Muscogee-Jones County GaArchives Biographies.....Slade, James J. 1831 - living in 1913
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Joy Fisher http://www.genrecords.net/emailregistry/vols/00001.html#0000031 October 22, 2004, 2:20 pm

Author: William Harden
p. 917-919

   HON. JAMES J. SLADE. Prominent and noteworthy among the talented, cultured
and enterprising men who are, or have been in times past, identified with the
educational, agricultural and business advancement of western Georgia, is Hon.
James J. Slade, of Columbus, Muscogee county, who for many years was widely
known as a popular and successful teacher. A son of Thomas B. Slade, a noted
educator, he was born April 28, 1831, in Jones county, Georgia, coming from
patriotic stock, his paternal great-grandfather, who was a life-long resident of
North Carolina, having served as a soldier in the Revolutionary war.

   Jeremiah Slade, his grandfather, was born on a farm in Martin county, North
Carolina, and was there brought up and educated. Becoming a tiller of the soil
from choice, though an attorney by profession, he succeeded to the ownership of
the old home plantation, which was located six miles north of Williamston, and
bordered on the Roanoke river, the locality being known as Marshpoint. There he
spent his entire life, carrying on farming with slave help. His wife, whose
maiden name was Janet Bog, was likewise a life-long resident of North Carolina.
Of their union seven children were born and reared, as follows: Alfred, who be?
came prominent in public affairs, was appointed United States consul to Buenos
Ayres, and there died while in office; Jeremiah, although an expert swimmer, was
drowned in the Roanoke river in early manhood; William succeeded to the
ownership of the home plantation, and there spent his entire life; Thomas B.,
Mr. Slade's father; James, the youngest son, a physician, was appointed a
surgeon in the United States army during the Mexican war, and died in Mexico
during the war; Mary, the oldest daughter, married Dr. Pleasant Henderson; and
Elizabeth, who became the wife of Mason L. Wiggins, of Halifax, North Carolina.

   The birth of Thomas B. Slade occurred in Martin county, North Carolina, on
the same plantation as did that of his father. Fitted for college at a
preparatory school in Chapel Hill, North Carolina, he was subsequently graduated
from the University of North Carolina, and was admitted to the bar. Locating
soon after in Clinton, Jones county, Georgia, he began the practice of his
profession. At the earnest solicitation of friends, however, he retired from the
law and opened a school for girls in Clinton, where he met with great success as
a teacher. He afterwards accepted the chair of philosophy in the Macon Female
College, now the Wesleyan Female College, at Macon, and held the position until
Bishop Pierce severed his connection with that institution. He then resigned his
position, and for two years taught in a female college in Penfield, Georgia.
Coming then to Columbus, Muscogee county, he established a female school, which
he conducted successfully until the outbreak of the war between the states.
Locating on his farm in Alabama after the close of the conflict, he remained
there a few years and then returned to Columbus, and here continued his
residence until his death, at the venerable age of eighty-two years.

   The maiden name of the wife of Thomas B. Slade was Ann Jacqueline Blount. She
was born in Washington, North Carolina, a daughter of James Blount, who migrated
from his native state to Georgia and settled permanently in Blountsville,
Clinton county. She survived her husband, attaining the advanced age of
eighty-six years. She reared a family of eleven children, as follows: Janet E.;
Mary; Anna; James J.; Emma; Thomas; Martha; Stella; Helen; John, and Fanny.

   An ambitious student when young, James J. Slade prepared for college under
his father's tuition, and in 1848 entered the University of North Carolina, from
which he was graduated in 1852, with an excellent record not only for
scholarship, but for promptness, having, like his father, never missed a roll
call while there. Fitted for a professional career, Mr. Slade then taught school
in Columbus for four years, and having in the meantime been admitted to the bar
subsequently there practiced law for three years. Going then to Louisiana, he
bought a plantation near Delhi, and managed it for a time with the assistance of
slaves. At the breaking out of the Civil war he raised a company, of which he
was elected captain, and took the entire company to camp and offered it to
Governor Moore, who said that he could not accept the company, as already there
were more men enlisted than were needed, and added that the war would soon be
over. The company therefore returned to Delhi and disbanded. Soon after, Mr.
Slade went back to his old home in Columbus, Georgia, and enlisted in Company A,
Tenth Georgia Volunteer Infantry, and went with his command to Virginia. With
the army of North Virginia he took part in the invasion of Maryland and in the
battle of Antietam. Being taken ill after the last engagement, he was granted a
furlough. On recovering his strength he was placed on detached duty, working
between the western and eastern armies. Wool was then very much needed to make
clothes for the soldiers and there was an ample supply in Texas. Quantities of
it were started north in wagons, which were invariably captured by the Federals
before it was taken across the Mississippi. Mr. Slade devised a means by which
it might have been safely and surely transported to its point of destination,
but the war terminated before his plan was put into execution.   He was in
Shreveport, Louisiana, when the war closed, and went immediately with his
negroes to his plantation.

   Deciding a short time later to return to Georgia, this being in 1866, he
resumed his first occupation, that of a teacher, opening an independent school,
which became an immediate success, and which he conducted until 1888, it being
one of the leading institutions of the kind in this section of the state. He
then embarked in the insurance business, in which he was also quite successful.

   In 1878 Mr. Slade purchased from the General Benning's estate the Seaborn
Jones homestead, which he has since owned and occupied. Located at Saint Elmo,
two and one-half miles from the court house, it is a typical southern plantation
home. The house, a commodious frame structure, sits well back from the street,
and is surrounded by large shade trees.

   Mr. Slade has been twice married. He married first Annie Graham, who was born
in northern Georgia, a daughter of John Graham. She passed to the life beyond
and her only child died in infancy. Mr. Slade married second Miss Leila B.
Bonner, who was born in Columbus, Georgia, a daughter of Seymour K. and Marion
(Huguenin) Bonner. Ten children have blessed the union of Mr. and Mrs. Slade,
namely: William B.; Mary Janet; Thomas B.; Nora H.; Louisa; Marion ; Charles;
Erne May; Florence, and Seymour. William B. married Mary Brown, and they have
four children, Roberta, Rhodes, Mary and Leila. Thomas, who married Miss Thirza
Kirven, has two sons, Kirven and Thomas. Nora, wife of R. H. Scriven, six
children, Leila, James, Nora, Maude, Thomas, and Marion. Louisa, wife of Dr.
Theophilus West, has two sons, Slade and Marion. Charles married Miss Constance
Thill and they have three children, Blount, Suzanne and William. Erne May, wife
of J. Lawrence Dozier, has four children, Anna, Lawrence, Florence and Seymour.
Seymour Slade, the youngest son of the family, died in early manhood.

   Always taking a keen interest in anything pertaining to the public welfare,
Mr. Slade has served as a member of the city council, and has twice had the
distinction of being elected to the mayor's chair. He is a member of the Order
of Cincinnati. Both Mr. and Mrs. Slade are members of the Missionary Baptist
church, to which his parents also belonged, and in which his father was a
licensed preacher.


Additional Comments:
From:

A HISTORY OF SAVANNAH AND SOUTH GEORGIA
BY
WILLIAM HARDEN

VOLUME II
ILLUSTRATED
THE LEWIS PUBLISHING COMPANY
CHICAGO AND NEW YORK
1913

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