Harold Whiting Slauson

Born in Middletown, New York, on June 24, 1883, Harold Whiting Slauson was the son of John W. Slauson, who founded and published Orange County's first daily newspaper. He studied engineering at Cornell University and graduated from its engineering school in 1904.

Slauson became known for writing practical books about modern transportation and machinery. He is credited as the author of The Motor Boat, Its Selection, Care and Use (1911), a guide aimed at helping everyday readers understand, choose, and maintain motorboats. The surviving record also connects him with early automotive writing, reflecting his interest in making new technology more approachable.

He died on July 22, 1953, in Sackets Harbor, New York. Today, his work offers a small but vivid window into the era when gasoline engines, private cars, and motorboats were transforming daily life.