The Biographical Dictionary of America/Allen, Charles (jurist)

ALLEN, Charles, jurist, was born in Greenfield, Mass., April 17, 1827; son of Sylvester and Harriet (Ripley) Allen. He was graduated at Harvard in 1847, studied law, and was admitted to the bar in 1850. He practised in Greenfield, and Boston, Mass., 1850-'82; was reporter of decisions of the supreme court, 1861-'67; attorney-general of the state, 1867-'72; chairman of commissioners to revise the general statutes of the state, 1880-'81, and judge of the supreme court, 1882-'98. He received the degree of LL.D. from Harvard in 1892. He published, "Allen's Reports" (14 vols., 1861-67); "Telegraph Cases," "Notes on the Bacon-Shakespeare Question" (1900).