivan and Louise Allen had three sons: Ivan III (1939-1992), Hugh Inman (1941-), and Beaumont (1951-)
Extent
10.62 linear ft. (2 document cases & 7 oversize boxes)
Language
English
System of Arrangement
This collection is organized alphabetically according to titles supplied by staff.
Immediate Source of Acquisition
Gift, 2007
Description Control
Collection processed in 2012.
- Aldredge, Jim
- Ali, Muhammad, 1942-2016
- Allen family
- Allen, Beaumont, 1951-2014
- Allen, Inman (Hugh Inman)
- Allen, Irene Beaumont, 1890-1972
- Allen, Ivan, 1877-1968
- Allen, Ivan, 1911-2003
- Allen, Ivan, III, 1938-1992
- Allen, Louise Richardson, 1917-2008
- Arnall, Ellis Gibbs, 1907-1992
- Associated Charities (Atlanta, Ga.)
- Atlanta (Ga.) -- Politics and government
- Atlanta Braves (Baseball team)
- Atlanta Chamber of Commerce
- Atlanta Community Chest
- Atlanta-Fulton County Stadium (Atlanta, Ga.)
- Boy Scouts of America . National Council
- Brown, Charlie, 1902-1995
- Business enterprises -- Georgia -- Atlanta
- Carter, Jimmy, 1924-
- Civic leaders -- Georgia -- Atlanta
- Civil rights movements -- Georgia -- Atlanta -- History -- 20th century
- Community development -- Georgia -- Atlanta
- Dalton (Ga.)
- Economic development -- Georgia -- Atlanta
- Eisenhower, Dwight D. (Dwight David), 1890-1969
- Elections -- Georgia -- Atlanta
- Fielder and Allen (Atlanta, Ga.)
- Forward Atlanta Commission
- Fund raising -- Georgia -- Atlanta
- Georgia Institute of Technology
- Georgia State Capitol (Atlanta, Ga.)
- Hartsfield, William Berry
- International Association of Rotary Clubs
- Ivan Allen-Marshall Company (Atlanta, Ga.)
- Jackson, Maynard, 1938-2003
- King, Coretta Scott, 1927-2006
- King, Martin Luther, Jr., 1929-1968
- Maddox, Lester, 1915-2003
- National Stationery and Office Equipment Association (U.S.)
- Nixon, Richard M. (Richard Milhous), 1913-1994
- Political campaigns -- Georgia
- Rivers, Eurith Dickinson, 1895-1967
- Roosevelt, Franklin D. (Franklin Delano), 1882-1945
- Rotary Club (Atlanta, Ga.)
- Sanders, Carl, 1925-2014
- Smith, M. M. (Muggsy)
- Southeastern Fair (Atlanta, Ga.)
- Talmadge, Herman E. (Herman Eugene), 1913-2002
- Wayne, John
- World War, 1914-1918
- World War, 1939-1945
- Young, Andrew, 1932-
- Title
- Allen family papers
- Author
- Paul Crater
- Description rules
- Describing Archives: A Content Standard
- Language of description
- English
- Script of description
- Latin
- Language of description note
- Finding aid is written in English.
Repository Details
Part of the Kenan Research Center at Atlanta History Center Repository