Alfred Golden Biography


	This biography is from "Memorial and biographical record; an illustrated
 	compendium of biography, containing a compendium of local biography,
	including biographical sketches of prominent old settlers and 
	representative citizens of South Dakota..." Published by G. A. Ogle & 
	Co., Chicago, 1899. Pages 294-295

	Scan, OCR and editing by Maurice Krueger,mkrueger@iw.net, 1998. 

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ALFRED GOLDEN, one of the extensive grain and stock raisers of Mellette 
township, Spink county, is one of the industrious and highly respected 
citizens of that region. He is prospering in his chosen vocation, and 
is surrounded by all the comforts of rural life on section 23. He is 
not one of the early settlers of that township, but since taking up his 
residence there he has worked with a will for the better interests of 
his community. His career has been marked throughout by faithful 
efforts to advance not only his own interests but those for whom he 
worked and he has been rewarded by the acquisition of a good property, 
and a high standing in his locality. 

Mr. Golden was born in Surrey county, North Carolina, August 26, 1865. 
His grandfather came from England previous to the Revolutionary war and 
settled in that state, and the father of our subject, a farmer by 
occupation, was a captain of provost guard on the Confederate side 
throughout the Civil war. Our subject's earliest recollections are of 
the regeneration of the south. In this work his father took an active 
part. He remained on the old farm until his death in 1882. 

Our subject as a boy worked with his father and acquired a common-
school education, gaining most by making good use of his spare moments, 
and at the age of eighteen years, on the death of his father, he took 
charge of the home farm for two years. He then disposed of his 
interests and for one year was convict guard on the railroad. He 
started west in the fall of 1885, stopping in Jackson county, Missouri, 
where he worked on a farm till the spring of 1886. He then started for 
Washington state, but changed his course, and went instead to South 
Dakota. He soon obtained work near Ashton, with a railroad contractor, 
and spent the summer grading. He returned to farm work till the 
following spring and then again went at the grading in North Dakota. In 
October he returned and for thirteen months worked for N. B. Gallup on 
his farm north of Ashton, at the end of which time he and a friend 
rented a farm which they worked for one year, and then our subject 
rented land for another year for himself. The year of 1891 was a hard 
struggle for him but he succeeded in paying expenses, and in the fall 
he moved to the western part of the county, where he rented a farm for 
two years, and then for another year engaged in this work on another 
tract north of Ashton. He took the management of the "Day Farm" three 
miles south of Mellette in the fall of 1895, and afterward purchased 
the property from Mr. Day. He has succeeded in practically clearing a 
heavy mortgage on the place and is in a fair way to pay the entire 
indebtedness. He now farms about seven hundred acres of small grain, 
wheat mostly, and one hundred and fifty acres is planted to corn and 
potatoes. He has about ninety acres of fenced pasture, and winters 
about twenty head of horses. He has about sixty head of hogs and 
considers hog raising profitable, his opinion being given after 
practical experience in this branch of the stock raising industry. 

Our subject was married March 30, 1889, to Miss Annie Day, daughter of 
the previous owner of the farm which our subject now owns. Three 
children have blessed the home of Mr. and Mrs. Golden, upon whom they 
have bestowed the names; Olive, Jimmie and Esther Althea. Mr. Golden 
holds membership in the Ancient Order of United Workmen, and the 
Independent Order of Odd Fellows. In political sentiment he favors 
Republicanism in national affairs, but in state and local matters is an 
independent voter. He favors high license of the liquor traffic, and 
opposes equal suffrage. He is strong in his convictions for right, and 
as a respected citizen and representative man well deserves his high 
position.