The following information on the Slayter family was compiled by the grandfather of Tim Slayter, Dr. Edward Wheeler Slayter. Tim Slayter has been kind enough to donate this information for posting on the HalifaxCountyNSGenWeb site. A special thanks to A.G. Mitchell for putting this document in html format. Dr. Slayter wrote the book after retiring in 1940 at a place called Coonoor in South India. It is assumed that Dr. Slayter had been collecting information on the family for most of his life. There are many other family connections in the book as well, if anyone is interested, please contact Tim Slayter.

Descendants of John Slayter

Generation No. 1
 

1. JOHN SLAYTER1 1ST was born 1701, and died April 12, 1765.

 He married JANE OR JEAN ALLEN.

Notes:

Born 1701. Died at Halifax, April 12, 1765 aged 64 years.

 These dates are from his tombstone in old St Pauls Cemetery, opposite Government House, Halifax N.S., where the early members of the family are buried in a group close together.

 Family tradition as passed on by my Aunt Sarah ( Mrs G.A. Crickitt - nee Slayter ) affirms that John Slayter ( 1st ) of Halifax - Merchant - is the John Slater or Slayter of Phillips Regiment (40th Foot ) which was embodied at Annapolis - Royal Nova Scotia on August 25, 1717 from independent companies serving in America.

His first commission as Ensign of Phillips Regiment is dated July 26th, 1735 ( Army Graduation List Vol i. N.D. 5435 - 8 - page 62 ) He is promoted to 1st Lieutenant to WolfeÆs Regiment of Marines (Vol i. N.D. 5437 - 10 - and Army list - 1745, page 127 ) dated December 1st, 1739 and made Captain on April 25th ,1740 - 41.

I found this information at the Public Records Office, London on Sept 19th, 1919.

This Marine Regiment was commanded by Colonel ( later General ) Edward Wolfe, father of General James Wolfe of Louisbourg and Quebec fame. It was disbanded in 1748 - 49 but appears later in the British Army as the First battalion.

The Kings Regiment of Foot, John Slayter of Phillips Regiment is frequently mentioned in MurdochÆs, æHistory of Nova ScotiaÆ , (vol i ) as detailed for various duties ; as Secretary to the Lieut. Governor of Nova Scotia., Lt. Colonel Laurence Armstrong , Phillips Regt ; as one of the 35 grantees of two grants of 50,000 acres of land, dated 30-31 August, 1736, near Minas Basin and Chignecto Basin ( Nova Scotia ) which grants were escheated back to Crown on April 21st, 1760, owing to non fulfilment of the conditions of the grants ; and as a member of His MajestyÆs Council of N.S.

As a Captain he was taken prisoner at Canso (Nova Scotia ) when it was captured by the French from Louisbourg - Cape Breton under Monsieur Vilbon on May 24th, 1744.

The prisoners were taken to Louisbourg, but were released on parole on Sept 1st, 1744 and were returned to Governor Shirley of Massachusetts.

 The first capture of Louisbourg by Provincial troops from New England under the command of Lt. General William Pepperell, a merchant of Boston - Mass and a fleet of Royal Naval and Provincial War vessels commanded by Commodore Peter Warren , Royal Navy, took place on June 17, 1745 and it was occupied by Provincial and British troops until handed back to the French on July 23rd, 1749 under the Treaty of Aix - la - Chapelle ( Oct, 1748) in exchange for Fort St George, Madras, which had been captured by the French in India.

During this occupation of Louisbourg John Slayter, with his wife Jane and eldest son Joseph, were present for his second son , John ( ii of Halifax ) was born there in 1746 and christened there on December 28th, 1747, as shown on the first page of St Pauls church at Halifax ( the earliest Halifax records ).

 A copy of his birth and baptismal record is in my possession.

The troops and Provincial families that had settled in Louisbourg were evacuated in July, 1749 to the newly founded Halifax, on Chebucto Bay - now Halifax Harbour.

 Whilst in Louisbourg, John Slayter was probably engaged in Commissional work for the troops.

At Halifax in 1749, he has become one of the leading Merchants with trading ships for coast wise voyages and later, agencies for his merchandise in Louisbourg, Quebec, Newfoundland and New England. (vide, inventory of his goods dated 2 . 4 . 1767.). A complete inventory of John SlayterÆs ( 1st ) (of Halifax ) merchandise at Halifax and debt due to his estate following his death on April 12th, 1767 is also in my possession.

The exact date, place of birth and parentage of John Slayter ( i ) are now unknown .

His wife, Jane or Jean, born 1718, maiden surname now unknown, d. August 29, 1795 and is buried along side John Slayter ( 1st ) and her sons, Joseph and James in the old St PaulÆs Cemetery, opposite Government House Halifax.

After his death on April 12th, 1765, Jane or Jean, remarried William Allen Esq of Cumberland Country N.S. William Allen was the son of a Scottish officer and born in Edinburgh Castle, Scotland and died at Halifax, May 19th, 1785 aged 68 years.

i. JOSEPH2 SLAYTER, b. 1735; d. May 20, 1763, Halifax.

2. ii. JOHN SLAYTER 2ND, b. 1746, Louisbourg Cape Breton Island; d. November 18, 1824, Halifax.

3. iii. ELIZABETH SLAYTER, b. Abt 1752.

iv. JAMES SLAYTER, b. April 14, 1754, Halifax; d. May 14, 1761, Halifax.

John ( 2nd of Halifax ) Born at Louisbourg, Cape Breton Island, 1746. Died 18th November, 1824 aged 78 years, nearly fifty of which had been employed in the office of Comptroller of H.M. Customs of this port - from the inscription on his tombstone in St PaulÆs old graveyard, opposite Government House, Halifax N. S.

He succeeded his brother in law, James Burrow in the above appointment as a Judge of the Court of Common Pleas and Member of His MajestyÆs Council for Nova Scotia. His annual pay of the appointment of Comptroller of Customs was ú1000 plus fees and prizes etc brought to the port.

He married as an elderly man, his house keeper, Mrs Sarah Mason ( maiden surname not now known.) and had one son born at Halifax, 11th July, 1800, John Slayter ( iii of Halifax)

Date of Mrs SlayterÆs death unknown. She had several daughters by her first marriage - one married to a Le Rosignol - another, a Mrs Walker, was grand mother of the West Family of Halifax N. S.

John SlayterÆs portrait is with the Howard Slayters at Dunsfold Surrey.

4. i. JOHN SLAYTER3 3RD, b. July 11, 1800, Halifax; d. December 11, 1848, Halifax.

 Married in 1772 or 1773 James Burrow Esq, an Englishman, who after being Comptroller of H.M. Customs at Halifax, was appointed a Judge of the Court of Common Pleas and a Member of H.M. Council of Nova Scotia.

Date of Elizabeth Burrows death is not now known.

James Burrow died at Halifax, March 20th 1795 aged 54.

There only child - Anne Burrow, married Lieutenant Smith, 57 Regiment, at St PaulÆs church, Halifax, on October 25th 1791, a week before the regiment sailed for Portsmouth, England.

 To them were born William Slayter Smith.

5. i. ANNE3 BURROW.

He there kept house for his father, (by then a widower) and his account book is quaint reading.

Eliza Ann died 12. 11. 1869 of congestion of the lungs. ( note by my father W. B. S. )

John ( 3rd ) died after a few hours illness. Cause not on record.

In addition to his account book he left a detailed Family Record especially interesting from a medical point of view as bearing on childrenÆs ailments in the early 19th Century.

His private fortune, inherited from his father, the Comptroller of Customs was lost shortly before his death by the failure of his London bankers - Messrs Sykes, Snaythe and Co.

 Nothing was recovered.

6. i. ELIZA REBECCA4 SLAYTER, b. July 07, 1826.

 7. ii. SARAH SLAYTER, b. August 25, 1827; d. May 1914.

 8. iii. JOHN THEODORE HARDING SLAYTER 4TH, b. April 07, 1830, Halifax; d. April 17, 1866.

 iv. MARY ANN SLAYTER, b. March 01, 1831; d. March 02, 1831.

 v. WILLIAM BRUCE SLAYTER, b. June 28, 1837; d. July 01, 1837.

 vi. EMMA SLAYTER, b. April 26, 1839.

 9. vii. WILLIAM BRUCE SLAYTER, b. November 12, 1841.

 viii. JAMES SLAYTER, b. January 16, 1843; d. 1849.

 Lt. Colonel Smith is said to have died of wounds received at Waterloo, but exact dates of his and Anne ( Burrow ) SmithÆs deaths are now unknown.

10. i. WILLIAM SLAYTER4 SMITH, d. July 18, 1863.

 This regiment had recently arrived from the Crimea. Captain Milsom, sold out and bought a property at Dutch Village - 3 miles from Halifax.

He then became a Staff officer of the Canadian Militia and finally moved to Toronto as a Lt. Colonel on the permanent staff, where he died.

 Captain Milsom was a widower, when he married my Aunt Eliza, with 3 sons.

1.Thomas a Doctor who practiced at Dartmouth, Nova Scotia. Now Deceased.

 2.Jack. Married Ellan McGregor, a connection of the SlayterÆs and lived on the Milsom property at Dutch Village until his death.

 3.James. A farmer, settled rear Kentville, Nova Scotia.

i. MARY5 MILSOM.

 ii. ELIZABETH MILSOM.

 iii. WILLY MILSOM.

Captain Crickitt belonged to a Suffolk ( Eng ) County family.

He also retired from the Army and became Governor of Ipswich - Lewes and Wakefield Prisons in turn.

Date of his birth not known.

Aunt Sarah died in May, 1914 - Uncle George, in June, 1914.

Uncle George was a nephew of General Sir Colin Halkett, G. C. B. ; G. C. H. ( anover ) and of Sir James Bacon, Vice Chancellor of England. The former personally captured General Cambronne, commanding the Old Imperial Guard at Waterloo.

 The late liar Cambronne said " The General dies, but does not surrender" is shear bunkum. He very tenuly surrendered to General Halkett ( vibe - Fitchetts - æDeeds that won the EmpireÆ pages 270 - 271 )

(1)John dead,

(2)Emma Slayter,

 (3) Harry. Doctor,

 (4) Florence,

 (5)Julia. dead ,

(6)Albert. dead,

 2 daughters

(7) 1 DA - Frederick and Arthur died in infancy.

i. JOHN5 CRICKITT.

 ii. EMMA SLAYTER CRICKITT.

 iii. HARRY CRICKITT.

 iv. FLORENCE CRICKITT.

 v. JULIA CRICKITT.

 vi. ALBERT CRICKETT.

 A grant of $2000 ( ú400 ) was made to his wife and a memorial erected to him in Camp Hill Cemetery.

The inscription reads :

 THIS MEMORIAL IS ERECTED BY THE MAYOR AND ALDERMAN OF THE CITY OF HALIFAX TO MARK THE ESTIMATION ENTERTAINED BY THE CITIZENS FOR THE HEROIC CONDUCT OF JOHN SLAYTER. M. D. LATE HEALTH OFFICER FOR HIS PORT, WHO WHILE IN THE DISCHARGE OF HIS DUTY ON BOARD THE STEAMSHIP æENGLANDÆ IN QUARANTINE IN THE HARBOUR OF HALIFAX FELL A VICTIM TO CHOLERA. APRIL 17TH 1866 IN THE 36TH YEAR OF HIS AGE.

( vide æHalifax HeroesÆ æThe Story of a PestilenceÆ by (Judge ) W. B. Wallace. L. L. B. in æ The Canadian MagazineÆ ( Copy with my family notes )

i. JOSEPH ROBINSON5 SLAYTER, b. 1859; d. 1884.

ii. JOHN THEODORE HARDING SLAYTER 4TH, b. 1861.

 iii. WILLIAM BRUCE SLAYTER, b. 1863.

 iv. FRANK SLAYTER.

 v. HENRY SANDS SLAYTER, b. October 1866.

M.D. ; M.R.C.S. ; M.R.C.P. ; F.O.S. Studied medicine in New York, 1857, London 1858 and Dublin, 1859 - M.R.C.S. London 1860. House Surgeon by competition of Westminster Hospital London 1860 - 1861; L.R.C.P. London 1861. Travelling physician with General Hitchins and his son Captain Hitchins - 1862 - 63, with whom he visited some of the battle fields of the American Civil War.

He was present and helped with wounded at the battle of Antietam. He settled to practice in Chicago in 1864 where he married Clarina Underhill Clark .

On the death of his brother, Dr John Slayter, at Halifax in 1866 from Cholera, he remove from Chicago to Halifax with my mother and his son John Howard, the same year. He became the leading physician and obstetrical surgeon of Halifax, Professor of Obstetrical Surgery to the Halifax Medical College and consulting surgeon to Halifax Hospitals.

 He died of BrightÆs Disease on the 5th August, 1898 aged 56 years. He had been one of the leaders of the musical world in Halifax and had a very fine tenor voice.

 On his tombstone at Camphill Cemetery are inscribed the words " THE BELOVED PHYSICIAN " .

My mother, Clarina Underhill Slayter, nee Clark, died aged 90 years on March 12th, 1934 at "Whitelocks" Kingston, near Canterbury, Kent, the home of my sister Margaret, wife of Major Gerald Haslam, late 18th Royal Irish Regiment. Her ashes were buried at Camphill Cemetery, Halifax in the family burial lot with my father, Howard, Frances, George and Robert. ( my brothers and sister )

i. JOHN HOWARD5 SLAYTER, b. June 03, 1865, Chicago; d. January 08, 1926, St HildaÆs near Wolfville - Gaspereaux Valley, Nova Scotia; m. ALICE SLESSER, May 11, 1895.

 ii. WILLIAM FIRTH SLAYTER, b. January 22, 1867, Halifax; d. May 15, 1936, Newcastle - On - Tyne; m. SUSAN MASTERS.

 iii. EDWARD WHEELER SLAYTER, b. January 15, 1869; m. FLORENCE MARY RICHARDSON, February 22, 1898, St Giles Cathedral, Edinburgh.

 iv. CLARINA LOUISE SLAYTER, b. January 17, 1872; m. MAJOR RALPH HARTLEY, November 30, 1894.

 v. FRANCES CLARK SLATER, b. September 01, 1873; d. February 23, 1877.

 vi. GEORGE HERBERT SLAYTER, b. March 01, 1875; d. 1876.

 vii. JAMES MORROW SLAYTER, b. September 09, 1876; m. FLORENCE LEWIS.

 viii. CHARLES KEELER SLAYTER, b. June 12, 1879.

 ix. ROBERT UNDERHILL SLAYTER, b. October 28, 1880.

 x. HILDA MARY SLAYTER, b. April 05, 1882; m. REGINALD LACON.

 xi. MARGARET MACLEAN SLAYTER, b. May 26, 1885; m. GERALD HASLAM, 1910.

William Slayter Smith, a Captain in the 10th Hussars (previously 10th Light Dragoons) and for 41 years adjutant of the Yorkshire Hassars.

 He was Agent for the Marquess of Ripons ( yeomanry ) estates and there is a stained glass window to his memory in Ripon Cathedral.

His portrait as aÆ Blue Coat BoyÆ is now at the Howard SlayterÆs at Dunsfold Surrey

i. ELIZA BLAND5 SMITH, m. LT.COL ESME STEWART ERSKINE.