Alfred Anderson Biography


	This biography appears on pages 800-801 in "History of Dakota 
	Territory" by George W. Kingsbury, Vol. V (1915) and was 
	scanned, OCRed and edited by Maurice Krueger, mkrueger@iw.net.

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				ALFRED ANDERSON. 

	Among the enterprising and prosperous agriculturists of Minnehaha 
county, South Dakota, is numbered Alfred Anderson, who owns and 
operates a farm of three hundred and twenty acres on section 17, Lyons 
township. He is a native of the land of the midnight sun, of Swedish 
parents, his birth having occurred in Norway on the 15th of October, 
1853. His parents, Elias and Catherine (Olson) Anderson, emigrated to 
the United States in 1867, locating in Winneshiek county, Iowa, where 
they resided for about nine years, the father working as a day laborer. 
In 1876, Elias Anderson removed to Minnehaha county, South Dakota, 
taking up a homestead in section 24, Grand Meadow township, on which he 
settled. Subsequently he took up a timber claim which he later 
transferred to one of his sons. His demise, which occurred on the 
homestead property in 1897, when he had attained the age of sixty-five 
years, was deeply mourned by a large circle of friends as well as his 
immediate family. His wife had passed away ten years before. 

	Alfred Anderson acquired what education he received in the 
parochial schools of his native country. He was a youth of thirteen at 
the time he accompanied his parents on their emigration to the new 
world. They were in straightened financial circumstances, and the son 
Alfred had become a wage earner in Norway when but nine years old, 
working for twelve cents a day. After coming to this country he was 
hired out to a neighboring farmer and his wages contributed to the 
support of the family. In 1874, on reaching his majority, he came to 
South Dakota—two years before the arrival of his parents, and here 
filed on a homestead which is his present home farm. He immediately 
located on his claim and has resided thereon continuously since, 
devoting his attention to general agricultural pursuits with gratifying 
results. About two years after taking his homestead he filed on a 
timber claim which adjoins the home farm on the north, so that his 
holdings embrace three hundred and twenty acres. As an agriculturist he 
has won well merited success and has long been recognized as a 
substantial and representative citizen of Lyons township. 

	Mr. Anderson gives his political allegiance to the republican 
party and for three years ably served as supervisor of his district. He 
is a member of the Lutheran synod and therein has held the position of 
secretary for about twenty years, in which capacity he is still 
serving. Through the long period of his residence in Minnehaha county, 
covering forty-one years, he has become widely and favorably known. He 
has been an interested witness of all the changes which have occurred 
as the work of development and improvement has been carried forward and 
has been a cooperant factor in many movements which have worked for 
betterment and advancement.