SLAFTER
SLATER
SLAFTER, Edmund Farwell, author, was
born at Nurwicli. Vt..:May M, 181G; son of Syl-
vester and Mary Armstrong (Jolinson) Slafter;
grandson of Jolin ami Elizabeth (Ilovey) Slafter
and of Calvin and Mnry (Armstrong) Jolinson,
and a descendant of John Slafter the immigrant
ancestor. lie was a student of Tlietford academy,
and was graduated at Dartmouth college in 1840;
studied at Andover Theological seminary; was
principal of the academy at Topsfield. Mass.,
1841-42; was admitted to the diaconate of the
Protestant Episcopal church in 1844 and ad-
vanced to the priesthood in 1845. He was rector
of St. Peters. Cambridge, Mass., 1844-46, and
rector of St. John's, Jamaica Plains, 184(3-53. In
1849 he was married to Mary Anne, daughter of
Charles and Elizabeth (Brown) Hazen, of Bos-
ton, Mass. He was a.ssistant minister of St.
Paul's Boston, 1853-57, and a superintendent in
the American Bible society, resident in Boston
until 1877 when he resigned and devoted his time
to iiistorical work. He became a member of the
M;issachusetts Historical society, and a Felkjw
of the Royal Historical .society of England, and
received the honorary degree of D.D. from Dart-
mouth in 1890. He is the author of: The Assas-
sination Plot in New York in 1776 and Memorial
of John Slafter, icith Genealogical Account of his
Descendants (1869); The Charter of Xoru-ich,
Vernw)it, etc. (1870); Sir William Alexander and
American Colonization (1873); The Copper Coin-
age of the Earl of Stirling, 1033 (1874); Voyages
of the N(n-thmen to America (1877); Voyages of
Samnel de Champlain (1883), and History and
Causes of the Incorrect Latitudes as Recorded in
the Journals of the Early Writers, Navigators
and Explorers relating to the Atlantic Coast of
North America, 1535-1740 (1882); Memoir of John
Checkley (1897); memoirs of Samuel de CJtam-
jilain. Fitch Edirard Oliver, M.D., Charles W.
Tuttle, Rev. William S. Bartlet; Remarks on the
Life of Samuel Eliot, LL.D.; Remarks on Coat
Armor; Annual Reports as Registrar of the Dio-
cese of Massachusetts, and many nionograplis on
historical subjects.
SLATER, James Harvey, senator, was born in Sangamon county, 111., Dec. 28,1826. He was educated in the public schools, moved to Cali- fornia in 1849 and to Oregon Territory in 1850, where he entered the profession of the law in 1854. He was clerk of the district court for Ben- ton county, 1853-56; member of the territorial a.ssembly, 1857-58; representative in the first legislative assembly of Oregon, 1859; a presiden- tial elector in 1808; the representative from Ore- gon in the 42d congress, 1871-73, and U.S. senator, 1879-.«(5. He died at La Grande, Oreg., Jan. 28, 1899.
SLATER, John Fox, philanthropist, was born in Slatervilie, li.I., March 4, 1815: son of John
(born in Belper, Derbysliire, England, Dec. 25,
1776) and Ruth (Bucklin) Slater, and grandson
of William Slater and of John Bucklin. He
learned the cotton business under his father, an
extensive manufacturer, being placed in charge
of his fatlier's mills in Jewett City, R.I., in 1831,
and subsequently establishing a manufactory of
his own in Norwich, Conn., in which he acquired
great wealth. He was actively interested in ed-
ucational advancement, contributing liberally to
the establishment of the Norwich Free academy.
In Ai)ril. 18S2, he established the Slater Fund of
^1,000.000 for the education of freedmen in the
south, the producers of the cotton spun by ma-
chines introduced into America by his great uncle,
Samuel Slater. His son, William Albert Slater,
erected a building to the memory of his father
for the Norwich Free academy at a cost of $150,-
000. He died in Norwich, Conn., May 7, 1884.
SLATER, Samuel, manufacturer, was born at Holly House farm, near Belper, Derbyshire, Eng- land, June 9, 1768; fifth son of AVilliam and Elizabeth (Fox) Slater, His father, a landed proprietor, farmer and timber merchant, died when the son was fourteen years of age. In 1783 Samuel apprenticed himself for a term of six and one half years to Jedediah Strutt of New Mills, Duffield. cotton spinner, " to learn his art." Mr. Strutt was at that time building a large cotton factory /| at Milford and was a partner with Sir Richard Arkwright. The mills contained the most improved machinery, and young Slater became not only a skilful machinist but gained a thorough knowledge of patent-riglits and suits- at-law. His master also instilled in him habite of economy that were never forgotten. After serving his full time with ]Mr. Strutt he was em- ployed by him in the oversight of the mill and in the erection of new works, which latter exper- ience served him well in his subsequent career in America. He was first induced to make his home in the new world by reading the advertise- ment in a Philadelphia paper of a reward of £100 offered by a society for a machine to make cotton i-ollers. To avoid the risk of leaving ICngland as a machinist, at that time prohibited by an act of Parliament, he told no one of his intention, and avoided carrying with him any plans, ])atterns, or written memoranda, excepting his indenture.
