French, Allen, 1870-1946

Allen French (1870-1946), Concord (Mass.) author, historian, and antiquarian, was Chairman of the Concord Free Public Library Committee and President of the Concord Antiquarian Society in 1933-1934. Library expansion / renovation at that time drew his attention to the question of transferring the Adams Tolman Collection of Native American artifacts, deposited in the Library in 1921 by Mrs. Adams Tolman, to the Concord Antiquarian Society. (Tolman, 1862-1920, had been an antiquarian, historian, artifact collector, amateur botanist and entomologist, and a Secretary of the Antiquarian Society).

(Cont.) French correspondent Percy Whiting Brown (1887-1958; born in Concord; moved to Cleveland, Ohio, in the 1920's) had been President of the Concord Antiquarian Society from 1920 to 1924 and remained involved with the Society after moving from Concord. He was instrumental in the Society's acquisition of William Barrett's collection of Native American artifacts. French and Brown agreed that the Tolman Collection should be transferred to the Society. The Tolman Collection finally went to the Concord Museum (later name of the Concord Antiquarian Society) in 1990.

(Cont.) French correspondent and Concordian Benjamin Lincoln Smith (1900-1981) was an authority on Native Americans and Native American artifacts and a charter member (1929), Vice President, and President of the Massachusetts Archaeological Society.

From the description of Allen French papers relating to the proposed transfer of the Adams Tolman Collection of Native American artifacts from the Concord (Mass.) Free Public Library to the Concord Antiquarian Society, 1933 June 7-1934 Nov. 4. (Concord Public Library). WorldCat record id: 36807870