Frank R. Aikens Biography


	This biography appears on pages 641-642 in "History of Dakota Territory" 
	by George W. Kingsbury, Vol. IV (1915) and was scanned, 
	OCRed and edited by Maurice Krueger, mkrueger@iw.net.

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				JUDGE FRANK R. AIKENS.

	Judge Frank R. Aikens, a member of the Sioux Falls bar, where he 
has practiced continuously since 1895, is now senior partner in the 
firm of Aikens & Judge, recognized as one of the strong law firms of 
this section of the state. Judicial honors have also been conferred 
upon him and he has likewise left the impress of his individuality upon 
the history of legislation in Dakota territory. In a word, he is 
prominent among those who have had to do with shaping the annals of 
territory and state through the past third of a century and his 
influence has always been on the side of progress and improvement.  

	Judge Aikens was born in New York city December 14, 1855, and is 
the adopted son of Nelson and Serepta (Rosebrook) Aikens. In the public 
schools of Rome, New York, he pursued his early education and afterward 
read law there. On the 5th of January, 1877, he was admitted to the bar 
in Syracuse, New York, and engaged in practice in Rome until August, 
1880, at which time he removed to Canton, Dakota territory. For nine 
years he was engaged in active practice in that city and in March, 
1889, he was appointed associate justice of the supreme court of the 
territory and was afterward elected judge of the second judicial 
circuit, retiring January 2, 1894. He resumed practice in Canton and in 
July, 1895, came to Sioux Falls, where he formed a partnership with 
Charles O. Bailey, John H. Voorhees and Harold E. Judge. The relation 
was maintained until October, 1897, when Judge Aikens and Mr. Judge 
withdrew and entered into the partnership that still continues. Their 
clientage is extensive and of a most important character, connecting 
them with the leading litigation of the district. Judge Aikens is well 
informed in all departments of the law and with a mind naturally 
logical and analytical he has made continuous advancement and is today 
one of the strong members of the legal profession in South Dakota.  

	Judge Aikens' political service has largely been along 
professional lines in judicial and legislative service. He was elected 
senator from the fifth district of the provisional state of South 
Dakota legislature on the 14th of December, 1885, and served for one 
term. He was also a member of the territorial legislature from 1887 
until 1889 inclusive and gave earnest and thoughtful consideration to 
the important questions which affected the history of the state in its 
formative period, directing its policy with a view to meeting not only 
the exigencies of the moment but the conditions of the future. On the 
19th of March, 1889, as before stated, Judge Aikens was appointed 
associate justice of the supreme court of the territory and was elected 
judge of the circuit court of the second judicial circuit in September 
of the same year. He qualified on the 15th of October, and entered upon 
active duties on the bench on the 2d of November, 1889, filling the 
position continually until the 2d of January, 1894. He was elected on 
the republican ticket, having always been a stanch supporter of the 
party.  

At Canton, South Dakota, on the 29th of January, 1883, Judge Aikens was 
united in marriage to Mrs. Margaret B. Bailey, the widow of Mark W. 
Bailey and a daughter of Major William H. Miller, who was a brevet 
colonel of the Wisconsin cavalry, having actively served in the Civil 
war.  

	Throughout the long period of his residence in South Dakota none 
has called into question the public spirited citizenship of Judge 
Aikens and although they might differ from him in policy, they have 
ever recognized the feet that he holds to high standards in attempting 
to further the general good, while the profession finds him an able and 
conscientious minister in the temple of justice.