Short Biography of William A. Alden

WILLIAM ALBERT ALDEN (WILL), son of Albert Martin and Maria Elizabeth (Shedd) Alden, was b. 4-1-1862 at Wasioja, Minn. He m. (1) 10-14-1885, Ida E. Bowen who was b. 4-28-1865, d. 5-12-191, (2) about 1925, Mrs. Bessie King who was b. about 1886, d. 8-18-1941. Will was employed for 12 years as a salesman in the carpet and rug store of M. Lara in Minneapolis and later with S. E. Olson and Co. When the firm of Evans, Munzer and Pickering organized a department store in 1897 in Minneapolis by merging a number of specialty stores, to be known as "The New Store", Will became a partner by merging his rug and carpet store with the others and took charge of the rug and carpet department of "The New Store". Soon afterwards his father, Albert Martin Alden, returned from Oregon and was employed as a salesman in that department. He continued there until his last illness and death in 1904. In 1904 Will disposed of his interest in "The New Store" and joined a partnership in an Oriental rug store on Nicollet Ave. and 10th St. under the firm name of Alden and Kusek. WHile in business in Minneapolis his residence was at 64 Clarence Ave., Prospect Park. S.E. Minneapolis until after the death of his first wife when he turned over his rug business to his son John and a summer resort known as "Burntside Lodge" on Burntside Lake near Ely in N.E. Minn. His brother Lyman was associated with him for four years supervising much of the construction work on a large number of the modern log cabins. While it was under ownership and supervision, he and his second wife developed it into one of the best-equipped log cabin summer resorts in that area. WIth his advancing age and after the death of his second wife in 1943 he sold Burntside Lodge and lived in retirement in Minneapolis and Florida. He d. 3-14-1947 in Florida.

Source: "Wheeler-Alden Family Part I : a contribution to a knowledge of the genealogy and family history of the families of Albert Martin Alden and his wife, Maria Elizabeth Shedd, and families of their descendants" ⁹⁷⁴⁴