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Macoupin County IL - John Slaughter - Civil War Veteran

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Macoupin County Enquirer Thurs Jul 22 1937, page 1, column 6 and page 4, column 4

Funeral Services for John Slaughter To Be Held at Gillespie M E. Church Tomorrow Afternoon

John Slaughter, 99, last Civil War veteran and oldes resident of Gillespie and communitiy, died at 2:30 p.m Tuesday at St. Francis hospital, Litchfield, where he has been for several months following a fall at his home.

Mr. Slaughter, familiarly known as Uncle John, was born at Hanover, Germany, June 22, 1838. At the age of 14 he came to the United States and settled on a farm near Edwardsville. He enlisted at the beginning of the Civil War and served until the close of the conflict. With a comrade he was the first to use a pick and shovel at the siege of Vicksburg, having volunteered to do the hazardous work.

In the beginning of the war he was a member of Company C, 124th Illinois Infantry and was later transferred to a regiment of artillery.

At the close of the conflict he became a salesman in a large department store in St. Louis, later going to Cinicinnatti, Ohio, where he was head of the woolen goods department of Hubell & ?Flaber/Plaber Dry Goods Co. It was there that he fell in love with Julia Worthwyne, first cousin of the late William Howard Taft, but because he believed the difference in their station in life would bring unhappiness, he left Cincinnatti, returning to St. Louis, later going to Bunker Hill. There he was employed as bookkeeper and clerk at the Friedrichsen general store.

After an unhappy marriage, he returned to Cincinnatti to find the sweetheart of his youth had died.

For a number of years he had made his home with his son, George Slaughter in Gillespie and until the past few years enjoyed unusually good health and was exceptionally active fo his age.

Surviving relatives are one son, George Slaughter; a daughter-in-law, five grandsons and eight great-grandchildren.

Funeral services will be held tomorrow (Friday) afternoon at 2 o'clock at the Methodist Episcopal church, Gillespie, Rev. C. C. Dawdy, pastor of the church, and Rev. F. L. Crouch of Carlinville, former pastor of the Gillespie Baptist church, officiating. Interment will be in the Bunker Hill Cemetery at Bunker Hill.

Carlinville Democrat - Thurs July 22, 1937 page 4, column 2 Gillespie's Last Civil War Vet is Dead

John Slaughter, aged 99, Gillespie's last civil war veteran, and oldest Mason in point of membership, in Illinois, is dead. He died at 2:30 p.m., Tuesday July 20th, at St. Francis hospital in Litchfield, where he was a patient for several months following a fall at his home.

Mr. Slaughter was born at Hanover, Germany, June 22, 1838 and came to the United States at the age of 14. He settled on a farm near Edwardsville, where he was employed at the outbreak of the Civil war. He enlisted at the beginning of the war and served until the close.

He became a member of the Masonic lodge of Bunker Hill, No 157, in 1866. At the close of the war he became a salesman in Cincinnati, Ohio, later returning to St. Louis, and then returned to Bunker Hill where he was employed as bookkeeper and clerk in the Friedrichsen general store.

For a number of years he made his home with a son, George Slaughter, in Gillespie, and throughout his long life had enjoyed remarkably good health.

Funeral services will be held Friday at 2:00 p.m. from the Methodist church, Rev. Dawdy officiating, assisted by Rev F L Crouch. Interment will be in the Bunker Hill cemetery.

Besides the son and wife, Mr. Slaughter is survived by five grandsons and eight great grand-children.

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