Charles Herbert Allen

Charles Allen was born on April 15, 1848 and died on April 20, 1934. Charles Allen was an American politician and businessman. He served in state and federal elected positions and was the first United States –appointed Governor of Puerto Rico after the Spanish American War. He served as Assistant Secretary of the Navy under President William McKinley. He formed the American Sugar Refining Company – a sugar syndicate which by 1907 was the largest in the world. It owned or controlled 98% of the sugar processing capacity in the US and was known as the Sugar Trust. The company is currently known as Domino Sugar. Mr. Allen was also an accomplished artist.  The Whistler House Museum of Art in Lowell has many of his paintings on exhibition. Today, his family home serves as offices for the University of Massachusetts Lowell.