Former county commissioner Allen dies at 69

Feb. 14—C. Sherman Allen, a former two-term Crawford County commissioner, is being remembered for his passion and caring of causes in which he believed.

A farmer, auctioneer and small businessman, Allen, 69, passed away Monday night at his Sadsbury Township home.

He first was elected to a four-year term as county commissioner in 2007 and was reelected in 2011.

Allen also was a well-known member of the agricultural community — locally and at the state level.

He was a long-time member of the Crawford County Fair Board and had served as chairman of the fair's open and 4-H swine departments for many years. He had served on the Pennsylvania State Fair Association Board and was active with numerous agricultural organizations.

Allen also made time to volunteer in various capacities — whether as an auctioneer helping civic and nonprofit organizations or as a member of various groups.

His commissioner campaigns emphasized caring as well as doing "what is best and what is right for the county residents" — themes that were prevalent in anything in which Allen became involved, according to those who knew him.

"He had a love for people and he was concerned for Crawford County," said Francis Weiderspahn Jr., who just retired as a county commissioner at the end of 2023. Weiderspahn served with Allen as a commissioner from 2012 through 2015.

"There's no question Sherman genuinely cared and people knew it," Weiderspahn said. "That's quite a legacy."

Jack Preston, another retired county commissioner, served with Allen during Allen's first term in office from 2008 through 2011.

"He was a very caring person — and he wanted to do for people what he thought was right," Preston said.

Susan Tau, who retired from the Crawford County Agricultural Extension Service and had served as recording secretary for the Crawford County Fair Board, said Allen was passionate about agriculture.

Allen was one of the members of the Crawford County Fairgrounds Building Association committee that helped get a new livestock complex on the fairgrounds in 1993, Tau said.

At the state level, Allen got the Pennsylvania State Junior Fair Person of the Year Award established when he served on the board of the Pennsylvania State Association of County Fairs.

He also was one of the first auctioneers for the Crawford County Fair's annual 4-H livestock auction held during the fair.

"He volunteered his time," Tau said of the auction, noting that Allen was one of several auctioneers used during the sale.

"The kids all wanted Sherman to sell their animals because he always got them a good price," Tau said. "He just seemed to have a knack for it."

Allen also would buy animals at the auction and donate them back to be resold or donate the animals to a group in need, according to Tau.

"His heart and soul was in everything he did," she said.

Kenneth Hyde, a farmer from the Titusville area, served with Allen for many years on the Crawford County Fair Board.

"He was a 'fair person,'" Hyde said of Allen. "He cared about the fair. He'd volunteer his time auctioneering for various groups. He was a good man."

A lifelong resident of the Conneaut Lake area, Allen was a 1972 graduate of the former Conneaut Lake High School. He attended Penn State University and graduated from Reppert School of Auctioneering in 1976.

He became a licensed and bonded auctioneer in Pennsylvania and Ohio, and was an active member of local, Pennsylvania, Ohio and national auctioneers associations.

Allen also was a partner with his brother and sister in the operation of Allen Farms, a 600-acre dairy farm in Sadsbury Township.

He had served as director of the Crawford County Farm Bureau and was a member of Pennsylvania Farm Bureau and Farmers Union, and had served with the Crawford County Conservation District for many years as a rural director.

He was involved in community activities including Conneaut Lake Kiwanis and Lions clubs, and member of Conneaut Lake and Linesville historical societies. He also served many years on the Sadsbury Township Planning and Zoning Commission.

Robert L. Snyder Funeral Home and Crematory Inc. of Sheakleyville is handling funeral arrangements.

Visitation is slated Friday from 1 to 8 p.m. and Saturday from noon to 1 p.m. at the funeral home with services at 1 p.m. Saturday.

Keith Gushard can be reached at (814) 724-6370 or by email at kgushard@meadvilletribune.com.