Caroline (Samples) Slaton (abt. 1832 - aft. 1875)

Born about 1832 in Tennessee, United States [uncertain]

Wife of George Washington Slaton Sr. — married 19 May 1859 in Monroe, Tennessee, United States

Descendants

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Biography

Descendant Virginia Grace Slaton Moore (1920- 2009?) writes that George Sr married Caroline Samples after first spouse Sarah Patterson died. ^[1]

Caroline Samples married George Slayton, 19 May 1859. ^[2] A George Slaton (Jr.) was almost certainly nearly 18 by that year, so it is not clear if this is marriage to George Washington Slaton Sr. at this profile, but descendants claiming to be from this couple so it is so.

In 1860, George Slaton, 60, is shown with Sarah, age 32 marked "Wife." ^[3] George's daughter Sarah was married to George Watson by 1860 and apparently starting a family. So if George had married a much younger Caroline Samples in 1859, where is she, unless this is Caroline using another given name?

Surviving descendants left stories that Jane, Joseph, Harriett and Elizabeth in the 1860 household are not children by George Sr. but brought into the household by subsequent wife or wives, and that Mary "Molly/Polly" is the first child born to George and Caroline (Samples), followed by Wade David, William Loven, Martha "Patsy", and Stephen Allen Slaton. Mary was born abt. Dec 1859, seven months after Caroline Samples married George Slayton.

Carolin Slaiton, 37, was "keeping house" with George Slaiton (Sr.), in the 1870 Census. ^[4] She is not marked explicitly as a widow; three of the oldest children appear in the 1860 census with George and "Wife" Sarah, 32 ^[5] and the rest were born after 1860. Any or all could be Carolin's children, but descendants from the younger children, William Loven Slaton and Steve Allen Slaton, claim that they have always been told or seen in bible records, that they descend from Caroline (Samples) and George W. Slaton Sr.

A note in loose papers in Madisonville, Monroe County Tennessee Archives, states that Monroe County paid $5.00 for the unnamed wife of George Slaton, a pauper, to be buried in a coffin, noted 1875.^[6] No spouse appears in the 1880 census for George Slaton and the last four children attributed to George and Caroline by descendants. ^[7]

Family stories

Unverified oral history suggests that Caroline was born a Washam and had married perhaps twice before marrying George Slayton. The names Latimer/Lattimore are mentioned as possible partners, but this is posted here for completeness, not because anything in these stories is proved (unless you can.)

Sources

1. ↑ Monroe Co., Tennessee Heritage Book 1819-1997, page 403, #1285 &1286
2. ↑ "Tennessee, County Marriages, 1790-1950," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:QKH3-KFL6 : 10 March 2021), George Slayton and Caroline Samples, 19 May 1859; citing Monroe, Tennessee, United States, Marriage, p. , Tennessee State Library and Archives, Nashville and county clerk offices from various counties; FHL microfilm 956,229.
3. ↑ "United States Census, 1860", database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:M8T1-KK8 : 18 March 2020), George Slaton, 8th District and Others, Monroe, Tennessee, United States
4. ↑ "United States Census, 1870", database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MDDV-NH8 : 18 March 2020), Geo Slaiton, Monroe, Tennessee
5. ↑ "United States Census, 1860", database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:M8T1-KK8 : 18 March 2020), George Slaton,8th District and Others, Monroe, Tennessee, United States
6. ↑ Monroe County Tennessee Miscellaneous Administrations: Mr. M.L. McDaniel is allowed the sum of $5.00 for a coffin furnished to bury the remains of George Slaten's wife, pauper, who died in Monroe Co, TN. 1875.
7. ↑ "United States Census, 1880," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MDWM-3QP : 15 July 2017), George Slaton, District 7, Monroe, Tennessee, United States; citing enumeration district ED 204, sheet 42D, NARA microfilm publication T9 (Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.), FHL microfilm 1,255,272.