JONATHAN M. SLAUGHTER      GRAVESTONE PHOTO                      

William G. Cutler's History of the State of Kansas

NEOSHO COUNTY, Part 14

GALESBURGH.

J. M. SLAUGHTER, M. D. and farmer, Section 35, P. O. Galesburgh, is a native of Tennessee and was born in 1812. In 1832 he commenced studying medicine and moved to Kentucky, where he bought a farm and gave his attention to this. In 1844 he moved back to Tennessee and bought a farm, and took his second course of reading while engaged in farming. In 1850 he moved to Brooks Bend, Jackson Co., Tenn., and took up his practice again, where he was busy until 1855, when he moved to Missouri, locating in Cass County, near Harrisonville, meaning to farm here, but his neighbors made him resume, so he worked at both occupations. In 1861 he enlisted in the Missouri Home Guards that were formed under the call issued by Gen. Fremont. In 1863 he enlisted in the Missouri State Militia. After the war he lived in Missouri until 1869, when he emigrated to Kansas, locating on his present home; at first living in a camp, and as winter came on built a curious house of hay, with walls four feet thick; in the meantime ministering to scattered pioneer families and getting out rock from the quarries and building, doing the mason work himself. In 1870 they moved into it. He has improved his farm, having now eighty acres, sixty-five cultivated and the rest in pasture, with a fine orchard with 830 bearing trees - apples, peaches, pears and cherries, also plenty of small fruit. During the war he met his present wife, whose father, Mr. Collins, befriended him. Dr. Slaughter has been married four times. He is the father of nineteen children, eight now alive. In 1879 he obtained a certificate from the State Medical Association.