While I was in Pierre this week, I was furiously hitting eBay for a group of political pins that were closing, and dang it, someone was bidding me up, right to the wire. But, I really wanted these, as there were several I didn’t have.
A nice McGovern for Congress Litho pin, a Large Joe Robbie for Governor, a Joe Foss for Governor Pin, 4 inaugural pins (Sig Anderson 1951, Joe Foss 1957, Ralph Herseth 1959, and Frank Farrar 1969), and a pin for that declares ” I am for A. B. Kittridge.”
I was missing the McGovern Pin, the Foss Inaugural, that particular size of Foss for Congress Pin, the Large Robbie Pin, and the Kittridge pin were all ones I didn’t have, so I paid a little more than I might have on another day.
My fellow button collecting friend Lee Schoenback tells me the Kittridge pin is easier to find than some, but I didn’t have one. It’s an early South Dakota pin, and many of those are challenges to find. Especially during a time when US Senators weren’t elected by the people, but were chosen by the state legislature.
In July of 1901, Kittridge was appointed by Governor Herried, and according to an article:
Governor Herreid to-day- appointed A. B. Kittridge of Sioux Falls as Senator to fill the vacancy caused by the death of Senator Kyle.
Alfred B. Kittridge is a native of New Hampshire, haying been born in Cheshire County, March 26, 1861. . His early education was obtained In ; the public , schools and when 17 years of age, he entered Yale University. He was graduated from that institution in 1882, and at once commenced the study of law at Rutland, Vt. In 1884 he entered the Yale Law School and was graduated in 1885, being admitted to the Connecticut bar in June of the same year. He removed to. Sioux Falls, S. D., in 1885 and began practice of law. Mr. Kittridge early manifested an interest in State politics and was for a long time ex-Senator Pettigrew’s trusted lieutenant. In 1896 the” two parted upon the money question. Mr. Kittridge was the Republican committeeman from South Dakota in 1892 and 1896. He is a bachelor.
Read that here. And, according to the American Almanac Yearbook of that year, in 1903, he won election in his own right in 1903, when he was selected by the State Legislature on January 20th, by a vote of 120-12 over his Democratic opponent, John A Bowler. (Dems didn’t do so hot back then, either). But, according to his congressional biography, he failed to be renominated in 1908.
The pin was likely from the 1908 election. And along with the non-duplicates, the Kittridge pin will be given it’s place of honor on the SDWC Bulletin board.
It was probably Schoenbeck who was bidding you up !