Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1916-01-27

/ Death this, morning claimed another
Of the pioneer business men of Mar
shaltown, when Edwin q. Sleight died
4 at his home in Chicago. Mr.. Sleight' s
death followed an illness of six months,
due TO paralysis. News of his death
came in a telegram from James
Sle.ght TO E. s. Ketchum, an old friend
\ of the family. and namesake Of Mr.
Sleight.
Mr.. Sleights death removes one OF
the real builders of Marshalltown IN
the pioneer days. Mr.. S!eight owned
the first grain elevator in the city, and
was the first man to pay cash for grain.
Before he entered the field. in 1862, the
| grain buying from farmers was trad
ing transaction, with no real money
changing hands between buyer and
seller. MIR. Sleight had some money,
and had eastern connections that IGr-
nished him with what capital ne
needed. and instead Of the farmer be-
ing compelled to accept orders on the
butcher baker. or grocer. received cash
! for his product. Not only did SleiSht
! buy for cash. but ne helped many a
farmer who afterwards became wealthy
by anticipating on his next season $
crop and loaning him money 10 Garry
him thru the winter.
Was Native of New York City.
Mr.. Slcight was native of New
York City. where he was born June Is,
1891. his father being at the time enc
Of the largest dry goods merchants n
] the metropolis. doing business then 1T
the corner OF Canal and Mercer streets.
where Arnold. Constable & Co., still a
leading retail dry goods concern, was
= afterwards located for many years.
In 1881 the elder eight came west
to Michigan City. Ind. and lived there
twenty years. When We grew TO mar
hood young Sleisht entered the grain
business with his father at Kalamazoo
and Niles. Mich.
Sees Future in MarshalItown.
\ In the early sos Mr. Sleight saw
the future of towns along the new line
OF the Chicago, Iowa * Nebraska rail-
road. now the Northwestern, which
was then being pushed westward. He
chose Marshalltown as a likely place
to engage in business, and in 1862
I came here and went into the grain
! business.
His place of business was at the cor
ncr of Market and Third avenue, whore
3 ketchum & CASTOR are now situated.
In addition to grain Mr.. SleiSht
started in the farm implement business
in the building TO the south OF his Of
flee, and his grain elevator was where
/ the Phil Sheridan building, occupied
4 the Johnston cafe, now stands He took
as q partner in the implement business
! Nathaniel ketchum. a young man
who had been with the Northwestern
engineering party, and had come here
\ in January, 1852. The firm was first
q known as E. q. Sleight & Co, and
81 later became Sleight < ketchum.
4 II was not until March. 1863. that the
first train on the new railroad reached
Marshalltown, and before there wcri
local shipping facilities Mr. Sleigh
bought grain and hauled it as far as
Chelsea as the nearest shipping point
He continued hauling to the nearcs
i point as the train service progressed
/ and soon vas able to load his cars :,
4 Marshalltown.
4, Fires Prove Disastrous.
III Mr.. SleiGht did d very prosperous
I business but met with severe financial
/ losses thru fires. His business was
I swept away in the disastrous fire Of
1 May 4. 1872, which wiped out the south
B part Of the towns business district
/ Again, on April 6, 1876, another fire de-
/ strOyed tie business that had been re-
/ built. Mr.. Sleight was not to be dis
< Outraged, however. and he cOmmenc ad
! all over again. He continued in the
] grain business until about twenty tive
/ years ago, when he disposed of his in
terests to the Kansas City Grain Com.
l pany and moved to Chicago
Since going to Chicago Mr.. Sleight
has been engaged in importing fiaS
/ waterproof textures from Germany.
Wife in Very Poor Health.
Mr.. Sleight was married at Kalama
zoo, Mich in October. 1855, his wife
being Miss Emily A. Arnold She sur.
wives him, together with two of hel
four children. Mrs Sleight has beer
i'll for several weeks. and for tim.
her death was expected at almost an.
time. She has improved, however, 81.
tho she Is still in poor health. Mr.
Sleights children are Mrs. Franl
: F'racker and James Sleight, both of Chi.
- cago. His Oldest daughter Bessie. dice
\ In this city at about the age of 20 :hir.
ty-tive or more years ago. and Mary
who became Mrs. CORTLAND K Ban
i cock, died in New York City about fit
teen years ago. The old SIeight home
was at 303 South Third avenue, th'
property now owned by J. L. William.
and occupied by w. E. Thompson.
To Bring Body Hero.
Mr. Sleight's body will be brought t,
this city for burial in the family lot II
Riverside. The funeral party, com
posed Of Mr.. and Mrs. James Sleight
will reach the city at s:15 Frida
morning. and the body will be taken t
st. Paufs Episcopal church, wher
funeral services, in charge of Rev. II
N. Babin, will be conducted at
o'clock
FORMER RESIDENT KILLS SELF