William Slafter’s biography, Tuscola Township, Tuscola County, Michigan

Copyright © 2000 by Bonnie Petee. This copy contributed for use in 
the MIGenWeb Archives.  

 

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Taken from, "The History of Tuscola County," H. R. Page Co., Chicago, 1883. 
Contributed by Bonnie Petee.

WILLIAM SLAFTER is a native of Norwich, Windsor County, Vt., 
where he was born October 1, 1807.  In 1849 he came to Tuscola, 
bringing his family, and reaching the county on the 17th day of 
October, and with the exception of five years, between 1854
and 1859, spent in Genesee County, has since resided here.  In 
coming into the county his party consisted of his wife and five 
children - Flora E., Albert, Alonzo, Mary and Anne R., also D. G. 
Slafter and wife.  At Flint they hired a man, by the name of 
Russell, to bring them through with his horses and wagon, but 
when in the vicinity of Pine Run he declared himself lost, and 
after wandering about for some time they finally encamped four 
miles south of Tuscola village on that is now Mrs. Calkins place, 
and built a fire. William and D. G. Slafter then struck out in 
search of the settlement, and alone in the night reached Tuscola, 
where they procured help and returned for the remainder of the 
party, bringing them in about two o'clock in the morning.  Mrs. 
Slafter and daughter Mary died within the following two weeks.  
Mr. Slafter was foreman for P. Richardson & Co., in their lumber 
camps, and running sawed lumber in rafts to Saginaw, for many 
years, and was the first highway commissioner who did very much 
toward improving the roads.