Benjamin Allen (1830 – December 23, 1912) was a Canadian politician and retail

merchant A merchant is a person who trades in commodities produced by other people, especially one who trades with foreign countries. Historically, a merchant is anyone who is involved in business or trade. Merchants have operated for as long as indust ...

. Born in Sligo, Ireland, the son of William Allen who was of English descent, Allen first came to Canada in 1850. He went to

Australia Australia, officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a Sovereign state, sovereign country comprising the mainland of the Australia (continent), Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous List of islands of Australia, sma ...

in 1852, returning to Canada West in 1856, and settled in Owen Sound. In 1857, he married May Cruthers. Allen served as a member of the town council for Owen Sound and was license commissioner from 1876 to 1882.''The Canadian parliamentary companion, 1885'', AJ Gemmill
/ref> He was elected in

1882 Events January–March * January 2 ** The Standard Oil Trust is secretly created in the United States to control multiple corporations set up by John D. Rockefeller and his associates. ** Irish-born author Oscar Wilde arrives in ...

to the

House of Commons of Canada The House of Commons of Canada (french: Chambre des communes du Canada) is the lower house of the Parliament of Canada. Together with the Crown and the Senate of Canada, they comprise the bicameral legislature of Canada. The House of Common ...

as a member of the Liberal Party representing the riding of

Grey North Grey North was a federal electoral district represented in the House of Commons of Canada from 1867 to 1968. It was located in the province of Ontario. It was created by the British North America Act of 1867, which divided the County of Grey i ...

References

1830 births 1912 deaths Irish emigrants to Canada Liberal Party of Canada MPs Province of Canada people Members of the House of Commons of Canada from Ontario Politicians from County Sligo {{Liberal-Ontario-MP-stub