From "History of North Washington" Published 1904

Transcribed by: Candy Grubb (candyg@theofficenet.com)
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LESTER SLY
	Lester Sly.  The commercial interests of Republic have been well
looked after during the years of her existence and among the leading 
merchants of Ferry county today, stands the subject of this article.  He 
also has the distinction of being one of the pioneer merchants of this
part of the country. 
	Lester Sly was born in Belleplaine, Scott county, Minnesota, on
April 26, 1869, being the on of J.B. and Ann E. (Russell) Sly, naitve of
New York and Pennsylvania, respectively.  They settled in Minnesota in
1851, where the father died, aged sixty-four years, in 1892.  The mother
then came west to Washington, where she now resides with her daughter, 
Mrs. N.R. Robinson.  She is the mother of six children, Lester, Samuel E.,
Carolina L., Josephine, James F., and Charles E.  Oiur subject received a 
good education in Belleplaine, and when fourteen years of age began working
for himself.  He was at home at intervals until 1886, when he came to 
Spokane, and after ta short time spent there in the employ of Brooke and 
Davies, went on to the Couer d'Alene country and was timekeeper and book-
keeper for the narrow guage road, constructed by D.C. Corbin, this being the
first railroad in that country.  Later he went to the Colville valley and
engaged in the Young American mine at Bossburg.  Later, he went to Okanogan
county and in 1887 started prospecting, which he followed until 1895, when
he went to Slocan, British Columbia, and engaged as clerk in the Slocan
Store Company.  He continued in that capacity for two years, when he
returned to Okanogan county, and finally settled in the Curlew valley in 
1897, having brought with him a large load of general merchandise.  He 
entered into partnership with Charles Hermann at Conconcully.  They were 
about the first to establish themselves as merchants in this valley, and 
have continued in the merchandise business, increasing their stock until
at the present time they are among the leading merchants of north Washington.
Mr. Sly has various other property, such as a town residence, and mining 
and farming interests.  He has a valuable quarter section partly in the
city of Republic.
	On June 8, 1898, Mr. Sly married Hannah E. Neilson, a native of
Norway.  Her father is dead and her mother now lives at Christiana, Norway.
Mrs. Sly is one of four children, P.M., Seigel, Elsa, and Hannah.  To Mr.
and Mrs. Sly two children have been born, Gordon, April 8, 1899, and Helen,
December 7, 1901.  Mr. Sly, who is a good active Republican, was a member
of the board of county commissioners, and has been very active in building
up the town and county.  He is a member of the Ferry Lodge, No. 111; A.F. &
A.M., the Eastern Star, the I.O.O.F., the W.W., and the M.W.A.  Mrs.Sly
belongs to the Eastern Star, the Rebekahs, and the Methodist church.
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