Acton Memorial Library
Civil War Archives

Abram Allen, 73 years old, and a veteran of the Civil war, was found dead Wednesday afternoon, at 3:15, by Officer John Connors and Chief of Police William Jones, his body lying in a five-foot dry well in the rear of the old paper mill chimney. When taken out it was found that the unfortunate man had sustained a broken neck by his fall. Officer Connors had seen Mr. Allen resting on a pile of logs at the corner an hour or two before finding the body, he being in company of Mr. Murphy, Hillside Street, at the time. Returning later the policeman noticed a hat on the brink of the old well and fearing something might have happened made an examination with the above mentioned result.
   The body was taken from the well and Dr. Goodenow examined it, finding the aged man dead. Later Dr. McGrath of Hudson, assistant medical examiner, viewed the remains and said that Mr. Allen had a taken a paralytic shock while standing near the well and had pitched forward, breaking his neck by the fall. Mr. Allen had not been in good health for a long time and was subject to dizzy spells.
   He was born in England and had resided in this town for over thirty years, working for a long time as a spinner in the mill. He enlisted in the 30th Massachusetts regiment at Lowell when the war broke out and served nearly five years, fighting throughout the war and being engaged in nearly all the principal battles of the Rebellion. He is survived by three children, John, who is in California; Abram, and Mrs. Mary Chalmers.

The funeral of Abram Allen, who met death through an accident Wednesday afternoon, took place Friday morning and was attended by a large number of friends, including a delegation from Isaac Davis post, G. A. R., of which Mr. Allen had long been a member. The burial took place in St. Bridget's cemetery.
   The exact circumstances of Mr. Allen's death are unknown, he having been found dead at the bottom of a dry well near the old paper mill site by Officers Connors and Jones about 3.15 Wednesday afternoon. He was lying on the bottom of the well with his head doubled under him, his neck being broken by the fall. Medical Examiner McGrath of Hudson responded to a call and stated that death was due to a broken neck, a contributory cause being an attack of apoplexy, which had no doubt caused Mr. Allen to fall into the well. This is borne out by the fact that for years he has been a sufferer from dizzy spells and other signs of apoplexy,
   Mr. Allen was 74 years of age and was born in England. He came to this country, when but a young man and followed mill work most of his life. At the outbreak of the Civil war he was employed in Lowell and immediately registered in the 30th Mass. Regt. On the expiration of his term he re-enlisted and in all served five years from 1861 to 1866, having a splendid record. After the war he came to this vicinity and had spent the time since between this town and Gleasondale, most of it in this town. He was generally respected in this town and his untimely death is a matter of general regret. He is survived by two sons and a daughter.¹