Born September 21, 1889, in Monterey, Va., attended Monterey High School, served printing apprenticeship in the offices of the Highland Recorder, at Monterey, came to Harrisonburg in 1910 where he was employed on the Daily News, the Daily Independent, and since 1917 has been with the Daily News-Record, business manager of the Daily News Record since 1932, member of the Harrisonburg Methodist Church and active in various official capacities in denominational work, member of the local Rotary Club and president during the year 1939-40.
Mr. Slaven is a native of the town of Monterey, county-seat of Highland County, Va., widely celebrated for its beautiful location and environs between parallel ranges of the Alleghanies, in a fertile and populous valley. He is a son of Harry F. Slaven, whose wife before marriage was Maude V Siple. His paternal grandparents were Thomas H. and Margaret C. Fleisher Slaven. After completing his course in the Monterey High School he entered upon an apprenticeship in the printing offices of the Monterey newspaper, the Highland Recorder, which had been established in 1878 by Witts & Jordan, and was being published when he entered its offices by the late W. H. Matheny. Leaving Monterey In 1910, he came to Harrisonburg where he accepted a position with the Daily News which was then being edited by Professor James C. Johnston. In 1913 the Daily News and the Rockingham Record were merged and came out as the Daily News-Record, Mr. Slaven continuing in connection. From 1916 he worked with the Harrisonburg Daily Independent, edited by R. B. Smythe and others, until it was discontinued in 1920, when he returned to the Daily News-Record as advertising manager. In 1932 he was promoted to the office of business manager, in which position he continues at present.
On June 4, 1913, the date of the first issue of the Daily News-Record, Mr. Slaven married Miss Lottie Mae Nisewander, born June 24, 1894, daughter of the late C. T. and Mary Jane Nisewander of near Harrisonburg. Of the marriage were born a son and three daughters: Harry B. Slaven, Jr., March 9, 1914; Dorothy Mae, May 21, 1916; Mary Rebecca, January 18, 1920; and Charlotte Jean, November 12, 1923. Harry, who married Clara E. Hopkins and has a son, Lynn Fleisher, is employed on the Daily News Record. Dorothy, Mrs. L. L. Tourgee, Jr., of Hārrisonburg, has a daughter, Ann Slaven. Mary, Mrs. Chas, E. Quatse of Greensburg, Pa., has three children: Terry, Ann, and Barbara. Charlotte married Pvt. N. Jack Wood, who is now stationed at Camp Grant, Ill.
Mr. Slaven says that he enjoys fishing. This is no doubt a natural experience for one who must have had an early acquaintance with the trout streams of the Alleghanies. He has been a member of the Harrisonburg Rotary Club since 1935 and during the year 1939-40 served as its president. As a member of the Methodist Church he has been active in the work of the local congregation as superintendent of the church school and in other capacities, and has extended his services through various organizations to wider fields. He is lay leader of the Board of Lay Activities of Winchester District, having held a similar position for a number of years in the old Rockingham District; secretary of the Va. Conference Board of Lay Activities; chairman, Advisory Board of the local Salvation Army branch, and president pro-tem of the Harrisonburg Council of Churches.
Men of Mark and Representative Citizens of Harrisonburg and Rockingham County, Virginia
by John Walter Wayland, Staunton, Virginia. McClure Co., 1943.