Albert Williamson Biography


	This biography appears on pages 831-832 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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				ALBERT WILLIAMSON. 

	Albert Williamson is engaged in the practice of law at Kennebec, 
Lyman county, and is also identified with mercantile interests there as 
one of the owners of the Williamson Hardware Company. He was born in 
Mahaska county, Iowa, October 24, 1873, of the marriage of William and 
Mary (Errand) Williamson, both natives of Norway. The father was born 
in 1843 and grew to manhood in his native land, where in 1871 he was 
united in marriage to Miss Erland. The same year they emigrated to the 
United States, settling in Mahaska county, Iowa, where they remained 
until 1882, when they located in Aurora county, Dakota territory. There 
the father took up a homestead, which he developed and improved, 
becoming one of the prosperous landowners and prominent citizens of his 
county. In 1913 he retired from active life and is now residing in 
Mitchell. The subject of this review is one of a family of seven 
children and after the death of the mother in 1883 the father was again 
married and had five children by his second union. 

	Albert Williamson was about nine years old when the family 
removed to South Dakota and attended the public schools of Aurora 
county. Subsequently he entered the South Dakota State College at 
Brookings, from which he was graduated with the class of 1896, and some 
time afterward he did post-graduate work at the University of South 
Dakota at Vermillion. For a number of years he taught school and from 
1901 until 1905 served acceptably as superintendent of schools of Lyman 
county. In 1898 he turned his attention to newspaper work, purchasing 
the Gazette-Leader at Oacoma, and later founding the Prairie Sun at 
Lyman, now the Prairie Sun at Kennebec, and the Cayote, now located at 
Murdo. Deciding to become a member of the legal profession, he read law 
in the office of his brother, Judge William Williamson, Jr., at Oacoma 
and in 1913 was admitted to the bar, since which time he has been in 
active practice at Kennebec. He has already demonstrated his fitness 
for his chosen calling and has gained a creditable place among the 
attorneys of Lyman county. He is also the chief owner and manager of 
the Williamson Hardware Company of Kennebec and his sound business 
judgment and his desire to please his customers has resulted in the 
building up of a large and lucrative patronage. In addition to the 
interests already mentioned he is a director of the First National Bank 
of Kennebec. 

	On the 26th of June, 1901, Mr. Williamson was united in marriage 
to Miss Bertha A. Smith, a daughter of George E. and Martha (Dinwiddie) 
Smith, of Hawarden, Iowa. Mrs. Williamson is active in the work of the 
Methodist church and the Ladies Aid Society. -She has become the mother 
of two children, Dorothy Lucile and Marguerite. 

	Mr. Williamson is a republican and has always taken a commendable 
interest in public affairs, while at the present time he is ably 
serving as president of the board of education. His religious faith is 
that of the Methodist Episcopal church and he is a member of its board 
of trustees. His has been an active and useful life and he has 
contributed to the development of his section of the state along a 
number of different lines. In all relations of life he has measured up 
to high standards of manhood and he is highly respected wherever known 
both for his ability and for his integrity.