Albert J. Sprague 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 630-631

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

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ALBERT J. SPRAGUE, one of the substantial farmers of township 117, 
range 67, is a pioneer settler of Faulk county. He has spent the 
greater part of his life in the pursuit of agriculture, and has met 
with a marked degree of success, as his estate evidences. He is an ex-
soldier, and his career has been one of loyalty and oneness of purpose 
which has gained him the highest respect of his fellow men. 

Mr. Sprague was born in Erie county, Pennsylvania, August 23, 1837. The 
family has been in America several generations, and the grandfather of 
our subject died in the war of 1812. The father of our subject, J. E. 
Sprague, was a native of Ohio, but was reared in New York, and was a 
farmer and carpenter by occupation. Our subject's mother, who bore the 
maiden name of Susan Loomis, was a native of Massachusetts, and was 
reared in her native state. Her ancestors came to America from England, 
and her father, John Loomis, served in the Revolutionary war. Our 
subject's parents were married in Pennsylvania, and in 1839 moved to 
Illinois, where the father engaged in farming. 

Our subject was the third in a family of six children, and his 
schooling was limited, to a few terms in the country schools. He was 
naturally of bright mind, and was kept at home to allow his brothers to 
attend the schools, and at the age of twenty years he left home and 
hired out at farm work. After working thus three years he enlisted, 
August 20, 1862, in Company B, Twelfth Wisconsin, and accompanied his 
regiment to Tennessee. The first engagement was at Coldwater, 
Mississippi. He served through the Atlanta campaign, accompanied 
Sherman on his famous march to the sea and through the Carolinas, and 
participated in the grand review at Washington. He was discharged at 
Madison, Wisconsin, and returned to his home, which he purchased after 
his return from the service. He engaged in farming in Wisconsin twenty-
three years, during which-time he owned three different farms, one a 
tract of eighty acres, through which a creek ran, and the farm was well 
improved in every particular. He went to Dakota in the spring of 1883, 
and located on the northwest quarter of section 19, township 117, range 
67, where he still resides. He built a 16 x 24 house and a 16 x 30 sod 
barn, and started farming. His resources consisted of a team of horses, 
two cows, two yearlings, a wagon, and a harrow. He has engaged mostly 
in wheat raising, but keeps some stock, at present having thirteen head 
of cattle, and his crops average eight to ten bushels of wheat per 
acre. His farm comprises two hundred and forty acres, of which one 
hundred and fifty-five is under plow. He has a complete set of farm 
buildings, including a 30 x 40-foot barn with a 14 x 40 foot shed 
attached. His well is furnished with a windmill and supplies an 
abundance of good water. Aside from his farm, he owns a share in the 
Farmers' warehouse, and is interested in grain buying. He has made a 
success, despite losses and discouragements. He lost part of his crop 
by hail in 1894, and in 1895 prairie fire destroyed fifty to seventy-
five tons of hay. 

Mr. Sprague was married at Ironton, Wisconsin, October 13, 1860, to 
Susan A. Kinnamon, a native of Ohio. Mrs. Sprague's father, John 
Kinnamon, was part Irish descent and was a farmer by occupation. Her 
great-grandfather came from Ireland, and her grandfather served in the 
war of 1812. Mr. and Mrs. Sprague are the parents of six children, 
named as follows: Almeda J., Henry C., Mary Francelia, Ada, Mildred T. 
and Harold H. Mr. Sprague is a veteran member of the Independent Order 
of Odd Fellows, having joined that society in 1865. He has been called 
upon to serve in various offices of trust in his township and county, 
and in 1892 and 1893 served as county assessor, discharging his duties 
honorably and well. He is a Republican in political sentiment, and 
takes an active part in the affairs of his party.