PROGRESSIVE MEN OF THE STATE OF MONTANA.

one of the live, pushing, successful young men of Montana, was born in Vicksburg, Mich., on November 29, 1866, a son of Andrew J. and Lucy (Moffett) Sliter. A. J. Sliter was born in Delaware, of Pennsylvania parents, and went to Michigan when but nineteen as a pioneer settler, and followed there various successful occupations, agriculture, horticulture, bee raising, etc. He was possessed of a herculean physique and had a very companionable nature. He weighed in his prime 225 pounds and stood six feet, two inches in height. He was road master of the Grand Rapids & Indiana Railroad in July, 1897, and was in that month killed by his own train, at the age of fifty-five. He was buried by the Odd Fellows, to which brotherhood he belonged, as well as to the Maccabees and Templars. His wife survives him and resides on the Vicksburg (Mich.) homestead. Their children are Emory J., now of Cape Nome, Alaska ; Lizzie L., now the wife of B. S. Young, professor of pharmacy in the Ohio State University at Ada, Ohio; Everit L., the subject of this review, and Pearl (Mrs. B. L. Elkerton), of Vicksburg, Mich.

After his graduation at the excellent high school of Vicksburg, when he was nineteen years old, Everit L. Sliter came to Blue Hills, Neb., alone. From there he journeyed to Ouray, Arapahoe county, Colo., where he bought a span of horses and a farm of 160 acres for $300, part to be paid in labor. In six months he lost his horses through overwork, left the farm and went to Fremont, Neb., and was there clerk in a hotel for eighteen months. With $300 saved in this employment, he took the old buffalo trail for Helena, Mont., and for forty-four days traveled on that trail, on which he was lost five days in a snow storm in the Bad Lands. He was fortunate enough to kill a range steer or he would have perished for lack of food. At Helena he first worked four months as a carpenter at forty cents an hour, putting in fourteen hours a day. He next helped to build all of the railroad depots between Helena and Butte on the Montana Central Railroad. Quitting this, for the fall and winter of I888 he kept a peanut and popcorn stand on the corner of Broadway and Main streets, Helena. In the Spring of I899 he opened the Palace cigar store in the same city, taking as a partner George D. Crie. Desiring recreation, on March 8, I889, he arrived in the Flathead valley on a hunting and fishing trip, and was so pleased with the valley and its possibilities that he purchased a part of his present ranch, consisting of I39.6 acres, of William Ramsdell, paying for it $I,380. The only improvements on the place were six acres under cultivation, a dirt-roofed house and a little log stable. Returning to Helena, he closed out his business there and from that time has been permanently settled on his Flathead land. The hunting facilities afforded at that time may be imagined from Mr. Sliter’s statement that during the first winter of his life in the valley he killed twenty-six deer. He kept ‘bachelor’s hall’ four years and clerked for three years of the time for Mr. Ramsdell at his store in Egan. In the spring of I892 Mr. Sliter opened the first store at Holt and was commissioned its first postmaster, but soon sold out and made a trip to his Michigan home. Here, on December I4, I892, he was united in wedlock with his old schoolmate, Miss Lizzie G. Osborn, daughter of Henry D. and Maria (Turber) Osborn. From that time they have labored zealously to build up and develop their handsome estate, which now numbers 555 acres of fertile land beautifully located on the head of the Flathead lake. Their fine home, really a capacious hotel, with fifteen sleeping rooms, was built in the spring of I900. Here the traveler can find entertainment surpassing many pretentious city hotels. In I892 Mr. Sliter made the first start in what promises to be one of the large and productive orchards of the valley by setting out 500 apple, cherry, plum and pear trees. The next year 300 more were added and in I894 700 trees. He has now 4,000 thrifty trees, of which I,500 are in active bearing. To show the rapid development of fruit trees in this remarkable section we would state that the trees planted out in I893 were bearing nicely in I901 and were well loaded. In addition to his own property, in I897 Mr. Sliter leased for a term of six years the lands and buildings on Flathead lake and the steam launch belonging to the Helena Gun and Rod Club. In I901 he platted the town of Big Fork (I00 lots) and secured the establishment of Big Fork postoffice. Commissioned its first postmaster, he soon resigned the office in favor of O. A. Colby.

Mr. and Mrs. Sliter have two children, Blenn, born, October 24, I896, and Veda, born January I8, I900. Mr. Sliter is affiliated fraternally with the Modern Woodmen of America. To accomplish the transformation of the place from the condition it was in at his first purchase has required unceasing industry, constructive ability of a high order, and a steady persistence in the overcoming of difficulties that have met just reward in a most beautiful home. He is probably the youngest founder of a town in the state.

---

Note: The progressive men seems to have been a sort of Who’s Who of early Montana. Little is mentioned of the tiring work of the early pioneering women. There is confusion concerning the first name of Andrew J or Anthony Jason. Letter from Aunt Blenn says her Grandfathers name was Anthony Jason. My father (also named Everit L. Sliter) is not mentioned with my aunts Veda and Blenn. This puts the dating of the book refrenced in the early 1900’s since he was born May 5, 1907. Aunt Veda went to the University of Chicago and studied interior design and never married. Blenn married George Dryden, they had 4 sons Jim,Charles, Don and William. The bedroom furniture in our daughter's bedroom is from Aunt Blenn. Hand written notes of a letter from Blenn to my father are rewritten at "Our Parents".

SLITER ROOTS

Family tree of web page author is:

Andrew J(Anthony Jason). Sliter & Lucy Moffett
   Emory J. Sliter
   Lizzie L. Sliter married B.S. Young professor of phaarmacy Ohio State Univ. Ada Ohio
   Everit L Sliter & Lizzie G. Osborn daughter of Henry D. and Maria Turber
      Hazel L. born Oct 27, 1894 died Oct 7, 1900
      Blenn G. Sliter b. 10/24/1896 married Dryden d.6/13/81
      Veda G. Sliter b.1/19/1900 d. 7/20/70 
      Everit L Sliter & Margaret Wanda Agather daughter of Alfons Agather and Martha Neils
           Neils (Joe) Osborn Sliter & Ruth Franz daughter of Walter Franz and Anna 
               SuAnn Sliter married Timothy L. Dalton
                   Lindsey Leigh Dalton
                   Benjamin Caldwell Dalton
                   Lesley Anne Dalton
                   Lauren Anne Dalton
               Barbara (Bobbi) Lynn Sliter married Michael (Mike) R. Wolstein
                   Frances Ann (Frannie) Wolstein
                   Joseph Michael (Joe) Wolstein
               Jan Marie Sliter married Daniel Boon
                   Daniel Boon Jr.
           Everit (Ev) Agather Sliter & Nichali (Nikki) Sandra Paulsrud
                Everit Paul (Paul) Sliter married Elaine Johnston daughter of Joe and Judy Johnston
                      Morgan Elizabeth Sliter
                Justin Patrick Sliter married Jennifer Elhorn
           Thomas (Tom) Edward Sliter married Ralene Kay Johnson parents George Johnson and Laura Schulte
                     Andrea Rianne Sliter
                     Laura Margaret Sliter
                     Andrew Thomas Sliter
                     Linda Agather Johnson Sliter      
    Pearl Sliter married B.L. Elkerton of Vicksburg Michigan

---

Other Sliter family names in the woods with whom I've had contact are as follows:

---

January 1, 1998 What a way to start the new year. Picked up a hitch hiker outside of Bigfork, after introducing myself he handed me his drivers licence; Norman Vincent Sliter. Told a story of the family being Pennsylvania Dutch, spelling of Slijter (Dutch), when two brothers came upon the Mississippi River one wanted to go North but the other argued to go South. His family roots in the Arkansas area. Said that he had been to Holand and origin of the family name Sliter was that of seller of snapps or potato whiskey, or bartender. Most of the family potato farmers.

December 17, 1997 received Christmas letter from Gary and Joyce Sliter of Guys Mills PA. They had spent some of their summer vacation doing genealogy research, visited Sliters Corners in Sand Lake and Sliters Corners in NY State.
1790 Census, Bucks County, PA Slighter, Andrew; 1 male over 16, 2 male under 16, 6 female
1860 NY Census, Essex County, page 648, Wilmington Sliter, Alexander
1850-60 Census, Delaware County PA Sliter, A.J. , born 1842, Delaware County of Pennsylvania parents
Death Records found in NY State archives, Albany NY
Sliter, Alexander, d 23 Feb. 1902 at Middle Town, Record #7481
Slater, Andrew J., d. 1927 at Pokeepsie, Record #68560
SAND LAKE HISTORICAL SOCIETY CALENDAR with the following captions:
THE BREWSTER HOUSE. Build by Jacob Hageman in 1830 as a tavern and later enlarged to a hotel. Over the years it was known as Sliter's Inn, Sliter's Exchange Hotel, Seymour Hotel and in the 1980's it was changed to the Brewster House when Fred Brewster acquired it. Rebuilt after 1906 fire. (Now West Sand Lake Gulf Station, A.K. Wolfe)
THE CHRIST CRAPE CENTRAL HOTEL. Originally built as a store by John Stephens in 1815. Around 1820 Clement Sliter acquired it and ran it as a tavern. In 1880 Christ Crape purchased it and enlarged it into a hotel. (Now Millington's Gulf Sta.)

May 5, 1997 Email from Nancy Jordan (nee Sliter) Found 692 matches of the Sliter name on the net.

April 11, 1997 Email from Janet Sliter

April 10, 1997 Email from Sheila Carlson concerning Sluiter spelling. Thinks that still spelled that way in Holland. She was responding to email from Darcie Randall Ridolfi who inquired whether Sliter was a variant of early name Sluiter. Darcie was looking for Margriet Sluiter, m. Francis Bodine, Ulster Co NY. The records of Dutch Ref Church at Kingston has recordings of their children. The first of which was Margriet, christened 16 Oct 1768.

April 5, 1997 Rensselaer County Pension Rolls of 1885 page 7 of 8 mentions Alonzo Sliter of Greenbush - ulcers of the right leg

April 5, 1997 Old Maps of New York Towns page 19 of 27 #NYRE70 Sliters Corners and Sand Lake

April 5, 1997 New Information Births - 1847 Delaware County New York page 3 of 11 mentions George Slite Close born 31Oct1847 to Jeremiah & Nancy Sliter

April 4, 1997 Email from Karen Lynn Sliter ksliter@rational.com

April 4, 1997 rmarsh10062@aol.com signed guest book without address or message

Mar. 2, 1997 Email from Scott Sliter regarding Troy, NY Sliters. Ancestors to Arthur Sliter which traces back to late 1600's very 1700's. Original deeded lands dating from that time is still held by the four children of Arthur Sliter.

Mar. 2, 1997 Email from Gwen Becker gcb@napanet.net

Nicholas b.1738
   Nicholas b. 1760
Father or Grandfather removed from Dutchess County to Unadilla with William Johnston>
Scholarie NY>Schnectady NY>Sidney NY>Poughkeepsie NY
     Nicholas b. 1782 and Abigail Axtell Sliter b.1791 Green County  NY> Deposite, NY in 1811 
          Sally Sliter married Smith from Deposit NY
                   decendant Gwen Becker

Militia Enrollment List - WWI, Delaware Co., NY Page 8 of 15 Lists the following Sliter surnames:
Sliter Aaron G., Middletown 15/29
Sliter George, Kortright 6/38
Sliter Hosea David, Andes 8/28
Sliter Howard John, Andes 8/4
Sliter Logan Blain, Middletown 15/19
Sliter Lori Nicholas, Middletown 15/14
Sliter William Henry, Stamford 8/41
Sliter Winthrop Hiram, Deposit 6/41

Found in a book at local FHC, Kalispell MT
A CENSUS OF PENSIONERS for REVOLUTIONARY or MILITARY SERVICES; 1841 page 94
William Sliter from Rensselaer County NY, city of Sandlake

Feb. 24, 1997 Email from Rick Sliter slytdog@aol.com

Frederick George Sliter 
   Harold Sliter
       Frederick George II b.7/15/35 d.2/5/92 and Judith Lee Beltramo b. 1/3/45
           Frederick(Rick) George Sliter III b. 12/18/72
           Julie Ann Sliter b. 10/12/74

Feb 24, 1997 Email from Melody (Sliter) Yopp

George Washington Sliter and Beula May Pierce
     Selmer
     Aurthor
     Archie
     Paul
     Carl W. Sliter and Alma I. Middleton
          Mary L. Sliter
          James C. Sliter
          Charles L. Sliter
          Danny A. Sliter and Cheryl J. Williams
                 Danielle J. Sliter
              and Anita J. Moore
                 Melody R. Sliter
     Ethel
     Kansadie (died as a child)
     Marie (Died at birth with Buela May age 38)

Feb. 20, 1997 Letter from Charles S. Sliter sent Baptism and Marriage records from the Second Evangelical Lutheran Church of West Sand Lake New York.

Cornelius W. Sliter + Susannah Margaret
    Barney b. 7.19.1823 baptized 8.17.1823
    Abraham b. 8.5.1826 baptized 10.22.1826
    Sally Marie b. 2.15.1832 baptized 5.20.1832

No father named + Gertrude Sliter
    Alonzo b. 11.3.1843 baptized 6.20.1852
    William Henry b. 2.26.1846 baptized 6.20.1852

John P. Sliter + Alice M.
    Bernice Alida b. 4.27.1897 baptized 10.22.1899

Marriages:
8.27.1831 Jacob P. Lape and ______ Sliter
12.3.1837 Andrew Phillips and Julia Ann Sliter
4.20.1854 John L. Sliter and Elizabeth Adams
3.30.1857 William Sliter and Elizabeth Gowl
4.19.1857 Jacob Hidely and Sarah Frances Sliter

Listed as a witness to the wedding of John Sidney Reichard and Jane E. Kelly was an Edward Sliter

Feb 19, 1997 Email from Ron Sliter

brother
brother
grandfather Seattle>Nebraska
    Robert Sliter killed in WWII
         Robert
    Donald Sliter
         Cindy
         Carol
    daughter
    daughter
    Richard Everrett Sliter
         Ronald (Ron) Everrett Sliter
         Richard Dwayne
         Joyce Fresco

Pedigree of the Family of YARDLEY, of Chatham, Co. Ken
Compiled by William Brigg, ESQ., B.A. from the Visitation of Kent 1663-1668, Parish Registers, Wills, etc, and Deeds in the possession of Edward Stone, Esq.
London 1891
This book was located at the Family History Library in Salt Lake City.

History of the Guilford branch of the Dickerman family
This book was located at the Family History Library in Salt Lake City.
In the 7th generation of Dickerman's Sarah(Sally) Dickerman married William C Sliter. In the 8th generation Mary F. Sliter married Joseph C. Brett and Ester D. Sliter married a Herman J. Locke.

William C. Sliter b. 11Dec1793 Sidney Delaware Co NY d. 3Apr1864 near Rockdale in Unadilla 
Otsego Co NY and Sarah(Sally) Dickerman b. 16Jun1801 d.27Jan1868 near Rockdale in town of 
Unadilla Otsego Co NY
     Pamela Sliter
     Mary F. Sliter + Joseph C. Brett
          Willie L. Brett
     Mahala H. Sliter
     Esther D. Sliter + Herman J. Locke
          Addie Locke
          Ira Locke
          Fred Locke
          Floyd Locke
     Lucia A. Sliter
     Wiliam D. Sliter
     Augusta L. Sliter + Gilbert S. Arms
           Ada Arms
     Frederick W. Sliter
 

For Collection of Correspondence prior to Feb. 19, 1997.

Please sign our guest book

Return to the Helpful Hardware folks at SLITERS ACE
V. 4.7.2003 sliters/elsliter.html