Sligh family

The Sligh family of Grand Rapids, Michigan have been prominent businessmen and furniture makers for over one hundred years. The first generation of Slighs to come to western Michigan was James W. Sligh (1821-1963) who was a clothier and not a furniture maker. Immigrating from Scotland to Canada in 1833, and from there to Rochester, New York, in 1838, James W. Sligh finally settled in Grand Rapids in 1848. When civil war broke out, he entered service as captain with Company F, 1st Michigan Engineers and Mechanics. He died November 15, 1863, from injuries received from a train derailed by Confederate guerrillas.

Though still a boy at the time of his father's death, Charles R. Sligh (1850-1927) worked to help support his family. Following a series of odd jobs, Sligh was apprenticed for four years to a local tinsmith. He clerked for one year at the Foster and Stevens Hardware Store, and then in 1875, he went to work in the finishing room of Berkey and Gay, Grand Rapids furniture manufacturers. He was soon promoted to foreman of the finishing department and then became one of the salesmen for the company. Sligh was probably the first furniture salesman to make extensive use of photographs in his sales presentations. Up until that time, salesmen usually followed carloads of their companies' furniture into various cities along the train route. From the railroad yards, they would call the local dealers down to examine their wares, and sales would be made directly from the train. Using photographs enabled Sligh to open up new markets without being tied to the railroad.

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