BIO: Tempest SLINGER, Centre County, PA

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Commemorative Biographical Record of Central Pennsylvania: Including 
the Counties of Centre, Clearfield, Jefferson and Clarion: Containing 
Biographical Sketches of Prominent and Representative Citizens, Etc. 
Chicago: J. H. Beers, 1898.
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COMMEMORATIVE BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD.  288

  TEMPEST SLINGER, a well-known hotel keeper at Philipsburg, Centre 
county, furnishes in his career an admirable example of British pluck 
and enterprise.  He was born in England, December 23, 1847, and is a 
descendant of an old Yorkshire family.
  His paternal grandfather, for whom he was named, was a native of 
Slaidburn, in that county, and followed agricultural pursuits there all 
his life, his death occurring in 1847 when he was aged seventy-five 
years.  He married a Miss Wilkinson, and reared a family of eight or 
nine children, all of whom lived to a good old age.  Nicholas Slinger, 
our subject's father, was born in Yorkshire in 1816, and after a busy 
life as a farmer is now enjoying his declining years in well-earned 
leisure.  His wife, Jane Seed, also a native of Yorkshire, was born in 
1820, and is still living, the fifty-sixth anniversary of their 
marriage being celebrated in November, 1896.  She is of a long-lived 
family, her father, Thomas Seed, having attained the age of eighty-
four.  Our subject was one of a family of eleven children: (1) William 
died at seven years of age; (2) Ann died at twenty-six; (3) Jane is the 
widow of Henry Slater, of England; (4) Tempest is the subject of this 
sketch; (5) John Thomas, who is married, is superintendent for T. 
Barnes, of Philipsburg; (6) Elizabeth Alice is the wife of Major 
Nutter, of the English army; (7) Mary Ellen is the wife of William H. 
Heath; (8) Emma G. is not married; (9) Margaret, who married Robert 
Hindle, lives in the old country; (10) George N. is an attorney at law 
in England; (11) Nancy died at the age of two years.
  Mr. Slinger attended the schools of his native place until he reached 
the age of fifteen, and he was early trained to practical work upon his 
father's farm, where dairying was an especial feature.  His active and 
aspiring mind was not satisfied with the outlook for business, and he 
determined to seek a more promising field for his efforts.  On January 
1, 1884, he landed at Philadelphia, and in the course of a prospecting 
tour he visited Philipsburg, but after four months he went to Cuba and 
became interested in the management of a sugar plantation, remaining 
four months.  He then returned to Philipsburg, where for a time he was 
engaged at a coal mine as weigh boss, but later devoted his attention 
to the hotel business with a diligence that has won him success.  In 
April, 1893, he took unto himself a life partner, Miss Elizabeth Ann 
Goshorn, a resident of Philipsburg.  They are prominent members of the 
Episcopal Church.  Mr. Slinger has always shown an active interest in 
local progress, and in the political problems of his adopted country, 
voting the Democratic ticket.