ev. Joseph Cady Allen was born January 30, 1869, at Rochester, N.Y. He was educated at Meadville Theological School and at Harvard Divinity School, where he spent the year 1894 to '95. During the year before attending Harvard he was a teacher of Latin in Hillside Home School, at Hillsdale, Wis., and also preached in the Unitarian church at the same place. After leaving college Mr. Allen held a pastorate at Winona, Minn., for a year and then came to California and directly to Redlands. Since the 18th of March last he has been pastor of the Unitarian church in this city. Unity Church Society was organized February 7, 1982, and was incorporated March 1 of the following year. The first pastor, Rev. A. J. Wells, was installed April 13 of that year, and was followed by Rev. Frederick Dutton, on June 8, 1896. Sickness caused the withdrawal of Rev. Dutton, who was succeeded by Rev. Allen, as above noted. The society held services in McGinness Hall until the present church was purchased of the Baptist Society, moved to its present location, and occupied first September 20, 1896.

(Source: Illustrated Redlands, 1897, p. 21)