Notes |
- NOTE: I BELIEVE THIS IS THE SAME FAMILY, BUT NOT SURE HOW THEY TIE INAS YET.
Citation: The Indiana GenWeb Project, Copyright ?1997-2007, PutnamCounty Website http://ingenweb.org/inputnam/
Putnam County, Indiana USGenWeb Project
BIOGRAPHY
James W. L. SLAVENS
Whitney, Carrie Westlake. Kansas City, Missouri : its history and itspeople, 1808-1908
Chicago: S.J. Clarke Pub. Co., 1908, p. 127.
The salient features in the life record of James W. L. SLAVENS,deceased were those which connected him with the bar of kansas City asa prominent attorney and identified him with the pioneer developmentof the city. He stood for progress and advancement in municipal linesand for one term was honored with the mayoralty. His life record beganin Putnam County, Indiana Aug 3, 1838. His great grandfather, JohnSlaves, was a Scotch-Irish Protestant who settled in VA in early lifeand there reared a large family, his youngest son being IsaiahSlavens, who served for five years in the Revolutionary War, valiantlydefending the interests of the colonists. After the war he married aMiss Stewart of Maryland and removed to KY, where he engaged infarming for some time. 3 of his sons enlisted for services in the Warof 1812 and Isaiah Slavens afterward joined them, immediatelyvolunteering and serving out the term of his enlistment. His last dayswere spent in Putnam County, Indiana where he died at the venerableage of 86. His son, Hiram B. Slavens, the father of our subject, wasborn in Montgomery County, KY 1802 and acquired a good eduation forthose days. For several years in early manhood he taught school in hisnative county and in 1827 removed to Putnam County, Indiana where heentered land from the government and engaged in farming, making hishome upon his place which he there developed throughout his remainingdays. He was widely known as a loyal and enterprising citizen and aearnest, effective friend of the cause of education. He gave activeaid in founding Asbury Univ of Indiana and in many other ways showedhis deep interest in the intellectual progress of the state. In 1830he married Sarah HOLLAND, a daughter of William and Susan GrantHolland, of Bath Co KY. Her ancestors came from England and Scotlandin colonial days and settled in VA. James WL Slavens was reared uponhis father's farm and assisted in its development until he was oldenough to attend school when he entered the Asbury Univeristy ofIndiana, pursuing a classical course, which he completed with highhonors in 1859. Following his graduation he removed to Douglas Co ILLwhere he was married to Miss Mattie McNutt, a daughte rof Colling andMary McNutt, both natives of Douglas Co ILL where Mr. McNutt wasengaged in general farming until about 1870. He then removed westward,settling in Kansas City, where he lived retired until his death, whilehis wife also passed away here. Prior to his marriage Mr. Slavens hadpurchased a tract of land in Douglas County, illinois and after thatimportant event in his life he settled upon his farm to improve anddevelop it. He fenced the land and there carried on generalagricultural pursuits for a year, after which he placed a tenant uponthe property. In the meantime he gave considerable attention to thestudy of law, which he prosecuted exclusively the ensuing year and inthe spring of 1861 he entered upon the practice of the profession inTuscola, ill with William McKenzie. Soon after the outbreak of theCivil War he enlisted for service in the 73rd Ill Vol Regiment and wascommissioned quartermaster. Soon after going to the front, however hewas detailed for duty in the subsistence department, where hecontinued until the close of the war, serving the last year on thestaff of Major Gen George H. Thomas. He was mustered out in July 1865.In the fall of that year Mr. Slavens came to Jackson Co and afterliving for a short time in Independence, took up his abode in KansasCity in the Spring of 1866. He began the practice of law with hisbrother, Luther C. Slavens, who is a prominent attorney here and anex-circuit judge. For 7 years he continued in active practice of hisprofession and then turned his attention to the packing business,becoming one of the first beef and pork packers of Kansas City, thusbeing a pioneer in the enterprise which is today and importnat sourceof income of Kansas City and this portion of the west. In 1867 he waselected city treasurer and served for one year, while in the spring of1868 he formed a partnership with EW Pattison and William Epperson forthe purpose of engaging in the beef & pork packing business. Theybuilt a large stone house which is still standing in West Kansas Cityand in the fall of that year they packed 4500 head of cattle, whichwas the beginning of the large beef packing business for which Kansascity has become celebrated. The following year Mr. Slavens becameassociated in the packing business in Kansas City, MO. with JCFerguson and other well known men of Indianapolis and built a largebrick packing house, carrying on the business 10 years, during whichtime they annually packed 13,000 beef cattle and 40,000 hogs, sendingtheir output to all parts of the world. He devoted his attention tothe business until his retirment, the industry constantly growing involume and importance and yielding a large annual revenue to thepropietors For a few years prior to his death he lived retired, havingsuffered a stroke of paralysis. He was also interested in real estateand owned considerable city property. Unto Mr. and mrs. Slavens wereborn 8 children of whom 7 are living: James M who is a travelingsalesman for Moore Chemical Co of Kansas City, making his home at No.3737 Genesse Street; Hiram C, who resides in NY CIty; Luther C whomakes his home in Los Angeles, Cal; Leander P. of Boston, Mass and adaughter who makes her home in Kansas City; Carl C who at one time wasengaged in the drug business in kansas City but now makes his home inSD; and Mrs. Cifford Jenkins, whose husband is one of the mostprominent merchants of Kansas City. The death of the husband andfatehr occured Feb 10, 1905 . Kansas CIty had come to know and honorhim because of his activity and enterprise in business, hisunquestioned loyalty to the public good and the sterling traits whichhe manifested in his social relations. In politics he was an earnestrepublican, taking an active interest in theparty and its work. He wasnot only called to the office of city treasurer during the early yearsof his residence here, but in 1877 was elected mayor of Kansas Cityand for one year served as mayor of Westport which is now a part ofthe city. He was opposed to anything like misrule in municipal affairsand stood for progress and improvement, regarding apublic office as apublic trust. Fraternally he was connected with the Masons and withthe Good Templars, the latter association indicating his attitude onthe temperance question. Both he and his wife were pioneer members ofthe Grand Avenue Methodist Episcopal Church in thework of which theytook an active part. Mr. Slaves was a lay delegate to the generalconference of the church held in Baltimore in 1876. His position wasnever an equivocal one an dhis influence was always found on the sideof right, justice, truth and advancement. In his public service helooked beyond the needs and interests of the moment to the exigenciesand possibilities of the future and labored not for the day alone butfor the succeeding years as well. His early training as a lawyerproved an element in his later success in other ways, for theanalytical, intuitive trend of mind which he had cultivated enabledhim to readily understand a situation and place a correct value uponhis opportunities. His business career was marked by steady progressand by the achievement of most honorable success. He had a very wideand extensive acquaintance among the prominent pioneer families andhis memory is yet enshrined in the hearts of all who knew him. Mrs.Slaves has until a recent date resided at the old home at No. 3016 OakStreet which she still owns, together with other property which sherents. She is now residing at No. 4423 Jefferson Street. She came toKansas City with her husband in the early years of their married lifeand has since made her home here, having a large circle of friends inthe city. File Created: 2007-Mar-27
|