THEODORE M. SLACK.

A self-made man who has been the architect of his own fortunes and has builded wisely and well is Theodore Slack, who follows farming one mile north of Piqua, in Neosho Falls township, Woodson county. A native of Ohio, he was born in Henry county, that state, March 1, 1847, a son of Philip and Catherine (Woolet) Slack, the former a native of New York

and the latter of Maryland. When a young man the father went to Ohio. He was a mason by trade but in the Buckeye state he turned his attention to farming, following his trade only after work of the farm was over for the season. In 1866 he removed to Illinois, and in 1884 came to Kansas, settling in Woodson county on a farm north of Piqua, where his death occurred in 1894, when he was seventy-five years of age. His wife still survives him at the age of eighty-four years. They were the parents of two sons, the brother of our subject being James Slack.

Theodore M. Slack, of this review, came to Illinois with his father in 1866 and remained with him until twenty-four years of age, when he started out upon an independent business career. For ten years he engaged in the operation of rented land, came to Ottawa, Kansas, in 1880, and to Woodson county in 1883, and then made his first purchase, becoming owner of a tract of eighty acres. As the years have passed he has added to this and his landed possessions now aggregate three hundred and twenty acres. He began with a tract of raw prairie, which he has cultivated and improved until it is one of the most productive farms of this portion of the state. He has a good residence on the place and has erected a very large barn in which he can store a large amount of hay and which affords ample shelter for his stock. He handles horses, mules and cattle and realizes a good profit from his sales of stock. His corn and wheat crops also bring to him good returns and a bearing orchard keeps his table well supplied with fruits in season.

In Illinois Mr. Slack was united in marriage to Miss Amanda Beeler, a native of Illinois, and a daughter of Vinton R. and Mary (Ross) Beeler. Her father was born in Maryland but when a young man went to Illinois where he met and married Miss Ross, a native of that state. Unto our subject and his wife have been born six children: Mary C., wife of Benjamin Draper, a resident of Woodson; Elmer, at home; John, who married Mary Heath and resides in Allen county; Charles, George and Arthur, who are also under the parental roof. In his political affiliations Mr. Slack is a Republican and is a wide-awake and progressive citizen, interested in all that effects the progress and prosperity of his township, county, state and nation. He is a very energetic farmer, reliable in all business transactions. With the exception of a small amount of money which his wife inherited from her father he has made through his own efforts all that he now possesses. Instead of being content with conditions as they are, he is always seeking to improve his farm and his progressive methods and untiring labor have made his place one of the most attractive and desirable in the country.

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