SLATER

The file that identified Jerusha Slater as the wife of John P Welles, also showed her parents as John Slater and Sally Bingham. They were said to be from Ohio, and have settled in Tonica, IL in 1829. John died of cholera in 1848. I found a John Slater family in LaSalle Co. IL in the 1840 census; both mother and dad were age 40-50, and they had 2 daughters 15-20 and 4 sons (2 were 5-10 and 2 were 20-30). The same family was believed to have been identified in the 1830 census, but then with 4 daughters. I then looked at the 1820 Ohio census, which was before they reportedly left for Illinois. A review of the Ohio 1820 census showed 2 John Slaters living in Huron Co and a Thomas Bingham also. Another John Slater was living in Richland Co. The ages of the parents and children of the John in Richland Co fit with what we know; therefore, this seems to be the proper John. Also living in Richland Co were a James Slater and Isaac Slater. Since the age of James was <45 he could be the father; Isaac could be a brother. Because I gathered a lot of miscellaneous census information on the Slaters, I posted the information on the Genforum to help others.

I found a posting by a Ken Million who had a John Slater as a fraternal ancestor in his family. Ken confirmed that the above John Slater was his ggg grandfather. Ken had much specific information and details about the Slaters, their marriages and lives. Noteworthy items were that Sally Bingham was Betsy and that he had Jerusha Slater married to John P Wells along with names for the Wells children.

Ken believes John was born in Massachusetts, about 1790. Ken also had Betsy as born in Connecticut and married in IL. I doubt this is correct because the children thru the 5th child (Jerusha b 1823) were born in Ohio, and the 6th, B. F. Slater was born 1830 in IL. That is consistent with them getting to LaSalle Co in 1829. He quotes from history books by Baldwin and Hoffman stating John Slater arrived in Sangamon Co in 1823 and then to Bailey's Grove, LaSalle Co in 1829. Wife Bessie died in 1832 and John remarried to Mary Warnock. Ken's information also included a mention that John Slater was in the Blackhawk War; I found that 2 John Slaters from Illinois were in the War and have obtained from the Illinois Archives a copy of their unit rolls which show the men were from Franklin Co and Montgomery Co. I never did determine which applied, if either, as Ken thought his John Slater was in Sangamon Co. I also found a mention of a John Slater living in the same area whose family came from Kentucky/Virginia. Perhaps time will permit me to clarify these inconsistencies.