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The Rev. George Webb Slaughter and his wife, Sarah
Mason Slaughter, were married in the Republic of Texas, in Coahuila,
October 12, 1837, the first couple to be married in the new
Republic. Only a year before this, Mr. Slaughter had served as a
trusted lieutenant of General Sam Houston, carrying the last message that
got through the lines to Travis and Crockett at the Alamo. For this,
his picture was awarded a niche in that sacred shrine.
Slaughter was born May 10, 1811, in Lawrence County, Mississippi, and came
to Texas with his parents in 1829, settling in the Mexican state of
Coahuila. At that time, the territory east of Austin was divided
into municipalities and governed by military law.
Settling here in 1857, they underwent many hardships, mostly those of
survival, for Indian skirmishes at that time were common occurrences.
In 1864, Indians came to their ranch and stole all the horses, wounding
their son John in the breast with an arrow. Slaughter was a
Missionary Baptist preacher and the marriage licenses of many pioneer
couple bore his name as efficient. He rode horseback many times,
carrying his gun to meet his preaching appointments. No one knew
when Indians would be about. On the Harris ranch, the old Slaughter home site
may still be found, a hand-dug well and an underground cistern lined with
limestone. Slaughter died March 19, 1895 and was buried at Palo
Pinto.
Grandchildren of the Slaughters are Mase Harris Metcalf of Palo Pinto,
Sallie Belle Harris Blackman of Mineral Wells; Webb and D. C. Harris of
Mineral Wells, Ottie Dalton Jeffries, Oklahoma, Mark Dalton and Slaughter
Dalton of Mineral Wells; Webb Dalton, Fort Worth; Mmes. Robbie Dalton
Miller, Ruth Dalton Gardner, Carrie Slaughter Dean and Nell Slaughter
LeRoach, all of Dallas; Sallie Dalton Fearris, Maplewood, La., Georgia
Dalton Mays, Cleburne, and Mamie Slaughter Lott of Miami, Fla.
Great-grandchildren are Jennie Metcalf Ewton, Enid, Okla.; Jennie Margaret
Blackman Germany, Georgia Mays and M. Dalton Jr., of Dallas; Millie Ferris
Agee, Maplewood, La.; Louise Dalton Fults, Carlsbad, N. M.; Robert
Cunningham, Lee Cunningham, Oklahoma; and Dorothy Mays Ladd, Jackie Dalton
Kincaid, Juanita Dalton Clark, Millie Dalton Foreman, Mary Ann Herring,
Robert A. Dalton and Dot Peak Guinn, all of Mineral Wells, and Lela Dalton
of Fort Worth.
Roberta Wright Reves, Edelia Wright Cato, Gen. Goo P. Wright, Gilbert G.
Wright, Jowell Slaughter Wright, George Slaughter II, George Slaughter
III, Arthur Slaughter and Gladys Slaughter are great-great-grandchildren
of the G. W. Slaughter.
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