The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1903-02-16
In Business, Social World and Varied
Activities He WAS a Figure of
Sterling Worth.
CONNECTING LINK WITH PAST
HE SAW INDIANAPOLIS GROW FROM
VILLAGE TO METROPOLIS.
President of School Board and Mem
her of National SOcieties-Hfs
"Reminiscences of Early Days.


Sloan Drug Company and president of the
Indianapolis School Board. died yesterday
afternoon at o'clock at his home, 604
North Meridian street. DR.. Sloan was
stricken with apoplexy last October. and
had rallied since only enough to permit
several short walks. Yesterday, while
asleep, the second and final stroke came,
and death followed in three minutes.
The span of DR.. Sloan's life was an un-
usually great one. Fifty-five years Of busi-
ness activity on Washington street was a
career unequaled in Indianapolis. 1t was
the strongest link of the present generation
of the city with the first that made it's
commercial development. His business life
covered the growth of Indianapolis from a
city Of less than ten thousand persons to
one of two hundred thousand; witnessed
the beginnings and subsequent progress Of
the railroads of the city to their present
magnitude; in fact, lived to see the city de-
velop from its provincial character to a
metropolitan place. and all of the time be-
ing merchant within three hundred feet
Of one spot in Washington street.
NATIONAL REPUTATION.
DR.. Sloan was a pharmacist of national
reputation and his formulas and advice for
manufacturing medicines, particularly
tinctures. were used literally In the United
States Dispensatory. He attended the
Philadelphia College of Pharmacy short
time before the war for the Union, and
studied with such celebrated men as Pro-
fessors Thomas, Proctor and Bridges. and
he also took special course in chemistry
with Professor Parrish, who was the IA
ther of American pharmacy. He has been
for many years lecturer on pharmacy In
the Indiana Medical College, which hon
ored him with the degree of NJ. d. In
recognition of his services to pharmacy
(and these services were never selfish) Pur-
due University gave him the degree of
doctor of pharmacy In 1879 and 1880 he was
president of the American Pharmaceutical
Society. and in May. 1900. he was made one
of its five trustees. He was of the
few life members Of that organization-an-
other honor in recognition of his services
and during his decades of membership had
made friendships with the most advanced
pharmacists and chemists of the country
Among these friendships none were SO great
as those of Joseph r. Remington, of Phila-
delphia, author OF the Practice of Phar-
macy".-the vogue for many years and still
so-and the recognized head Of American
pharmacy and Jon John Uri Lloyd; OF Clncln-
of the Knobs" Mr.. Lloyd is a leading
chemist of the world, and since DIR.
Sloan's affliction he has made many visits
to his bedside.
MARRIED IN 1867
DR.. Sloan was married in this city in
1867 to Miss Caroline Bacon, daughter of
Hiram Bacon. Mrs. Sloan and three chill
dren-George B. Sloan, Mary A. Sloan and
Frank T. Sloan-survive him and were at
his bedside at his death
For a year past premonitory indications
of apoplexy were apparent. Oct 25 last DR..
Sloan was stricken down and taken to his
home. He improved, but the Improvement
was never regarded as more than tempo
rary. Several times he made short sally
from his home-where he had lived for thir-
ty years-but never was there a hope of
recovery. While his death was expected,
still ii came so suddenly yesterday that 1t
proved a shock. The hand of death first
lulled him by sleep, during which his heavy
breathing indicated the final touch of the
grim visitor Two sisters of DR.. Sloan sur
vive. They are Mrs Mary. A. Clark and
Miss Sarah NJ. Sloan, of Philadelphia.
hundred -and- -thirty-second Indiana Volun-
teers during the war for the Union, and has
long been a member of George III. Thomas
the Board of Trade and has also been
treasurer of Mystic Tie Lodge. +. and
A. M: for thirty years Continuously
Christ Church He was also member of
the Loyal Legion He was first president
of the Indiana State Board of Pharmacy
and was its secretary at the hour Of his
death.
Arrangements for the funeral will be
announced later. 1t will be In charge of the
Masonic fraternity. in which he was
degree at Chicago in 1893. He was first
elected to the School Board in 1896, and
reelected the long-term member when
the board was reorganized four years ago.
He has been it's president since the reor-
ganization. He was the first treasurer of
the board to account for the interest earn
ings of the funds In his custody.
BORN IN PENNSYLVANIA
Dr. Sloan was born in the midsummer
of 1885 at Harrisburg, Pa, where his
father John Sloan, was an undertaken and
a cabinet maker. He decided to migrate to
Chicago for prudential reasons, chief
among which was the imitation of the
family pocketbook. With his family In
charge. in the spring of 1897. he came down
the Ohio river to Madison, Ind, and there
started over the Michigan road. a thorough
fare of emigration from Madison to Chi
cago. Arriving at Indianapolis he found a
number of Harrisburg people and a con-
genial place to settle. The canal was being
built, the old Statehouse was nearing COM
pletion and the town was on a boom. He
settled i'm Indianapolis and opened an un-
dertaking establishment where l.. 8. Ayres's
store Is now situated.
The only other undertaken in Indian
apolis was Joseph Stretcher, whose estab-
lishnent was where Albert Calls store is
now. None of the relatives of Mr.. Stretch
or, the pioneer undertaken, Is now living
here.
George w. Sloan inherited intelligence.
energy and pluck. In his youth nearly ali
schools were private and he attended the
first school In Marion county sustained in
part at public expense. IL was located on
the northwest side of Kentucky avenue
just above Maryland street. and the teacher
was Alexander Jameson, father of DIR.
Henry Jameson The old building Is still
standing He attended also the old Marion