Eminent Homemaker
County: Potter
Sloat came from Minnesota to Potter County with her parents when she was 21-years-old. She was married the next year to Samuel H. Sloat, who died in 1904, leaving her with the responsibility of eight children and a farm of 560 acres.
Sloat reared and educated her children, managed the farm and built a comfortable modern home. She became known throughout central South Dakota, not only as a successful farmer, but as a wise mother and as a leader in community activities.
Sloat recalls her first years in the Dakota Territory as being full of hardships, but not unhappiness. Their four-room house was built of sod, and plastered with white-washed clay. They had a sod barn 110 feet in length and 16 feet wide, with a roof of straw and brush which had been hauled 16 miles from the Missouri River. A small sod chicken house completed the farm buildings. Their home was heated with straw burners which were sheet iron drums four feet high and 20 inches in diameter. These were usually filled with flax straw which would burn about four hours.
The Sloats started with about 25 acres of land under cultivation. They had two yoke of oxen, used mostly for breaking the sod; and one team of horses kept for cultivating and hauling.
After Mr. Sloat’s death, it was necessary for the children and Sloat to carry on the farm work with the aid of hired help. Seven of the children were graduated from the South Dakota State School of Agriculture; one was graduated from South Dakota State College.
Sloat has been active in Home Extension work since the first Potter County club was organized in 1924.