From "History of North Washington" Published 1904

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, native 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.

Our 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 bookkeeper for the narrow gauge 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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