Biographical Sketch of Z. L. Slavens, Dallas County, Missouri

>From "History of Laclede, Camden, Dallas, Webster, Wright, Texas,
 Pulaski, Phelps & Dent Counties, Missouri, Published 1889, Goodspeed
 Publishing Company.

Transcribed by: Penny Harrell (Incog3678@aol.com)

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Z. L. Slavens, a physician and farmer of Urbana, Dallas County, is a
native of Springfield, MO., and was born February 13, 1834, being the
second child born in Springfield.  His parents were James H. and
Amanda L. (Roundtree) Slavens, natives, respectively, of Kentucky and
North Carolina.  James H. Slavens, was born in 1809, and when a boy
went from his native State to Illinois, and from there to Montgomery
County, MO., in 1815, locating where Springfield now stands, in South-
western Missouri, in 1831, and he was the first minister of the Metho-
dist Episcopal Church in that part of Missouri.  The following year,
1832, he married Miss Amanda L. Roundtree, who was born in 1816, and
was a daughter of Joseph Roundtree and Nancy (Nichols) Roundtree, who
moved from North Carolina in 1818, and thence to Springfield, MO., in 
1829, taking as a claim the land upon which Springfield is now built.
To James H. and Amanda L. Slavens were born seven children, of whom
four are now living, viz.: Dr. Z. L., Nancy A. Price, Lucius B. and
Luther J.  James H. Slavens was sent as a missionary to the Peoria and
Shawnee Indians in Kansas, among whom he labored one year, when he re-
turned to his home in Greene County, MO., where he engaged in farming
and teaching.  In 1843 he took up the study of medicine, to the prac-
tice of which he devoted considerable attention until his death, which
occurred in 1888.  He served as surgeon in Gov. Phelps' Enrolled Mili-
tia during the late war.  The paternal grandfather of our subject,
Stewart Slavens, who was a farmer by occupation, was born in Virginia
in 1786, and died in 1866.  Mrs. Amanda L. Slavens died March 16, 1886.
Dr. Z. L. Slavens spent his early life principally in his native place.
He attended the high-school at Ebenezer, MO., two years, and later John
A. Stephens' Select School, of Springfield, MO., one year.  He began
the study of medicine in 1856, under Dr. E. T. Robertson, of Spring-
field, and in 1857 and 1858 he attended lectures at the Missouri 
Medical College, St. Louis.  He began the practice of his chosen pro-
fession in Laclede County, MO., in 1858, and from there went to Buffalo,
Dallas County, in 1859, where he practiced until the war broke out,
when he took his family to Indiana.  In 1862 he entered the army as
surgeon of the One Hundred and Fifteenth Indiana Infantry, under the
command of Col. John Mahan, and served one year, receiving an honorable
discharge.  He returned to Indiana and practiced medicine until 1865,
when he again went to Buffalo, MO., where, with the exception of a 
short time spent in Webster County, he remained until 1875, at that
time removing to Urbana.  In February, 1860, Dr. Slavens married Irene
Z. Stanley, who was born in Indiana in February, 1839.  Her parents 
were Horace and Sarah (Willoughby) Stanley, natives of Tennessee.  They
located in Buffalo, MO., in April, 1839, and built one of the first
houses on Buffalo Head Prairie.  Horace Stanley died in 1863.  Sarah
Stanley died in 1877.  They have three children living, viz.: Mrs.
Minerva Morrow, Mrs. I. V. Cummins and Mrs. Slavens.  Dr. and Mrs.
Slavens have four children, viz.:  Mrs. Alice L. Lightner, Lieut. T.H.
Slavens, Mrs. M. I. Reser, of Urbana, and Robert B. Slavens, still at
home.  Lieut. T. H. Slavens graduated with honor from the West Point
Military Academy in 1887, and was commissioned a lieutenant and assigned
to duty in the Fourth Cavalry, United States Army, now stationed at
Fort Lowell, Arizona Territory.  Dr. Slavens is a member of the Masonic
fraternity, is a Methodist, and in politics a Republican.
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