Robert & Al Fahey

Biography

Elizabeth Haskell Sloan (b. 1870) came to California (c1895) after working as a stenographer for the Chicago Exposition, the Armour Institute and other businesses in the Chicago area during the mid-1890s. Although she had come initially to help her invalid sister, Clara, with the latter's three daughters, the sister soon died and Elizabeth Haskell helped place the daughters in foster homes. She then worked as University President Benjamin Ide Wheeler's secretary while attending the University of California (1900-1904). Sloan subsequently graduated from the Pratt Institute Library School (1906) and returned as a librarian to the University of California (1907-1914). She married her dead sister's husband, William Haskell Sloan, and moved with him to the Yosemite region where he was Superintendent of the Yosemite Logging Company (1914-1917). When Sloan became ill due to over work, they moved to Irvington, Alameda County, where they became prune farmers. After Sloan's death Elizabeth worked for the Pacific Rural Press and as associate editor for a local newspaper. One of William Sloan's daughters, Lilly, married a member of the Fahey Family (c1913).

Irish immigrant, Dennis Fahey (1831-1914) was a pioneer stockman in Tuolumne County (1853). Three of his six children: John, William and Joseph established the Westside Market which supplied lumber camps and developed a strong retail trade in the Stanislaus and Tuolumne County region. The Faheys jointly owned 5,000 acres and more than 1,000 head of cattle. The brothers split their holdings in 1921. John Fahey's son, William, married Lily Sloan. Their oldest son, Robert (1914-1994), was a long time resident of Oakdale, a Stanislaus County Supervisor, developer and cattle rancher. He was an active member of a local social organization that called itself the "Bronco Boys."