Conduct Final Rites Sunday for Wm. Slater  

William M. Slater, Penn township, farmer and surveyor of Stark county, passed away at his home east of the Pleasant Valley church about 10:00 o’clock Thursday night, January 15, after an illness of several weeks duration. He suffered intense pain at times, blood clots forming in his right foot, which in turn led to gangrene. Funeral services were held at 2:00 o’clock Sunday afternoon in the Pleasant Valley church, and burial was in the Osceola Grove cemetery.

Mr. Slater was born at Alta, Peoria county, Illinois, on May 30, 1870, and was 60 years, 7 months and 15 days old at the time of his death. His early boyhood days were spent in the city of Peoria. After the death of his parents he made his home with an only sister, Mrs. Mary Sturm, and an aunt, Mrs. Montooth.

He received his early education in the Peoria city schools, and later in the country schools of Stark county. For several years he was a teacher in schools of this county, meeting with success in educational lines.

Mr. Slater was united in marriage with Miss Alice L. Thurston on Oct. 17, 1895, who with two daughters, Reva and Helen, one son Ralph, a grandson Wayne, and his only sister, Mrs. Mary Sturm, of Tampico, Ill., survive him.

During the last years of his life he took a great deal of interest in the public affairs of Penn township, and served as first county commissioner of highways of Stark county for six years, and was county surveyor at the time of his death.

During the pastorate of Rev. A. H. Widney he united with the Pleasant Valley church. While misfortune seemed to fall often and heavily upon him at various times, he always remained kind, neighborly and obliging to all with whom he came in contact, and memories of him as a father will be cherished by his children, and his friendship will still linger with a large number of relatives and friends.

He was a charter member of the Fidelity Life association, formerly the Mystic Workers, and a member of the Sons of Veterans as long as the camp existed in Wyoming.

Rev. A. L. Cain of Castleton and charge of the funeral services, and a quartet composed of Mr. and Mrs. Ross Steward, Mrs. Harry Barton and Wilbur Downing, assisted by Mrs. C. A. Collins, sang two beautiful selections, “Saved by His Grace” and “O Love That Will Not Let Me Go.” W. H. Jackson, a life-long friend of the deceased, sang as a solo, “Lead Me Gently On.”

Casket bearers were: Benj. Leadley, George W. Merna, George Leadley, John Coulson, Calvin Hall and Roy Cooper.

Relatives and friends from a distance attending the services were: Mr. and Mrs. R. E. McKenzie and daughters Mary Lou and Ruth of Tampico, Ill.; Mrs. B. R. Shifflett of Waterloo, Iowa; Mr. and Mrs. R. H. Mannon and daughter Dorothy, and Mrs. and Mrs. Herbert Ashley of Kewanee; Mr. and Mrs. H. C. Cooper and Lloyd, and Roy and Miss Vera Stone of Sheffield; Miss Harriet Freeden of Kewanee; Mr. and Mrs. Homer Cooper and family, and Mr. and Mrs. Percy Davis and daughter of Buda. His sister, Mrs. Sturm, was unable to attend on account of illness.