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SLINGLUFF, William H., Financier, Man of Affairs.
From the days of Hendrick Schlenge- luff, the Palatine emigrant, who landed from the "Mortonhouse" at Philadelphia, August 19, 1729, until the present, this family has been an important one in Eastern Pennsylvania, and especially noted in the world of finance. By com- mon consent the spelling was made uni- form, and all branches use the form Slingluff.
The principal seat of the family is in the county of Montgomery, Pennsyl- vania, where John Slingluff, the leading character in the following sketch, was born August 3, 1839, died May 12, 1899, one of the victims of a most shocking
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railroad accident at Exeter, Pennsyl- vania. He was educated in the public school and at Elmwood Institute, Norris- town, Pennsylvania. His father, Wil- liam H. Slingluff, a man of education and great business ability, had risen from the position of watchman and junior clerk to the presidency of the Old Mont- gomery Bank of Norristown, holding the latter office from 1868 to 1875. The bank in the meantime had risen in dig- nity and power, becoming the Montgom- ery National Bank. It was to this fa- mous old institution (which for forty years was the only bank in Montgomery county) that John Slingluff came as a boy of seventeen years. He had spent the previous year in the surveying and conveyancing office of J. Morgan Albert- son, but heredity and inclination drew his steps bankward. He entered as clerk, rising after eight years' hard serv-' ice to the responsible position of cashier, an office to which he was appointed No- vember 20, 1875. He had thoroughly mastered the details of national banking, studied the laws of finance, and was in every way so well qualified that after serving seven years as cashier he was elected to succeed his aged father as president. He filled to the utmost limit that honorable position for nearly a quar- ter of a century, until 1899. These were years of growth and progress for the Montgomery National Bank, and also for Mr. Slingluff. He was not a man to rest content with even a life well filled with successful effort. He was identified with many other great enterprises, and lent his wise counsel as well as financial aid to many Norristown activities that have resulted in lasting benefit and are now permanent and prospering investments. While Mr. Slingluff was pre-eminently the careful, experienced, farseeing banker and closely safeguarded the important interests committed to his keeping, he was also fully active to the great oppor-
tunities offered for safe investment in undeveloped resources, and freely gave of his own fortune to establish and make permanent where others closed their purse strings and tried to block the wheels of progress. He was intensely practical, and could quickly sift the chaff and reach the kernel of any proposition presented to him. He was a leader among financiers and capitalists, yet never turned a deaf ear to views of even the humblest man in his employ.
He was president of the Montgomery Trust Company and of the Norristown Water Company; treasurer of the Nor- ristown Gas Company and of the Mont- gomery Cemetery Company; president of the Junction Railroad Company, and of the Citizens' Passenger Railway Com- pany, all being enterprises he was in- strumental in founding and placing upon so solid a foundation that they are fav- ored investment stocks today. He was a director of the Plymouth, Perkiomen & Stony Creek railroad, the Philadelphia, Germantown & Norristown railroad, and the Philadelphia, Newtown & New York railroad-all properties now embraced in the Philadelphia & Reading system.
This does not by any means cover the wonderful business activity of John Slingluff, but gives an idea of his won- derful quality. He gave his bank his best effort, and built up a strong insti- tution that still is a commanding influ- ence under the wise management of his son, William H. Slingluff. He was a wise financier, and stood very high among the well-known men of the financial world. He was not a one-sided man, but met all the obligations of citizen- ship. He was a trustee of the Norris- town Hospital for the Insane, succeed- ing General Hartranft on the board in 1889, and also served for twenty years on the board of Prison Inspectors, being president of the board. The Volunteer Fire Department of Norristown found in
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him a warm friend. He was president and chief engineer of Montgomery Fire Company, and took active and promi- nent part in the introduction of a per- fected fire alarm system in Norristown. This, with other improvements, he suc- cessfully championed, placing the de- partment on a much higher plane of effi- ciency. He was treasurer of the State Firemen's Association, and gave freely of his wide experience for the benefit of that association. He was interested in public schools, and at one time was presi- dent of the Norristown School Board. In fact, he was one of the most useful, influential men of his city. He also rose to prominence in public life. He was a Democrat in politics until 1884, after which he supported Republican candidates. In 1880 he was the Demo- cratic candidate for Congress. In both parties he wielded a strong influence, but was a candidate for elective office only once, as noted.
During the Civil War he enlisted in Company E, 34th Regiment, Pennsyl- vania Infantry, an emergency organiza- tion, serving until August, 1863. He met his death while returning from the dedi- cation of the General Hartranft statue on the capitol grounds at Harrisburg, many other citizens of Norristown going to their death in the same railroad wreck. He was deeply mourned by the public generally, and by a large circle of per- sonal friends. He was deeply regretted by his many friends of the Masonic or- der, in which he was well known and prominent ; he had advanced through the various bodies, holding official position in all of them, as master, high priest, etc., and was a post commander in the Grand Army of the Republic.
John Slingluff married, September 3, 1862, Wilhelmina, daughter of Freder- ick and Mary Gilbert, of Norristown. She survives her husband, a resident of
Norristown, with her children: Mary, William H., and Helen G.
William H. Slingluff, only son of John Slingluff, has ably succeeded his father as president of the Montgomery National Bank of Norristown, and in the other Slingluff interests. He is the third Slingluff to serve as president of that old and solid banking institution, and the second by name, William H. Slingluff, borne also by his grandfather. He did not reach this high position at one leap, but was first a clerk in the Montgomery Trust Company (organized in 1884 by John Slingluff), transferred to the Mont- gomery National Bank as cashier's as- sistant, appointed acting cashier in 1890, cashier 1891 ; now president.
William H. Slingluff married, in Oc- tober, 1892, Main, daughter of Henry A. and Ellen S. Derr, of German descent. Children: Eleanor D .; Marjorie D., since deceased.
PATTISON, Charles L., Lawyer, Man of Affairs.
This family, which is of English origin, derives its name from a remote ancestor who dwelt in a park containing a hurst or grove. In both New England and New York, there have been many men of prominence in the family and some of them were intimately connected with the development of the State of New Hamp- shire.
(I) George Parkhurst, the emigrant ancestor, came from Ipswich in the county of Suffolk, England, about the year 1640, bringing at least two children with him and settling at Watertown, Massachusetts. He married (second) about 1645, Susan, widow of John Simp- son, and about that date moved to Bos- ton. In 1642 he was owner of a home lot of twelve acres and other property in Watertown, and on October 4, 1645. being then a resident of Boston, he sold
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land to Hugh Mason. In 1655 he sold ten acres, which had been granted to John Simpson. He was made a freeman at Watertown, May 10, 1643. Children : George; Benjamin; Joseph; Phoebe, married Thomas Arnold; Deborah, mar- ried John Smith; Elizabeth, married (first) Emanuel Hilliard, (second) Jo- seph Merry ; Mary, married Rev. Thomas Carter.
(II) George (2), eldest son of George (1) Parkhurst and his first wife, was born in England, 1618, and came to Mas- sachusetts with his father about 1640, settling in Watertown on his father's homestead on the east side of Beaver brook and north of the county road. He married (first) December 16, 1643, Sarah Browne, born in England, daughter of Abraham and Lydia Browne. She died in 1649. He married (second) Septem- ber 24, 1650, Mary ("Pheza"), daughter of Robert Veazey, a proprietor of Water- town. Children by first wife: John, of whom further; a daughter who died young. George Parkhurst died March 16, 1698 or 1699.
(III) John, only son of George (2) Parkhurst and his first wife, was born in Watertown, June 10, 1644, died there, September 12, 1725. He was admitted a freeman, April 18, 1690. He married, about 1670, Abigail Garfield, born June 29, 1646, died October 18, 1726, daugli- ter of Edward and Rebecca Garfield, and granddaughter of Edward Garfield, an early settler of Watertown. Children : John, of whom further; Abigail, born September 10, 1674; Sarah, November 26, 1676; Rachel, December 30, 1678; Elizabetli, September 18, 1681; Mary, December 23, 1683; George, January 3, 1686; Samuel, April 11, 1688; Hannah, April 17, 1690.
Watertown Farms (now Weston), where he was an original member of the church and elected deacon, January 4, 1710. He married, about 1695, Abigail Morse, born August 6, 1677, died May 3, prior to 1760, daughter of John and Abigail (Stearns) Morse, and a descendant of Joseph Morse. Children: John, died young; John, born April 29, 1697; Abi- gail, June 20, 1699; Lydia, July 21, 1701 ; Elizabeth, April 5, 1704; Isaac, July 9, 1705; Josiah, of whom further; Mary, July 15, 1710; Jonas, August 20, 1712; Jemima, June 5, 1715.
(V) Josiah, son of Deacon John (2) and Abigail (Morse) Parkhurst, was born February 9, 1707. He resided in Weston, Massachusetts, where he mar- ried Sarah, baptized as an adult, May 25, 1728, daughter of Daniel and Sarah Car- ter. Children: Josiah, of whom further ; Nathan, Mary, Sarah, Amos, Lydia.
(VI) Josiah (2), eldest son of Josiah (1) and Sarah (Carter) Parkhurst, was born in 1736. He resided at Weston, Massachusetts, until 1762, when he moved to Framingham, where he built a house. He was a member of the "train band" in Weston in 1757, a service ren- dering his descendants eligible to the So- ciety of Colonial Wars. He died in Marl- boro, New Hampshire, in 1832, in his ninety-fifth year. He married, June I, 1758, Elizabeth, daughter of Nathaniel Bigelow. Of their eleven children three were born in Weston, eight in Framing- ham, Massachusetts: Hannah, John, of whom further; Aaron, Elizabeth, Eph- raim, Lucy, Sarah, Eunice, Molly, Lydia, Josiah.
(VII) John (3), son of Josiah (2) and Elizabeth (Bigelow) Parkhurst, was born May 2, 1760, at Weston, Massachusetts. In 1762 his father moved from Weston to Framingham, Massachusetts, which was his home during the Revolution. In
.(IV) Deacon John (2) Parkhurst, eld- est son of John (1) and Abigail (Gar- field) Parkhurst, was born in Water- the summer of 1777, when seventeen town, February 26, 1672. He settled at years of age, he joined the army. His
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first service was to guard continental later (1815) the present homestead was stores at East Sudbury. On April I, completed. It was the home of John Parkhurst until his death in 1836, and is still occupied by his descendants. The house is a substantial structure, com- manding a beautiful view of Mount Pisgah and adjacent valleys. 1778, he re-enlisted in Captain Holmes' company, Colonel Jonathan Reed's regi- ment, being the first regiment of guards. His first duty was to guard British pris- oners at Prospect Hill, Cambridge, who had been captured with General Bur- goyne. He was discharged July 4, 1778, and at once re-enlisted for six weeks in the company commanded by Captain Amos Perry, of Sherburn. He went with the company to Providence and Lewiston, Rhode Island, where his duty again consisted in guarding continental stores; in August the company was en- gaged in building redoubts near New- port, Rhode Island. On July 24, 1780, he enlisted in Captain Walter McFar- land's company, Colonel Cyprian Howe's regiment, Middlesex county, for service in Rhode Island. The company went to Providence, where they were detailed to guard stores on College Hill. John Park- hurst was discharged October 30, 1780 (Mass. Arch., vol. 35, page 124; vol. 21, page III ; vol. 46, pages 13-14; vol. 19, page 182). This service entitles his de- scendants to membership in the societies of the Sons of American Revolution and Daughters of the American Revolution. On December 17, 1783, he married (first) Sarah Bullard, who died Febru- ary 8, 1818, at Springfield, Pennsylvania. In 1813 John Parkhurst, in company with William Evans, left New Hampshire to find a new home in the west. They would have settled in Monroe county, New York, but for the frontier troubles then existing. Turning southward, they finally located in Springfield, Bradford county, Pennsylvania, where they built a comfortable log house. They returned to New Hampshire for their families, and in the fall of 1813, after a hard jour- ney of six weeks, they arrived at the log house. Work was immediately com- menced on a better house, and two years
He kept a diary for thirty years where- in he states that he was only prevented from enlisting the fourth time by ill health. His diary shows that he took great interest in the militia while he lived in New Hampshire. During the latter years of his life in Springfield he was invariably known by the title of "Major." He was elected to this office in the general bands, which were an- nually organized in that vicinity. Mrs. Martha Bullock, who knew John Park- hurst in her childhood, still remembers seeing him with epaulettes on his should- ers and a long black feather, tipped with red, in his hat.
Although a physician by profession, there is no record that he was ever in active practice. His life seems to have been occupied in farming, although he conducted a general store for some years at Marlboro, New Hampshire. His diary reveals many characteristics of his sturdy life. Under date of July 20, 1811, it contains the following excellent ad- vice, upon the occasion of his paying $1,905.16 for having endorsed a friend's note: "So that it appears that I am this sum the poorer for dealing with one dis- honest man, which I did merely to oblige him, without any promise, or even pros- pect of reward, which I hope will be sufficient warning to all (my family at least) never to be bound for any man without ample security ; and again I say, not without ample security." He was an active member of the church, a man of strong political views, and a contribu- tor to the various periodicals of the time. In appearance he is remembered as a dis- tinguished-looking man, with keen blue
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eyes, white hair and a refined manner. He died November 1, 1836, sitting in the rocking chair which he had brought with him from New Hampshire, and was buried at Springfield. He had nine chil- dren, all by his first wife, Sarah Bullard. The first two were born in Framingham, the remainder in Marlboro. He mar- ried (second) October 31, 1822, Marga- ret Randel, of Canton, Pennsylvania. Children: 1. John, born December 30, 1784; married, September 8, 1822, Laura Gleason 2. Daniel, born May 6, 1787; married, October 23, 1817, Alma Allen. 3. Josiah, born March 12, 1789; married, 1813, Rachel Harkness. 4. Sarah Maria, born April 10, 1793; married, September 5, 1813, William Evans. 5. Curtis, born July 2, 1794; married, November II, 1830, Jane Ann Kasson. 6. Dexter, born September 21, 1797; married, July 4, 1823, Marian Speer. 7. Joel, of whom further. 8. Martha, born April 2, 1803; inarried, July 25, 1827, Micajah Seely. 9. Ebenezer F., born November 1, 1807; married, November 8, 1829, Demis Brown.
(VIII) Joel, son of John (3) and Sarah (Bullard) Parkhurst, was born April 8, 1800, at Marlborough, New Hampshire. At the age of seventeen years he com- menced teaching school. This was con- tinued until he was twenty-two years of age, his spare time being devoted to the study of medicine. In the spring of 1822 he went to Michigan as a govern- ment surveyor. Later he returned to Richmond, New Hampshire, and went to work as a clerk for two years at one hundred and fifty dollars per year and board. On settling with his employer he received his salary in merchandise, and went to Mansfield, Pennsylvania, where he started in business for himself. In 1826 he went to Lawrenceville, Pennsyl- vania, and formed a co-partnership with his brother, Curtis, which was continued until 1828. He then went to Elkland,
Pennsylvania, becoming the leading mer- chant of the valley. He continued ex- tending his business until the rebellion, when he was able to take the county bonds, issued by the commissioners of Tioga county, and furnished the means for the payment of bounties to the vol- unteers. About this time he opened a bank, taking into the company his son- in-law, Charles L. Pattison, and John Parkhurst, under the name of Joel Park- hurst & Company. IIe was largely in- strumental in the building of the Co- wanesque Valley railroad, of which he was made president. In 1876 he erected the present high school building and gave it to the village. He also gave the Presbyterian church its parsonage. He was an elder in the church, and was iden- tified with its interests, contributing lib- erally toward the support of the gospel. Politically he was a Republican, and one of the most influential citizens of the county. He died at Elkland, Pennsyl- vania, December 6, 1884, leaving an es- tate valued at more than a million dol- lars. In 1890 his children erected a beautiful memorial church in his mem- ory, at a cost of twenty thousand dol- lars, at Elkland, Pennsylvania. He was a man of noble character and left behind him a precious memory. He married (first) November 16, 1835, Emeline R., daughter of Edward and Anna (Richard) Allen, born December 13, 1815, at Bridge- water, New York, died at Elkland, Penn- sylvania, October 29, 1854; married (second) May 14, 1856, Widow Martha H. Steel, daughter of Benjamin and Dinah (Mersereau) Harrower, who was born at Lawrenceville, Pennsylvania, June 27, 1822, died in New York City, February 11, 1889, and was buried at Elkland, Pennsylvania. He had eight children by his first wife and two by his second wife: 1. Edward Joel, born Oc- tober 14, 1837, died August 15, 1840. 2. John Clay, born December 25, 1839, died
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.rch 13, 1850. 3. Sarah Maria, born hurst. With his admission the corpor- vember 9, 1841, died June 18, 1850. Anna Stella, of whom further. 5. ary, born March 1, 1846, died March 1846. 6. Frank, born January 24, 1848, ed April 26, 1860. 7. Curtis S., born arch 10, 1852, died March 13, 1852. 8. harles, born August 10, 1854, died De- ember 6, 1854. 9. Susan Amelia, born [ay 26, 1857; married, March 9, 1887, . B. Grier. 10. Benjamin H., of whom irther.
(IX) Anna Stella, second daughter and ourth child of Joel Parkhurst and his irst wife, Emeline R. (Allen) Parkhurst, was born November 30, 1843. She was well educated and grew to woman- hood surrounded by the advantages of wealth and culture. She married, Octo- ber 21, 1868, Charles Louis Pattison, whom she survives, a resident of Elk- land, Pennsylvania, and mistress of the beautiful mansion in which many of their thirty-seven years of married life were passed. She is a lady highly respected and greatly beloved.
Charles Louis Pattison was born in Chester, New York, February 16, 1841, died in Elkland, Pennsylvania, April 10, 1896, son of Thurman and Susan Wilson (Bishop) Pattison. He was six years of age when his parents moved from Ches- ter to Lawrenceville, Pennsylvania, where he obtained his education in school and academy. During his school days he obtained also a knowledge of the lum- bering business, assisting his father and occasionally accompanying the rafts down the river. In August, 1860, he took his first business position, becoming a clerk in the store of the Fall Brook Coal Company at Fall Brook, Pennsylvania, remaining ten years, two years of which he was paymaster and four years cashier. In October, 1869, he came to Elkland, acquiring a half interest in the banking house of his father-in-law, Joel Parkhurst, known as J. and J. Park-
ate name was changed to J. Parkhurst & Company, so continuing until after the death of Mrs. Joel Parkhurst, when the ownership became vested in Mr. and Mrs. Charles L. Pattison, the firm name being C. L. Pattison & Company. The bank transacted a large volume of busi- ness and was the leading financial insti- tution of the Cowanesque Valley. After the death of Mr. Pattison it was reor- ganized as the Pattison National Bank with Orville Pattison, a brother of Charles L. Pattison, as president.
While known almost entirely as a banker, Mr. Pattison had taken a regu- lar course in legal study, and Septem- ber 7, 1888, had been admitted to the Tioga county bar. He, however, never practiced, using his legal knowledge to avoid litigation and to guide him in his extensive business operations. He con- tinued a member of the County Bar As- sociation and was one of its liberal friends until his death. He was, with Joel Parkhurst, the chief promoter and secretary and treasurer of the Cowan- esque Valley Railroad Company, now a part of the New York Central system. He also organized and promoted the Ad- dison & Pennsylvania Railroad Com- pany, which in ninety days completed the section between Addison and West- field and ran regular trains thereon with- in that period. During the last twelve years of his life he was president of the Pennsylvania division of the road. He established the Elkland Furniture Fac- tory in 1883 and superintended its suc- cessful operation until its destruction by fire in 1896.
Mr. Pattison had many other inter- ests in Tioga and Potter counties, being a most important factor in the develop- ment of his section. Prospering abund- antly, he took the somewhat unusual view that wealth was a blessing which should be used to assist others, and to
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this end he kept his fortune employed in the development of industries benefi- cial to his community. He was the soul of honor and his word was truth and never doubted; manly and brave, he left his motto: "I never dread to do any- thing that I feel I ought to do." He was kind-hearted and generous, courteous to all, thorough and practical in business with a quiet reserve and dignity that but lent to the charm of his manner. He took little part in political affairs, but was a close observer and carefully de- cided on his private political course. He was a Democrat until the campaign of 1890, then became affiliated with the Re- publican party. He held the office of burgess of Elkland at the time of his death, having been elected in 1894. He was a liberal supporter of the church and of the public schools, and to the poor was most benevolent, none appeal- ing to him in vain. His great outdoor delight was the camera and of the pho- tographic art he was a most enthusiastic patron. During his lifetime many great changes occurred in the beautiful Val- ley of the Cowanesque and as the for- est gave way to the fields and beautiful homes succeeded the cabins and the val- ley became a living picture, he kept a photographic record of these changes, being well equipped with an amateur photographer's outfit. His death, which occurred at the hospital of the Univer- sity of Pennsylvania, was a severe blow to the business interests of the Cowan- esque Valley as a whole and a cause of deepest sorrow to his many friends and his devoted family.
(IX) Benjamin H., youngest son of Joel and Martha (Harrower Steel) Park- hurst, was born in Elkland, Pennsyl- vania, October 28, 1861. He acquired a good and practical education in the pub- lic and high schools of the county, and upon the completion of these studies be-
came associated with his father in the office of the latter, a condition which continued until the death of Mr. Park- hurst senior. Benjamin H. Parkhurst then commenced a series of journeys which took him to all points of interest, not alone in his native country, but all over Europe, and these travels were ex- tended until 1890. In that year he re- turned to Elkland and opened an office for the transaction of real estate and loan business. He decided to devote all of his time to business matters, and en- gaged in these very extensively and in a varied manner. He built the Elkland Carriage Works, with which he was identified for a number of years. The Elkland Chair Factory was also partly under his control up until it was purchased by F. W. Crandall, and he, for several years, employed a large force of men in these various enterprises. Having disposed of his interests in these undertakings, Mr. Parkhurst established himself in the mercantile business, which he conducted successfully for a number of years, but in 1903 disposed of this and purchased a general insurance business, in which he is engaged at -the present time (1913).
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