William Riley Slaton (1866 - 1916)

Ancestors Descendants

Contents 1 Preface 2 Biography 3 Family stories 4 Research Notes 4.1 Martha/Mattie 5 Bible Record 6 DNA Notes 7 Sources

Preface

The preponderance of evidence strongly suggests that William Riley Slaton of Alabama and Riley Williams of Arkansas and Briartown, Muscogee, Oklahoma, are the same man. The similarities in name, age, and locations make it incredible for them to have been two different people, and on his return to Alabama, records that certainly apply to him read as Slaton, not Williams.

Biography

William Riley Slaton was born in 1866 in Alabama, ^[1] found in the 1870 household of Uriah Slaton and Louisa Slaton. ^[2] Louisa had an older brother almost certainly named William Riley Frazier, ^[3] undoubtedly the source for the name William Riley Slaton. In 1880, there were four young William Slatons in Marshall County, Alabama census. The one at this profile was a son of the “first” family of a Uriah Slaton, born abt. 1842. See Research Notes for more about Uriah, profiled on WikiTree.

In 1880, William Slaton lived with his mother, who was recorded as Liuza Slaton, neighboring her father, Levi Frazier and her brother, another Levi “Lee” Frazier. ^[4] Uriah Slaton had married again in 1873, so a separation is implied.

William R. Slaton married "Mollie" Bell, 4 July 1886 in Marshall County, Alabama. ^[5] Some family stories name her as Evalina K. Bell, nicknamed "Mollie."

Note that census evidence confirms the story that he went to Arkansas, as cited below.

Family stories

Family story: According to the family story told by Kelsey J. Williams' grandfather and great-grandmother, Riley Slaton murdered a man, changed his name to Riley Williams, and came to Arkansas where he met and married Martha "Mattie" Cagle Bonds. Soon after, they moved to Oklahoma with their three children and settled near Briartown, OK. Mattie died of dropsy in 1912 and Riley of the Spanish Flu in 1916. A contrary report comes from descendant Annis Hill: " [one son] talked about visiting [Riley] long after he was said to [have] died [in] 1916."

Family story: Della (Williams) Farrar (1899-1975) recounted her life story to her granddaughter Annis Hill (transmitted to Kelsey J Williams, Jan 2001) and mentioned that not only was her real name Slaten but that she was born in Paw Paw Bottoms, Sequoyah Co., OK. This would account for the Indian Territory birthplace given on the 1900 census. ^[6] Della lived with her uncle Bill Cagle after the 1912 death of her mother Mattie (Cagle) Bonds Slaton. According to Annis Farrar Hill, Jan 2001, one of the things which Della (Williams) Farrar recounted to her granddaughter was that when she was young but still old enough to remember, Riley, Mattie and their children went to Alabama where they stayed with Riley's parents. However, for some unclear reason Mattie and her children were brought home to Oklahoma by her brother, Bill Cagle, while Riley remained in Alabama.

Comment: perhaps his prison sentence was the reason. Because Riley's parents were clearly separated by 1873, it is not clear if Uriah and his second wife is meant, or Riley's mother Louisa, who does not appear to have remarried.

Family story: Vina Elizabeth Lawson (born 30 Jan 1892 in Jasper, Newton Co., AR, died 1992) married William H. "Bill" Cagle, brother of Martha (Cagle) Williams, on 12 Jan 1914. ^[7] From letters from Karita (Talkington) Wright to Kelsey J. Williams, 20 Nov 1997, citing personal knowledge of "Aunt Vina", and a letter written by the aged Vina (Lawson) Cagle Booth Chapman of Geary, Oklahoma to Annis (Farrar) Hill in 1982, transcribed by Annis and provided to Kelsey, Vina writes:

"Riley Williams was married in Alabama. He had a wife and some Children. He got in trouble over his wife. He killed a man, and he ran away from the prison or jail and came to Brinkley, AR. He met and married Mattie there. She (Vina) is [Riley Slaton/Williams' son] Jess Williams' aunt by marriage....Riley died 13 Mar 1916 at Weleetka, Okfuskee Co., OK and was buried in New Holt Cemetery there.

Although she married two more times, Vina remained in close contact with the Williams family and was widely known to be the most knowledgeable member of the family in respect to genealogy. Unfortunately, this cemetery has not been located. A Sequoyah County Oklahoma cemetery called Holt Family holds no clues. However, there are several OK cemeteries named New Hope, but descedant Annis Farrar Hill has been unable to locate any grave for Riley Slaton aka Williams. Another source says Rose Hill Cemetery, also a neglected cemetery. Was he buried as a Williams or a Slaton?

Research Notes

On 25 Dec 1887 John Walter Davis married Riley Slaton's cousin Martha Jane Frazier in Marshall co AL. ^[8] While Martha Davis was pregnant with John W Davis Jr, her husband was killed by Riley Slaton in 1890. Riley reportedly took exception to the attention his neighbor was paying to Slaton’s wife, Mollie (Bell). Slaton shot John Walter Davis dead in front of Davis’ father-in-law, Slaton’s uncle “Lee” Frazier. He was arrested and jailed, but broke out and managed to live under another name for over eighteen years in Arkansas and Oklahoma before he was arrested.

Riley's knowledge or suspicions of infidelity presumably precipitated the quarrel mentioned In the 14 Aug 1890 issue of the Guntersville [Alabama] Democrat:

ANOTHER TRAGEDY We are informed of another killing. John Davis by Will Slaton, near McVille. On last Thursday it seems that John Davis and his father in law, Lee Frazier, were in Frazier's field when along came Will Slaton, a neighbor with whom Davis had previously had a quarrel. Slaton was armed with a gun. Entering the field he approached and renewed the quarrel with Davis, striking him on the arm with the gun barrel. The gun was wrested from his hand, and he then drew a pistol and despite Frazier's efforts to part them, Slaton's pistol was pushed over Frazier's shoulder and the ball entered Davis' head just under the eye causing instant death. Slaton then put to his heels and has since been hiding out. Both men are young and each has a wife and one child. In another column will be seen the reward offered for the apprehension of Slaton. $400 REWARD The undersigned will pay for the delivery of Wm. R. Slaton, charged with the murder of Jno. W. Davis, $200, and the State offers a reward of $200 more. Slaton is about 24 years old, of light build, weighs 126 pounds, 5 feet 7 inches high, large light blue eyes, light complexion, light hair, rather thin on top of head, prominent cheek bones and talks rapidly.

A transcription of this article was graciously provided to Kelsey by a descendant of Levi Frazier, William Riley Slaton's maternal grandfather.

Apparently no jail could hold Riley, because he appears in 1900 Arkansas under the pseudonym Wriley Williams.^[6] He had married again along the way, moving his family between Arkansas and Oklahoma, where his issue were all recorded as surnamed Williams. It is not known if a formal divorce was filed by either Riley or Mollie Slaton.

Martha/Mattie

Thomas J. Bonds, 26, "of Cypress Ridge" married Miss Mattie M. Cheek, 15, "of Cypress Ridge" on 23 February 1886, in Monroe County, Arkansas. ^[9] It is unclear if this is the same man in the next marriage listed here.

T J Bond, 30, "of Cypress Ridge", married Miss Mattie Cagle, 19, "of Cypress Ridge" on 30 Mar 1891. ^[10]

Mrs. Martha Bonds married Riley Williams on 27 Aug 1895, in Monroe County. ^[11] It can be reasonably assumed that this Martha is the Mattie previously married to T.J. Bond(s), but whether she and Mr. Bonds had any children is another question. All of the Williams children seen in her 1900 census are reported born after her marriage to Riley.

Five years later, Wriley Williams is enumerated with wife Martha in 1900 census in Arkansas. ^[6] Eight years after that census, the Belleville Illinois News-Democrat Leader reports (under a Muskogee, Oklahoma byline): 2 Nov 1908, “William R. Slaton of Porum [Muskogee Co, OK] is in jail here, charged with the murder of John Davis [incorrectly identified as Slaton’s father-in-law] in Marshall County, Alabama.” Levi Frazier, who was related to both Riley and John Davis' wife, was in fact John Davis' father-in-law, and was a witness, not a victim.

Murder 18 Years Ago Cause Of Arrest Here
William Slaten, arrested at Keller [Carter Co, Oklahoma] west of here by Deputy Fred Williams, is spending his time this Thanksgiving in Jail. Slaten was arrested on Information received from Guntersville. Ga. [sic-Alabama] stating that he was wanted there charged with the killing of a man eighteen years ago. Slaten was seen this morning. He said he was born in Jackson county [Alabama? Georgia?] and reared in Marshall county, Alabama. He is forty two years old and is the only child of his mother who makes her home with him. His old mother is 66 years of age. He also has a wife and three children.
Seventeen years ago he moved from Alabama to what Is now Muskogee county, Oklahoma, and has worked at first one thing and then another to make a support for his family and for his mother. He refused to make any statement but said when the sheriff reaches here and finds out something of the crime with which he is charged he will make a statement for the press. When the man spoke of being the only support of his aged mother and spoke of wanting to take her and his family with him to Alabama the tears trickled down his face. He said he had no relatives or friends In this portion of the country and could not bear to leave his family among strangers.
It is said that Slaten killed a man eighteen years ago In Alabama, that he was placed under arrest and broke jail, that he made his escape to Indian territory. Some weeks ago he and a kinsman who lived near him at Muskogee had afalling out and his kinsman in order to even up with him reported to officers in Alabama that Slaten was in this country and his arrest could be effected. He was traced from Muskogee county to Carter county where he was arrested by Fred Williams. He was carrying a gun when arrested but offered no resistance. He gave his gun to Williams and told him he might keep it as his own. ^[12]

COMMENT: Thanks to Butch Bridges of Ardmore Oklahoma for this find, June 20, 2023. Based on what is known of his father, William Riley Slaton was probably born in Jackson County, Alabama, and not Georgia, although his father's ancestors were certainly in Jackson County, Georgia.

Retribution comes to Riley and he is found guilty in court:

W. R. Slaton Charged - W R Slaton was charged with the murder of John Davis eighteen years ago and a jury found him guilty; he was sentenced to ten years in the penitentiary. Seated near the prisoner was his aged mother, a woman of small stature with deep lines of suffering and hardship furrowing her face. Then there sat his wife who was convulsed with suppressed sobs and three or four little children unconscious of the stroke that was about to fall upon their breadwinner...with the court's permission, the Sheriff and Deputy Gibson passed through the crowd and collected more than [$30.00] for the wife and children of the prisoner. ^[13]

His aged mother was presumably Margaret Louise (Frazier) Slaton, and the sobbing wife was presumably Martha "Mattie" (Cagle) Bonds Slaton, and the children were presumably hers by Riley, none of whom had used the surname of Slaton before or afterwards. Note that there is no evidence that he spent much more than a year in any prison before he was pardoned.

The story from Della (Williams) Farrar mentioned above in Family Stories is explicable from the Alabama Convict Record kindly provided by Darla Slaten of Guntersville AL:

Alabama, Convict Records, 1886-1952: May 16 1909 William Slaton, Marshall County, b AL, age 32, ht 5-5, wt 125, white male, Dark complexion, hair [illegible], eyes blue, teeth bad, occupation Farmer in Oklahoma, former residence Marshall, 3 children, Habits tobacco, Scar over left eye, scar center of forehead, Skull fractured on left side, front finger off left hand, scar left arm.
Crime Murder 2nd Deg, Sentence May 16 1909, 10 years, expiration long May 1 1919, expiration short Jany 1 1916, Date of Pardon, Jany 16 1911 Parole

In other words, he was sentenced to ten years with parole possible in five. In 1910 census he is in Oklahoma, 2 May 1910, ^[14] but nine days later Riley Slaton is in Alabama State Prison #2. ^[15] Convicted in 1909, with at least five years remaining until 1916 parole, he served perhaps a year before he was pardoned in 1911,

Martha "Mattie" (Cagle) Williams died November 13, 1912 and was buried in Briartown Cemetery, Muskogee Co., beside her son John H Williams. Her grave shows b October 12, 1873. ^[16]

Descendants say that he afterwards used Slaton wherever he was, which must have confused his children by Mattie, who seem to have never used it. He would have reinforced the Williams surname among his children to avoid association with his past. A question is: did his wife Mattie know of his previous name at the time of their marriage?

The implication is that Riley left his first wife "Mollie" in Alabama, and his children by Mattie were raised with surname Williams, as evidenced in 1900 census. The movements, newspaper articles and prison record of William Riley Slaton suggest strongly that there might be sympathetic support for him in his community, which chimes with the ideas of "justifiable homicide." He appears to have lit out for the west after the posting of a reward for his capture, since he was not formally convicted of second degree murder until nearly twenty years after the incident, and he never served a full sentence.

William R. Slaten, aged 47 (b abt. 1868) , married Mrs Myrtle Breshears, aged 28 (b abt. 1887), in Briartown Oklahoma on 21 Jan 1915.^[17] He reportedly died in March of 1916 and no children are reported or suspected from that marriage. Kelsey J. Williams' grandfather Jess Williams recalled that he was raised by Myrtle and her uncle-in-law Bill Cagle after the death of his parents.

We cannot assess now if a husband’s idea of justifiable homicide was ever justifiable: the sad family story goes that Davis and Mollie were “caught.” Slaton’s wife Mollie had borne him one child at least, possibly as many as four, before she remarried nine years later ^[18]. The fate of any Slaton-Bell child is unknown, but one descendant reports that all of Mollie’s children (implying more than one) by Riley died young.

Davis’s wife Martha delivered John Walter Davis Jr. after Sr.’s death. Note that all of these Frazier, Davis and Slaton people are related to one another by blood or marriage, and that Mary K. or Evaline/“Mollie” (Bell) reportedly had no surviving children by Riley Slaton, and apparently none surviving by later husband George Quinn. ^[19]

William Riley Slaton's father Uriah Slaton presumably divorced or otherwise separated from Louisa, because Uriah Slaton married Amanda Sartain in 1873, ^[20] producing at least two to four female half-siblings to Riley.

Riley apparently had a younger brother Richard Lee "Dick" Slaton, and his mother's family is two enumerations from George Pinkney Slaton, and four from Lovin U. Slaton. Information about Richard is sought.

After the incident reported as the killing of John W. Davis Sr., John W Davis Jr. was raised by the parents of Martha (Frazier) Davis, as traceable in census,^[21] and Martha started a second family with John Lee Noblett, marrying 27 Oct 1894, Marshall Co, AL. ^[22]

Bible Record

Scrawled on the first page of Riley Williams' bible is "Sartor Slater was Riley Williams real name." ^[23] The history of Riley Slaton/Williams continues: "Emma Cagle died February the 14 1877 on Wednesday. Written Dec. 29 '95 by Riley Williams Sunday . . . [last word faded ]"

COMMENT: Annis Hill identifies her as Emmaline Clarisa Dempsey Cagle, wife of John Cagle, parents of Mattie.

"Martha Bonds was marryed to Riley Williams August the 27, 1895. Williams age 29, wife 20. Written Dec. 29, 1895."

"Mary Lenor Bonds was born Dec 13 1894 died August 30 1895. Written Dec. 29, '95."

"Martha Cagle was marryed to Tom Bonds Ma 31 1891. Tom Bond died March 10, '95. Written Dec. 29, '95."

[These entries were written throughout the bible as there was no page on which to enter family information, (Hebrews 13, I John 5 & Revelation 22).] Two more entries were made somewhat later (II Peter 3 & I Corinthians 16):

"John Henry Williams was born July the 18, 1897." [COMMENT: Oklahoma school records show this as 1895, before the marriage date in the bible]

"Dellar Williams was born Feb 25 . . ." [heavily crossed out with pencil. Part of the page ripped out.]

DNA Notes

Clinton Slayton heard the “murder” story years ago from a Mr. K. Williams in Oklahoma who later moved to Scotland to study and has since settled there, pursuing scholarship as a professor. He agreed to sample his yDNA and he matched, at 37 markers, one other man named Williams, but with no one else in a large Williams DNA Project. Because K. Williams was interested in his received story about Riley Slaton, he noticed that among his nine 37-marker matches listed at zero genetic distance were six Slaton variants. Fortunately, he upgraded to 67 Y-STR markers, where five of those Slaton variants appeared in his 67-marker match list at genetic distances of one. K. Williams shows no match with anyone surnamed Williams at Y67. So far, nine tested cousins are now predicted to be from the same common Slaton ancestor as Mr. K. Williams, George Slatton/Slaten.

Among seventeen men (as of June 2023), Mr. K. Williams is among the sixteen who match at 100% at 12 markers, with only one mismatch between markers 13-37 and 100% match for markers 38-67, yielding haplogroup I-M253. We obviously need more than one sample from this line and at least one genomic level test is desired by Project administrators, but there is little doubt that this Mr. K. Williams, and theoretically, Riley Slaton aka Williams, both belong to a genetic nexus of the men from George Slatton/Slaten.

Maternal relationship to Frasiers is confirmed by a triangulated group on GEDmatch and Family Tree DNA consisting of Kelsey Jackson Williams, Carrie Nell Frasier (FTDNA and GEDmatch M588767), John Frasier (FTDNA), and Robert J. Smith (FTDNA), who of whom share 26 to 45 cM segments around the same Genomic Position on Chromosome 5. The most-recent common ancestors shared by all four are calculated to be Levi Frazier and Rhoda A. Minnix.

Sources

• Family traditions amongst the descendants of his children Jess Williams and Della Williams Farrar passed down to the profile manager's father.

1. ↑ "United States Census, 1870", database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MHKK-21V : 19 March 2020), William R Slayton in entry for Uriah Slayton, Subdivision 45, Marshall, Alabama, United States
2. ↑ "United States Census, 1870," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:S3HT-D18S-FCX?cc=1438024&wc=KPNX-BZ9%3A518661001%2C518664802%2C519606701 : 6 June 2019), Alabama > Marshall > Subdivision 45 > image 88 of 122; citing NARA microfilm publication M593 (Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.).
3. ↑ "United States Census, 1860", database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MHDL-QKT : 18 March 2020), William R Frazier in entry for Levi Frazier, Eastern Division, Marshall, Alabama, United States
4. ↑ "United States Census, 1880," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:M4VS-87S : 12 August 2017), William Slaton in household of Liuza Slaton, Beat 18 Thompson's, Marshall, Alabama, United States; citing enumeration district ED 256, sheet 239A, NARA microfilm publication T9 (Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.), FHL microfilm 1,254,024.
5. ↑ "Alabama County Marriages, 1809-1950," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:29NN-HCV : 4 November 2017), William R Slaton and Mollie Bell, 26 Jun 1886; citing Marshall, Alabama, United States, County Probate Courts, Alabama; FHL microfilm 2,400,710.
6. ↑ ^{6.0 6.1 6.2} "United States Census, 1900," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:M36L-8Y5 : accessed 17 October 2020), Wriley Williams, Independence, Hilbum & Mill Creek Townships, Madison, Arkansas, United States; citing enumeration district (ED) 65, sheet 8A, family 130, NARA microfilm publication T623 (Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, 1972.); FHL microfilm 1,240,067.
7. ↑ "Oklahoma, County Marriages, 1890-1995." Database with images. FamilySearch. "Oklahoma, County Marriages, 1890-1995," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:VR3Y-TSX : 23 March 2020), William Cagle and Vina Lawson, 12 Jan 1914; citing Oklahoma, various county courthouses, Oklahoma; FHL microfilm.
8. ↑ "Alabama County Marriages, 1809-1950," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:29NC-GJP : 4 November 2017), John W Davis and Martha J Frazier, 25 Dec 1887; citing Marshall, Alabama, United States, County Probate Courts, Alabama; FHL microfilm 1,035,277.
9. ↑ "Arkansas, County Marriages, 1837-1957," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:S3HT-69Y7-4HH?cc=1417439&wc=QDM2-4SG%3A1589732703 : 18 March 2019), 004307892 > image 177 of 727; county offices, Arkansas.
10. ↑ "Arkansas, County Marriages, 1837-1957," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:NMNL-Y2T : 9 March 2021), T J Bond, 30 May 1891; citing Marriage, Monroe, Arkansas, United States, county offices, Arkansas; FHL microfilm 1,015,020.
11. ↑ "Arkansas, County Marriages, 1837-1957," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:NMNG-4QD : 18 March 2019), Riley Williams, 27 Aug 1895; citing Marriage, Monroe, Arkansas, United States, county offices, Arkansas; FHL microfilm 1,015,021.
12. ↑ The Daily Ardmoreite, Ardmore, Oklahoma, November 26, 1908, page 1
13. ↑ Guntersville [AL] Democrat, 6 May 1909 page and column unmarked.
14. ↑ "United States Census, 1910," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MLQQ-KRT : accessed 15 October 2020), Riley Slaton, Porum, Muskogee, Oklahoma, United States; citing enumeration district (ED) ED 121, sheet 16A, family 109, NARA microfilm publication T624 (Washington D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, 1982), roll 1263; FHL microfilm 1,375,276.
15. ↑ United States Census, 1910," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MKWV-941 : accessed 15 October 2020), William R Slaton, State prison #2, Speigner, Elmore, Alabama, United States; citing enumeration district (ED) ED 81, sheet 5A, family , NARA microfilm publication T624 (Washington D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, 1982), roll 12; FHL microfilm 1,374,025. as William R Slaton - laborer working out - mar 15y
16. ↑ Find a Grave, database and images (https://www.findagrave.com : accessed 15 October 2020), memorial page for Martha “Mattie” Cagle Williams (12 Oct 1873–18 Nov 1912), Find a Grave Memorial no. 31355938, citing Briartown Cemetery, Briartown, Muskogee County, Oklahoma, USA ; Maintained by Wes T. (contributor 48190645) .
17. ↑ Muskogee County, Oklahoma Marriage Book 10, p. 94.
18. ↑ WPA Indices to Marriage Records, by County, 1814-1935, G.H. Quinn to M. C. Slaton, citing page 117 of transcription to page 211 of original index, Department of Archives and History, Montgomery, Alabama.
19. ↑ "United States Census, 1910," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MK7V-MHC : accessed 21 June 2023), Mary K Quin in household of George W Quin, Kirby, Marshall, Alabama, United States; citing enumeration district (ED) ED 107, sheet 8A, family 137, NARA microfilm publication T624 (Washington D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, 1982), roll 25; FHL microfilm 1,374,038.
20. ↑ "Alabama County Marriages, 1809-1950," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:29NN-DZT : 4 November 2017), Uriah Slaton and Amanda C Sartin, 07 Nov 1873; citing Marshall, Alabama, United States, County Probate Courts, Alabama; FHL microfilm 2,400,710.
21. ↑ "United States Census, 1900," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:M9D6-LXH : accessed 15 October 2020), John W Davis in household of Lee C Frazier, Precinct 5 Jay Bird, Marshall, Alabama, United States; citing enumeration district (ED) 84, sheet 2B, family 35, NARA microfilm publication T623 (Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, 1972.); FHL microfilm 1,240,030.
22. ↑ "United States Census, 1900," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:M9D6-V8C : accessed 15 October 2020), John W Davis in household of John L Noblet, Precinct 5 Jay Bird, Marshall, Alabama, United States; citing enumeration district (ED) 84, sheet 5B, family 85, NARA microfilm publication T623 (Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, 1972.); FHL microfilm 1,240,030.
23. ↑ Bible of Riley Williams (Oxford: the University Press for the British & Foreign Bible Society, 1866), p. 1; currently in the possession of Kelsey J. Williams.