Born either in Netherlands [or Montgomery County, PA or VA]

Her Cousin, John Penn (17 May 1740 - 14 Sep 1788), was a signer of the declaration of Independence.

Apparently, Randolph and Sarah lived in the same general area of Cumberland County, Pennsylvania, and were probably married there as well, because all but the first one of their children were born in Cumberland County. The first child, Susannah, was born in 1745 and is listed as being born in Lancaster County. Most likely, she was born in the same locality as the others, but since her birth preceded the formation of Cumberland County from Lancaster County in 1750, she is recorded in the latter.

Another source says Sarah Penn was born in Abt. 1734 in Holland or Germany.

She is named in her husband's will of 20 Feb 1795.

Washington County, Kentucky, Wills, Book A, Page 35:

In the name of God Amen, I Randal Slack of the County of Washington and State of Kentucky, being very sick and weak in body but of perfect mind and memory and having in mind the mortality of my body and that it is appointed for all mankind once to die, do make this my Last Will and Testament. That is:

First, I recommend my soul into the hands of almighty God who gave it and my body to the earth from whence it was taken, to be buried in decent Christian burial at the Discretion of my Executors. And what worldly goods God has been pleased to give me I give and Bequeath in the following manner:

First I will that all my lawful debts be paid by my Executors out of my estate.

Secondly, I give and Bequeath unto my beloved wife Sarah and my beloved son Richard Slack, all the movable property, house and furniture with all my stock goods and chattels and 100 acres of land whereon I now live and all accoutrements belonging thereto to be theirs as long as either of them shall live for their maintenance and at their death, I will it shall be sold and equally divided amongst all my children.

Thirdly, I will at the choice of my wife and son above named that Randal Slack act as guardian for him, Richard Slack agreeable to being to this my last Will and Testament.

Fourthly, I ordain, endorse and appoint David Caldwell and John Slack, sole Executors to this my Last Will and Testament and lastly, I ordain, make confirm, ratify and allow this my last Will and Testament. And so hereby disannul, make void and renounce all Wills and Testaments by me heretofore made, ordain, and making or allowing, this only.

As Witness my hand and seal this February 20, 1795.

Witnesses: John Pirtle, Henry (x) Baylor, William McCantire.

Per Veda B. on July 7, 2006:

Randall Slack of the will mentioned, with wife Sarah, was Randall and wife Sarah Jordan, daughter of John Jordan who died in Pennsborough, Lancaster County, Pennsylvania shortly before November 9, 1754.

Washington County, Kentucky, Deeds - This Indenture made March 26, 1798 between John Slack and David Caldwell of the County of Washington and State of Kentucky, Executors of Randal Slack deceased of the one part and Joseph James of the County and State aforesaid of the other part... for and in consideration of Ð40... a certain tract or parcel of land situate, being and lying the County of Washington on Road Run containing 100 acres of land it being part of Randolf Slack's D[eceased] land...

Washington County, Kentucky, Deeds, Book L, Page 445 - This Indenture made September 7, 1821, between Susannah Litsey of the State of Indiana, Harrison County, John Slack of Bullitt County and State of Kentucky, Randle Slack of the same place, William Hays, William Slack of Hardin County and James Hollenhead of Davies County, both of the State of Kentucky, heirs and Representatives of Randolph Slack deceased of the one part and Nicholas Mudd of Washington County and State of Kentucky of the other part... for and in consideration of $181.50... a certain tract or parcel of land situate, lying and being in Washington County...

Augusta County, Virginia, Court Records, Order Book 16, August 16, 1774 - Joseph Barkley, being committed on complaint of Randal Slack--discharged.

June 4, 1778

Augusta County, Virginia Court Records of Wills
Book 6, Page 100
Casper Eakert Will
Teste: Randall and Sarah Slack

Book 16
May 18, 1779

Augusta County, Virginia, Court Records, Order Book 16, May 18, 1779 - Randall Slack and Sarah, his wife, failing to appear as witnesses to the will of Casper Ekert, are fined unless they appear (failing to appear as witnesses of said will.) They had moved to Kentucky.

By 1781, Randal had moved his family to Kentucky. The first mention of Randolph in Kentucky was recorded in August, 1783 in the Lincoln County, Kentucky, Court, when it was "Ordered that one Tithe belonging to Randolph Slack be added to the list taken by Alexander Robinson."

Pioneer History of Washington County, Kentucky, by Orval W Baylor, page 22 -- Randolph Slack, prominent in his time in public affairs in Washington County, settled therein about the year 1795. His home was in the neighborhood of Hardin's Mill, which stood on the Little Beech, some miles below Dorsey's Mill. Slack came to Kentucky in the fall of 1781, and resided first in the neighborhood of Danville. In 1782, he was "called out to guard Bullitts licks." While enroute to the licks, he camped "on the ground at or near where Parker improved on the Big Beech at the mouth of Cartwright's creek." This land, in what is today Washington County, Kentucky, was later purchased by him. On this site, Randolph built a plantation where he remained the rest of his life.

On March 7, 1793, Randolph and his son William were appointed to the first Grand Jury of Washington County, Kentucky.

Washington County, Kentucky, Deeds, Book L, Page 445 - This Indenture made September 7, 1821, between Susannah Litsey of the State of Indiana, Harrison County, John Slack of Bullitt County and State of Kentucky, Randle Slack of the same place, William Hays, William Slack of Hardin County and James Hollenhead of Davies County, both of the State of Kentucky, heirs and Representatives of Randolph Slack deceased of the one part and Nicholas Mudd of Washington County and State of Kentucky of the other part... for and in consideration of $181.50... a certain tract or parcel of land situate, lying and being in Washington County...


Although Sara's burial has not been confirmed, it is assumed that she is buried with her husband since they died within days of each other.

########

SLACK FAMILY HISTORY
By
David Earle Tyler
1996-2002
DESCENDANTS OF
RANDOLPH AND SARAH ( PENN ) SLACK
Chapter I (see Mary A. Greathouse Slack for Chapters II through IV)

Map of Pennsylvania, shows the region in Franklin Co. where Randolph Slack lived (now the Blackthorn Creek area in Pendelton Co., West Virginia, which lies just across the Virginia/West Virginia border from Augusta County, Virginia (this was part of Augusta Co., Virginia, until 1788). Blackthorn is a creek in the southeast corner of Pendelton County, West Virginia. It, and the parallel Whitethom, run northeast on either side of Thom Mountain. They flow into Thom Creek, which empties into the South Branch of the Potomac River, below Franklin, the county seat of Pendelton County. Randolph Slack's 160 acres were in the Blackthorn Creek valley (about 1773 to 1779). The move to Augusta County must have occurred sometime between 1767 (last entry from Cumberland County, Pennsylvania) and 1774 (first entry from Augusta County, Virginia). Cumberland County was formed from Lancaster County in 1750 and that the area of Lancaster County in which Randolph was living may have been incorporated into this new county and does not necessarily indicate that he had moved.

Map showing location of William and Randolph Slack's 400 acres in Washington Co., Kentucky, Cartwight Creek water course, near Fredericktown. (Washington Co. was formed from Nelson Co. in 1792)

Some researchers state that the name was derived from the German family named "Schlect," while others believe its origin was from a similar name found in early records of The Netherlands. Whatever their European origin, the Slacks who came to the American colonies settled in the northeastern colonies, primarily New Jersey and New York, in the late 1600s and early 1700s. Shortly thereafter, Slack families settled in Pennsylvania, especially Bucks County, and rapidly spread westward.

The first evidence of our Slack line was the appearance of Randolph Slack's name as a witness to a will in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, in 1742.

Randolph (Randall, Randle, Ralph) Slack, Sr., born about 1720, married Sarah Penn prior to 1745, based on the birth date of their first child, Susannah, died February or March 1795, Washington Co., Kentucky, buried, probably on his farm in Washington County, according to Ms. Schaumann.

Sarah Penn; Father: John Penn; Mother: Mary. Born: about 1725 (based on the likely age of 20 at the birth of her first child in 1745). Where: Probably Pennsylvania. Died: 1822. Where: Probably Washington Co., Kentucky.

Below dated transactions is from a genealogy titled "Randolph Slack of Washington County, Kentucky":

1775 - Randal Slack took out (made entry for) 160 acres on Blackthorn (a stream in Augusta Co., Virginia; presently, Pendelton Co., West Virginia).

1785 - deed (for land) in Washington Co., Kentucky (note - was entered in Nelson Co., because Washington Co. wasn't formed from Nelson Co. until 1792).

1792 - Washington Co., Kentucky, tax list shows Randall Slack owned 200 acres, 2 horses, 15 cows.

1795 - Feb 20, Randall Slack's will dated (Washington Co., Kentucky, Will Book A, pp. 35-
37).

1821 - Sept 7 (Washington Co., Kentucky) Deed Book L pp. 446-448 lists living heirs at (the) time of (the) sale of the (delayed) inheritance from Randall Slack (refers to the land left by Randal to his wife Sarah and son Richard).

Pioneer History of Washington County, Kentucky:

"Randolph Slack, prominent in his time in public affairs in Washington County, settled there in about the year 1795 [it was actually much earlier than this, DET]. His home was in the neighborhood of Hardin's Mill, which stood on the Little Beech, some miles below [downstream from] Dorsey's Mill. Slack came to Kentucky in the fall of 1781 and resided first in the neighborhood of Danville. In 1782, he was 'called out to guard Bullitt's licks.' While en route to the licks he camped, 'on the ground at or near where Parker improved on the Big Beech at the mouth of Cartwright's Creek.' " (Parkers was the name given to this area before it was renamed Fredericktown in 1818.)

On page 51 of this history, the paneling of the first grand jury in Washington County is described. "Going back to the early days of Washington County we find that the first grand jury, empaneled March 7, 1793, was composed of the following gentlemen (nineteen men were listed, including Randolph Slack and his son William Slack): The first indictment was returned against a citizen of the female sex, charging her with bootlegging."

The author and most of his sources are not given for the following from Jack Hartsell of Hartford, Michigan:

"About 1780 John Slack, his brother William and sister Elizabeth (Mary) came from Pennsylvania to Washington County, Ky., and went into fort at what was then called "Bryant's Station" (this part of the note was attributed to an excerpt from p. 212 of "The Slack Family" by W. S. Slack, Pub. 1930). The note goes on to say, "They were children of Randolph (or Ralph, or Ralf, [parens. by author of note]) Slack who was in Muncy Twp. - Northumberland Co., Pa., according to tax lists (of) 1778-1780. His father was John Slack, who made a will Dec. 10, 1792, proved Dec. 28, 1792, at Northumberland Co., Pa. . . . . In this [ will] he mentions wife Anna, children Ralph, Ezekiel, Henry, Ann, Sarah and Millicent." A concluding sentence stated, "("Randall,") [parens by author of note] Randolph Slack's wife was Sarah Penn; daughter of Matthew [actually, it was John, DET] Penn.'' Interestingly, there is a creek in the Buffalo Valley area of this county named John Penn Creek.

A note received by Mr. Hartsell from Robert S. Riley (a descendant of Randolph Slack through his daughter Mary Slack and her husband William Hercules Hays) made this statement: "William Hercules Hays was an immigrant from Scotland and came from southwest Pennsylvania (then Virginia) [parens by author of note] on a scouting expedition in 1778 to find land on which (to) settle with Randolph Slack. In 1779, both families (Hayses and Slacks) [parens by author of note] migrated first from SW Pennsylvania to Lincoln Co., Ky, then (to) Washington Co., Ky." Apparently, they settled near Danville around 1781.

Incidentally, William Hays married Randolph Slack's daughter, Mary, ca.1776. This same reference goes on to say that Randolph Slack was, "called out [with the militia, most likely] to guard Bullitts Licks in 1782." This salt lick was a major source of salt for pioneers (and Indians) in this part of Kentucky. It was about sixty miles to the northwest of Danville and just a few miles straight west of present day Shepherdsville in Bullitt County. According to this account, while en route to the licks, Randolph camped near where Cartwright's Creek empties into the Big Beech River. This is the site where a town named Parkers was eventually established and which later (in 1818) became Fredericktown, which still exists. The authors further point out that it was in 1795 that Randolph came back and settled in this area. Actually, it must have been earlier, because in a short biography of Anthony Litsey (son-in-law of Randolph Slack), this statement is made: "Randolph [Slack] made an affidavit that his home was about 1 1/2 miles from the Little-Beech Fork when he was called out to guard Bullitts Lick against the Indians in 1782. In addition, there is a deed recorded for Randolph Slack in 1791 for land in Nelson County. Randolph's and Sarah's son, William, was married in 1782 in Lincoln County, Kentucky, where the Slack family first settled around 1780. William's first child, Randolph, was born in Nelson County in 1784. This data indicates that the Slack family moved west to Nelson County between 1782 and 1784. The note in the Kentucky Gazette (seep. 4), dated 8 August 1789, locates Randolph Slack in Nelson County, living on Road Run (a branch that feeds into Cartwright's Creek, a few miles to the northwest of Springfield).

Roseanne Maudlin of Columbus, Indiana, on December 10, 1999, reports, from p. 248 of "Pioneer History of Washington County, Kentucky" by Michael and Bettie Cook, "1791 Randolph Slack of Capt. Gilkey' s Company appears before the court and complains that he is not able to perform the present tour of Duty. The Court upon Due Consideration are of opinion that his excuse be reasonable."

In a note to Mrs. Hope Tuttle on October 1, 1981, Ms. Linda Anderson states, "I find Randolph Slack on the tax list of Cumberland Co., Penn. in 1762 (History of Cumberland and Adams Co., Pa., 1886). He (Randolph) may be the son of Abraham Slack, who was forced to move back across the property (territorial) line in 1750 (same history). He (Abraham) and some others had gone over into Indian territory and were squatters there." A copy of this note was sent to me by Roseanne Maudlin on December 6, 1999. In this same note, Ms. Anderson reports, "I did find 2 xeroxed manuscripts on the Slacks in the Ft. Wayne [IN] Library, Records of the Slack Family in Ireland by Crofton on page 16 says that there were Randal Slackes in Leitrim (Northern Ireland)."

While browsing through the Kentucky Gazette (a compilation of clippings from the state's newspapers) at the Shepherdville, Kentucky, library, we (D. and L. Tyler, July 2000).came across this item on page 21: "Randal Slack, sen., 8 August 1789 living on Road Run [a creek], Nelson Co. found a mare." The item locates him here, because Washington County, Kentucky, was not formed from Nelson County until 1792.

Looking over these diverse citations, we can draw some conclusions and make some inferences concerning who Randolph Slack was and what he did with his life. The first problem we must deal with is his name: Randolph, Randal, Randall, Randle, Ralph, and Ralf have all been cited. It appears that most historical references, and official records, regard Randolph as his Christian name. In his last will and testament, however, he used the following: "I Randal Slack," and he signed it, "Randal Slack." This suggests that he, at least, preferred Randal to Randolph. Also, in his will, he refers to his son, who was regarded as a junior, as Randal. Later on, his son spelled his name "Randle."

The article in "Pioneer History of Washington Co., Ky," edited by the Michael and Bettie Cook gives a fairly specific location of the Randolph Slack family home:

"His home was in the neighborhood of Hardin's Mill which stood on the Little Beech, some miles below [ downstream from] Dorsey's Mill." Dorsey's Mill was located near where the present road (Hwy. 50) from Springfield to Danville cross the Little Beech Fork (about four miles southeast). The deed for the sale of one hundred acres (in 1798), which was a part of Randolph Slack's estate, indicated that his land was located along Road Run and was bounded on one side by the 200-acre farm of his son William. William's land was described as lying, "on the waters of Cartwright's Creek." Other water courses included were "crossing of the old Beade [?] fork" (mentioned twice) and "near Macy's (May's?, Mary's?, Mory's?) run on the south side of said run then of about a mile from the mouth." By 1792, the Washington County Tax List shows that Randolph Slack owned 200 acres, 2 horses and 15 cows.

Abraham Lincoln's grandfather Abraham settled early in the area that eventually became Washington County, Kentucky. The family established a farm along a small creek, which still bears their name (Lincoln Run), that flows into the Beech Fork. The farm was not more than five miles to the north of Randolph Slack's farm on Cartwright Creek. Abraham died in 1788, and his widow and children continued living on the farm. It is obvious, therefore, that the two families must have been well acquainted. Thomas Lincoln, the fourth child of Abraham, became a cabinet maker, having served a long apprenticeship with his uncle, Richard Berry, who lived nearby. On June 12, 1806, Thomas married Nancy Hanks, and they eventually became the parents of Abraham Lincoln, the future president. The minister was Jesse Head, who also presided at the weddings of two of John Slack, Sr. 's daughters, Mary (Poly) in 1803 and Sarah (Sally) in 1804. Abraham Lincoln, as a young man, moved to the New Salem area, Menard County, Illinois, which is just to the east of Cass County, where John Slack, Jr. 's family settled in about 1830. Lincoln was a surveyor and served many land holders throughout Cass County. Later, when he became a lawyer, he periodically appeared in Court at Beardstown, on the western border of Cass County.

Very little is known about Randolph's wife, Sarah Penn. Her parents are listed as John and Mary Penn. What relationship they have with the Penns of Pennsylvania isn't known. In a report submitted by Jeanne Wallace Swindle, the following information was listed:

Sarah Penn, b: ca. 1735; m: Randolph Slack (b: ca. 1720; d: ca. 1795) ca. 1745 (this date is fairly well established). These dates indicate that Sarah was ten years old at the time of her marriage. More likely, her birth date was closer to 1725.

Apparently, Randolph and Sarah lived in the same general area of Cumberland County, Pennsylvania, and were probably married there as well, because all but the first one of their children were born in Cumberland County. The first child, Susannah, was born in 1745 and is listed as being born in Lancaster County. Most likely, she was born in the same locality as the others, but since her birth preceded the formation of Cumberland County from Lancaster County in 1750, she is recorded in the latter.

Children born to Randolph and Sarah (Penn) Slack are listed below.

1. Susannah Slack, b: 1745 in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania; d: after 1833 in Indiana; m: Anthony Litsey (b: about 1740; d: 13 September 1792 in Nelson Co., Kentucky.) about 1764 (probably in Pa.). Resided: Cumberland County, Pa.; Augusta County, Virginia; Lincoln, Nelson, and Washington Counties in Kentucky.

Between 1780 (birth of Anthony, Jr.) and 1781 (birth of Mary), the Litsey family moved from Augusta Co., Virginia, to Lincoln Co., Kentucky. They moved again from Lincoln Co. to Nelson Co., Kentucky, between 1783 (birth of James) and 1784 (birth of Henry).

Married Anthony Litsey about 1764 in Cumberland Co., Pennsylvania.
Anthony Litsey was on Cumberland Co., Pennsylvania, tax lists for 1771.
Moved to Augusta Co., Virginia, with Randolph Slack family by 1774.
Anthony served under Capt. Hicklin during the Revolutionary War.
In 1780, Anthony and Susannah sold their land in Augusta Co., Virginia.
Randolph Slack and all of his family, including the married ones, moved to
Kentucky (about 1780).

Anthony's home "seemed to have been on the first farm on the right as you leave Springfield for Bardstown on Hwy. 150." He purchased it from Matthew Walton in 1786. Anthony died in 1791, and his family sold the farm to Basil Mullican in 1818. After the farm was sold, Susannah moved to a cabin owned by her son Randolph, which was located next to (present-day) Lincoln Park. When her daughter Mary and husband, George Pirtle, moved to Indiana, Susannah went to live with them.

Susannah and Anthony had eleven children:

(i.) Sarah Litsey, b: 12 September 1766, Cumberland Co., Pennsylvania; m: John Davis 26 August 1790 in Nelson Co., Kentucky.

(ii.) Randolph Litsey, b: 18 April 1770 in Cumberland Co., Pennsylvania. (one reference says Augusta Co., Virginia.). (Randal Litsey is listed on the Kentucky 1850 mortality schedule and Perrins, History of Kentucky as being born in Maryland in 1770); d: 28 September 1849; m: Mary Gregory- 30 December 1797 in Washington Co., Kentucky.

(iii.) John Litsey, b: 2 November 1774 in Augusta Co., Virginia.; d: 20 April 1857 in Louisa Co., Iowa (southeast Iowa, along the Mississippi River; Wapello is the county seat); m: Mary Pirtle 12 April 1798 in Washington Co., Kentucky.

(iv.) Catherine Litsey, b: about 1777 (76?) in Augusta Co., Virginia; m: Edward Davis 25 August 1794.

(v.) Anthony Litsey, Jr., b: about 1780 in Augusta Co., Virginia; m: Keziah Pirtle 2 October 1806 in Washington Co., Kentucky.

(vi.) Mary "Polly" Litsey, b: 1781 in Lincoln Co., Kentucky (Augusta Co., Virginia?); m: George Pirtle 21 February 1804 in Washington Co., Kentucky.

(vii.) James Litsey, b: 1783 in Lincoln Co., Kentucky; m: Mary Storms 26 October 1808 in Hardin Co., Kentucky.

(viii.) Henry Litsey, b: 1784 (1789?) in Nelson Co., Kentucky; m: Nancy Carrico about 1816 in Sullivan Co., Indiana.

(ix.) Nancy Litsey, b: 1786 in Nelson Co., Kentucky; m: Thomas Pirtle before 1813.

(x.) Margaret Litsey, b: 1788 (1786?) in Nelson Co., Kentucky; m: William Richardson 27 September 1808 in Hardin Co., Kentucky.

(xi.) Matthew Litsey, b: 1789 in Nelson Co., Kentucky; d: 7 June 1853 in Bullitt Co., Kentucky; m: Henrietta Slack (d.o. Randall Slack, Jr. and Henrietta Wakeling) in Washington Co., Kentucky 30 January 1812; src: Washington Co., Kentucky, marriage records Book 1, p. 112.

2. Catherine Slack, b: 1748 (may have been about 1753) in Lancaster Co., Pennsylvania.

Catherine is listed only by Iris Swindle, Herb Tohlen, and Lily Walker. Tohlen places her chronologically ahead of Susannah, but gives no birth date, while Swindle puts her just after Susannah (birth date given as circa 1748). m: Matthew Penn about 1775.

Matthew Penn died in 1796 in Washington Co., Kentucky. On 1 December 1796, William Kendrick, Guardum Grundy, Richard Gregory, and James Wilson were appointed to appraise his estate (p. 201, December 1st 1796). On 1 December 1796, Catherine Penn obtained letters of administration on the estate of Matthew Penn, dec'd, with John Slack and Samuel Grundy her security and bond of 300 pds. (p. 201, December 1st 1796).

Children of Catherine and Matthew Penn listed as heirs of Randal Slack were as follows:

(i.) Sara Penn, b: about 1777 in Augusta Co., Va.; d: before 1818 in Hardin Co., Kentucky; m: John Weakley 26 August 1797 in Washington Co., Ky.

(ii.) Elizabeth Penn, b: ___ ; m: James Hollenhead 18 September 180443 in Washington Co., Ky. John Slack was given as her guardian.

3. John Slack, Sr., b: 1755 in Cumberland Co., Pennsylvania; d: 5 September 1822 in Bullitt Co., Kentucky; m: Mary Elizabeth Cashwiler (b: 1758 in Pennsylvania; d: 1844) probably in Augusta Co., Virginia.

4. Mary Slack, b: 1757 in Cumberland Co., Pennsylvania, d: before 182145 in Hardin Co., Kentucky; m: William Hercules Hays, Sr. (b: 1750 in Edinburg, Scotland; d: after 3 August 1821 in Hardin Co., Kentucky) about 1776 in Virginia (H. Tohlen suggests that they may have been married in Rockbridge Co., Virginia).

The children of Mary and William were as follows:

(i.) William Hercules Hays, Jr., b: 18 March 1778 in Virginia; m: Eleanor Burcham 21 November 1797 in Washington Co., Kentucky.

(ii. )Margaret Hays, b: 1780 in Virginia; m: John Kennon (also spelled "Cannon") 4 November 1800 in Washington Co., Kentucky.

Between 1780 (birth of Margaret) and 1781 ('82?) (birth of James), the Hays family moved from Virginia to Washington Co., Kentucky.

(iii.) James P. Hays, b: 1781 ('82?) in Washington Co., Kentucky; m: Lititia Brian 4 February 1805 in Washington Co., Kentucky.

(iv.) Hercules Hays, b: 8 January 1786 in Washington Co., Ky; d: 4 March 1855 in Hardin Co., Kentucky; m: Elizabeth Lusk 18 March 1809 in Hardin Co., Kentucky.

(v.) Elizabeth Hays, b: 6 December 1789 in Washington Co., Kentucky; d: before 1821; m: __ Decker.

(vi.) Mary Hays, b: 1793 in Washington Co., Kentucky; m: (1) Stephen McMurtry, (2) Henry B. Burcham 6 March 1816 in Hardin Co., Kentucky.

(vii.) Randall Porter Hays, b: 22 June 1794 in Washington Co., Kentucky; m: Sarah Calvin 26 December 1822 in Hardin Co., Kentucky.

(viii.) John Porter Hays, b: 1 January 1798 in Washington Co., Kentucky, d: 16 January 1868 in Hardin Co., Kentucky; m: Evaline Dorsey 8 January 1833 in Hardin Co., Kentucky.

(ix.) Susan Hays, b: 13 August 1801 in Washington Co., Kentucky; d: 25 February 1871 in Cooper Co., Missouri; m: Jesse Wooldridge 21 August 1827 in Hardin Co., Kentucky.

(x.) Sarah J. Hays, b: 3 March 1804 in Washington Co., Kentucky; d: 3 July 1865 in Hardin Co., Kentucky; m: Luther Deker Calvin, II - 11 March 1822 in Hardin Co., Kentucky.

5. Richard Slack, b: about 1758 in Cumberland Co., Pennsylvania. According to Joyce Lindstrom (24 December 1984), through Lily Walker, "I doubt if Richard Slack married at all, as his father, 'left all moveable property, house furniture, with all my stock goods and chattels and 100 acres of land (to Richard and his mother).' If he was married, he married in Pa. But he [Randolph] named his son, Randal Slack, as guardian for Richard Slack, which makes me wonder if he [Richard] was mentally incompetent. In that case, Richard Slack never married."

Since Richard was not named among the heirs to Randal Slack, Sr. in the sale of the inherited land in 1821 (I think this was the land that was his and his mother's until they died), it is presumed that he had died prior to this time.

6. William Slack, b: 1760 ('58, '53?) in Cumberland Co., Pa.; d: 1 November 1830 in Hardin Co., Kentucky; m: Mary Vinvelkther (Van Velkter, Van Vactor, Van Volker, Vinvolkther, etc ... ; the actual spelling has never been verified) 20 March 1782 in Lincoln Co., Kentucky. One source states that the marriage took place near Ft. Harrods in Lincoln, Co.

William came with his brother John and sister Elizabeth (listed as Mary most other places) to Kentucky from Pennsylvania in about 1780 and went into a fort at what was then called "Bryant's Station." Although this reference says, in addition, that they went to Washington Co., Kentucky, they must have spent some time in Lincoln County, where William was married in 1782 (see above), before eventually settling in Washington Co. (actually, Nelson Co., because Washington Co. wasn't formed until 1792). Their first child's birth was recorded in Nelson Co. in 1784. On 22 December 1790, William purchased 200 acres from Matthew Walton for 40 pounds. The land was located on the south side of Albey's (probably misspelled, should be "Alvey's") Run, one mile from its mouth into Cartwrights Creek, and laid next to his father's 200 acres.

Apparently, William moved his family to Hardin Co., Kentucky, sometime prior to 1792, because his third child, Penelope, was born there on 11 February 1792. He was listed, however, as a tithable on the Washington County, Kentucky, list of taxpayers for the years 1792 to 1796 (src: Washington County Taxpayers, 1792-1799, compiled by Sanders). In 1796, William and his wife Mary sold their 200 acres in Washington Co., Kentucky, to Jacob Walls, who paid 245 pounds for the property. William is listed in the 1810 and 1820 U.S./Kentucky censuses as living in Hardin Co., Kentucky, and is also included on the tax list of Hardin Co. for 1817.

Following are the children of William and Mary:

(i.) Randolph Slack, b: 20 July 1784 in Nelson Co., Kentucky; d: 8 April 1870 in Hardin Co., Ky.; m: Ruth Johnson 26 June 1806 in Hardin Co., Kentucky.

Randolph is listed as living in Hardin Co., Kentucky, on the 1810, 1820, and 1840 U.S./Kentucky census reports and the 1815 and 1816 tax lists for Hardin Co.

(ii.) Reuben Slack, b: 1787 in Nelson Co., Ky.; d: 1822 in Hardin Co., Kentucky; m: Letitia Bush 11 July 1814 in Hardin Co., Kentucky. Reuben is listed on the 1820 U.S./Kentucky census and the 1815, 1816, and 1817 Hardin Co. tax lists.

After Reuben's death, Letitia married Thomas Cofer on 10 November 1824 in Hardin Co., Kentucky. Letitia (b: 1796) died 8 July 1857 and was buried in the Cofer-Strader Cemetery in Hardin Co., Kentucky.

A son of Reuben and Letitia (Bush) Slack, John Burcham Slack, was one of the principals in the "Great Diamond Hoax" of 1872. John, with his cohort, Philip Arnold, "salted" a claim in the extreme northwest comer of Colorado (some say it was across the border into Wyoming) with diamonds and other precious gems. Taking samples of their "discovery" to a prominent bank in San Francisco, they convinced the bank president, William C. Raison, to buy them out (at $660,000). Arnold and Slack then led Ralston's hand-picked experts to the area to confirm the find. The experts were convinced when they found diamonds, rubies, sapphires, and other gemstones scattered over the surface of the mesa. Ralston formed a corporation, "San Francisco and New York Mining and Commercial Company," with twenty-five friends, drawn from the elite financial members of the San Francisco business world. Each bought-in, forming a capital base of $2,000,000. Diamond fever became rampant, not only in San Francisco but also throughout the country and even many foreign countries. A second inspection group, led by the prominent geologist, Clarence King, took little time in revealing the find (e.g., the crotch of a tree trunk, uniform distribution, mixing of gems that never appear together in nature, and to top it off, lapidary marks on some diamonds. Immediately, the diamond bubble burst and Ralston's company collapsed. Fortunately, no shares had been sold outside the founding twenty-five persons, and Ralston paid back every penny invested by his friends. One report states that shortly thereafter, Ralston was found dead on the beach at his favorite swimming site, whether by natural causes, accident, or suicide apparently wasn't determined.

Both Slack and Arnold were from Hardin Co., Kentucky, and apparently returned there after the expose and were eventually taken to trial at Elizabethtown, Kentucky. An account of a portion of the trial was found in the Annals of Kentucky, dated January 9, 1873. I have yet to learn the complete outcome of the trial, but in the Annals of Kentucky, dated March 16, 1873, in the U.S. Circuit Court at Louisville, Kentucky, a compromise was reached and Arnold, although still proclaiming his innocence, paid the litigants $150,000 "to purchase his peace and get loose from this powerful and world-renowned ring (The San Francisco Bankers)." According to one account, Arnold returned to Elizabethtown, country seat of Hardin Co., and died in a gunfight with a local banker with whom he had bad dealings over several years. I don't know what happened to John Burcham Slack; one record states that he died on 11 July 1896, aged about 74 years.

The William Slack, Jr. family moved from Nelson Co. to Hardin Co., Kentucky, between 1787 (birth of Reuben) and 1792 (birth of Penelope).

(iii.) Penelope Slack, b: 11 February 1792 in Hardin Co., Kentucky; d: 14 February 1835 in Hardin Co., Kentucky; m: (1) William Carlisle (d: 1845) ·20 February 1814 in Hardin Co., Kentucky; (2) George Arnold 30 July 1820 (may have been on 29 February 1820?) in Hardin Co., Kentucky.

(iv.) James Slack, b: about 1796 in Hardin Co., Kentucky; m: Martha (Patsy) Coyle.

(v.) William Slack, Jr., b: 1798 in Hardin Co., Kentucky; m: Mary Finney 1821 in Johnson Co., Illinois.

(vi.) Mary (Polly) Slack, b: ca. 1800 in Hardin Co., Kentucky; m: James T. Holt 12 March 1820 in Hardin Co., Kentucky.

(vii.) John Robert Slack, b: ca. 1803 in Hardin Co., Kentucky; m: Rebecca Summers (b: 1790?) in 1824.

(vii.) Female Slack, b: about 1805 in Hardin Co., Kentucky; probably died young.

7. Randall (Randal, Randle) Slack, Jr., b: 1761 ('62?) in Cumberland Co., Pennsylvania; m: Henrietta Wakeling 17 June 1786 in Nelson Co., Kentucky (src: Nelson County, Kentucky, Marriage Book 1785-1789, p. 226). She is presumed to be the stepdaughter of Thomas Alvey, a neighbor or Randolph Slack, Sr.

Randal Slack (Jr.) purchased 112 acres on Cartwright's Creek from John Alvey on 3 March 1801 for 25 pounds (src: Washington Co., Kentucky, Deed Book B, p. 413; from p. 68, Deed Abstracts 179 2-1803, compiled by Faye Sea Sanders, 1991 ). On the list of taxpayers in Washington Co., Kentucky, 1792-1799, p. 65, Randal is listed for all years except 1798. In 1792, he is listed as having 4 horses and 7 cattle (no land is listed).

Randall and Henrietta had eleven children:

(i.) Henrietta Slack, b: 1787 in Nelson Co., Kentucky; m: Matthew Litsey, her first cousin (s.o. Anthony and Susannah [Slack] Litsey). He was born 1789 in Nelson Co., Kentucky; d: 7 June 1853 in Bullitt Co., Kentucky; m: 30 January 1812 in Washington Co., Kentucky, by John Cox, consent of Randal Slack (Jr.), father of the bride, 30 January 1812. Surety- Nicholas Mudd and Thomas James.

(ii.) Richard Slack, b: 1789 in Nelson Co., Kentucky; d: about 1854 in Mississippi Co., Missouri (src: Letter to Maria E. Slack, dated. 6/6/1855, from her mother's brother, Simon Wooldridge, from Tohlen's report); m: (l) Mary B. Barlow on 26 September 1812 in Washington Co., Kentucky, by minister Barnabas McHenry (d.o. Jesse and Jane Barlow, src: Washington Co., Kentucky, Marriage Records, Book 1, p. 188; DET); (2) Sarah Wooldridge on 8 August 1822, Hardin Co., Kentucky. Tax lists of Washington Co. show Richard owning 85 acres along Cartrights (sic) water course and 4 horses, taxable value $505 in 1815; 1817 shows him with 2 horses, tax value $85 (acreage was not listed).

(iii.) Female Slack, b: 1791 in Nelson Co., Kentucky.

(iv.) John W. Slack, b: 19 July 1793 in Washington Co., Kentucky; d: 25 October 1883 in Simpson Co., Kentucky; m: (1) Clarissa A. Cloud on 17 November 1812 in Logan Co., Kentucky; (2) Harriet Hannum on 28 March 1837 in Logan Co., Kentucky. John was a house carpenter in Franklin, Williamson Co., Tennessee (near Nashville), where he located in about 1844.

(v.) Randolph Slack, b: 1795 (1789?) in Washington Co., Kentucky.

(vi.) Susan Slack, b: 1797 in Washington Co., Kentucky; m: George Elliott 11 January 1817 in Washington Co., Kentucky, by Rev. Nathan Hall. Consent of Randolph and Henrietta Slack, parents of the bride, on 11 January 1817; Teste - Stephen Yager and ___ Slack; surety- Stephen Yager.

(vii.) Male Slack, b: 1799 in Washington Co., Kentucky.
(viii.) Male Slack, b: 1801 in Washington Co., Kentucky.
(ix.) Male Slack, b: 1803 in Washington Co., Kentucky.
(x.) Female Slack, b: 1805 in Washington Co., Kentucky.
(xi.) Male Slack, b: 1807 in Washington Co., Kentucky.

Randolph Slack, Sr. signed his last will and testament on 12 February 1795. The will was proved on 2 April 1795. This places Randolph's death between these two dates; the exact date isn't known. Randolph bequeathed 100 acres and all of his "moveable property, house and furniture with all my stock goods and chattles" to his wife Sarah and his son Richard for "as long as either of them shall live for their maintenance." At their death, the property was to be sold and the receipts equally divided among all the children. His lower 100 acres was to be sold at his death and equally divided among his children (excluding Richard, who had already been provided for). His son Randal was to be the guardian for Richard (this indicates that Richard must have been incompetent in some way). John Slack, his son, and David Caldwell were appointed executors of his estate.

Pursuant to an order of the court of Washington County, Luke Mudd, David Gilkey, and Henry Barlow served as appraisers of the personal estate of Randolph Slack. Their appraisement was recorded on 23 June 1795 in Will Book A, pages 58-59. Their report was returned and ordered to be recorded on 2 July 1795.

His livestock consisted of a cow and calf, two yearling heifers, two three-year-old heifers, a yearling bull, fifteen head of sheep, a sorrel mare and colt, a bay mare and colt, a two-year-old sorrel filly, and a bay yearling colt. The rest of the list contained household furnishings, shop and barn tools, and field implements. Interesting items listed were a pot tramel and hooks (for the fireplace), a large and a small kittle (sic), spinning wheal (sic) and cotton wheel, shoemaker's tools and leather, and a large and small bare shear plow. Although the values for each item were listed, there was no total given. My calculations from the list gave a sum of 109 pounds, 19 schillings (a schilling was 1/20 of a pound), and 6 pence. I have no idea what this would be in dollars, nor do I know how long the former colonists continued to use the pound as their monetary unit.

The lower 100 acres, as directed in Randolph Slack's will, were sold by John Slack and David Caldwell to Joseph James for forty pounds on 26 March 1789. If we use the amount received for this 100 acres, Randolph's non-land estate would have been equal in value to about 250 acres of land.

The remaining 100 acres (reserved by Randolph for his wife and son Richard) were sold to Nicholas Mudd on 7 September 1821 for the sum of $1,181.50. Over the years, either the original 100 acres had dwindled to 90.5 acres or 9.5 acres were withheld from the sale. The heirs and representatives listed were Susannah (Slack) Litsey, John Slack, Randle Slack, William Hays (husband of Mary Slack - she apparently had died before this time), William Slack, John Weakly (husband of Sara Penn; they were married 26 August 1797 in Washington Co., Kentucky; Sara died before 1818 in Hardin Co., Kentucky),70 and James Hollenhead (husband of Elizabeth Penn; they were married 18 September 1804).

WASHINGTON COUNTY COURT
SPRINGFIELD, KENTUCKY
WILL BOOK A, PAGE 35-37

In the name of God, Amen. I, Randal Slack of the County of Washington and State of Kentucky, being very sick and weak in body but of perfect mind and memory and having in mind the mortality of my body and that it is appointed for all mankind once to die - Do make this my Last Will and Testament, That is;

FIRST, I recommend my soul into the hands of Almighty God who gave it and my body to the earth from whence it was taken, to be buried in decent Christian burial at the Discretion of my Executors. And what worldly goods God has been pleased to give me I give and Bequeath in the following manner:

First I will that all my lawful debts be paid by my Executors out of my estate.

SECONDLY, I give and Bequeath unto my beloved wife Sarah and my beloved son Richard Slack, all the moveable property, House and furniture with all my stock goods and chattels and One Hundred Acres of land whereon I now live and all accutriments (sic) belonging thereto to be theirs as long as either of them Shal (sic) live for their
maintenance. And at their death, I will it shall be sold and equally divided amongst all my children.

The lower One Hundred Acres joining this I will it to be sold and divided equally amongst my children Except Richard before named at my death.

THIRDLY, I will at the choice of my wife and son above named that Randal Slack act as guardian for him, Richard Slack agreeable to being this my last will & Testament (Close examination of the recorded copy of the will revealed that an error had been made in the transcription. This line should read, "Richard Slack agreeable to abiding by this my last will and Testament." (DET, April 2001)

FOURTHLY, I ordain, choose and appoint David Caldwell and John Slack sole Executors to this my last will & Testament and lastly, I ordain, make, confirm, ratify and allow this my last Will and Testament. And do hereby disavow, make void and renounce all Wills and Testaments by me heretofore made Ordaining and making or allowing, this only. As Witness my hand & seal this twentieth day of February Seventeen Hundred and Ninety-Five.

Signed, Sealed & Acknowledged in
The presents of us and in the presents
of the Testator

Randal Slack (SEAL)
TESTE:
Jno Pirtle

his
Henry X Barlow
mark

Willam McCantire

At a County Court held for Washington County second day of April 1795.

This will was proved by the Oaths of John Pertle and William McCantire, two of the subscribers, Witnesses thereto, and ordered to be Recorded. And on the motion of David Caldwell & John Slack, Executors therein named who made oath and executed and acknowledged bond as the law directs. A certificate is granted them for obtaining Probate thereof in due form.

Teste ---------
a Copy Attest: John M. Smothers, Clerk
Washington County, Kentucky, Court

(Randolph Slack, Sr., 1720)

Transcription of a copy of the recorded handwritten copy of the appraisement inventory (non-real estate) of Randal Slack, Sr., deceased, by Luke Mudd, David Gilkey, and Henry Barlow on 23 June 1795. On 2 July 1795, the inventory and appraisement was returned and ordered to be recorded. From Will Book A, p. 58-59, held in the Recorder's Office, courthouse, Washington Co., Kentucky. Electronically copied from the handwritten record by David E. Tyler, July 2000.

Pursuant to an order of the Court of Washington County we the subscribers have appraised the estate of Randal Slack decsd. this 23rd day of June 1795 as followeth.

[LIST]

(signed by) Luke Mudd, David Giley, Heriry Barlow
Washington Coty (County) ? _

I do certify that Luke Mudd, Henry Barlow and David Gilkey was (sic) qualified before me and Justice of the Peace for said Court as appraisers to the estate of Randal Slack Sen. (Sr.) given under my hand this 23 day of June (1795 - torn off) ..... Richd (torn off)

At a County Court held for Washington County - torn off)

A total for the appraisement was not recorded but calculating it in terms of pounds and schillings the sum was - 109£ (pounds), 19S (schillings), and 6D (pence). I don't know what this would be in dollars for that time nor what it would amount to in today's dollars.

Note: This inventory and appraisement was returned and ordered to be recorded on 2 July 1795 .
(DET)

Chapter II
Descendants of John Slack, Sr. and Mary Elizabeth (Cashwiler) Slack

3. John Slack and Mary Elizabeth Cashwiler

John Slack was born and raised to young adulthood in Cumberland County, Pennsylvania, most likely in the northern part of present-day Frankiln County. When he was about eighteen years of age (ca. 1773), his parents and family moved to Augusta County, Virginia, in the region of present-day Pendleton County, West Virginia, where they established a farm of 160 acres along the Blackthorn (a stream). There are several citations in Mr. Hartsell's reference concerning John's parents' activities in Augusta Co. (see their history in the preceding chapter). The last reference to Randolph in Augusta Co., Virginia, was in 1779, when a survey for his 160-acre farm was recorded. Randolph then moved his family to the Danville area of Kentucky around 1780 to 1781. John may have been an immediate part of this emigration, according to J. L. Nall's account on page 212 of W. S. Slade's, "Slack Family." In addition, a reference in Mr. Hartsell's file from Richard A. Briggs, who was researching the Hays family, states, "The Hays family is believed to have settled first in the Crab Orchard - Stanford area (Lincoln Co.). The Lincoln County Militia lists William Hays and a John Slack both as members in each of the years 1780 thru 1783. This John Slack could likely have been a brother to Mary Slack Hays." The problem with these accounts comes from the fact that John had married in Augusta Co., Virginia, about 1777 and his wife gave birth to three children there in the years 1778, 1780, and 1782. Their first child to be born in Kentucky was in 1784 in Nelson County. It is possible that these last two birth sites are in error and that John did arrive with his father and others of the family in 1780 and then returned to Augusta Co., Virginia, to take his family to Kentucky. They eventually settled in what was then Nelson County, Kentucky, in the same neighborhood as John's father and siblings (along Cartwright Creek near its termination at the Beech Fork).

The first record found for the purchase of land in Washington Co., Kentucky, by John Slack, Sr. was dated 4 December 1794. John entered into an indenture with Ann Smith (represented by her attorney, Daniel Smith), in which she conveyed 84 acres to John for the price of 30 pounds. The land joined Richard Parker's land. This would place it along Cartwright Creek, about one-half mile from its junction with Beech Fork at Parkers.

According to the research of Mary Jo Maguire, "John Slack had a warehouse there (Parker's, which became Fredericktown in 1818) and from the boat pen, rafts took goods down the Beech Fork to the Rolling Fork to the Salt River and into the Ohio. It was the primary means for getting local goods to the southern markets and one of the reasons Washington County prospered." Although Ms. Maguire, who was President of the Washington County Historical Society, doesn't give a source for her information, there is another reference, however, that supports her findings. On page 475 of the biographical section of Two Centuries in Elizabeth Town and Hardin County, Kentucky, by McClure, the biography of James Brown Slack is given. It points out that the father of James, William (G.) Slack, who was the son of John Slack, Sr., was a farmer and merchant and shipped large quantities of produce to New Orleans by flat boat. It would appear that William G. Slack was brought up in the tradition of river boating by his father and probably continued the business after John left for Hardin County.

John was also a farmer and purchased a 130-acre property from Richard Parker on 7 November 1797 for the slim of 50 pounds. The land was located in Washington County along Cartwright's Creek - 1,546 feet - and bordered, in part, by Martin Nail's and John Hurst's land. This property apparently adjoined the 84 acres John had purchased in 1794. On 3 September 1804, John purchased an additional three and one-half acres (for $18.46) from Thomas Hamilton, which extended his creek frontage another 256 feet. The three recorded purchases would bring his land holdings to 217.5 acres.

John Slack, Sr. appears on the 1794, but not the 1792, tax list for Washington County. His personal property was given as one black under 16 years of age, 7 horses, 45 cattle. His real estate was listed as 0 (he did not purchase the 84-acre property until 4 December 1794, which was probably after the tax survey was completed). The tax list of 1812 shows John with land (acres not given) along Cartwright Creek, 9 horses, and one black male. The tax list for Washington County, Kentucky, 1815 shows John Slack, Sr. with 200 acres in Washington County along Cartrights (sic) Creek and personal property of 10 horses and 1 black – value $1,550. On 24 August 1819, John Slack, Sr. and wife Mary sold their original 130 acres plus 7 more to Alexander Hamilton for $900.00. The deed states that they were residents of Hardin Co. The census records for Kentucky list John Slack, Sr. as a resident in Washington Co. in 1810 and Hardin Co. in 1820. Just when John and Mary left Washington County and how long they lived in Hardin County isn't known, but sometime after 1820 they moved to Bullitt County, directly to the north of Hardin County. John must have had property in Bullitt County, because in a deed dated 16 June 1819 and recorded in Deed Book K of Bullitt Co., Ky., wherein Frederick Parnebaker transferred land to his son. John Slack's land is mentioned as being along the east side of Buffalo Run. This is a short creek (not over 10 miles long) that runs straight north to Shepherdsville and empties into the Salt River. No evidence of his purchase of this land or its sale has been located.

John Slack married Mary Elizabeth Cashwiler, probably in 1777 and most likely in Augusta County, Virginia. There is great confusion about Mary's names. Her surname has been given variably as Cashwiler, Cahswiler, Cahiwiler, Cashwilder, etc. Joyce Lindstrom, in a letter to Roseanne Maudlin, states that she "could not find such a surname anywhere in the United States." The solution to the problem may be presented in a section of a history titled The Lyster Family, by Bess Sellers Johnson, 1935 to 1936. The section is titled "Garshwiler --- Ortkies." Quoting from this article, "In Shenandoah County, Virginia, we find a Joseph and Barbara Garshwiler or Cashwiler, as the name is often spelled.--- Joseph and Barbara came to Kentucky before 1787, as a daughter was married there in that year. They settled near Danville, Kentucky, which was in Mercer County." Later on in this section, as the author was discussing the Ortkies Family, she points out, "Like the Garshwiler family, the Ortkies were from Germany and both families lived in the German settlement of Strasburg in Shenandoah County before coming to Kentucky." Although the Garshwilers had a daughter named Elizabeth, she was married to John Huffman. Most likely, Mary Elizabeth, John Slack's wife,
was from another member of the larger Garshwiler family that emigrated from Pennsylvania (most reports indicate that was Mary Elizabeth's place of birth) to the Augusta County, Virginia, area (Strasburg is only about 60 miles to the northeast of Franklin, Pendleton County, West Virginia, where the Slack's were reputed to have settled from about 1773 to 1779).

Joyce Lindstrom is not satisfied with the name of Elizabeth either. She writes, "Probate records and court records [deeds in particular, DET] of Bullitt Co., Kentucky, state John Slack's wife was Mary, not Elizabeth [note - I have verified this in my own research as well, DET]. Before Ms. Lindstrom's revelation, most researchers had listed John's wife's Christian name as Elizabeth, from what source, I don't know. Most reporters now take a neutral stand, as I have done, and give her two names - Mary Elizabeth. This may not be right, but it is a workable compromise; besides, it makes for a euphonious name.

Mary Elizabeth lived for twenty-two years after John Slack, Sr. died. It is quite possible that she lived with her daughter, Mary Polly (Slack) Vaughn, who also resided in Bullitt County. Mary Elizabeth died in 1844 and is most likely buried in Bullitt County.

John and Mary Elizabeth (Cashwiler) Slack had ten children, five boys and five girls. The first child was born in 1778 in Augusta Co., Virginia. The next, according to most reports, may also have been born there. One report suggests, however, that the second child, William G., may have been born in Lincoln Co., Kentucky, but still lists Augusta Co., Virginia, as a possibility. William G. Slack's son, James Brown Slack, states in his biography that his father was born near the old military post at Harrisburg (this should be Harrodsburg). This places the family in Kentucky by 1780. The third child is listed by most researchers as having been born in Augusta Co., Virginia. If Lincoln County, Kentucky, is accepted as the birth place for the second child, that would preclude that the third child was born there as well. Having the second and third child both born in Lincoln County best fits the activities of John Slack, described by several researchers during this period, which place him in Kentucky, not Virginia. I don't know what the source has been for setting the birth dates for these children, but they need further investigation to clarify this confusion. Their children were as follows:

3. John and Mary Elizabeth (Cashwiler) Slack's children:

(i.) Rebecca Slack, b: 3 June 1778 in Augusta Co., Virginia; d: 22 June 1844 in Hardin Co., Kentucky: buried: Mt. Zion Baptist Cemetery, Hardin Co., Kentucky; m: John Nall (b: 22 July 1772 in Culpepper Co., Virginia, s.o. James Nalle; d: 17 October 1865 in Hardin Co., Kentucky; buried: Mt. Zion Baptist Cemetery, Hardin Co., Kentucky) on 5 October 1797, (recorded 14 October 1797), Washington Co., Kentucky, by Joshua Carmen; security by John Slack (src. Marriage Book 1, p. 14). They had twelve children: 8 boys, 4 girls. The first 9 (from 1798 to 1814) were born in Washington Co., Kentucky; the last 3 (from 1816 to 1823) were born in Hardin Co., Kentucky. Their children were as follows:

--- (a) William Parker Nall, b: 22 September 1798, Washington Co., Kentucky; d: 1 December 1878; m: Elizabeth Brumfield, 13 October 1825.

--- (b) Martin Nall, b: 1800, Washington Co., Kentucky; m: Hester Vertrees, 29 February 1824.

--- (c) James W. Nall, b: 1803, Washington Co., Kentucky; m: Winnifred Thomas, 23 March 1824.

--- (d) Elizabeth (Betsy) Nall, b: 10 March 1805, Washington Co., Kentucky; d: 1874; m: Martin Nall, 15 October 1821 (must have been a cousin).

--- (e) Mary (Polly) Nall, b: 12 April 1807, Washington Co., Kentucky; d: 2 May 1845; m: Nathaniel Nall, 12 July 1830 (probably her cousin).

--- (f) John Slack Nall, b: 26 January 1809, Washington Co., Kentucky; m: Louisiana Buckner, 12 July 1830.

--- (g) Sarah (Sally) Nall, b: 31 August 1810, Washington Co., Kentucky; d: 10 December 1872; m: Thomas Batsel Nall, 21 November 1831.

--- (h) Francis Mariah Nall, b: 3 July 1812, Washington Co., Kentucky; d: 13 September 1891; m (1) Hardin Newman, 20 July 1835, (2) Nathaniel Nall, 27 July 1846, (3) Jacob Rogers, 20 Nov. 1849, (4) Anthony Bledsoe, 15 July 1858.

--- (i.) Andrew Jackson Nall, b: 19 March 1814, Washington Co., Kentucky; m: Theodocia Ann Berry, 23 August 1837.

--- (j.) Larkin Nall, b: 29 January 1816, Hardin Co., Kentucky; d: 29 August 1883; m: Matilda Berry, 1 February 1839.

--- (k.) Joseph C. Nall, b: 15 January 1819, Hardin Co., Kentucky; d: 27 March 1896; m: Mary Earhart Arnold, 29 September 1846.

--- (l.) Belinda Nall, b: 1823, Hardin Co., Kentucky; m: Toliver H. Long, 18 Dec. 1843.

(ii) William G. Slack, b: about 1780, Augusta Co., Virginia (may have been Lincoln Co.,
Kentucky); d: 1866 Bullitt Co., Kentucky; m: Henrietta (b: 1785 in Maryland; d: 19 _____, 1861, Louisville, Kentucky), 4 August 1813 in Washington Co., Kentucky, by
Father Ray Funk(?), consent of Henrietty Wathen, mother of the bride (4 August 1813), Teste - Joel Vaughn and Mathias Borders (src: Washington Co., Kentucky, records, Marriage Book 1, p. 126, DET, July 2000).

William G. Slack apparently worked with his father John Slack, in the shipping of goods from the central Kentucky region to southern markets, notably New Orleans, by flatboat from Parkers (later became Fredericktown) down the Beech to the Rolling Fork to the Salt River and eventually the Ohio and Mississippi Rivers. According to his son, James Brown Slack, William G. Slack was also a merchant and farmer. His son noted that William had been born at the old military post at Harrisburg (I believe this was supposed to be Harrodsburg, Kentucky). James also stated that his father "saw service in the War of 1812, serving under General Jackson at the Battle of New Orleans." There is some credence for this last statement in the notes of Roseanne Maudlin, from a book about Kentucky soldiers in the War of 1812. There are two William Slacks listed, one an ensign (p. 8) and the other a private (p. 300). Without more information, we can't verify that either of these was William G. Slack, son of John Slack of Washington Co., Kentucky. The most likely one would have been the private. It shows his enlistment period from 15 November 1814 to 10 May 1815; the ensign served only from mid-September to the last of October 1812.

William G. Slack is listed as living in Washington County, Kentucky, in the 1820, 1830, and 1840 censuses. He appears on the Washington County tax lists for 1812 (100 acres, 1 horse); 1816 (160 acres on Cartwright water course, 5 horses, 1 black [slave] over 16, total black 1; value of property $1,833); 181734 (164 acres, 2 horses, 2 blacks over 16, total blacks 2). On 25 February 1817, William (G.) Slack purchased a tract of land (acreage not given) "on the Beech fork adjoining William Clement's line on the northeast side" from James Jenkins and wife, Fanny. Price paid was $51.50. Src: Washington Co., Kentucky, Deed Book E, pp. 326-237.

William died in Bullitt County, Kentucky, in 1866. William and Henrietta (Wathen) Slade's children were as follows:

--- (a) Frances F Slack, b: 1814, Washington Co., Kentucky; d: about 1856; m: William Chandler McDonald, 29 May 1836. A descendant of theirs is Robert McDonald, who presently lives in Fredericktown, Kentucky. Robert has been very helpful in clarifying the location of Slack land in the Fredericktown area. He is well versed in the Slack family history and has provided several items for this history.

--- (b) John B. Slack, b: about 1815, Washington Co., Kentucky; served in the Mexican War and moved to Bastrop, Ft. Bend, and Bell Co., Texas; m: Theresa Lee, 15 October 1870 in Ft. Bend, Texas.

--- (c) Dr. Robert N. Slack, b: about 1818, Washington Co., Kentucky; m: never married.

There is evidence for him being in Louisville, Kentucky; Galveston, Fort Bend, Houston, and Wharton, Texas; San Francisco and Shasta, California.

--- (d) Arathusa Slack, b: 1820, Washington Co., Kentucky; m: John C. Webb. They lived in Louisville, Kentucky, Minister Joseph T. Jarboe; src: Washington Co., Kentucky, Marriage Records, Book 3, p. 61 (July 2000, DET).

--- (e) Joseph B. Slack, b: about 1822, Washington Co., Kentucky. He went to Texas in November 1835, joined Capt. Bird's Unit of Ft. Bend on 6 March 1836. He was at the Battle of San Jacinto (Mexican War), rank of private, 24 April 1839; discharged 28 July 1839. · Later, he became a Texas Ranger.

--- (f) James Brown Slack, b: 14 May 1825, Washington Co., Kentucky; d: 20 December 1880 in Hardin Co., Kentucky; m: Elvira Ann Winfield, 26 August 1847. James was a tanner by trade and operated a large tannery and grocery store in Elizabethtown, Kentucky.

--- (g) Mary (Margaret?) B. Slack, b: 1827, Washington Co., Kentucky; m: never married.

(iii.) Mary (Polly) Slack, b: 1782, Augusta Co., Virginia (may have been in Lincoln Co., Kentucky - see reason under William G. Slack, above); d: 9 October 1853 in Bullitt Co., Kentucky; m: Joel Vaughn (b: about 1780, Washington Co., Kentucky; d: between 8 April 1845 [will written] and 19 October 1846 [will proved]), 29 December 1803 in Washington Co., Kentucky, by Justice of the Peace Jesse Head, who, by the way, also married Thomas Lincoln and Nancy Hanks, Abraham Lincoln's parents, 12 June 1806. William Slack swore before the J.P. on 19 December 1803 that Polly was over 21 years old; src: Washington County, Kentucky, marriage records, Book 1, p.52 (July 2000, DET).

Joel and Mary lived in Washington Co. from about 1803 to a time between 1812 and 1817 (last child born in Washington Co. and first child born in Bullitt Co.), when they moved to Bullitt County, Kentucky. Joel owned a large tract of land along Knob Creek in the northwestern part of Bullitt County. A transcribed copy of Joel's will is in the Slack File. According to Joel's will, he and Mary (Polly) Slack had the following children:

--- (a) William Vaughn, b: 1805, Washington Co., Kentucky; m: Mary Joyce, February 1829. His father, Joel Vaughn, sold a tract of land on Knob Creek to William on 21 March 1842 for $50. The acreage was not given (src: Bullitt Co., Kentucky, Deed Book K, p. 1).

--- (b) Susannah Vaughn, b: about 1807, Washington Co., Kentucky; m: Benjamin Malone.

--- (c) Mary (Polly) Vaughn, b: about 1809, Washington Co., Kentucky; m: Alexander Joyce, October 1828.

--- (d). Lucinda Vaughn, b: 1811-12, Washington Co., Kentucky; m: William Munrow (Monroe?).

--- (e) John Vaughn, b: 1817, Bullitt Co., Kentucky; d: 24 December 1852; m: Mary Ann C. Rawlings, 5 April 1840.

--- (f) Martin Jacob Vaughn, b: about 1820, Bullitt Co., Kentucky.

--- (g) Caroline Vaughn, b: about 1824, Bullitt Co., Kentucky; m: John D. Small, 14 September 1845.

(iv.) Sarah (Sally) Slack, b: 1784 in Nelson Co., Kentucky; d: · m: (1) Dempsey Waller (b: 10 October 1782 in Virginia; d: 23 May 1825 in Union Co., Kentucky, see a transcribed copy of his will in the Slack File on 27 August 1804. (2) Daniel Threlkeld (b: 1773; d: 1840 Union Co., Kentucky. His first wife was Delilah Nichols; m: 30 January 1796) on 28 August 1829. Sarah and Daniel Threlkeld had no children.

Additional Information for Sarah ("Sally") (Slack) Waller:

Dempsey (her husband) Waller's father, John Waller, was born in Virginia in 1739, married Mary Small in 1771, and emigrated with his young family to Kentucky, where he settled on Cartwright's Creek about 1780. He developed a farm of 600 acres and built a mill on Cartwright's Creek in 1787. Ruins of the mill are still visible at the northern boundary of the Saint Rose Cemetery, two miles southwest of Springfield (this places his land about 2 to 3 miles south of Randolph Slack's farm).

In 1806, John Waller sold his farm, and taking all of his children and their families with him, moved to Henderson County, Kentucky. The area in which he settled later became Union County. He died there in 1822; his wife Mary in 1823.

Note: The same information applies to Andrew Slack, who married John's daughter, Lydia Waller. They, too, migrated to Union County with the rest of the Waller family. The children of Sarah (Sally) Slack and Dempsey Waller (all born in Union Co.,; Kentucky) were as follows:

--- (a) Andrew William Waller, b: 1807 in Union Co., Kentucky; m: (1) Sarah Delaney, 5 October 1826, (2) E. A. __ _

---(b) Nathan H. Waller, b: about 1809 in Union Co., Kentucky; m: Nancy Ann Robb,20 August 1832.

--- (c) Hiram Eli Waller, b: about 1811 in Union Co., Kentucky; m: Polly Threlkeld, 4 October 1838.

---(d) Susan C. Waller, b: about 1813 in Union Co., Kentucky; m: Samuel G. Greenwell, 29 June 1837.

---(e) Joseph Burwell Waller, b: 1816-17 in Union Co., Kentucky.

--- (f) Sarah A. Waller, b: about 1819-21 in Union Co., Kentucky.

---(g) Polly G. Waller, b: 1824 in Union Co., Kentucky; m: William McKenny.

(v.) Andrew Slack, b: 12 April 1786 in Nelson Co., Kentucky; d: 1 February 1853 in Hamilton Co., Illinois; m: Lydia Waller (b: 10 April 1795 in Washington Co., Kentucky; d: 27 December 1848 in Union Co.,Kentucky) on 8 December 1813 in Union Co., Kentucky. Lydia was the sister of Dempsey Waller, who married Andrew's sister, Sarah.

The family moved to Gallatin Co., Illinois, between 1813 and 1815 and then to Hamilton Co., Illinois, between 1824 and 1826. These counties are located in the southeastern tip of Illinois, just west of the junction of the Wabash and Ohio Rivers. They had eleven children:

--- (a) William Harrison Slack, b: 2 June 1815, Gallatin Co., Illinois; d: Dallas, Texas; m:Mary __

--- (b) Louisa Ann Slack, b: 4 June 1817, Galatin Co., Illinois; d: 11 March 1863.

--- (c) Polly Ann Slack b: 14 May 1819 Gallatin Co., Illinois; d: 12 December 1819.

--- (d) Gordon Thomas Slack, b: 23 October 1820, Galatin Co., Illinois; d: 9 May 1846; •
m: Judith (Judy) _ _

---(e) Lydia Ann Slack, b: 20 January 1823, Gallatin Co., Illinois; d: 26 August 1823.

--- (f) Sarah Ann Slack, b: 8 June 1824, Gallatin Co., Illinois; d: 7 June 1835.

--- (g) Margery Ann Slack, b: 30 July 1826, Hamilton Co., Illinois; d: 8 April 1900; m: ___-Bradford.

--- (h) Andrew Jackson Slack, Jr., b: 21 December 1828, Hamilton Co., Illinois.

--- (i) Joseph Waller Slack (twin), b: 26 December 1830, Hamilton Co., Illinois; d: 20 February 1895; m: Mary Ann __ _

--- (j) Martin Parkes Slack (twin), b: 26 December 1830, Hamilton Co., Illinois; d: 14 January 1831.

--- (k) Lydia Ann Slack, II, b: 19 September 1833, Hamilton Co., Ill.; d: 15 June 1880.

(vi.) Elizabeth (Betsy) Slack, b: 1788 in Nelson Co., Kentucky; d: __ in Hardin Co., Kentucky; m: Jeremiah Alston, 18 March 1809 in Washington Co., Ky .. 43 Consent of John Slack, father of the bride, on 18 March 1809; teste, William Slack and John Nall.

(vii.) Joseph Slack, b: about 1790 in Nelson Co., Ky., d: 21 May 1827, Bullitt Co., Ky.; m: Isabella ___ (b: 1793 in Kentucky). Joseph served as the administrator of his father's estate in 1822. His widow and her children moved to Jefferson Co., Kentucky, prior to 1840.45 Bullitt Co., Kentucky, records, Will Book B, pp. 174-179, listed the following children born to Joseph and Isabella:

--- (a) John T. Slack, b: 1819, Bullitt Co., Ky.; m: Sarah __ _

--- (b) James Slack, b: about 1821-22, Bullitt Co., Ky.; d: prior to 1842; m: Mary Ann ___. His widow m: Joshua Lee 3 March 1842.
--- (c) Sarah E. Slack, b: about 1825, Bullitt Co., Kentucky; m: Joseph B. Waller, 14 October 1845 (this could be a first cousin, Joseph Burwell Waller [b: 1816-17 in Union Co., Kentucky], s.o. Sarah Sally Slack and Dempsy Waller).

(viii.) John Slack, Jr., b: 25 October 1793, Washington Co., Kentucky; d: 16 February 1872 in Hartford, Iowa; m: Nancy McDonald. For a detailed account of John and Nancy (McDonald) Slack, see the following chapter.

(ix.) Lucinda Slack,45 b: 20 October 1799, Washington Co., Kentucky; d: 2 September 1872 at Greenville, Floyd Co., Indiana; m: (1) George Wyman (b: about 1783; d: 28 February 1823, Crawford Co., Indiana) on 22 March 1817. George had previously married Elizabeth Barlow on 23 January 1812, src: Washington Co., Kentucky, Marriage Records, Book 1, p. 114. Lucinda married (2) John Barnett (b: 24 January 1804 in Kentucky; d:10 February 1853 in Crawford Co., Indiana) on 14 January 1824 in Crawford Co., Indiana.

Children of Lucinda Slack and George Wyman were as follows:

--- (a) Permelia Ann Wyman, b: 28 December 1818, Jefferson Co., Kentucky; m: John Tadlock, February 1837.

--- (b) Mary Ellen Wyman, b: 1 January 1820, Jefferson Co., Kentucky; d: 20 October 1826, Crawford Co., Indiana.

Children of Lucinda Slack and John Barnett were as follows:

--- (c) Alexander Barnett, b: 2 February 1825, Crawford Co., Indiana; d: 2 November 1853; m: Nancy Mansfield, 12 August 1851.

--- (d) David S. Barnett, b: 29 October 1827, Crawford Co., Indiana; d: 27 May 1892; m: Mary Jane Mansfield, 1 July 1857.

--- (e) Elizabeth Barnett, b: 1828, Crawford Co., Indiana; d: 3 December 1828, Crawford Co., Indiana.

--- (f) John S. Barnett, b: 19 March 1830, Crawford Co., Indiana; d: 7 July 1916; m: Louisa Wyman, 30 October 1851.

--- (g) Jane Barnett, b: 26 March 1832, Crawford Co., Indiana; d: _January 1905; m: Nathaniel Miller, 24 January 1850.

--- (h) Andrew Barnett, b: 11 February 1834, Crawford Co., Indiana; d: 16 May 1857; m: Mary C. Bline, March 1855.

--- (i) Martha F. Barnett, b: 6 January 1836, Crawford Co., Indiana; d: 31 July 1859; m: Issac H. Birdner, 21 April 1857.

--- (j) Mary (C. or E.) Barnett, b: 6 December 1837, Crawford Co., Indiana; d: 8 March 1927; m: (1) Matt Radcliff; (2) J. A. Scamahorn, 16 August 1866.

--- (k) Lucinda Barnett, b: 24 June 1840, Crawford Co., Indiana; d: 20 July 1923; m: John W. Bline, 28 February 1861.

--- (l) Samuel Houston Barnett, b: 25 July 1842 Crawford Co., Indiana, d: 16 February 1921; m: Mary M. Lawrence, 28 Nov 1868.

(x.) Jacob Slack, b: 1800, Washington Co., Kentucky; m: Abby Harshfield (b: 3 January 1803), 28 August 1825 in Bullitt Co., Kentucky. According to Mr. J. Hartsell,46 the death dates (1826 and 1828) given in "Randolph Slack of Washington Co., Kentucky." are in error. He states, "[the deaths were] many years later as they were in Pulaski Co., Indiana, in the 1850s - '60s . . . I've not been able to find when or where they died nor any reason why they went to central Illinois at such a late date in their lives as their children (Caroline and William) stayed in Indiana."

Jacob and Abby had the following children:

(i.) Bluford Slack, b: 1826, Jefferson Co., Kentucky.
(ii.) Caroline Slack, b: 1827, Jefferson Co., Kentucky; m: Robert Williams, 28 September 1848.
(iii.) Martin Slack, b: 1828, Jefferson Co., Kentucky.
(iv.) John Slack, b: 1829, Jefferson Co., Kentucky.
(v.) Polly Slack, b: 1832, Jefferson Co., Kentucky.
(vi.) William Slack, b: 1837, Jefferson Co., Kentucky.

John died 5 September 1822 in Bullitt Co.; he was 67 years old. He left no will, but his son Joseph Slack was appointed administrator of his estate, which consisted only of personal property and no real estate. Appraisers were appointed on 25 November 1822 and reported their evaluations on 26 November 1822. The estate was appraised at a value of $346.25, and with outstanding notes due John ($546.82), the total evaluation was $893.07. A sale following the appraisement brought in $193.25. Not all items appraised were sold; those that were, brought in $79.75 above their appraised value. The value of the estate, after the sale adjustments are made, reveals a total of $972. 82. This is not an accurate figure because several items sold were not included in the original appraisement. Questions that come to mind are, what happened to the $900.00 that John received for his farm in Washington County in 1819? Did he buy land in Hardin County? What happened to his land along Buffalo Run in Bullitt County? John's wife, Mary Elizabeth, outlived him by twenty-two years, dying in 1844; how was she provided for from John's estate?

Chapter III

Descendants of John.Slack, Jr. and Nancy (McDonald) Slack

(viii.) John Slack, Jr.; Father: John Slack, Sr.; Mother: Mary Elizabeth Cashwiler, Born: 25 October 1793 (src: Tombstone, DET). Where: Washington Co., Kentucky; Married: 29 April 1818, Washington Co., Kentucky. Married by Terah Tamplin (src: Washington Co., Kentucky, Marriage Records, Book 1, p. 174. DET); Died: 16 February 1872, age 77 yrs (src: obituary - Warren County Leader. 18 February 1872, p.3, col. 3). Where: Hartford, Iowa. Buried: Same; Occupation: Farmer

Nancy McDonald; Father: Joseph McDonald, Jr.; Mother: Nancy Smith; Born: 5 February 1800. Where: Washington Co., Kentucky,2,3 or Montgomery Co, Virginia; Died: 10 September 1862, age 62 yrs., 7 mos., 5 days (src: taken from tombstone); Where: Hartford, Iowa. Buried: Same.

(viii.) John Slack and Nancy ( McDonald) Slack
John and Nancy were both born in Kentucky and were married there, as well, in 1818. Their first four children, Mary Ann (b: 1818), William (b: 1819), Nancy J. (b: 1822), and Joseph (b: 1825) were born in Washington Co., Kentucky. In 1827, the family emigrated to Morgan Co., Illinois. The portion of Morgan Co. in which they settled became Cass Co. in 1837. Five more children, John III (b: 1827 in Indiana), Sarah E. (b. 1830), Andrew J. (b: 1832), Susan C. (b: 1835), and Martha E. (b: 1841), were born in Morgan/Cass Counties, Illinois.

Other than the preceding, I have little information on John's and Nancy's life in Kentucky. John appears on the tax list of Washington Co., Kentucky, in 1815 as 1 white male over 21 (he was 22), owning 1 horse, and taxable value of $60. The next year (1816), his number of horses increased to 3 and his taxable value to $125. The only change in the 1817 tax list is that his taxable value decreased to $120. John is also listed as living in Washington Co., Kentucky, on the 1820, but not the 1830, census.

A rather strange deed dated, April 24, 1822, was found in the records of Washington Co., Kentucky, involving John Slack as granter and George Marshall as grantee. I am sure the John Slack on the deed is the junior, not the senior, because it states, "I John Slack of Washington County - - ." John Slack, Sr. was listed as living in Hardin Co., Kentucky, in the census of 1820, and by 1822 he was living in Bullitt Co., Kentucky (he died there September 5, 1822). The deed is not clearly written, but apparently John and his brother-in-law, William McDonald, conveyed to George Marshall $85.00 in consideration for his becoming their security in a sale executed to Mr. McElroy and Cunningham. In lieu of paying Mr. Marshall the $85.00, they substituted the following: "--whiskey [how much wasn't stated] at 25 cents per gallon, one black mare and her colts, and all my hogs supposed to be about forty or fifty head." If this note wasn't paid by June 14 (?), Mr. Marshall would receive these goods. If the note was paid by then, it would become null and void. What the eventual outcome of this deed
was isn't known. It is interesting to note that the distilling of whiskey was a common activity on the frontier. John, and probably his brother-in-law William McDonald, apparently also engaged in the practice. Also of interest is that we found in other records where Mr. Marshall ran afoul of the law by not obtaining and using tax stamps in the sale of whiskey on many occasions. In other words, Mr. Marshall was a bootlegger.

There is one other record from Kentucky. In the appraisement of John Slack, Sr.'s estate in Bullitt Co., Kentucky, there is a list of those owing him money at the time of his death. John Slack, Jr. is included, with a debt of $8.05 being recorded.

Just when John moved his family to Morgan County, Illinois, isn't known. The only account I've found is the statement made in the biography of his son Joseph Slack saying that the family left Kentucky for Illinois in 1827. If we rely on birth records of John's children as recorded by several researchers it appears that the family arrived in Morgan Co., Illinois, sometime in 1827 or 1828, the approximate date of birth given for John III. Recent evidence, however, indicates that the child born between Joseph (1825 in Kentucky) and Sarah (1830 in Illinois) was John III and that he was born August 20, 1827, in Indiana, not Illinois. This suggests that the family was in Indiana for at least several months and perhaps as much as two years before moving on to Illinois.

Indirectly, we have some indication of the events that occurred during the Slack Family's migration from the biography of William Holmes, an early settler of Morgan Co., Illinois. Mr. Holmes, a native of New York, had come to Posey County, in the southwest tip of Indiana, seeking his fortune in the West. He was greatly disappointed in what he found-- poor land, mosquito-infested flats, and ague and milk sickness. He couldn't move on or go back because his funds were exhausted, so he took a job teaching (his profession in New York) for a year so that he could return home the next year. During this time, however, he heard the glowing reports of a Mr. Henry Hopkins about the great agricultural potential of the Sangamon area of Illinois. Instead of returning home, he decided to head for this region in the spring when his teaching job was finished. It was in the midst of his last term of teaching that Mr. Holmes became acquainted with the Joseph McDonald (John Slack, Jr.'s father-in-law) family that had just arrived from Kentucky (Washington Co., to be exact). In particular, he was befriended by one of the boys, John McDonald, and his sister, Polly. Mr. Holmes told the McDonalds, who were planning on migrating further north to the White River region of Indiana, about the possibilities for much better land in the Sangamon area. He convinced them to wait until he
could check it out in the spring. Shortly after his arrival (spring of 1826) in Morgan County, Illinois, Mr. Holmes wrote to the McDonalds, telling them the Sangamon area was even better than described by the reports of Mr. Hopkins. Upon receiving Mr. Holmes' letter, the McDonalds were on their way to Morgan County. They arrived about twelve days later and settled in the Panther Grove area about two miles east of Mr. Holmes' claim. The biographer goes on to say, "The records show that on the 5th of June, 1826, Jos. McDonald entered the el/2 of the nwl/4 of sec 11 in T17, R.9, eighty acres." He and his sons, there were six of them, immediately began building a cabin, plowed a small plot of sod, and planted com and a garden, and by fall they were ready for their first winter on the prairie. The next summer (1827), bricks were made by the family and a brick house was built to replace the log cabin. Mr. Holmes kept in close contact with the McDonald family, and on December 7, 1827, he and Mary (Polly) McDonald were married.

Now, back to John Slack, Jr.'s family. If the account in Joseph Slack's biography is correct, it appears that during that first summer in Illinois (1826) the McDonalds wrote to their daughter Nancy (John's wife) back in Kentucky telling them about the great prospects for prosperity in the Sangamon country. John disposed of the property that they couldn't take with them and they traveled to Indiana (probably Posey County) where they had to stop over for the birth of their son John III on August 20, 1827. As pointed out previously, it isn't known just when they arrived in Illinois. John is, however, listed in the 1830 Illinois census for Cass County and is also present on the 1840 Census. There are two John Slacks listed for Morgan County, one on p. 032, the other on p. 058 (Src. 1790-1870 Illinois Census Index). John Slack is not included in the list of those living in Cass County in 1829. John's first entry for land is recorded in Land Grants - Auditor's Certificate of Entry, Book 1 in The Recorder's Office of Cass County, Illinois. This entry was made November 26, 1831, (5+ years after Joseph McDonald's first entry) for 80 acres in Section 12 of what was then the northeast corner of
Morgan Co. (the northern third of Morgan County became Cass County in 1837). Two later entries for 40 acres each (one was in Sec. 12, the other in Sec. 11) were made in 1835 and 1836. It is yet to be determined if John and his family came directly to Morgan County in the fall of 1827, or sometime between that date and 1830.
John's and Nancy's family was young; their oldest boy, William, would have been only twelve in 1831. It is evident, therefore, that John would have had to rely on help from Nancy's father and brothers to get his claim established.

In 1840 John Slack owned the following:
SE 1/4 of the NE 1/4, Sec. 11 --- 40 acres
NW 1/4 of the NW 1/4, Sec. 12 --- 40 acres
W 1/2 of the SW 1/4, Sec. 12 -- 80 acres
Total 160 acres

The 1843 taxable property list for Cass Co., Illinois, revealed the following for John Slack:

SE 1/4, Sec. 11, Twp 17, Rn 9, value $ 560 - 160 A
SE 1/4/NEl/4, Sec 11,Twp 17, Rn 9, value 120 - 40A
W 1/2 (west side)/SW 1/4, Sec 12, Twp 17, Rn 9, value 59 - 58A
NW 1/4/ NW 1/4, Sec 12, Twp 17, Rn 9, value 120 - 40A
SE 1/4/NE 1/4, Sec 11, Twp 17, Rn 9, value 120 - 40A
Total - $1,210 338 Acres

From the Taxable Land Record in Cass Co., Illinois, for 1845, the following land was listed
for John Slack:

Sec 2, Twp 17, Rn 9

NE 1/4/NE 1/4 - 40 A. Original owner Wm T. (G.) Kurk (Kirk); Present owner
John Slack. (In 1840, this land belonged to John Cheatham).

Sec 11, Twp 17, Rn 9

SE 1/4/NEl/4 - 40 Acres - Original and present owner, John Slack.
SE 1/4 - 160 A - In 1840, this land belonged to Joseph McDonald (El/2) and Jonas McDonald
(Wl/2). They are also listed in Land Grant Auditors Certificates as the original filers for this land.

Sec 12, Twp 17, Rn 9

Wl/2 / SWl/4 - 80 A- original owner John Slack:

58 Acres - present owner John Slack
22 Acres - (west side) present owner Richard McDonald
NWl/4 I NWl/4 - 40 A - original and present owner John Slack

Totals - John Slack had owned as much as 360 acres and in 1845 still owned 338 acres. Evaluating this data, it appears that John Slack did not expand the 160 acres that he put together from 1831 to 1836 until sometime between 1840 and 1843, when he increased it by 178 acres (22 acres of his 80 acre plot had been sold off to Richard McDonald). At this point, the most appealing reason for this sudden increase in acreage may be that his wife, Nancy, inherited it from her father, Joseph McDonald, who had died January 5, 1842.
·
John was active in the community, as evidenced by his inclusion on the list of voters in the Virginia precinct of the newly formed Cass County, August 7, 1837. Also on the list were John and Jonas McDonald. On August 14, 1837, John Slack was appointed as one of three judges of the Sugar Grove magistrate and constable district of Cass County; Notably, one of the other judges was Henry Hopkins, the author of the reports which convinced William Holmes, Joseph McDonald, and ultimately, John Slack to settle in this region.

Good descriptions of what life was like for the early settlers of Cass (Morgan) County are presented in Perrin's History of Cass County. Some of the more interesting accounts follow:

Game was plentiful, especially deer, prairie chicken, and quail. Wolves were common and, although they rarely attacked people, they were a constant threat to the settler's livestock. One account describes a huge gray wolf that tried to enter a cabin when the door was opened to see what the dogs were barking about. The occupants beat the invader out of the doorway with sticks of firewood. Later that night, they heard shots at the homes of two neighbors. The wolf was killed at the second neighbor's place and, when measured, it was found to be-nine feet long from the tip of its nose to the end of its tail.

The winter of 1830-31 was extremely severe. Snow began falling early and regularly and between partial thaws and freezes eventually reached a depth of four to six feet, much deeper in drifts. The ice that formed after the thaws formed a thick cap over the snow so that animals could not dig down to the grass below. Livestock and wild game died for want of food. Several people, as well, died of starvation and the cold, as temperatures dropped drastically and remained frigid for long periods. The snow stayed on the ground all winter and up into March.

The houses in which the early settlers lived were little more than huts made of unhewn logs. The spaces between the logs were filled tight with clay, straw, and sticks. There was only one room with doors made of split or hewn logs opening on each side. Rarely, was there a window. The roof was made of split wood shingles and held in place by logs laid across them. The floor was formed from split or hewn (puncheon) logs. A fireplace was at one· end of the cabin. Its construction was described thusly, "A temporary (log) wall would be built about two feet inside the (outer) log wall; the space then filled with earth (clay) and wetted, was pounded or rammed down solid. The inner (wooden) wall was then taken away and a fire built inside, which baked the jam ( the packed clay) like brick. Then this was surmounted by a stick and clay chimney, a pole was run across (the fireplace opening) to hang kettles on--." There was usually a bed in each of two comers and a trundle bed under these, which was pulled out at night. When company came and stayed the night, as they usually did, a "field bed" was made on the floor, using extra blankets that were always an important part of each housewife's reserve. Food was simple, but generally plentiful. Garden povender and grains from the field formed the main source of food. This was supplemented by meat, mostly from wild game and cured meats from livestock (mostly pork). Bread was the staple, and since wheat flour was scarce it was made from com meal. The com meal dough was cooked in a Dutch oven ( a cast
iron pot with a lid that had a high rim around its edge), which was placed in or near the coals.
Once the dough was placed in the oven, the lid was put on and hot coals were dropped onto the
rimmed lid. A description of the various recipes and the process of making com bread can be
found on p. 33 of Perri.n's, History of Cass County.

In 1847, John Slack began selling off his holdings. The first to go was the 40 acres in the NW
1/4/NW 1/4 of Sec. 2 for $140.00. The rest, 298 acres, was sold to Nathaniel B. Thompson
on September 3, 1850, for $2,900.00 (total for both $3,040.00). In October of 2000, La Von
and I visited Cass Co., Illinois, to locate the land where John Slack, Jr. settled. With the
records cited above and a good map from the Recorder's Office, we readily located the area
where his farm had been. To the south, the land was flat to gently rolling, but rough and
forested at the northern end. From the corn crop that was being harvested while we were there,
the land must have been quite productive. This had been prairie land, edged by heavy timber
along the streams which fed into the near-by Sangamon River, and was referred to as "The
Breaks," where timber met prairie. This was prized land to the early settlers because it insured
them a supply of wood and protection not afforded by the tree-barren prairies further north or
south of this region.

That afternoon, as we watched the huge combines making their way through the fields harvesting a bountiful crop of corn, we wondered, "Why did John Slack leave such an ideal farming area?" Other than the restlessness of the pioneer spirit to always be pushing on to new and, hopefully, better situations, no clear answer came to mind. Then, while reading in Perrin's History of Cass County, we came upon some information that might provide the answer to the above question. In 1837, the Illinois State Legislature passed a bill providing for the construction of 1,300 miles of railroad lines and improvement of the navigable capabilities of several rivers. Once built, these improvements couldn't even earn enough money to pay the interest on the loans made by the State. The State was left with a debt of over $14,000,000.00 and only a population of less than a half million to pay for it. Banks collapsed and paper currency was greatly depreciated, and in most instances only silver was accepted as legal tender. The population was overextended in debt and with no income other than barterable goods with which to pay, the economy became bankrupt. The State defaulted on its bonds until they were worth only fourteen cents on the dollar. The Legislature made a vain attempt to ameliorate conditions, but only made them worse. The law they passed ( called the "stay" or "two thirds" law) provided for property being held ("stay") at two-thirds of its pre-crisis value, and if no bid was made at or above this level .the creditor was stuck with his lien or had to accept a discount of 33 1/3%. (This law was eventually declared unconstitutional, but too late to be of any help.) Business stagnated; the depression apparently extended into the 1850s and caused economic havoc throughout the state. People everywhere were wanting to sell out and leave the state, which offered them nothing but higher taxation and ruin. But there were few buyers for the property and many sold out at ridiculously devalued prices and fled to a more reasonable economy to start over. It is my belief that this poor economic environment forced John Slack to sell out and move to Iowa, the next frontier that was opening to the west.

John Slack and some of his family were still in Illinois during the census of Cass County in 1850. (Note - "Slack" was spelled "Slacke" - an error by the census taker.) Missing from the list were Mary Ann (aged 32), who had married John Gaddie in 1838 and was no longer living at home, and Nancy J. (aged 28), who may have gone with her brother William to Iowa where she married L. Roof in 1851. William is included on this list, but several facts made us question who this William was: the age is wrong (he was born in 1821, thus, he was 29 in 1850, not 26); he was married in 1842 and already had three children and was most likely living in his own home; and he is listed on the Polk County, Iowa, census for 1850. Evaluation of this data suggests that William was sent ahead of the rest of the family to locate land in Iowa and that the rest joined him either late that year or early the next (1851).

On June 26, 1852, John Slack bought Lot 1 of Block 5 in the town of Hartford, Richland Twp., Warren County, Iowa. Shortly before, June 17, 1852, William Slack had purchased a forty acre tract in Sec. 14 of Richland Twp., which was about two to three miles east of Hartford. The following year, 1853, John bought the adjoining forty-acre tract. This is good land that extends up from the bottom land of the South River flood plain. It was probably partially forested at the time they purchased the farms. John also purchased additional lots in Hartford and another forty acres to the west of Hartford in Sec 17. Both John and William are included in the tax lists for Richland Twp., Warren Co., Iowa, for the year 1854. Their taxable property was listed as follows:

John Slack SE 1/4 / SW 1/4 - Sec 14, Twp 77 --, 40 acres, val. $50; Personal Property $396.00
SE 1/4 / SW 1/4 - Sec 17, Twp 77 --, 40 acres, val. $50;
Hartford Lots - 3, 4, 7, 8; Blk 6, val. $50; ·
Hartford Lot - 1; Blk 5; val. $230
Total Value $776.00

William Slack NW 1/4 / NE 1/4 - Sec 14, Twp 77 --, 40 acres; val. $140; Personal Property $165.00
(Deed records indicate this should be NE 1/4 I SW 1/4)
Total Value $305.00

Something must have gone wrong, because on February 29, 1856, both John and William sold their forty acre farms in Section 14. William also sold another forty acre tract located in Section 12 of Richland Twp. on June 11, 1856 ( at this point I have no record of him purchasing this property). William followed his father's example and purchased several lots in Hartford (Lots 1, 2, 3, 4, in Block 7 on April 8, 1856, and Lots 7 and 8 in Block 5 and Lot 4 in Block 3 on June 15, 1857). What they did in Hartford to maintain themselves isn't known. John still had his forty acres in Sec 17 just west of Hartford. In both the 1860 and 1870 U.S./Iowa Census, John and William were both listed as farmers. 36 Perhaps they farmed John's forty acres together, but since less than thirty acres of this farm was tillable (Butcher Creek coursed along both the south and east sides), there wouldn't have been enough to support one family, let alone two. It is possible, but I have no evidence, that they rented land, as well. In the 1850 census of Polk County, Iowa, William's occupation was listed as a cooper (barrel maker). He might have followed this trade to help supplement their income (a set of blacksmith tools and augers which would have been used by a cooper were listed in the appraisement of William's estate in 1873).

On January 8, 1861, John Slack conveyed 15 acres to his son-in-law, Joseph Taylor, Sarah's husband, from the east side of the SE 1/4/SW 1/4 of Sec 17, Twp 77, Rn 22 for $150.00. Also, on 14 October 1867, John sold an additional 25 acres (the remaining part of the same 40 acre tract in Sec. 17) to Joseph Taylor. It was most likely these transactions that caused the problems between Joseph Taylor and William Slack, which eventually lead to a violent encounter in September of 1873, resulting in William's death.

Disaster struck John's family during the fall and early winter of 1853. On September 30, daughter Susan (18 yrs.) died, Nancy J. (31 yrs.) died on October 25, and Nancy's daughter (1 yr.) died on December 14. All are buried in the Slack plot at Hartford. Causes of their deaths can only be conjectured, but were probably due to one or more of the infectious diseases that were so rampant among pioneer families. Typhoid fever, diphtheria, and dysentery were three of the more common scourges. It is interesting to note that the Newton Guthrie family lost their first four girls during the early to mid 1850s. They are buried in the Guthrie plot next to the Slacks. Susan's daughter, Alice, who was about 10 months old at the time Susan died, was taken in and raised by John and Nancy.

In the 1860 U.S./Iowa census, the following children were living with John and Nancy:
Andrew- 27 (b: 1833 in Illinois), Martha E. - 19 (b: 1841 in Illinois), and Alice - 6 (b: 1852 in
Iowa). In the 1870 U.S./ Iowa census, only Alice and Andrew were living with John. Martha had married and Nancy had died in 1862.

Nancy McDonald - Nancy was born in Washington County, Kentucky, February 5, 1800, the sixth child of eleven born to Joseph and Nancy (Smith) McDonald. The McDonalds had emigrated to Kentucky from Montgomery County, Virginia, in 1791 and 1792. These dates, however, are not in agreement with those in the genealogy prepared by Elizabeth McDonald, who lists the fifth child as being born in Montgomery Co., Virginia, in 1800 and is unsure as to whether Nancy and her sister, Mary, were born in Virginia or Kentucky. She would place the arrival of the family in Kentucky between 1800 and 1804. Census records of 1850 and 1860 both list Nancy's state of birth as Kentucky.

I am greatly indebted to Elizabeth and Stephen McDonald of Austin, Texas, for sharing their extensive research on the McDonald Family genealogy. Briefly, this branch of the McDonald Family arrived in America in 1686, most likely from the Ulster region of Northern Ireland. Bryan McDonnell/McDonald (b: about 1645), with his wife, Mary (Combs), and three children settled near New Castle on Delaware, a part of Pennsylvania. Bryan is listed as a tithable in 1687, with 200 acres on the north side of Cristina Creek. Eventually, there were seven children in the family. The fourth child, Bryan McDonald, Jr., Nancy's great grandfather, was born circa 1686 in New Castle, Delaware (then a part of Pennsylvania), and married Catherine Robinson circa 1713 in New Castle. They sold their land in New Castle, Delaware, in 1746-47 and moved to the New River area of southwest Virginia, where Bryan built a home on Catawba Creek in what is now Botetourt County, and in 1753, another on Buffalo (Tinker) Creek. Nine children were born to Bryan and Catherine prior to their migration from Delaware to Virginia. Nancy's grandfather; Joseph McDonald, Sr., the fourth child, was born April 4, 1722, and married Elizabeth Ogle February 17, 1754, at Wilmington, New Castle Co., Delaware. Shortly after, they moved to Virginia, where Joseph bought land in 1754 and 1755 in what is now Botetourt County. In 1763, the family moved to the area that eventually became Montgomery County, on Toms Creek, near present day Blacksburg, Virginia. (On July 24, 2001, La Von and I, accompanied by Richard and Francis Guthrie of Dublin, Pulaski Co., Virginia, visited this farm. Descendants of Joseph McDonald, Sr. have lived on this farm since its founding in 1763. The present owners, James and Martha McDonald, are both descendants of Joseph, Sr. It is a lovely place that overlooks the Toms Creek valley and the low mountains beyond. It is a working cattle ranch, but in danger of extinction by suburban sprawl from Blacksburg. The old home, dating back into the early 1800s, has just been carefully renovated, preserving as much of the original architecture as possible. It is furnished mostly with pieces saved through the years from previous generations of McDonalds. James and Martha were gracious hosts, and we sincerely thank them for giving us the opportunity to glimpse a portion of my heritage. LVT and DET.)

[Bryan McDonald and wife Catherine sold their land in New Castle, DE in 1746 and moved to the New River area of Virginia to settle. George Robinson, Catherine McDonald's brother, along with James Patton, John Buchanan and others were issued a large grant in 1745. Bryan "McDonnell" evidently had a tract of land in the area as early as Feb., 1745/6, probably part of this grant. Speculation is that Bryan McDonald first built a home on Catawba and later (about 1753) on Buffalo (or Tinker) Creek. The house
on Buffalo Creek is still standing in 1992, though it is in need of repair. Bryan died here and evidently is buried nearby--perhaps in the Glebe graveyard at the corner of his son Edward's land. The home of Bryan McDonald, Jr., built in 1767, is also still standing and is in much better shape, having been restored by the current owners. The land where this home stands was originally part of Bryan, Sr.'s homeplace. Since Augusta Co. was divided, these homes have been in Botetourt Co. Bryan McDonald and wife Catherine sold their land in New Castle, DE in 1746/7 and moved to the New River area of
Virginia to settle. George Robinson, Catherine McDonald's brother, along with James Patton, John Buchanan and others were issued a large grant in 17 45. Bryan "McDonnell" evidently had a tract of land in the area as early as Feb., 17 45/6, probably part of this grant. Speculation is that Bryan McDonald first built a home on Catawba and later (about 1753) on Buffalo (or Tinker) Creek. The house on Buffalo Creek is still standing in 1992, though it is in need of repair. Bryan died here and evidently is buried
nearby--perhaps in the Glebe graveyard at the comer of his son Edward's land. The home of Bryan McDonald, Jr., built in 1767, is also still standing and is in much better shape, having been restored by the current owners. The land where this home stands was originally part of Bryan, Sr.'s homeplace. Since Augusta Co. was divided, these homes have been in Botetourt Co.]

[Individual biographical text for Joseph McDonald Sr.
Joseph McDonald came to Virginia sometime in the 1740's or 1750's, perhaps with his parents. Kegley notes in his VIRGINIA FRONTIER that Joseph bought land in Virginia in 1754 and 1755; this would be about the time of his marriage to Elizabeth Ogle, whom he married in 1754 at Holy Trinity, "Old Swede's," Church in Wilmington, DE. Joseph lived for some time in what is now Botetourt Co., then moved to what is now Montgomery Co. and built a home in 1763 on Tom's Creek. This home in 1992 is in the possession of James L. and Martha McDonald, both of whom are descendants of this same McDonald line. Jim is the son of Richard McDonald and is a descendant of Joseph and Elizabeth's son Jonas. Jim and Martha lived in town in Blacksburg, VA, but have recently remodeled the farmhouse and moved to the farm. Their son Bill (William Hogue) and his wife Teresa live nearby. They all work the farm together with occasional assists from James L. McDonald, Jr., who lives in one of the Virginia suburbs of Washington, DC. A number of descendants of Joseph and Elizabeth have entered the DAR on the basis of their patriotic service. However, in 1780, according to the DRAPER MANUSCRIPTS,
PRESTON AND VIRGINIA PAPERS, Series QQ, Vol. 5, pp. 73-79, Joseph was tried for treason as a Loyalist. He was released and his lands were not confiscated because two of his sons, Joseph and Edward, offered to enlist in the Continental Army until the last day of December 1781. A number of Joseph's friends and relatives were also tried, among them James Bane, Sr., Samuel Ingram and Joseph's son John. The notes of Miss Ellen McDonald state that Joseph, Sr. and six of his sons, Bryan, John, Joseph, Edward, Richard and Alexander, served in the Revolution. Joseph died in 1809 and Elizabeth (Ogle) McDonald in 1795. The inscription on Joseph's crypt reads: "A CHRISTIAN
GENTLEMAN AND A SOLDIER IN COL AND REV. WARS." On Elizabeth's is this: ROF NOBLE
BIRTH AND THE PIONEER'S GENUINE HELPMEET."]

Joseph and Elizabeth had ten children, with Joseph Jr. being their third child. Joseph Jr. was born March 31, 1759, in Augusta Co., Virginia (Botetourt County had not yet been formed from Augusta County). On February 14, 1786, he married Nancy Smith in Botetourt Co., Virginia. They lived in Montgomery County until 1802, when they emigrated to Washington Co., Kentucky. He is listed on the Washington County tax list of 1803, with 53 acres on Long Lick Creek, a branch of Beech Fork. The first deed I could find for Joseph McDonald in the Washington County records was the purchase of 79 acres from John Alvey on October 5, 1804 (Deed Book C, p. 88). Other land records indicated his land was along the "waters of the Beech Fork," and in one, Mays Creek was also mentioned. In 1815, his holdings had increased to 416 acres, located along the Beech Fork. Joseph Jr. apparently ran into financial difficulties and had to sell out. He first moved his family to Posey County, Indiana, around 1825-26 and then to Morgan County, Illinois, in 1826. I have already related the story of this move under the biography of John Slack, Jr., Nancy's husband.

The children of Joseph Jr. and Nancy (Smith) McDonald were as follows:

*Frederick McDonald, b: 16 January 1791, Montgomery Co., Virginia, d: 13 July 1839-Cass Co., Illinois.

*Elizabeth McDonald, b: about 1792, Montgomery Co., Virginia; m: Stephen Lee, 20 January 1815, Washington Co., Kentucky; d: 31 October 1853, Cass Co., Illinois.

William McDonald, b: 7 March 1793, Montgomery Co., Virginia; m: (1) Susannah Lewis, 28 September 1820, Washington Co., Kentucky, (2) Nancy Hayes, 11 April 1833, McDonough Co., Illinois, (3) Bathsheba Matthews, 2 August 1836, McDonough Co., Illinois; d: 5 January 1846, McDonough Co., Illinois, bur: Old Macomb Cemetery, Macomb, Illinois.

* Joseph McDonald, b: 3 April 1795, Montgomery Co., Virginia, d: 11 February 1833, Cass Co., Illinois.

Sarah McDonald, b: about 1800, Montgomery Co, Virginia; m: Stephen Thompson, 12 May 1819, Washington Co, Kentucky.

Nancy McDonald, b: about 1801, Montgomery Co., Virginia, or Washington Co., Kentucky; m: John Slack, Jr., 29 April 1818, Washington Co., Kentucky; d: 10 September 1862, Hartford, Iowa.

Mary "Polly" McDonald, b: 7 September 1802, Montgomery Co., Virginia, or Washington Co., Kentucky; m: William Holmes - 7 December 1827, Morgan Co., Illinois; d: 19 June 1871, Cass Co., Illinois; bur: Virginia, Illinois, Cemetery.

*Richard McDonald, b: 5 July 1804, Washington Co., Illinois; m (1) Susannah S. Horn, 3 September 1829, Morgan Co., Illinois, (2) Hannah Leeper, 15 August 1854; d: 5 June 1860, Cass Co., Illinois.

*Jonas McDonald, b: 1809, Washington Co., Kentucky; m: Martha Johnson - 11 May 1830, Morgan Co., Illinois; d: 21 December 1840, Cass Co., Illinois.

Priscilla McDonald, b: about 1811, Washington Co., Kentucky; m: William Coleman Gaines, 13 October 1834, Morgan Co., Illinois.

*John S. McDonald, b: 2 July 1812, Washington Co., Kentucky; m: (1) Mary Aim Thomas, McDonough Co., Illinois; (2) Ethinda Hutchinson Freeman - 28 May 1858, Cass Co., Illinois; d: 3 October 1866, Cass Co., Illinois.

* All of these McDonalds were buried in the McDonald Cemetery in the northeast corner of Philadelphia Twp., Cass Co., Illinois. La Von and I visited this cemetery in October 2000 and found it in a deplorable state, tombstones broken, and overgrown with brush, briars, and weeds. We were able to identify several stones, significantly Joseph's (the father). Elizabeth McDonald reports that some of the McDonald descendants have recently cleaned up the cemetery.
The McDonald Family were respected citizens and did quite well in Cass County, Illinois (formed from Morgan Co. in 1837). They had accumulated a considerable amount of land by 1840. Joseph, the father, had 440 acres in sections 10, 11, 14, and 15 of Philadelphia Twp. He had sold 240 acres of his original 680 acre farm to his son Jonas in 1837. Jonas had accumulated 400 acres located in sections 10 and 11 of Philadelphia Twp. He had sold 160 acres in section 12 to his brother Richard in 1836. John McDonald, the youngest son, owned 160 acres in sections 2 and 14 of Philadelphia Twp. Richard's land was divided between two townships. There were 400 acres in sections 4, 5, 8, and 9 in Panther Creek Twp. Gust to the north of Philadelphia Twp.) and 200 acres in sections 2 and 12 of Philadelphia Twp., for a total of 600 acres. He had sold 80 acres in section 36 of Chandlerville Twp. (north of Panther Creek Twp.) in 1830. The total acreage held by Joseph McDonald and his sons in 1840 was around 1,600 acres. In addition, William Holmes, husband of Mary McDonald, owned over 400 acres in Panther Creek and Philadelphia Township, and Stephen Lee, Elizabeth McDonald's husband, had accumulated nearly 900 acres in several townships. Nancy McDonald's husband, John Slack, owned 160 acres, as did Stephen and Sarah McDonald Thompson. Priscilla
McDonald and husband, Coleman Gaines, had reduced their holdings of 280 acres to 80, with the sale of 200 acres to Stephen Lee. The total acreage held by Joseph's daughters and their husbands in 1840 amounted to about 1,900 acres. Together, the family controlled around 3,500 acres. Joseph's son William had moved on to McDonough County (thirty plus miles northwest of Cass County), Illinois, prior to 1833. Sons Joseph and Frederick died in 1833 and 1839, respectfully.

An interesting bit of Cass County history occurring in 1839 and involving Richard McDonald was found on page 49 of History of Cass County. A paraphrase follows: At Miller McLane's grocery, which was located at the present site of Philadelphia, Illinois, several men were standing in front visiting when a Mr. Graves and Richard McDonald rode up, coming from different directions. Graves got off his horse and led it toward a Mr. Fowle, who was among those gathered. When they were about face to face, Fowle suddenly shot and killed Graves, jumped on his horse, and rode away. The onlookers stood in shock as Richard McDonald rode up crying out, "Men, why don't you arrest him?" Not waiting for a reply, McDonald rode after him, and as he was about to catch him, Graves drew a knife and turned to encounter McDonald. McDonald grabbed him by the throat and choked him into surrendering, but was severely injured, almost fatally, during the struggle. Graves obtained a change of venue to Green Co., Illinois, where he escaped from jail and fled to Kentucky. He eventually died of natural causes.

Nancy (McDonald) Slack died 10 September 1862 at the age of sixty-two years, seven months, and five days and is buried in the Slack plot at the Hartford, Iowa, Cemetery. John Slack, Jr. died 16 February 1872, aged seventy-seven years, and was buried beside his wife.

John died intestate, and his son Andrew J. Slack was appointed administrator of his estate. In his petition ( dated 12 February 187 5) to sell real estate from John's estate to supply funds to pay claims against the estate, the following property was listed: lots 2, 3, and 4 in block 6 and lot 1 in block 5, all in the town of Hartford, Warren County, Iowa. Also listed are the heirs to the estate and their state of residence. On 28 May 1876, A. J. Slack reported to the court the sale of the real property of the John Slack estate, which had been appraised earlier at a value of $245 .00, to the highest bidder, Joseph Taylor, for $300.00. He asked the court for approval, which was granted on 17 Oct 1876.

In my possession is an ox horn powder horn. It is plain, with no decoration or words carved into its surface. It came to me through my Grandfather Slack and was reputed to have belonged to either his father or grandfather. There is no way to tell, but most likely it originally belonged to his grandfather, John Slack.
Children of John and Nancy (McDonald) Slack:

--- (a) Mary Ann Slack Born: About 1818 in Washington Co., Kentucky. Married: John Gaddie (b: about 1818) 28 March 1838 in Cass Co., Illinois marriage record - src: Marriage Book 1, License No. 26, Cass Co., Illinois, records, October 2000, DET)

Children:
James Gaddie
Buford Gaddie
Jane Gaddie; m. ___ St. John
Martha Gaddie
Ellen Gaddie
Matilda Gaddie
John Gaddie

The Gaddies must have lived in Hartford, Iowa, for at least a short period. John Gaddie is listed as the grantor in the sale of lot 8 in block 7 of Hartford on November 8, 1870. A C. B. Gaddie is also listed as seller of lots 6, 7, and 8 in block 11 on November 20, 1876. What his relationship was to John isn't known. As indicated by the list of heirs and their state of residence in the probate record of the estate of John Slack, Jr., the Gaddie family moved to Missouri before 1875. Since Mary Ann wasn't listed, it is presumed that she had died sometime previously.

--- (b) William Slack, Born: 25 July 1819. Where: Washington Co., Kentucky. Married: Mary A. Greathouse (b: 4 January 1823, d: 14 July 1889) in Cass County, Illinois, 12 July 1842; (src: Cass Co., Illinois, Marriage Records, Vol. 1, p. 153, October 2000, DET; He was nearly 23 years old and she was 19. Died: 11 September 1873. Where: Hartford, Iowa. Buried: same.

--- (c) Nancy J. (Jane?) Slack, Born: 20 July 1822. Where: Washington Co., Kentucky; Married: Lewis Roof, 2 September 1851, Polk Co., Iowa (src: Hazel Demirjean). Died: 25 October 1853, aged 31 years, 3 months, 5 days. Where: Hartford, Iowa. Buried: same.

Child: Mary J. Roof, b: 10 December 1852; d: 14 December 1853; bur. Hartford, Iowa,
(src: Tombstone, DET).

There is no record as to what happened to her husband. Lewis Roof is not buried in the Hartford cemetery, so he must have moved away after Nancy's and Mary J.'s deaths.

--- (d) Joseph Slack (See Figs. 3 and 4, Plate II, for a photograph of Joseph and Corkey Slack).
Born: 15 March 1825. Where: Washington Co., Kentucky. Married: Clarkey B. Taylor (b: 24 December 1833 in Indiana; d: 24 April 1912) 15 November 1851 in Warren Co., Iowa (scr: Warren Co, Iowa, marriage records Book 1850 - 1867, p. 1, License No. 3). Clarkey's father: David Taylor, a Baptist minister who moved to Cass Co., Missouri, in 1871; her mother: Susannah _____; Died: 26 March 1910, aged 85 years, 11 days. Where: Jackson, Twp., Johnson Co., Missouri. Buried: Cobb Cemetery, Odessa, Missouri.

Joseph was just two years old when his family moved from Kentucky to Illinois. Twenty four years later (1851), the family emigrated to the Hartford, Iowa, area, and Joseph came with them. Shortly after his arrival, he married Miss Clarkey B. Taylor. In the 1860 U.S./Iowa Census, p. 745, Joseph and his family are listed as a separate household.

On 22 Jun 1854, Joseph and Clarkey bought 80 acres in Palmyra Twp., Warren Co., Iowa, and an additional 10 acres on 22 December 1855 from Clarkey's father, David Taylor. This land was sold to a Mr. Whitney on 2 January 1864 for $1,200. Three days later, 5 January 1864, Joseph and Clarkey purchased a 90-acre farm from William Hartman in Richland Twp., Warren Co., Iowa. This farm was located about one mile straight west of Hartford. Clarkey' s father, owned 40 acres just across the road to the north. Joseph's brother, William Slack, had a farm a half mile east on the same road. In
May of 1870, Joseph and Clarkey sold this farm to David Young for $4,500.

In August 1870, Joseph moved his family to Jackson Township, Johnson County, Missouri, near the town of Chapel Hill. 55 At the time of the writing of the History of Johnson Co., Missouri, it was stated that "he has a farm of 148 acres of choice land, 120 acres in cultivation with good substantial buildings. . . . He is a worthy member of the Grange at Chapel Hill, No. 560. He commenced his career as a poor boy." The history goes on to state that "Mr. and Mrs. Slack and Jennie and Cora are all members of the Baptist Church. Mr. Slack .is a cousin to General Slack who was killed in the battle of Pea Ridge and buried in the National Cemetery at Fayetteville, Arkansas." Herbert
Tohlen of Bixby, Oklahoma, sent this information on Joseph Slack and his family to me on 1 October 1999. In a footnote, he states, "My gg Uncle William Yarnall Slack (b: 8/1/1817) Mason Co., Ky., d: 3/20/1862 in the battle of Pea Ridge, Ark., is the General referred to above. He is the son of John Slack b: 6/4/1790 in Chester Co., Pa., d: 10/21/1864 in Boone Co, Mo.. I have been trying to find my family connection to Joseph Slack. It must go back at least two generations before Joseph." (See Tohlen letter in Slack File.)

Children of Joseph and Clarkey (Taylor) Slack:

Mary Elizabeth Slack, b: 1855 in Hartford, Iowa; m: Addison Clifford Riding 19 December 1873.

John M. Slack, b: 1856 in Hartford, Iowa; m: Stella Mae (May) Miller 1896 in Bellvue, Colorado.

Sarah E. Slack, b: 1857 in Hartford, Warren Co., Iowa; m: B. B. Chambers 15 January 1879.

Susan Jennie Slack, b: 24 February 1859 in Hartford, Iowa; d: 10 October 1914 Johnson Co., Missouri.

Nancy Lenora Slack, b: 6 December 1860; d: 2 February 1923 in Walden, Colorado; m: Robert Wm. Wade 17 January 1889 in Chapel Hill, Missouri.

Joseph William Slack, b: December 1865, Hartford Iowa; d: __ ; m: Myrtle Bashor 16 January 1898 (b: 1878 in Hygeine, Colorado; d: 3 March 1955). Stephan Slack, who lives in Cincinnati, Ohio, is a descendant of Joseph William and Myrtle (Bashor) Slack. Steve, along with his wife Lisa, have made several significant contributions to the writing of this history. I thank them for their continuing interest.

Martha A. Slack, b: June 1865 in Hartford, Iowa; d: 9 January 1866 in Hartford, Iowa.

Cora Catherine Slack, b: 1869; d: 17 March 1888; m: James Franklin Wood 1887 in Chapel Hill, Missouri.

Ida Mae (May) Slack, b: 1873; d.: 1954 in Johnson Co., Missouri; m: Petty.

James Franklin Slack, b: 20 June 1875 Johnson Co., Missouri; d: 25 March 1945 Johnson Co., Missouri; m: Mattie Belle Claibourn in Kansas City, Missouri.

David V. Slack, b: about 1876; d: 24 October 1877.

Thomas Jefferson Slack, b: 24 June 1877; d: 9 March 1962; rn: Mary Josephine Smith 24 December 1903.

--- (e) John Frederick Slack (III) Born: 20 August 1828. Where: Indiana. Married: Susan Elizabeth (Wiley) Miller (b: 1838 in Ohio; d: --~ Kansas) (src: Hazel Demirjean and U.S./Kansas 1880 census for Lyon Co., Kansas). Died: 16 July 1925. Where: Emporia, Kansas. Buried: Lyon Co., Hunt Cemetery (src: for most of this info. - Hazel Demirjean, Urbandale, Iowa).

In the probate of John Slack's (Jr.) estate in 1875, among those listed as heirs was John Slack and his wife Susan. His place of residence was given as Kansas.

Additional information about John and his family has been obtained during a visit to Emporia, Kansas, on 24 August 2001 (src: two clippings from the Emporia Gazette, 7 October 1921 and 17 July 1925. Lyon Co. Hist. Soc. Arch.). John Slack came by ox team and wagon to Lyon County, Kansas, from Iowa in 1857 and took out a claim in the Fowler Community five miles southeast of Emporia. He lived there the rest of his life, dying at the age of 98. John and Susan had at least seven children. The 1880 U.S./Kansas census for Emporia, Lyon Co., displayed the following information:

Relation Married Gender · Race Age Birthplace Occupation Birthplace: Father Mother
John F. Slack self M Male w 52 Indiana Ky. Ky.
E. Slack wife M Female w 42 Ohio keeps house Pa. Va.
James J. Slack son s Male w 12 Kansas farm hand Ind. Oh.
Nancy G. Slack dau s Female w 11 Kansas Ind. Oh.
May A. Slack dau s Female w 9 Kansas Ind. Oh.
Anne R. Slack dau s Female w 7 Kansas Ind. Oh.
Sarah E. Slack dau s Female w 5 Kansas Ind. Oh.
Fred N. Slack son s Male w 6m Kansas Ind. Oh

Children listed in John's obituary (17 July 1925) were as follows:

Female Slack, b: __ in Lyon Co., Kansas; d: ____ ; m: J. M. Bivans (b: _ _,, d: __ _.J. At the time of John's death (1925), they were living in Oelwein, Iowa. Child: Lucille M. Bivans, b: __ ; d: ___ ; m: Clint Humphry. Last known address (1975), 103 Cook St., West Union, IA 52175;
Children: Two daughters and a son.

Female Slack, b: __ in Lyon Co., Kansas; d: ___ _,,· m: E. L. Cook, they lived in Oswego, Kansas, in 1925.

Frederick N. Slack, b: 1880 in Lyon Co., Kansas, d: ---; never married. In 1925, he was still living on the farm with his father.

--- (f) Sarah E. Slack, Born: 9 February 1830. Where: Morgan Co., Illinois (in 1837 became Cass Co.) Married: Joseph Taylor (b: 17 March 1825 in North Carolina; d: 25 November 1923, aged 98, Hartford, Iowa) (src: Warren Co. Death Records, Book 4, p. 348) probably around 1852 in Hartford, Iowa. Sarah would have been around 22 and Joseph about 27. Father: David Taylor, Mother: Susannah __ . Died: 27 February 1891, aged 61 years 18 days, influenza (La Grippe) (src: Warren Co. Death Records, Book 1 & 2, p. 100). Where: Richland Twp. Buried: Hartford, Iowa.

Earlier, under the biography of John and Nancy Slack, the circumstances surrounding the acquirement of John Slack's land (40A) by Joe and Sarah was discussed. They sold the property sometime between 1887 and 1897 and bought 19 acres about a mile west in Sec. 18. (This farm was adjacent to the NW comer of the Pyle Place, where we lived from 1937 - 1943, DET). They sold the property prior to 1915, and James (Jim) Coe bought it sometime before 1919. He was still there when we lived on the Pyle Place. He and his wife Alice(Alie) were good neighbors. The dispute over property between Joe and William Slack is discussed under William's biography (see #12). In neither the 1860 nor the 1870 census are children listed for Sarah and Joseph.

--- (g) Andrew Jackson Slack, Born: 13 December 1830 .. Where: Morgan Co., Illinois (became Cass Co. in 1837). Married: Rebecca Louisa (Lovey?) Tidball (b: 8 January 1843 in Ohio; d: 8
November 1919) on 06 November 1870 in Hartford, Iowa. Louisa was 27 and Andrew
38. Father: Samuel Harvey Tidball; mother: Nancy Millenburg, Ohio (src.: p 152 – History of Hartford, Iowa 150 years 1849-1999).Died: 24 August 1923, aged 93, cause - carcinoma of face &jaw (src: Warren Co. Death Records, Book 4, p. 334). Where: Hartford, Iowa. Buried: same.

In the 1870 census, Andrew (age given as 37) was still living with his father. His occupation was listed as "does nothing." He was apparently jolted out of his indolence because he married Louisa Tidball that fall. Sometime after 1872, Andrew purchased 30 acres in the SW¼ of the SW¼ of Sec 10. This was just 1/4 mile north of Louisa's family farm (see map of Richland Twp., 1887 in Slack File). By 1897, Andrew had sold this farm and bought 40 acres in Sec 20, just to the southwest of his father's original 40 acres in Section 17. In 1902, this land belonged to F. (Fredrick) H. Slack, his son, and remained so at least through 1935 (see maps in Slack File). This same farm, by the way, in the 1870s was owned by David Taylor, the father-in-law of both Andrew's sister, Sarah, and his brother, Joseph.

Children:
Nora Slack, b: 1871; d: 10 January 1885, Hartford, Iowa; bur: same.

Fredrick Hayes Slack; b: 7 November 1876, Hartford, Iowa (src: 1936 Tax Records - Hartford, Warren Co., Iowa). Fred married Clara ______ in 1929; he was 52, she was 45 (src: 1930 U.S./Iowa census for Richland Twp., Warren Co., Iowa).

--- (h) Susan C. Slack, Born: 20 April 1835. Where: Morgan Co., Illinois (became Cass· Co. in 1837). Married: Never married, but James Pendry was the father of her child, Alice. Her parents forbade her to marry him. Died: 30 September 1853 (18+ yrs). Where: Hartford, Iowa. Buried: same (see description of her death under John and Nancy's biography). Child: Alice Ellen Slack, b: 18 December 1852, Hartford, Iowa; m: John ("Jack") Wilson (b: 6 November 1846; d: 30 January 1902; Father - John S. Wilson, Mother - Margaret Tidball) on 14 May 1874, Hartford, Iowa; d: 22 March 1940; bur: Hartford, Iowa (src: Hazel Demirjean The Descendants of John (Jack) & Alice Ellen Slack, 9/6/87). Alice was living with her Slack grandparents in the 1860 census and her grandfather in 1870. John Wilson (or his father) owned the 40 acres. just to the west of John Slack's 40 acres. Between 1902 and 1915, John sold the property.

Children of Alice (Slack) and John Wilson (13 children)

John Russell Wilson, b: 13 February 1875; d: 17 August 1946.

William Melvin Wilson, b: 6 October 1876 in Hartford, Iowa; d. 14 March 1963; m: (1) Lena Estella Presnell (b: 27 October 1888; d: 10 April 1909); child.: John Berkley Wilson {b: 31 March 1909; m: [1] Dorris Richardson, [2] Ena Ruth Mattocks); m: (2) Edith Brown, (b: 1879; d: 1962); no children.

The following is extracted from a biographical sketch66 written by J. Berkley Wilson about his father, William Melvin Wilson, who was born near Hartford, Iowa, in 1896 (this date is in error, should have been 1876).

"Billy," as he was called, was the second eldest child of thirteen born to John and Alice (Slack) Wilson. Following elementary schooling, Billy attended Ackworth Academy and Bluebird Seminary (Now Simpson College) in Warren County and CCC College and Drake University in Des Moines. He received his law degree from Drake in 1903. Billy was County Attorney for Warren Co., Iowa, for twelve years and City Attorney for Indianola for seven years. He abstracted with J. O. Eno till 1932 and then formed a law practice with F. P. Henderson and later with his son J. Berkley Wilson in 1941. Billy practiced until 1955 and died 11 Mar 1963. Billy married Estella Presnell in 1908. She died in childbirth in 1909. Four years later Billy married Edith Brown. Billy and Berkley both served as lawyers for my Grandfather and Grandmother Slack and later for my mother (DET).

Margaret Elizabeth Wilson, b: 12 March 1878; d: 20 October 1947; m: 14 December 1898 to Grisby Clark (b: 13 December 1875; d: 12 September 1953).

[END OF PART I]

Children:
Maude Clark, b: 20 August 1899; m: Harry Haxel Hull
Wilson Clark, b: 5 December 1904; m: Perle Johnson
Mabel Clark, b: 17 September 1906; m: Orval Carl Hansen
Clint Clark, b: 2 April 1916; m: (1) Betty Fredricks, (2) Mrs. MarjorieThompson

Eletha Ellen Wilson, b: _ October 1879; d: __ 1924; m: ___ Wilbur Cox (b: 4 July 1878? d: _ January1937).

Children:
Nellie Marie Cox, b: 5 November 1900; m: Elmer Beeler
William Glenn Cox, b: 24 July 1906; m: Lucille L. Martin
Edna Berdina Cox (Twin), b: 12 September 1911; unmarried
Ethel Christina Cox (Twin), b: 12 September 1911; d: infancy
Ester 0. Cox, b: 13 March 1913; unmarried.

Hayden Charles Wilson, b: 26 March 1881; d: 20 November 1948; m: Hazel Essie Chaplin (b: 13 April 1889; d: 4 February I 978) on 4 July 1908.

Children:
Leland Marlin Wilson, b: 1 Jun3 1909; m: Frankie Charity Heaberlin
Dorothy Ardola Wilson, b: 20 November 1911; m: Norman (Bud) Nicholls
Hayden Keith Wilson, b: 22 March1914; m: Iva Wade
Lynn Leroy Wilson, b: 7 May 1916; d: 13 March 1918.

Flora Alice Wilson, b: 14 March 1883; d: 31 August 1911; unmarried.

Lulu Mary Wilson, b: 15 April 1885; d: 10 January 1951; m: Clyde James (b: __ 1884; d: __ 1944) on 16 May __ .

Child:
Gladys James, b: 20 February 1908; m: (1) Arthur Firth, (2) Leo Pigg

Samuel Monroe Wilson, b: 26 October 1886; d: 7 January 1962; m: Winnifred Ethel Dickey on 11 March 1911.

Children:
Darleen Rose Wilson, b: 8 December 1911; unmarried.
Daryl Russell Wilson, b: 22 May 1922; m: Geraldine Margaret Hahn.
Delwyn Dickey Wilson, b: 7 March 1929; m: Betty Jean Paxton

Flossie Evelyn Wilson, b: 11 November 1888; d: 4 May 1949; m: Orrill Finley Chaplin (b: 10 September 1886; d: 27 March 1955) on 27 March 1910.

Children:

Merrill Dillworth Chaplin, b: 12 September 1910; m: (1) Mildred Evelyn Haines; (2) Irene West.
Kenneth Wilson Chaplin, b: 6 May 1913; m: Wilma Louise Hervey
Martha Alice Chaplin, b: 21 June 1918; m: James Mealey
Wilda Faye Chaplin, b: 5 September 1920; m: Derrell Ray Prickett
Edith Maude Chaplin, b: 10 February 1926; m: Eldon Groves
Robert Wendell Chaplin, b: 3 January 1928; m: (1) Lenora Marshallene Kendall; (2) Patsie L. Miller

Leland Leroy Wilson, b: 28 October 1890; d: 7 April 1896.

Ellis Ray Wilson, b: 25 March 1894; d: 10 May 1894.

Hazel Dell Wilson (twin), b: 15 April 1896; d: 7 June 1916; unmarried.

Hallie Bell Wilson (twin), b: 15 April 1896; d: 1 June 1979; m: Arthur Clement (b: 27 November 1889; d: 16 March 1970) on 24 June 1914.

Child:
Arthur Hulbert Clement, b: 17 February 1915; m: Lorraine Hichcock.

--- (i) Martha E. Slack Born: 14 February 1841. Where: Cass Co., Illinois. Married: (1) Robert Morgan, 16 August 1860 in Hartford, Iowa (src: Warren Co. Marriage Records, Book 1852-1867, p. 82), (2) __ Given, after 1875 (Hazel Demirjean says this should be spelled "Gwin"). Died: 11 March 1907, cause - pneumonia. Where: Palmyra, Iowa. Buried: same. Occupation: Housewife, Milliner.

In the probate of John Slack's estate in 1875, Martha, one of the heirs, is listed as the wife of Robert Morgan and Kansas is given as their residence. In Book III, Registration of Deaths (Warren Co., Iowa), she is listed as Martha Given, b: 2/4/1841 in Illinois, d: 3/11/1907 in Palmyra, Iowa. It also states that her parents were John and Mary (Nancy) McDonald Slack. Apparently, Martha remarried sometime after the probate of her father's estate (1875).

CHAPTER IV
See Mary A. Greathouse Slack