Major Slaton (bef. 1756 - abt. 1807)

Descendants

Died about 5 Apr 1807 after about age 51 in South Carolina, United States

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Preface

The identification of the man at this profile with the 1771 Rowan/Surry tax record is speculative, but the distinctive given name is a strong binding factor, and the ramifications from the man at this entry are based on citeable records shown in Research Notes. Here are some of many "red flags" for genealogists to ponder.

Flag one: publications from one author, appearing in the Family History Library, purport to show a father, a full birth date, and a location of Fredericksville parish, Albemarle County Virginia for this man. Since the American Civil War and up to the time of this writing, no such parish records have been found, much less transcribed for posterity, although some vestry records survive. Please do not "contribute" any such ancestral information to this profile unless you have visually inspected actual records, whether citeable online or not. Do not enter contributions based on Ancestry.com Thru-Lines, or FamilySearch PIDs. Many reputable researchers along this lineage were fooled by the seemingly plausible citations in the books of William John Slayton Jr. and copied these into their files, without noticing that there were no verifying citations explaining these details.

Flag two: The profile creator has chosen one among many surname variations. Census records and living descendants indicate Slatton, Slatten, Slaten and Slayton were and are used by descendants or their clerical recorders. For this reason, it is possible (virtually inevitable) that many duplicates along these lines will be unintentionally created on WikiTree, as there is no "correct" way to define this lineage by a single surname.

Biography

This profile is part of the Slaton Name Study.

An earlier ancestor for this man at the time of writing is unknown. Major's first documented appearance (so far) occurs as "Mager Slaten" in a 1771 Surry County, North Carolina tithe-petition alongside a George, John, and William Slaten. ^[1] All of that land is in present-day Stokes County. His North Carolina presence is verified on North Carolina tax lists in 1772, ^[2] 1774, 1784, and the State Census in 1786, ^[3] In 1782, it is likely that William Mullins represents Major's land, but this is not clear; George Slatten and John Slatten are on the same page as Mullins. ^[4]

It is most unclear as to how long he resided on his North Carolina land, because while he paid North Carolina taxes, he served in a South Carolina unit in 1783 and received land there in 1784, the same year his North Carolina land was filed as assigned to William Mullins. ^[5] He clearly moved in later life to a site called Golden Grove in South Carolina between the lands of George Slatton in Anderson County and John Slatton in Greenville County.

Major mustered in as a private with the Third Company of the South Carolina Continental Line from 19 March 1783 with a muster card for 14 May 1783. The company was commanded by Captain Simeon Theus and part of the Colonel Wade Hampton's First Regiment of the South Carolina State Dragoons, a mounted infantry (also designated as cavalry) in the Continental Army. ^[6] Records for this regiment are scarce, but Major's indented certificate stub mentions six months of service in 1783, for which he received an interest-bearing credit for nine pounds, six shillings, and six pence in 1785. Major elected to hold the indent until 1788, when he received the principal plus multiple years worth of interest at 13 shillings per annum. The General Assembly of South Carolina passed a resolution in 1791 that resulted in a second indent for Major, totaling 62 pounds, 13 shillings, and 3 pence "being the Amount of Pay balance of Bounty and Extra Allowance due him for Duty in Col. Wade Hampton's Regiment of Cavalry." ^[7]

He received a 200-acre bounty "on the Toogaloo River" in the Ninety-Six District of South Carolina in 1784. ^{[8] [9]} That same year he entered fifty acres back in Surry County North Carolina adjoining John Slatton's land, which he later assigned to William Mullins. ^[5]

The State Census of North Carolina 1784-87, Surry County, shows a 1786 list for "Inhabitants of Blackburn's district," with:
George Slatton with 1 male 21 to 60, 5 males under 21 and above 60, and 4 white females in his household, with no "blacks".
Major Slatton with 1 white male 21 to 60 and 1 white female, with no "blacks".
John Slatton had 1 white male 21 to 60, 4 white males under 21 or over 60, and 5 females, with no "blacks".
These links are based on the idea that these are the same men on the 1771 tithe list, which is a conjecture. The State Census as tax lists are found in a transcribed source that is accurate for these entries when compared to manuscript. ^[3]

Major retained the land on the Tugaloo until 1794, ^[10] but his enumeration in Greenville County South Carolina during the 1790 Census suggests that he resided in a more central location in South Carolina. In addition to Major, the household included two males under 16 years of age, and two white females, implying but not proving three children. ^[11] Enumerated on the next line is Abram Slaton (bef.1775-) , whose household shows one male over 16. It can be conjectured that this might be an Abraham Slatten found in pre-1764 Albemarle County Virginia court records, but there is not enough data to make such a connection. It should be noted that Major had a son named Ambrose. See Research Notes.

By 1795, all of Major's Surry County land that had been assigned to William Mullins had since been granted by Alexander Martin to his nephew Thomas Rogers. ^[12] Martin claimed that the Slatons had brought suit but then dropped it, saying that all parties agreed that their lands "beginning near the Mouth of Seven Island Creek in the North side of Dan River running up the river to the Mouth of Buck Island Creek including the Improvements of John Slatten William Mullins and George Slatten" were to be left out of Martin's survey, but Martin never submitted the amended survey, and the aforementioned lands were specifically included in the transfer. Martin implied that the "supposed Poverty" of some of these men either prevented them from improving the land or properly processing their title. ^[13] This workspace provides analysis:

• Alexander_Martin_deposition_1804

Major Slatton is mentioned as a debtor in the estate of John White of Greenville County in 1797,^[14] as was George Slatton, and Mayjour Slatton is listed in Greenville as the head of a nine-person household in the 1800 Census with five younger males (four under 10 and two 10-16) and two younger females (under 10) along with Major and presumed wife. ^[15] In 1804 Major Slaton purchased Greenville County land on Golden Grove Creek, south of John Slatton and near George Slatton and George's son William Slatton. ^{[16] [17]}

Major died on April 5th, 1807,^[18] and Edy Slaton obtained letters to administer his estate from Greenville County Court on 22 March 1808, ^[19] and his estate was distributed between his wife Edy and legatees: Ambrose Slaton, Lois Sutherland, Hezekiah Slaton, Larkin Slaton, Zilphy Jennings, Lettie Graham and Orphy Slaton, and his land, apparently 200 acres, is described as being on the Middle Fork, Saluda River, bounded by Alfred Waldrop and Jeremiah Cleveland. ^[20]

Estate sale

Note that some but not all of the legatees are parties to the sale of lands they inherited nearly 20 years after his death, and all are mentioned in a sale more than 30 years after his death.

Greenville District Book Q March 2 1827 ^[21]
p247 The State of South Carolina Greenville District Know all by these presents that we George Southerlin & Lois Southerlin his wife of the said George Southerlin, Larkin Slatton and Hezekiah Slatton heirs at law and legal representatives of Major Slatton late of the district and state aforesaid deceased for and in conside [page 248] ration of the sum of sixty dollars thirty dollars to George Southerlin and wife Ten dollars to Larkin Slatton and twenty dollars to Hezekiah Slatton the receipt of which sums we and each of us respectively acknowledge Have bargained sold released and conveyed and by these presents do bargain sell release and convey unto Isaac Ford of the district and state aforesaid from whom we received the said several sums of money all our right title interest and estate of inheritance to which we are entitled to in the real estate of our late father Major Slatton deceased containing one hundred acres [more or less] and being three shares three of equal to one half these being the legatees, situated lying and being in the district of Greenville aforesaid on the north side of the Middle fork of Saluda river bounded by Mayfield tract, together with all such singular the rights members herediments and appertenances to the said undivided shares belonging incident or appertaining to the said Isaac Ford and his heirs forever ... 2nd March 1827
[recorded Jan 1830] George Southerln, Lois Southerlin, Larkin X Slatton
Witness Thomas MCarell, Matilda Southerlin John Spriggs Dennis Batson
Personally appeared John Spriggs [that the said] Larkin Slatton sign seal and acknowledge the within [&] Dennis Batson was a subscribing witness [sworn to 7th Jan 1830]

NOTE: son Ambrose is not mentioned in this sale.

The State of South Carolina To Larkin Slaton, Ambrose Slaton, Louis [sic Lois] Southerlan, Zilphy Jennings, Hezekiah Slaton, & Letty Graham legal heirs and representatives of Major Slaton who died intestate and also next of kin to Orphy Slaton dec'd who was a joint heir with the above named heirs to the Estate of the said deceased Greeting: You are hereby required to appear at the Court of Ordinary to be holden at Greenville Court house for Greenville district on the first day of January next to show Cause if any you can why the real Estate of Major Slaton lies Situate in said district on the Middle Fork of the Saluda River bounded by land of Alfred Waldrop and Jeremiah Cleveland Containing One hundred acres more or less originally granted (supposed) to Wood Should not be divided or sold allowing to each of the above named heirs viz Larkin Slaton, Ambrose Slaton, Louis [sic Lois] Southerlan, Zilphy Jennings, Hezekiah Slaton,& Letty Graham one seventh part which will bear the remaining one seventh part to be equally divided among the above named heirs. Given under my hand and seal this 30[th] day of October 1837 Geo Matson (or Watson).
COMMENT: Lois received in full of legatee's part on 15 January 1826 by Hezekiah Slatten, Lois had renounced her dower in 1829, this represents the "other half" of the land sold earlier.^[22]

Greenville, South Carolina Register Mesne Conveyance Deed Book S, 1835-39, p. 371, edited for clarity: Bartholomew X Wood
Deed of Partition, March 10, 1838, Where a summons to Partition to divide and sell a certain tract of land, herein described of the estate of Major Slaton, late of Greenville District, deceased, issued from the Court of Ordinary of said District and upon the return thereof to Judge of said Court, did determine that the said land could not be divided without injury to the interest of the parties and did order the same to be sold by the Sheriff of said District on the credit of 12 months---this indenture [between John Watson, Ordinary and Captain Jeremiah Cleveland] witnesseth that in the consideration of the sum of $60.00 to me paid, I have: granted, bargained and sold and released unto the said Jeremiah Cleveland forever, all that tract of land situated in said district on the middle fork of the Saluda river containing 100 acres bounded by Alfred Waldrop and the said Cleveland, originally granted to [blank] Wood...
Signed John Watson, Ordinary GD.
Witness, Barrett F Cleveland & Ezra Cleveland before John Watson, JQ? Ex. Off. Recorded March 10, 1838. ^[23]

NOTE: These documents suggest that half of the total estate (100 acres) was in legal limbo until thirty years after the decease of Major Slaton.

Research Notes

It is obvious from land records seen in Research Notes that lands of John Slaten, George Slaten, and Major Slaten were within a circle of less than a few miles in North Carolina and less than fifty miles in South Carolina.

He appears to have owned no enslaved people in 1790 or 1800 or at his death. "The "appraisement & sale of the estate of Major Slaton returned into office this 5th of April, 1808." ^[19]

1808 - 18 Feb 1812 - John Sammon will: this Greenville will for John Sammon in 1808, witnessed 18 February 1812, is cited here because he mentions a tract of land he "bot of Slaton" without fully naming the seller, so this could apply to the man at this profile. ^[24] He mentions lands shown in the Grantee Index as bought from Wm Tinsley (1805, Book G 384, 20 acres), Elijah Gorman (1799, Book E page 222, 29 acres), and James Brock (1799, Book E page 246 150 acres) all on Reedy River, but no Slaton is found there.

• Birth Date - Major's appearance in a 1771 tithe-list indicates that he was of age at the time, suggesting a birth year of 1756 or earlier.

• Issue - based on the census records and estate, five sons are possible, but three are named in his estate, and it is likely that the younger females in census are the among the four females named in the estate. The names are: Ambrose, Lois, Hezekiah, Larkin, Zilphy, Lettie and Orphy Slaton, but descendants of Hezekiah in Indiana used Slatton, as did surmised or proven descendants of Ambrose and Larkin. His estate names no heirs as John, George, William, Major, Haden or Abram. Only three of five younger males in his 1800 household are accounted for in the 1807 estate: Hezekiah, Ambrose and Larkin, but two more females are added. Daughters are surmised as Lois Sutherland, Zilphy Jennings, Letty Graham and Orphy Slaton among the seven distributees. Had sons predeceased him, been disinherited, or were these younger men not sons at all? Had two daughters been born to this couple after 1800? Or had two daughters been misrecorded as males in 1800?

• Ambrose - The district captain in 1786 Surry North Carolina for lands of John Slaten, George Slaten, and Major Slaten was Ambrose Blackburn, raising the question: is this the source of the popularity of this given name in Greenville, South Carolina, considering that it is suspected that Ambrose Blackburn's father of the same name is thought to have relocated from Surry (the section now divided to Stokes) North Carolina to Greenville, ? Another possibility is that Edy, Major's wife was a daughter of an Ambrose Gaines who lived near John Slatton, 12 April 1787. ^[25] and Major's son was named for him.

• Abram - Abram Slaton, aged 16 or older, was enumerated directly below Major in Greenville County, South Carolina in 1790. All we know about Abram is that he was born before 1775. Who is this Abram Slaton? It would be a standard genealogical assumption that these men are related. Is he a son who predeceased his father? Or a father enumerated on the line below his son? The possibility that this is a botched entry for a son Ambrose has been mooted.

Abraham Slatten was in 1762 Albemarle Co. Virginia debt lists along with a John Slatten.^[26] but no clear record of family for him is yet citeable, nor for another man in that county, William Sladen, mentioned in a 1766 document in Albemarle, Virginia filed and witnessed by John Sladen/Slatton. There is certainly no basis for this William as an ancestor for Major Slaton, an early conjecture made by Clinton Slayton in the 1980s. This has regrettably been copied-and-merged by others who did not follow later RootsWeb updates expressing that this should have never been taken as a proven connection. There might be a connection, but there is no family or marriage known for either man: a family for either William or Abraham would be entirely speculative in the absence of a proving record.

Research Needs

Daughters Zilphy (mar Jennings), Letty (mar Graham), and Orphy are not parties to the 1827 sale of Major's land, and have proven elusive to track

Genetic clues, and John and George

As of December 2023, two now-deceased men paper-trailed back to Major Slaton share yDNA haplotype I-M253 with over 15 men paper-trailed to George Slaten or John Slatton, all probably sharing a common male ancestor because of highly matching Y-STR and SNP values, according to yDNA theory. A sampler suspected from this lineage is sought for Y genomic testing for a more recent terminal SNP, as the now-deceased descendant men tested only for Y-STR. ^[27]

Sources

1. ↑ State Archives of North Carolina, Raleigh, ‘Returns of tithes by John Deatherage for settlement on Great Double, Snow, Peter's and Elk Creek,’ also transcribed by Jo White Linn, Rowan County North Carolina Tax Lists 1757-1800: Annotated Transcriptions¸ (Salisbury N.C.: J. W. Linn, 1995), but the originals are open to different interpretations.
2. ↑ Surry, North Carolina, United States records, Aug 4, 2018," images, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3QS7-898Q-C227?view=explore : Mar 3, 2024), image 597 of 700.
3. ↑ ^{3.0 3.1} "Philadelphia, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States Records," images, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3Q9M-CSDT-Z9T9-2 : June 26, 2023), image 439 of 641; Egenes, Elaine (Mildred Elaine), Morais, Henry Samuel, Register, Alvaretta K. (Alvaretta Kenan), 1907-1985, Sutherland, James Logan, 1904- citing Register, Alvaretta K. State census of North Carolina, 1784-1787 : from records in the North Carolina Department of Archives and History 1972.
4. ↑ "Surry, North Carolina, United States records, Aug 4, 2018," images, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3QSQ-G98Q-CVTM?view=explore : Mar 3, 2024), image 691 of 700.
5. ↑ ^{5.0 5.1} “North Carolina, Land Grant Files 1693-1960,” database, Ancestry.com (http://www.ancestry.com : accessed January 17, 2018), File No. 1141, issued 18 May 1789, entered 26 May 1784 citing Joseph Winston His Entry Book No. 1912.
6. ↑ Muster Roll of the Third Company South Carolina Line, NARA Title - Revolutionary War Rolls, Compiled 1894 - 1913; Publication Title - Revolutionary War Rolls, 1775-1783; Publication Number M246; Folder 8; accessed online at Fold3.com on 11 December 2021, digital copy in the possession of Wesley Miller (2021).
7. ↑ Accounts Audited of Claims Growing Out of the Revolution (S108092), South Carolina, Major Slaton, File No. 7077, No. 179 Book X and No. 70 Book A, accessed online at http://www.archivesindex.sc.gov/ on 11 December 2021, digital copy in the possession of Wesley Miller (2021).
8. ↑ South Carolina, State Grants of South Carolina (Revolutionary War Bounty Grants), South Carolina Department of Archives and History, Columbia, 2: 60.
9. ↑ Index to South Carolina Plats, South Carolina Department of Archives and History, Columbia, S.C. 13: 256. 21 June 1784, 200 acres.
10. ↑ Greenville District South Carolina Deed Book B: 373. Eighteenth Day of November [1794] “Between Major Slaton of the Greenville County and state of South Carolina of the one part and William Cleveland of Pendleton County and state aforesaid of the other part. Witnesseth that the said Major Slaten in consideration of One Hundred pounds sterling . . . doth grant bargain & sell unto William Cleveland a tract of land situate lying and being in [illegible] County and Washington District on Toogalo River in the state aforesaid, containing two hundred acres. . . .”
11. ↑ "United States Census, 1790," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:XHKN-QDR : accessed 14 December 2021), Major Slaton, Greenville, South Carolina, United States; citing p. 105, NARA microfilm publication M637, (Washington D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.), roll 11; FHL microfilm 568,151.
12. ↑ State Archives of North Carolina, Raleigh, Stokes County Land Grant No. 27, Martin to Rogers Transfer, “including the improvements of John Slaton, William Mullen, & George Slaton for complement being the said Martin claim purchased from James Lankford.”
13. ↑ Salisbury District North Carolina, March 19 1804, deposition of Alexander Martin on complaint of Jonathan Haynes.
14. ↑ "South Carolina Probate Records, Files and Loose Papers, 1732-1964," images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:939L-FZ19-5?cc=1911928&wc=MPP6-K68%3A190568401%2C190568402%2C190568403%2C190638401 : 21 May 2014), Greenville > Probate Court, Probate records > 1787-1868 > Files 07-08, Nos. 421-595 > image 394 of 587; county courthouses, South Carolina, and South Carolina Department of Archives and History, Columbia.
15. ↑ "United States Census, 1800," database with images, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:XHRH-YRX : accessed 14 December 2021), Mayjour Slatton, Greenville, South Carolina, United States; citing p. 249, NARA microfilm publication M32, (Washington D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.), roll 47; FHL microfilm 181,422.
16. ↑ Greenville District South Carolina Deed Book G: 248-249, December 2, 1804 “Know all men by these presents that I John Ware of Livingston County in Kentucky for . . . the sum of one hundred pounds sterling money to me in hand paid by Major Slaton of the state and district aforesaid [Greenville] have granted bargained sold [and] release unto Major Slaton a certain tract of land lying in the north east side of the Golden Grove Creek. . . .”
17. ↑ Pendleton County South Carolina Deed Book L:.117, #1125, Oct. 4, 1810 [abstract] John Hamilton (Pendleton Dist) to William Slaten (same); for $500, sold 182 acres on Saluda River at a place called Hurricane Shoals, recorded March 26, 1811.
18. ↑ Greenville District, South Carolina Court Records, 25 March 1808, transcribed by Clinton Slayton.
19. ↑ ^{19.0 19.1} "South Carolina Probate Records, Bound Volumes, 1671-1977," images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:939L-JDSC-FQ?cc=1919417&wc=M6NW-HP8%3A210902701%2C210941401 : 21 May 2014), Greenville > Wills book, 1787-1820, Vol. A > image 190 of 193; citing Department of Archives and History, Columbia.
20. ↑ "South Carolina Probate Records, Files and Loose Papers, 1732-1964," images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:939L-FZ9M-GN?cc=1911928&wc=MPP6-K68%3A190568401%2C190568402%2C190568403%2C190638401 : 21 May 2014), Major Slaton Loose Probate Papers, File 7, No. 425, Greenville > Probate Court, Probate records > 1787-1868 > image 17 of 587; county courthouses, South Carolina, and South Carolina Department of Archives and History, Columbia.
21. ↑ "Greenville, South Carolina, United States records," images, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3Q9M-CSLV-59TK-K?view=explore : Mar 27, 2024), image 139 of 851; .
22. ↑ "South Carolina Probate Records, Files and Loose Papers, 1732-1964," images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:939L-FZ9M-99?cc=1911928&wc=MPP6-K68%3A190568401%2C190568402%2C190568403%2C190638401 : 21 May 2014), Greenville > Probate Court, Probate records > 1787-1868 > Files 07-08, Nos. 421-595 > image 23 of 587; county courthouses, South Carolina, and South Carolina Department of Archives and History, Columbia.
23. ↑ "Greenville, South Carolina, United States records, Aug 6, 2018," images, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3Q9M-CSLV-59TT-Y?view=explore : Dec 23, 2023), image 792 of 851; Greenville County (South Carolina). Register of Mesne Conveyance.
24. ↑ "South Carolina Probate Records, Bound Volumes, 1671-1977," images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:939L-JDSZ-J3?cc=1919417&wc=M6NW-HP8%3A210902701%2C210941401 : 21 May 2014), Greenville > Wills book, 1787-1820, Vol. A > image 115 of 193; citing Department of Archives and History, Columbia.
25. ↑ "Surry, North Carolina, United States records," images, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3QS7-898Q-C2JV?view=explore : Mar 27, 2024), image 458 of 700; .
26. ↑ Albemarle County Virginia Deed Book 3: 218-222, July 23 1762, David Lewis sues over one hundred debtors for collection, including Abra: Slatten and John Slatten.
27. ↑ Slaton Slatton Slayden DNA Project, online at https://www.familytreedna.com/public/SSSFP_YDNA?iframe=yresults