Alfred Alder Biography

	This biography appears on pages 989-990 in "History of South 
	Dakota" by Doane Robinson, Vol. II (1904) and was scanned, 
	OCRed and edited by Maurice Krueger, mkrueger@iw.net.

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	ALFRED ALDER, one of the leading citizens and most progressive and 
highly esteemed business men of Volin, Yankton county, claims the Empire 
state of the Union as the place of his nativity, having been born in the 
city of Buffalo, New York, on the 29th of August, 1846, a son of John 
and Mary A. (Rosenbach) Alder, of whose seven children five are living 
at the present time, namely: John, who is chief clerk in the Indian 
school at Lawrence, Kansas; Eugene, who resides in Eastman, Minnesota; 
Louisa, who is the wife of James A. Dickson, of Oklahoma, who was for 
many years superintendent of schools of Yankton county; Jennie, who is 
the wife of Charles Campbell, of Eastman, Minnesota; and Alfred, who is 
the immediate subject of this sketch.  

	The father of the subject was born in the city of Berwick, on the 
Tweed, in England, in 1817, and was there reared to maturity, having 
learned the trade of millwright and become an expert in the line, while 
he also served seven years in the English army. In 1843 he came to the 
United States and immediately enlisted in the army, in which he served 
one year. He then returned to Buffalo, where he was engaged in the work 
of his trade until 1857, when he came to the west, locating in Crawford 
county, Wisconsin, where he continued to be actively engaged in the work 
of his trade until his death, which occurred in 1880, while in 1871 he 
became the owner of a grist mill at Eastman, that state, continuing to 
operate the same successfully until he was called from the scene of 
life's endeavors, in the fullness of years and well earned honors. His 
wife was born in Germany, in the year 1811, and also is now deceased.  

	Alfred Alder, whose name introduces this sketch, secured his early 
educational discipline in the public schools of Buffalo, New York, being 
about ten years of age at the time when his parents removed thence to 
Wisconsin, where he was reared to manhood, learning the trade of 
millwright under the effective direction of his father and devoting his 
attention to that vocation until 1871, when he assumed a position in 
the. mill owned by his father in Eastman. He continued to reside in 
Wisconsin until 1880, when he removed to Middle Branch, Nebraska, where 
he erected a flouring mill, successfully operating the same until 1886, 
when he disposed of the property and came to the city of Yankton, South 
Dakota, where he established himself in the mercantile business, 
carrying a general stock of goods. About two years later he came to 
Volin, and here he continued in the same line of enterprise until May, 
1892, building up a large and prosperous business and being known as one 
of of the most enterprising and reliable merchants in the county.  In 
the month mentioned he sold out his merchantile interests and in the 
autumn of the same year he instituted the erection of the Volin flouring 
mill, which was completed the following summer, the same having proved 
of inestimable benefit to the people of this section, affording 
facilities for which there had been a recognized demand.

	In politics Mr. Alder is a stalwart Republican, and it was his 
privilege to cast his first presidential vote for Abraham Lincoln, while 
serving in the Union army and before he had attained his legal majority, 
since he was but eighteen years of age at the time. In March, 1864, he 
enlisted as a private in Company K, First Illinois Light Artillery, with 
which he served until August of the following year, when he received his 
honorable discharge, victory having crowned the Union arms and the 
rebellion been suppressed.  His father also served with gallantry as a 
Union soldier, having enlisted, at the age of forty-seven years, in 
Company I, Fifth Wisconsin Volunteer Infantry, with which he served 
three years and four months, while son John W. served for three years as 
a member of Company I, Third Wisconsin Volunteer Cavalry. The subject is 
at the time of this writing incumbent of the office of treasurer of the 
village of Volin, but he has never been ambitious for public office, 
though ever ready to do his part in forwarding the civiv and general 
interests of his home town and county, to which he is signally loyal. 
Fraternally he is identified with St. John's Lodge, No. 1, Free and 
Accepted Masons, of Yankton.

	On the 27th of November, 1873, Mr. Alder was united in marriage to 
Miss Mary A. Finney, of Eastman Wisconsin, and of their ten children 
nine are still living namely: John, who is as a employed in his father's 
mill, being an able young businessman; Eunice, who remains at the 
parental home; Bertha, who is a teacher in the public schools at 
Estherville, Towa; Ephraim, who is engaged in farming in Yankton county; 
Winifred who is a teacher in the district schools of the county; and 
Alfred, Jr., Herbert, Bessie, and Charles who remain beneath the home 
roof.