Alfred E. Raynes Biography
This biography appears on pages 1107-1108 in "History of Dakota Territory" by George W. Kingsbury, Vol. IV (1915) and was scanned, OCRed and edited by Maurice Krueger, mkrueger@iw.net.
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Alfred E. Raynes is the editor and proprietor of the Gazette, published at Andover, and is one of the well known and popular newspaper men of Day county He was born in Greenwich, England, January 28, 1856, and his parents, John G. and Sarah (Newman) Raynes, were also natives of that country.
They brought their family to America when their son Alfred was two years of age, the family home being established near Fond du Lac, Wisconsin, whence a removal was afterward made to Danville, Dodge County. It was there that Alfred E. Raynes learned the printer’s trade in the office of the Columbus Republican and still later he was employed on various dailies in Chicago.
He became identified with newspaper publication in the Dakota Territory when in 1884 he purchased the Andover Gazette, which he has since conducted with growing and gratifying success. He has kept in touch with the trend of progress along journalistic lines, publishes a neat and attractive sheet and in the dissemination of local and general news meets the wishes of his readers and has thereby gained a liberal patronage. He is also the owner of one hundred and sixty acres of land near Andover. Aside from his activity in business he has done much to further public progress.
He was the first president of the board of trustees following the incorporation of the town of Andover and he has likewise filled the position of postmaster. A stalwart republican, he has been chairman of the county republican central committee and for a long time was its secretary. During President Harrison's administration he was a member of the republican state central committee and was by him appointed postmaster. No movement relating to the welfare of the community fails to elicit his interest and when his judgment sanctions a plan he gives to it hearty cooperation.
In June 1885, Mr. Raynes was united in marriage to Miss Bessie S. Swan, a native of Canada and a daughter of William and Tressa Swan. To them have been born five children, two sons and three daughters, as follows: Marjorie, the wife of Glenn Hoffman, who operates a fruit ranch in the state of Washington; Rex, who is a student in a dental college of Denver, Colorado; Harry, a registered pharmacist residing in Aberdeen; Marie, a high school graduate who is now engaged in teaching; and Kathleen, who is attending school. Mr. Raynes belongs to the Ancient Order of United Workmen and to the Masonic fraternity and the Eastern Star and erected the first story of the Masonic Hall, which was finished by the Masons. His is a well-rounded development, manifest in active interest in all those things which have to do with the life of a community, and in personal connections as well as in editorial avenues he has contributed much to public progress.