Slack, John Rowe 1824 – 1898

SLACK, FOLEY, BAKER

Posted By: Joy Moore (email)
Date: 11/20/2020 at 11:47:02

Source: Decorah Republican Dec. 29, 1898 P 4 C 1

THE WORK OF THE REAPER.
JOHN ROWE SLACK.
The grim messenger called another old resident of Decorah to the silent home during the past week. John R. Slack, who came to Decorah on Dec. 19th, 1856, passed away last Saturday, Dec. 24th, at his home in this city, in his 75th year. He was born in Ohio in 1824, and educated in Jefferson College, Florence, Pa. For some time thereafter he was engaged with his father as nurseryman and gardener. When 25 years of age he engaged as bookkeeper at Stubenville. In 1856 he came west and stopped for three months in Dubuque, from there coming to Decorah and entering the Winnesheik County Bank under the late Horace S. Weiser. He remained in this institution as bookkeeper and cashier for nearly eighteen years, retiring in the spring of 1874. At the same time he was in the bank he served as postmaster for five years. In the fall of ’74 he opened the Decorah Business College, an institution which he maintained for fifteen years and in which many young men and women were ground in business practices as they only could be under a man who was an expert in that line. He was the author of the book "Rationale and Practice of Bookkeeping,” a treatise which was widely accepted as authority.
He was married to Anna M. Foley on the 24th of July, 1858. She, with nine children,—John C., of Minneapolis; James S., of Madison, S. D.; Hutton R., of San Antonio, Texas; Leonard R., Co. I, 49th Iowa, now in Cuba; Mrs. Catherine S. Baker, Raphel, Paul, Edward and Samuel, of Decorah,—survive him.
Mr. Slack was a Royal Arch Mason, member of the Eastern Star, and was three times honored by nominations to various county offices by the Democratic party. In 1888 he took his demit from the Masonic orders of which he was a member, and united with the Catholic church. In early life he was an Episcopalian.
Heart failure was the cause of his death, though he had been in poor health for several years. Although he enjoyed more prominence than the average citizen he was a man of quiet tastes and a kind and affectionate disposition.
The funeral service was held at St. Benedict’s church yesterday morning at nine o’clock, and many gathered to pay their last respects to an old and esteemed citizen.

St. Benedict Cemetery
 

Winneshiek Obituaries maintained by Bruce Kuennen.
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