What I Know About Dr. William John Sloan

(1839-1921)

by Edith Ann Sloan, Ed.D.

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Family of Origin

William John was born Nov. 7, 1839 in Pittsburgh, PA. His parents were John Sloan of Pittsburgh and Nancy Agnes Daugherty who was born in 1810 and came to U.S. from Ireland in 1818. They were married in 1833 in Pittsburgh.

Their children (and William John's siblings) included:

• Sam Robert, born 1834
• James, b. 1836
• William John (above)
• Thomas Spraul, b. 1839
• Eliza Jane - died
• Mary - died
• Martha

(Two brothers, probably James and Thomas, died in the Civil War.)

Marriage

William John married Rebecca Jane McClelland on Oct. 22, 1861. Ceremony was performed in Allegheny City, PA (now Pittsburgh, PA) by Rev. Robert Gracey. "William John and Rebecca Jane settled in Pennsylvania near Pittsburgh, in an area called Fairview, now Ohioville, PA. At that time, the area was truly frontier land. . . . When Rebecca's mother [Rebecca Jane Alexander McClelland] visited the couple in their home, she cried because she felt her daughter was living in a dangerous wilderness. Ohioville is actually an area between Midland and Beaver, PA." (The Sloan Family Story by Richard Perry Sloan and Frieda Moore Sloan.)

In the spring of 1861, William John was described as 5'8" tall, had a sallow complexion, hazel eyes, and brown hair. His occupation was as a "nailer" in the oil industry.

Civil War

In his pension papers, William John related "I was enrolled in April 1861 in 'Iron City Guards' to serve for three months but was not mustered into the U. S. Service and received no pay. At the close of the term, I, in company with a number of men, with the consent of the officers, retired. The company was then mustered into the U.S. Service for three years as Co. C, Pa. Reserves. I returned to Pittsburgh and assisted in recruiting [Thompson's] Battery C, Independent Pa. Artillery [Volunteers] in which I mustered as Sergeant." He was discharged from this unit August 23, 1863, at Harrisburg, PA. He was promoted to Second Lieutenant in Tyler's Park Battery Pa. Volunteers and mustered out on Aug. 24, 1863. He reenlisted that month (August 1863) in Park Battery, Penna Light Artillery Volunteers, under Captain Horatio Tyler, as a 2nd Lieutenant. While on duty in Frederick City, Maryland, in February, 1862, he was "injured by overmarching resulting in varicose veins in his left leg, followed by rheumatism." He was discharged on Jan. 28, 1864.

Carolyn Edith Birchard Learned remembers seeing documentation noting William John's survival of the Battle of Antietam (Sharpsburg, Maryland, 1862).

Family and Residence Locations

After leaving service in the War, he lived at 278 Robinson St. in Allegheny, PA (now Pittsburgh, PA) until 1866; lived in Smith's Ferry, PA, 1866-1874; moved to Sprucevale, Columbiana Co., OH 1874-1878; to Ohioville, Beaver Co., PA, in 1878-1888; to Salineville, Columbiana Co., OH, in 1888; to Youngstown, OH, in 1888; back to Salineville, OH, in 1888-1891; to East Liverpool, OH, in 1891-1910; and to Crystal City, TX, in 1910. He returned to E. Liverpool sometime between 1917 and his death there in 1921.

Their children included: (locations of births according to family Bible)

• Jean Alexander - b. Jan. 8, 1864 in Alleghany, PA
• Claudia E - b. May 27, 1867 in Island Run, Columbiana Co., OH d. Mar. 6, 1883 at 15 yrs. and 9 mos.
• Edith Noble - Apr. 25, 1872 in Island Run, Columbiana Co., OH
• John Howard and William Wills - Aug. 3, 1873 in Sprucevale, Columbiana Co. OH

Rebecca Jane McClelland, his wife, died in E. Liverpool, OH, June 27, 1903.

Work and Disability

It would seem that William John worked in manual labor until 1885 at which time he began practicing medicine. In his pension papers dated June 15, 1892, William John states that "my occupation has been that of a physician since 1885, and prior to that time engaged in oil business." He explains the medical treatment he received for his disability (varicose veins) as follows: "Since discharge I have employed no regular physician but being a physician myself have treated myself since 1885. Prior to 1885 I used different remedies such as elastic stocking or bandages etc for varicose veins. Since discharged to 1885 I performed some manual labor but have been disabled therefrom at different times during each year. Since 1885 I have performed no manual labor but have practiced medicine. I have been disabled by reasons of my disabilities fully one half."

On Oct. 18, 1892, William John signed a General Affidavit claiming "I first felt the lung trouble about the month of April, 1891 - several weeks subsequent to the filing of my application for pension under Act of June 27th 1890. Dr. Pyle [John S. Pyle] of Canton, O., was the attending physician. I herewith enclose his affidavit. Said disability is as I believe permanent and is not the result of vicious habits."

It has been told that when Dr. William John made house calls, he went by buggy with his daughter, Jean Alexander Sloan. He took along his own chair and medical equipment and would sit under a tree to receive patients. Jean would assist him in his duties. (She also became a physician in 1896, at the age of 32.)

Edith Brown Sloan's Death

Dr. William John Sloan's granddaughter, Martha Jean Sloan Smith, remembers her father (John Howard Sloan, Sr.) telling of the death of his daughter Edith Brown Sloan in March, 1907 (1 yr. and 6 mos.). Edith Brown had pneumonia and "was upstairs. As John Howard Sr. and Dr. William John went upstairs, William John said, 'It's her breathing. She won't last long.' And she died."

Crystal City, Texas

In Richard Perry Sloan and Frieda Moore Sloan's The Sloan Family Story, they tell that "some of John Howard's [Sr.] children were taken to Texas during the winter months where their Grandfather [William John] Sloan lived and practiced medicine in Crystal City...At this period [sometime between 1912 and 1917] there was severe tension between Texas and Mexico and Crystal City was very near the border." At this point, John Howard II adds the following to Richard and Frieda's account: "Being an eye witness at the time, that episode in Crystal City was as follows: Pancho Villa had been making raids across the border and all towns had been alerted to take precautions. Aunt Jean [Jean Alexander Sloan] got some black cloth from the general store and made pajamas for us. In case of a raid at night, we were instructed to go out and hide in the cactus bushes which filled the vacant lot between us and the Spark's house. One evening grandfather heard a setting hen making a commotion at the back of the lot toward Benson's. The hen had been setting on eggs in a box at the foot of a tree. Upon investigating grandfather found a rattlesnake devouring the contents of the nest. (I'm not sure whether it was eggs or chicks.) The snake had one down and was swallowing the second. Grandfather dashed back to the house, grabbed his shotgun, and proceeded to let the snake have one barrel. But it kept moving so he fired the other barrel. The agreed signal that a raid was underway was two blasts on the water tower whistle or two shots. It was dusk and within minutes the fence at the side of the house was lined with men on horseback who were patrolling that end of town. They were slightly irritated and grandfather very embarrassed at the false alarm."

Further, in his Notes on Trip Taken in April-May, 1976, John Howard Sloan II describes his and Esther's [his wife] visit to Crystal City on May 2, 1976. It includes some historical family information and is as follows:

". . . Except for the fact that the railroad still runs through the center of town, I hardly recognized the place. I figured that if I could find the Sparks house then I would be able to locate Grandfather's house. After inquiring from several old timers, I was directed to a drug store where a Sparks woman worked. Her husband, the proprietor, directed me to a house where his wife's mother lived. This woman turned out to be Hattie who had married one of the Sparks boys and had lived in the Sparks home while we were there...She knew Grandfather, Aunts Jean and Edith, Papa and all of us. When she asked if any of the family was still living in East Liverpool I knew she wasn't faking.

"After we had talked a short while, she told us she had a bowl she wanted to show us. Apparently, Grandfather had given this bowl to Mrs. Gray who in turn had given it to Hattie. She had pasted a note on the bottom of the bowl saying it dated back to about 1850 and was given to her by Dr. Howard Sloan. When I pointed out that Grandfather's name was William John she said she would have to correct the note. During the conversation she referred to my bother "Robert" a couple of times. When she said he was only two years of age when she knew him, I realized she was referring to Richard. It seems she was especially fond of cute litte cuddly, curly-haired Richard. And you won't believe me when I tell you she still has one of cuddly Richard's curls. She remembered my name but I was only another Sloan.

"It was lunch time so at her insistence we went to the drug store, had sandwiches and then drove around the town. The Sparks house was torn down last year and Grandfather's place was long gone. There are relatively new houses all along that street. Hattie pointed out where Mrs. Benson's house used to be so I knew we were in the right location. We drove over to the other side of town to see the school house which is still being used. Hattie remembered Mrs. Swindel who taught there. The railroad station is gone and so is the Pougee? general store. We came into town on a highway that, as I remember, goes through part of the "bayouky" where the folks had about 30 acres and Grandfather put up a windmill that pumped epsom salts water out of the ground. Incidentally, Hattie mentioned that they, the Sparks, had just signed an oil lease on their old property which would give them a good income. I always thought there might be oil around there.

"I came away with two general impressions: Crystal City is sure out in the 'sticks' and 60 years make a big difference. I had read an article some time ago how the Chicanos were taking over the town. Hattie seemed disturbed over the way they are running things which indicates that they have come a long way from the thatched huts they used to occupy on the outskirts of town.

"Esther's Addendum: 'Hattie' as Howard calls her is a very lovely, well kept lady of 83 years. She is coiffured, manicured, jeweled, gracious and very keen. How thrilled she was to see us and learn about the Sloans. She said, 'I never thought I would ever see any of you again.' We took pictures of Howard and her standing in front of her lovely brick home. Mr. Sparks died in his early 30's and she married Mr. Foster who is also deceased. We not only gave her pleasure but believe me we picked up plenty for ourselves. Address: Mrs. Hattie (Sparks) Foster, P.O. Box 194, Crystal City, Texas."

In a thank-you letter to Hattie Sparks Foster dated July 19, 1976, John Howard II included the following: "In looking back at that visit we still find it hard to believe that we found someone who remembered the ‘Sloans' after more than 60 years. There were so many changes in Crystal City I hardly recognized it but the places I did remember such as the schoolhouse brought back memories of the time I spent there as a child. I do remember the many enjoyable times we spent with the Sparks family watching cattle being branded, going out to a dam (Boynton?), taking a week-long fishing and hunting trip in a covered wagon, etc. Young minds are very impressionable for I can still count to ten in Spanish as taught to me by Mrs. Benson even though I have forgotten most of the Spanish, French, German and Latin I was taught in later years . . . Even though I spent a very small fraction of my life in Crystal City it sure made a lasting impression on me."

Patent

On Aug. 11, 1911, the United States Patent Office recorded an invention by Dr. William John which he called a "fluid lifting apparatus for use in wells." (oil) It was intended either "to start wells flowing or to be used in places where the flow of acetylene gas would have to be kept up in order to maintain the flow of the well." His listed beneficiary to the patent was Dr. Jean Alexander Sloan.

Memberships

He was a member of the First United Presbyterian Church in E. Liverpool "and took an active part in religious work." He was also a member of the E. Liverpool General Lyon Post No. 44, G.A.R. It is said that a plaque found in the Memorial Chapel, Riverview Cemetery, E. Liverpool, bears his name in a list of Civil War Veterans.

Death

William John died in East Liverpool, OH, on January 27, 1921 of "carcinoma of liver." According to a newspaper article, he had contracted smallpox in Crystal City, Texas, about 1917. From that time, he was not in good health. He became seriously ill about two weeks prior to his death.

On Dec. 4, 1920, he was paid his last pension of $72.