Aberdeen Daily News Monday, Feb 25, 1901
E. H. ALLEY DEAD
The Venerable Citizen Expired Peacefully Sunday Evening
E. H. Alley died last night at 10 o’clock. This was the message that startled the people of Aberdeen this morning. The death of no resident of the city could bring sorrow to more people and Aberdeen will sincerely mourn his loss. Mr. Alley was taken sick early last fall and for several days in October his life hung only by a slender thread. He grew better after a time and continued to improve until by the middle of the winter he was able to get about to some extent, and early in January he attended the meetings of the board of county commissioners. He continued to grow better and gain strength and up to the middle of last week he was stronger than for months and was considered to be getting along toward becoming his old self again. His advanced age precluded the hope that he would become rugged as he was previous to two years ago, when his health began to fail, but it was hoped and expected that he would be spared for several years of usefulness and for the enjoyment and comfort his life of strenuous effort had earned for him.
Mr. Alley had been a resident of Aberdeen since the town was started, coming here from Minnesota in 1881. He engaged in the grocery and feed business in one of the first buildings erected on the townsite, which stood on the present site of the Ward, and later engaged in the livery business, which he continued until a few years ago, when he sold out to Smith Brothers, and since that time had been taking life more easily than ever before, his principal duties being those connected with the office of county commissioner.
In 1890 he was elected a member of the board of county commissioners, and represented the Aberdeen district continuously until the time of his death, most of the time acting as chairman of this board. His last election to the commissionership was in the fall of 1889, when he received two-thirds of the total vote for the district. At the meeting of the board the first of the present year he was again elected chairman. His work upon the board was characterized by carefulness and thoroughness in all matters, and his familiarity with the affairs of the county were such that he was a most valuable man to the taxpayers and one whose place it will be hard to fill. His loss will be felt by the city and county alike. The nature of the deceased was of the sort that attracts and holds close friendships. Generous to a fault, kindhearted and genial, with a keen sense of the ridiculous, dearly loving a harmless joke, ruggedly honest and of the staunchest integrity, always sticking by his friends as by a brother, E H. Alley was a man who will be mourned deeply and long remembered.
The illness immediately preceding his death came upon him on Thursday evening. It was looked upon as only a temporary recurrence of a feature of his previous illness, and it was thought that he would recover speedily from it. Sunday afternoon, however, he grew worse and passed into a comatose state from which he never rallied, death coming to him peacefully and painlessly, at 10 o’clock in the evening.
E. H. Alley was born at Wiscassett, Maine, August 10, 1827, and he was only a few months short of 74 years of age when he died. He grew to manhood in Maine, and on October 1, 1851, he married Miss Ann H. Bragg, who survives him, after a most happy union extending over almost half a century.
In 1856 Mr. Alley removed with his family to Minnesota. They lived at Red Wing for a number of years and before removing to Aberdeen in 1881, Ortonville was their home. Seven children were born to them, five of whom are still living, two sons having preceded their father to the grave. Those living are Mrs. C. E. Reed of Sisseton, this state, Mrs. S. A. Hoag of Hoquiam, Wash., W. H. Alley of Hallock, Minn., Fred L. Alley of San Juan, Mexico, and Miss Florence A. Alley of Aberdeen.
The funeral will be held on Wednesday afternoon, at the residence at 2 o’clock and at the Baptist church, of which the deceased was a member, at 2:30. Rev. F. W. Cliff will conduct the service and the pall bearers will consist of County Commissioners E. H. Bocker, J. S. Sheridan, Louis J. Johnson and Samuel J. Zelier, County Auditor C. H. Eygabroad and R. McNaghten.
~Transcribed by volunteer researcher, Kathy Smith