Descendants of Samuel Slavens

Generation No. 2

7. Rebecca² Slavens (Samuel¹) was born Abt. 1853 in Ill., very prob Richland Co., and died Bet. 1895 - 1900 in prob Richland or Crawford Co.. She married John J. Winters February 09, 1876 in Richland Co., Ill., son of James Winters and Elizabeth Ivey. He was born December 03, 1854 in Richland Co., Ill., and died Unknown.

Notes for Rebecca Slavens:
Rebecca's father evidently died while she was quite young. I can't help wondering if the Thomas Stewart who seems to keep popping up around this family in Richland Co. could be related to Rebecca's mother, Rachael Stewart Slavens.

Margaret Winters Swanner rarely mentioned her mother, Rebecca Slavens Winters, except to state that she had black hair.

Notes for John J. Winters:
Sometime between 1880 and 1900 this family moved from Richland Co., ILL to Crawford Co., ILL. During the same time period John's brothers moved too. John was a tall man, his brothers were short like their father. Were the Ivy's tall?

John and Rebecca's first son James Thomas Winters' birth cert. indicates that he was born in Olney Twp., with the attending doctor being from Claremont. Their second child (my ancestor) Margaret Ann was also born in Richland Co. and the Census indicates that they were in Richland Co. in 1880. The Robinson Argus reported a son born to Rebecca and John Winters in Palestine, ILL, May 11, 1886. It was probably Charles or maybe John Jr. From that and family stories, I believe that they were in Crawford co. by about 1885. Rebecca appears to have died between 1895-1900, but there is no death cert. at the courthouse. She may have died in childbirth with Sam, her youngest son.

According to Margaret Winters Swanner as told to her daughter, my great aunt Pearl Swanner Fitts, this John J. Winters inherited land along the river in Crawford Co., possibly upon his mother's death. His brother Thomas got a house in town and some money and his brother Nick got the mill. I am still searching for the estate papers to add more to this info. Margaret's memories of her father don't paint a paticularly pretty picture, but true history isn't always kind. Margaret felt that her father wasn't particularly 'work brickle'. His favorite method for feeding his large, motherless, family was to sit in a chair out on the back porch and shot at whatever eatable might pass his line of sight. After Margaret left home he married, twice I believe. In his later years he kept taking food from his neighbors root cellars and he was finally sent to the mental asylum in Alton. John is believed to have died about 1828 while in the asylum. Whatever he was, he was my great-great-grandfather. I WILL someday find his grave!!

I want to caution the reader. As my Great Aunt Pearl says, this last part is one person's memories, sssooo "you can take them with a grain of salt...or the whole box if you want to!!"

Children of Rebecca Slavens and John Winters are:

James Thomas³ Winters, born August 27, 1878 in Olney Twp., Richland Co., ILL

Notes for James Thomas Winters:
According to the birth cert. this was John and Rebecca's second child!! The attending physician was (again) from Claremont.

More About James Thomas Winters:
Burial: Palestine Cemetary

ii.

Margaret Ann Winters, born February 22, 1880 in Richland Co., Ill.; died October 14, 1958 in Palestine, Ill..

iii.

Charles Franklin Winters, born Bet. 1883 - 1885 in Crawford Co., ILL; died July 15, 1967 in Springfield, Greene Co., MO.

iv.

John Jr. Winters, born May 1888

Notes for John Jr. Winters:
last known address in Lawrenceville, Ill.

Edward Winters, born September 1889

Notes for Edward Winters:
no children--believed buried in St. Louis

vi.

Samuel Winters, born September 1895

Notes for Samuel Winters:
no children -- according to Goldie DeVore buried in Potters Field in Palestine---found note in Palestine Cemetary records where he is buried but found no marker.
Very Probably named for his grandfather, Samuel Slavens.

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Our Slavens From Indiana and Richland Co., IL

Descendants of Samuel Slavens