In May of 1842, 23-year-old Lucius Ranney writes to his older brother Henry of his arrival in Allen Michigan, after a 10 day journey from Phelps. He announces he has bought a quarter section (160 acres) of prime farmland for $148 cash and his wagon and team of horses. Lucius describes the property, listing the distances to neighbors and nearby towns, inventorying the trees and water on the parcel, and noting that the railroad will run only six miles from the property later in the year.
Today's Allen: "Allen is a village in Hillsdale County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 201 at the 2020 census.
The village is within Allen Township at the junction of U.S. Route 12 and M-49. With a total land area of only 0.174 square miles (0.451 km2), Allen is the fourth smallest village by land area in the state of Michigan and the fifth smallest municipality overall after Ahmeek, Copper City, Novi Township, and Eagle.
History
The community was first settled by War of 1812 veteran Captain Moses Allen and his family in 1827. A post office under the name Sylvanus opened on July 13, 1830" [Allen, Michigan - Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Allen,_Michigan)
Today's Allen: "Allen is a village in Hillsdale County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 201 at the 2020 census.
The village is within Allen Township at the junction of U.S. Route 12 and M-49. With a total land area of only 0.174 square miles (0.451 km2), Allen is the fourth smallest village by land area in the state of Michigan and the fifth smallest municipality overall after Ahmeek, Copper City, Novi Township, and Eagle.
History
The community was first settled by War of 1812 veteran Captain Moses Allen and his family in 1827. A post office under the name Sylvanus opened on July 13, 1830" [Allen, Michigan - Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Allen,_Michigan)