* A portrait has been posted on-line at http://homepages.rootsweb.com/~westklic/wcportrait.html
THOMAS W.S. SLUSHER, deceased. In giving a memorial of the distinguished gentleman whose name appears above, we are aware that he was a man of ability and unswerving integrity and held a leading place in Wasco county where he was so well known. His birth occurred in Washington county, Pennsylvania, the postoffice being Scenery Hill. The date of this event was 1847, and his death occurred at The Dalles in this county, on April 2, 1890. His parents were Christopher and Pamelia (Reese) Slusher, natives of Pennsylvania and descended from Dutch and Irish ancestors, respectively. When still a lad of thirteen, Thomas Slusher enlisted in Company F, Twenty-second Pennsylvania Cavalry, and was in active service until the close of the war. He was a noncommissioned officer and did gallant service with display of remarkable faithfulness. Following the war he attended college and then, upon graduating, took up the teacher's work. He followed this in the Willamette valley, having come west, and in Wasco county. Then he took a homestead, which is a part of the present Slusher estate. He gave his attention to farming and stockraising and so well did he succeed in these ventures that when he died he left an estate of eight hundred and fifty acres embracing one of the finest and most fertile tracts of bottom land on Fifteenmile creek. He also had much other property which left his family in excellent shape, besides which Mrs. Slusher had in her own personal right a large farm. In 1872, Mr. Slusher was elected county surveyor and in 1876, he was reelected to the same position. During Cleveland's administration, Mr. Slusher was appointed receiver of the United States land office in The Dalles, and he proved to be a most efficient and faithful officer. Fraternally, he was a member of the G.A.R. and was popular in those circles, as he was in all his relations.
On October 28, 1878, Mr. Slusher married Miss Arabelle H. Dufur, who was born in Iola, Wisconsin, on July 13, 1856. Her parents, Andrew J. and Lois (Burnham) Dufur, are mentioned elsewhere in this work. To this union the following named children were born: Thomas R., at home: Eva L., the wife of C.N. Clark; Harvey D., Roy S., Ruby A., Grover C., Aleda P., who died when two years of age; and an infant unnamed. Mr. Slusher had three brothers, William, James and Simeon, the last two deceased; two sisters, Ray Hazlett, and Elizabeth Tombough; and one half sister, Mary Cox. Mr. Slusher died as he had lived, a brave and conscientious man, buoyed and sustained by an unfaltering hope which lighted his last journey over the river. Another has said of him, "He was a brave soldier, good citizen, faithful public officer, and kind husband and father. "Laid to rest amid a great concourse of mourning friends who had ministered as far as human could do in the last trying ordeal, the remains of the noble man rest awaiting that great day's animation for the world to come.
Mr. Slusher was a man who would attract attention among men, being handsome, athletic and the picture of health and good spirits, and he won friends from all classes. He left a very interesting family. The children all have excellent musical talent and for years were in the band organization and arc accomplished on various instruments.
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Submitted to the Oregon Bios. Project in January 2005 by Jeffrey L. Elmer. Submitter has no additional information about the person(s) or family mentioned above.