Alfred J. Abbott Biography


	This biography appears on pages 263-264 in "History of Dakota 
	Territory" by George W. Kingsbury, Vol. V (1915) and was 
	scanned, OCRed and edited by Maurice Krueger, mkrueger@iw.net.

	This file may be freely copied by individuals and non-profit 
	organizations for their private use. 

	Any other use, including publication, storage in a retrieval 
	system, or transmission by electronic, mechanical, or other 
	means requires the written approval of the file's author.

	This file is part of the SDGENWEB Archives. If you arrived here inside
	a frame or from a link from somewhere else, our front door is at

	http://usgwarchives.org/sd/sdfiles.htm


				ALFRED J. ABBOTT. 

	Alfred J. Abbott, who has represented his district in the state 
legislature, has resided in Bon Homme county since September 23, 1867, 
and has witnessed practically the entire development of the state, as 
when he came there was but a little fringe of settlements in the 
southeastern corner. He was born December 22, 1844, in Yorkshire, 
England, the fifth in a family of eleven children whose parents were 
Thomas and Emma (Dunley) Abbott, who were likewise born in that county, 
the birth of the former occurring August 8, 1809, and that of the 
fatten November 8, 1813. They were married April 6, 1837, in Yorkshire, 
and there their children were born. The births of three, including 
Alfred J., occurred at the cooperative store of which the father was 
the manager. In December, 1848, the family left England on a sailing 
vessel bound for America and after a voyage of ten weeks reached New 
Orleans by way of Jamaica. At the Crescent City they took a river 
steamer for St. Louis and later continued their way up the Mississippi 
and Illinois rivers to Peoria, Illinois. Thomas, one of the children, 
two years of age, died on the boat and was buried after reaching 
Peoria. The family proceeded overhand as far as Ottawa, Illinois, and 
there the mother and children remained while Mr. Abbott went on foot to 
Dane county, Wisconsin, to get a friend, Samuel Clark, to give them a 
wagon. It was not until the 1st of June, nearly six months after 
leaving home, that the family arrived at their destination near Albion, 
Wisconsin. There the mother died August 27, 1865, but the father 
survived for many years, his demise occurring on January 25, 1892, when 
he had reached the advanced age of eighty-two. He was a man of upright 
character and much esteemed in his community. 

	Alfred J. Abbott was in his fourth year when the family emigrated 
to America. He received his education in the schools of Wisconsin, and 
remained at home until he was twenty-three years of age, giving his 
father the benefit of his labor. In order to act enough money to come 
to Dakota he husked corn by moonlight after having already done a full 
day's work. By this means he was able to save just enough to pay his 
way to South Dakota accompanied by his brother William and when he 
arrived in Bon Homme county his last dollar was gone. He was not in the 
least discouraged and filed on the east half of the southwest quarter 
and the north half of the southeast quarter of section 1, township 93, 
range 59, and that farm has remained his home ever since. He, however, 
has added to his holdings and his place after setting aside land for 
his children comprises five hundred and sixty acres. He has also 
donated a half section of land in Charles Mix county to Yankton 
College, of which he is a trustee. Energy, progressiveness and thrift 
are his salient characteristics and it is to those qualities that his 
success is due. 

	On the 22d of March, 1876, Mr. Abbott was united in marriage, in 
Albion, Wisconsin, to Miss Susanna Bussey, a native of the Badger state 
and a daughter of Benjamin and Jane (North) Bussey, who were born in 
England but who emigrated to Wisconsin when that state was upon the 
western frontier. To Mr. and Mrs. Abbott six children have been born, 
three of whom are living: William E., attending Columbia School of 
Oratory of Chicago; Emma Jane, who attended Yankton College and 
subsequently married Hugh Madole, a farmer; and Hazel Belle, who also 
attended Yankton College. Mr. and Mrs. Madole live upon a quarter 
section of land adjoining her father's farm and given to them by him. 
Their firstborn, Jean Elizabeth, is the first grandchild in the family. 

	Mr. Abbott and his family are members of the Congregational 
church and are known as supporters of every good cause. He is an 
adherent of the republican party and casts his ballot for its 
candidates and measures. In 1868 he represented the Bon Homme district 
in the territorial legislature and made a creditable record in that 
connection. He takes justifiable pride in having cast the first vote 
ever cast in the general assembly for state-wide prohibition in South 
Dakota. He also held various county offices during early days being 
county treasurer in 1868 when the total collections were about two 
hundred and fifty dollars He has also served as trustee for various 
state and church institutions and there has never been any question as 
to his probity or ability. 

	One of Mr. Abbott's earliest childhood recollections is that of 
seeing the Light Brigade known as the Queen's Own on its way to win 
immortality at Balaklava in the Crimean war. After reaching the United 
States he had a narrow escape from drowning, as on leaving the boat at 
Peoria, Illinois, a tipsy Irishman, noticing that be was separated from 
his parents, took him in his arms and started for the wharf. Just 
before reaching it he reeled and fell off the gangplank into the river. 
He hastened to wade out, leaving the boy in the water, but was driven 
back by the mate at the point of a pistol to rescue the child, who was 
carried to the furnace room and restored to consciousness. It was some 
time before his parents found him or learned of the accident. After his 
arrival in this state he had many hardships to endure and many 
discouragements but his determination never faltered and he eventually 
won great material prosperity. In the early days prairie fires were a 
constant menace, grasshopper plagues ravaged the crops and blizzards 
were common occurrences during the winters. At the time of the most 
memorable blizzard, that of the 12th of January, 1888, Mr. Abbott was 
in a well, cleaning it, and wondered what caused the sudden darkness 
and it was with difficulty that he made his way to the house. His 
recollections of pioneer days are valuable contributions to the history 
of the state, as he remembers many of the notables of the frontier—
Harney, Crook, Custer and a number of famous Indian chiefs. To him and 
to all of the pioneers, who like him, laid the foundation for the 
development of their section of the state, is due the greatest honor 
and respect and it is fitting that the story of the obstacles overcome 
and the work achieved should be preserved for the present generation.