Children of
Roswell and Esther Slack
of Lake Pleasant and Wells

Prepared Mar 14, 2000

If you have information on any of these families, or descend from any of them, please contact me:

Mary Slack Maynard
P. O. Box 265
Palm Harbor, FL 34684

Barbara Slack

Barbara Slack married Alden Lowden, born about 1803, before August 31, 1826, when they were named on a deed. Different records show the different spellings of the name, Louden and Lowden are used.

According to The History of Hamilton County¹, Alden Lowden was a shingle maker in Lake Pleasant. He was a voter in the November 4, 1839 election and in 1845 he was one of commissioners of highway for the town of Lake Pleasant. In 1847 Alden Lowden had 4 children in school, Rachel would have been 11, Sarah 9, Jane 6 and Rhoda 4 or 5. There were probably older children as there were two females under 5 recorded in the 1830 census.

Alden Lowden, age 45, was a guide at the Satterlee House. In 1850 he was aged 47 and engaged in hunting and fishing. In 1859 Alden's name is listed in account book for Sageville (the early name for Lake Pleasant).

The information about the children of Barbara Slack and Alden Lowden comes from the census records and from descendants of Nathan Slack.
 

1. Rachel, born about 1835
2. Sarah, born about 1838
3. Jane A. born about 1841
4. Rhoda, born April 1842/1843.

She may be the Rhoda who married George Washington Craig. Rhoda age 28, George E. age 8, Matilda age 6, William W. age 3, and Moses age two months are listed in the 1870 census of Wells, Hamilton County, NY in the household of George W. Craig. Craig was age 30, a voter with real estate valued at $150 and a personal estate of $200.

The 1880 census of Wells lists George Craig, 41, a farmer, wife Rhoda, age 39, and children George A. age 18, William W. age 13, Moses H. age 10, Perry I. age 7, Robert age 4, David age two months, born in March. All were born in NY.The 1900 census of Wells lists George Craig born Dec 1839, Rhoda, wife born April 1842, who had 11 children, 9 of whom were living, and Perry I. born Feb 1873, David D. born Mar 1880, Fred born June 1882, and Mary R. born July 1885.

The children of Rhoda and George were:
 

1. George A/E born 1862
2. Matilda born 1864, died or married before 1880
3. William W born 1867
4. Moses H born Apr 1870
5. Perry L born Feb 1873
6. Robert born 1876
7. David D born Mar 1880 Fred born Jun 1882 Mary R born July 1885
8. and two other children since Rhoda listed she'd had eleven children

 
5. Nancy E., born about 1845
6. Ida S., born about 1858.

Sources

• "The History of Hamilton County," by Ted Aber and Stella King, Great Wilderness Books, 1965
• Microfilm of census transcripts

Nathan Slack

Nathan Slack married Samantha Dunning, daughter of Shadrack and Mary Nichols Dunning. So far, we do not have a marriage date. Samantha was born December 17, 1812 in Lake Pleasant, Hamilton County, New York and died March 28, 1878 in Speculator. Nathan and Samantha are, buried in Speculator Cemetery. According to one of her granddaughters she had stomach problems and could not eat sweets.

According to various sources ^1,2,3, Nathan lived on Page Street in the Town of Lake Pleasant beginning in 1837. He owned land in Lots 20, 21 and 22, living on 50 acres in Lot 20, Township. 2, near the head of Echo Lake. Helen Slack York, his granddaughter, lived at the foot of the hill in sight of the "Old Homestead." Nathan's son Benajah (Helen's father) and his

family lived on the "homestead." Benajah rebuilt part of the original house, and in doing so moved part of the foundation.

Nathan was at one time employed by A. K. Morehouse to clear land near Piseco. He was constable in 1839 and overseer of Road District 5 in 1842. He was a registered voter in 1839 and in the 1850 census was listed as a shinglemaker with his sons Edward and Roswell. In 1880 Nathan was living with his son Roswell. Nathan's mother, Esther J. Slack, was living with him in 1850 and 1860.

As for the children of Nathan and Samantha, granddaughter Helen Slack York said that there was a daughter Ella who was younger than Benajah and Lyman. She was sure that Ella died before she [Helen] was born [1898]. There was no Ella listed in family Bible however. Nor is there a Charlotte. Another granddaughter, Mabel Charlotte Slack Craig Earley, said she was named after an Aunt Charlotte. I wonder if she confused the Aunt Charlotte with Sharlot Nichols wife of Peter Weaver--Peter's second wife was Carrie Slack, daughter of Mabel's Uncle Roswell.

According to the Bible and census records, the children of Nathan and Samantha were:
 

1. Edward, born April 28, 1831 in Speculator, NY.  The Bible of SRE Slack Brown, his youngest sister, gives birth as April 28, while other information gives the 23^rd. Edward died January 11, 1902 in Speculator at his brother Henry's house and is buried in Speculator Cemetery. The grave stone gives his age as 60.

   Edward married Sophronia Morrison before September 1, 1851 when they are listed on a deed. Based on stories the county historian told me about intermarriage in the area, I would not have been surprised to learn that Sophronia and Edward were cousins. There is no indication of a relationship between these families unless Nancy, her mother, was a Slack. This will need more research.

   The 1850 census of Hamilton County shows Edward as a shingle maker. In the 1860 census of Lake Pleasant, Edward age 28, and Sophronia 24, had George L 3, Mary I 1. In the 1870 census of Lake Pleasant Edward 39, and Sophrony age 36, had Leroy 13, Mary E 11, William 9, Harriet 8, Laius/Loris (male) 4, Lewis, and Netta age 2/12. These names were difficult to read.

   According to the 1880 of Wells, house 70 of census, Edward couldn't read or write, Siphrona's age is listed as 46. They had William 18, Lewis 13, Ozern 11, Charry 9, and Nettie 6.

   The 1900 census shows Edward in house of Samantha & Joseph S Brown, his sister and her husband, as a boarder, age 69, widowed.

   My notes show that Edward served in the Civil War with either the 192nd Regt, Co. D or the 173 NYV (and he could have served with both). The Ancestry.com, Civil War Research Database, shows an Edward Slack who enlisted on September 1, 1864 at Lake Pleasant, NY, as a private, age 33. Enlisted 142nd Inf Reg, NY, source New York: Report of the Adjutant-General, Abbreviation: NY Roster, Published on 1894-1906. According to great nieces, he lost leg.

   Edward had a vineyard in Middlesex, NY according to Mabel and Helen. He apparently left his children to manage it and came back to Hamilton County after Sophronia died. There is very little information on the children of Edward except for Chary--Marian Spencer rememberds Chary Danforth, a cousin of her mother's who lived on East Pond. Chary had snow white hair and was very beautiful, Marian remembered. We guess this was Chary Slack--however there is a Chary Slack listed on the Yates County, NY web site. This needs more investigation.

   Debbi Ricci, a descendant of Edward, found a number of Slacks listed in the Vital Records of Yates Co.
    

2. Roswell, called "Ros," was born July 26, 1832 in Speculator. He died January 1 1909. Ros lived on Page Hill and married Melinda "Linda" Tubbs about 1854.
    
3. Esther Jane (she used the name "Jane"), was born in Speculator on April 15, 1834. She died January 21, 1907 and is buried in St. Cecelia's Cemetery, part of Warrensburg Cemetery, Warrensburg, NY, where there is also a marker for her husband Joseph C Tubbs, who she married on February 2. 1851. Joseph, who was the son of Ira and Phebe Clinton Tubbs, died in a military hospital in Virginia, leaving Jane with five young children. Jane may have married Cyrus Dunham of Piseco and had other children. Some family members were not familiar with her, others said they remember hearing about her. Cyrus Dunham of Arietta was in the Civil War, 4th NY Hg Art. This needs more research.
    
4. Mary, who was called "Polly" as a child, was born September 26, 1836 in Speculator. She died January 18, 1892. Mary married William Gordon "Bill" Page about 1859. They lived at the foot of the hill near the old homestead where Helen Slack York later lived.

   The 1860 census shows them in the household of Henry R. Page, with no children.

   According to the 1870 census Bill had real estate valued at $300, personal estate $175. Children Lillian E, 10, in school, Ida N, age 5 in school, Jullian (male) age 1 were listed.  

   The 1880 census of Lake Pleasant, house 9, shows children William A, 7, Edith, 15. Aunt Abigail  

   Page, age 83, single, was living with Mary and Bill. In 1905 Mary was living with son William A.
    

5. Mercy Ann was born July 22 1839 according to the Bible of SRE Slack Brown. She does not appear to be listed in the 1840 census and probably died as an infant.
    
6. Caroline, born October 28, 1840 in Speculator, NY and died May 13, 1893. She never married and was listed as a teacher in the 1860 and the 1870 census.
    
7. Sarah was born April 31, 1842 in Speculator and died September 2 or 3, 1916. She is buried in Speculator Cemetery. Sarah married Benajah Page about 1859.  According to the 1900 census, she had 10 children, 9 were living.
    
8. William Thornton was born October 24, 1845 in Speculator, NY. Other sources give his birth date as Oct 24, 1844, and 1843 (grave stone). The Bible (SRE Slack Brown Bible) says 1845. He is buried in Speculator Cemetery. The grave stone says he died in 1920, but 1906 and 1922 are seen in different sources. He married Julia E Brown about 1868.  William is listed as a landowner in Newton's Corners in 1879.
    
9. George Washington, born March 3, 1847 according to the Bible. He died Aug 20 1906. George married Lydia Lucinda Brown between 1870 and 1880.
    
10. Henry Burton, born March 2, 1849 according to the Bible. He died September 4, 1916 and is buried in Speculator Cemetery. He married Mary Augusta Sturges on July 4, 1871.  Henry was a farmer, age 22 in the 1870 census. He built a store, and was postmaster from June 15, 1889 to- Aug 26, 1893. His son Robert was a clerk in the store.
     
11. Benajah Oscar (the compiler's great grandfather), was born March 1, 1851, according to the Bible. He died February 17, 1924 in Lake Pleasant and is buried in Speculator Cemetery. He married Jane Elizabeth "Jennie" Aird on September 14, 1884, according to their Bible.
     
12. Lyman Holmes, known as "Lym," was born August 17, 1852 in Speculator, NY. He died in Speculator on May 12 1916 and is buried in Speculator Cemetery. He married Inez/Annis Wilbur about 1879.
     
13. Samantha Rosina Elizabeth, called "Libb" was born April 27, 1858 in Speculator, NY. She died September 16, 1932 in Speculator, and is buried in Speculator Cemetery.  She married Joseph Sylvester "Vet" Brown about 1877.
     

Sources

1. Amy Earley.
2. Old records, Lake Pleasant, Hamilton Co., NY.
3. Conversations with descendants.
4. birth year from Colorado Genealogist.
5. Grave stone, my research.
6. Debbie Ricci.
7. Web site http://msn.homepages.talkcity.com/terminis/rmtubbs/tubbspage.htm.
8. Lake Pleasant town records.
9. Bible of Samantha Slack Brown, in 1977 in the possession of Helen York, Speculator, NY. I don't know what became of it after Helen passed away.

More on this line later
 

Eliza Slack

Eliza Slack married David Stephen Fountain about 1830. David was born Sepember 10, 1809, based on his death date, in Wells, Hamilton County, NY, the son of Benjamin Fountain and his wife Nancy or Ann See. David died on March 5/6, 1900 age 91 years, 6 mo, 25 days¹ and is buried in the Wells Cemetery, next to the Methodist Church. David was a farmer.

David Fountain was the head of a household in the 1830 Census for Wells, with 1 male 20 - 30, 1 female 20 - 30. There is a deed dated Nov 1, 1830 in which David and Eliza Fountain sell property in the Sacandaga Patent

The 1840 census, of Lake Pleasant lists 1 male under 5, 1 male 30 - 40, 1 female under 5, 2 females 5 - 10 and 1 female 10 - 40. The 1850 census of Lake pleasant shows David S, a farmer, 41, Elizabeth 40, Eliza Jane 15, Melinda 13, Henry 11, Martin 8, Laura 6, Joseph 3, and Abram 11 months, all born in New York.

The 1860 census of Wells shows David S, 51, a farmer with real estate of $350 and a personal estate of $300, Elizabeth 51, Malinda 23, a domestic, Daniel H 20, performing farm labor [this was probably David Henry], Martin F 19, performing farm labor, Laura B 15, a domestic, Joseph N 12, and William 8, all born NY

I did not find the Fountains in the 1870 census of Wells. The 1880 census of Wells lists David S Fountain, 70, a farmer, Elizabeth 71, his wife, William S 27, his son, and John Satterlee 13, his nephew, all born NY as well as their parents.

David and Eliza Slack Fountain had the following descendants:
 

1. Susan Mahala, known as Mahala, born 1831 in NY. She died in 1893. In the 1870 and 1880 census of Lake Pleasant she was a housekeeper in household of David Sturges, She was also housekeeper for David Sturges at his hotel
    
2. Elizabeth or Eliza Jane, born 1835. Is she the one who married Jacob Adams and had Albert Wright who married Nov 25, 1896, age 32 Pruella Hendley Abrams, age 25?
    
3. Melinda, born 1838 or 1837. Cheryl Koopman, a descendant of Eliza, says 1837.
    
4. David Henry , known as Dave Hen, born Dec 16 1839 in Fulton County, NY. He died Oct 3, 1918 in Wells, NY and is buried in Wells Cemetery, Wells. He married Sarah Alvina Sturges, daughter of Aaron Burr Sturges and Charity Squire, and sister of David Sturges, on November 28, 1863. Their children were
    
   1. Lee Leroy, born June 22, 1869 and married Olive E Lawrence in 1895
   2. Dexter Burr, born Jun 14 1873
   3. Russell Harrold, born May 14 1876 in Wells, NY, died in Fortuna, CA. He married Florence Estelle Simons on Nov 10, 1902
   4. David Sturges, born September 8, 1879 in Wells, NY and died Nov 15, 1965 in Gloversville, Fulton County, NY. He is buried in Prospect Hill Cemetery, Northville. He married Daisy Ann Wood on Nov 26, 1902.
   
    
5. Martin, born February 1842 in Wells and died June 11, 1913 in Wells. Some records show birth dates of 1841 and 1844. He is buried in Wells Cemetery, Wells, Hamilton, NY. His age at death, per records found by Lois Mogren, was 71 years 4 mo. If he died in 1913 at age 71 birth would have been 1842. Different records show his middle initial as F, H and T. Martin was a carpenter, 1860 census, personal estate $75, born Wells, age 37. In 1900 census Martin is the head of a household, married 18 years, born Feb 1844, no family members, just housekeeper listed.
    
6. Laura B., born November 22, 1844 and died March 3, 1922 and is buried in the Hope Cemetery, Town of Hope, Hamilton County, NY. She married John D Scribner in 1865. Laura and John had:
    
   1. Elizabeth born 1868
   2. Wallace born April 1874
   3. John C. born between 1876 and 1878
   4. Charles A. born June 1880 and died 1958. He is buried in Hope Cemetery, Town of Hope, NY
   5. Mary B. born Nov 1883 in Hope, NY, died November 6, 1918 in Northville, Fulton Co, NY. She married Pearl Van Every on Dec 17, 1906
   6. Russell E. born February 1889. He married Amy Slack, daughter of Lyman H. and Inez Wilbur Slack.
   7. Laura (she has not been proven, this is supposition)
   
    
7. Joseph N., born 1847/1848
    
8. Abram, born May 1850
    
9. William L. "Billy," born June 1852/1853 in Wells, NY. He married Henrietta E. "Hattie" Nichols, daughter of Joseph Franklin and Almira Wilbur Nichols on August 6, 1884. Billy was a farmer. As for his middle initial, records show it as L and as S. The birth records of children Ector and Florence show L³. Billy and Hattie had:
    
   1. Victor E. born May 1885
   2. Ecktor Hubert born March 17, 1887 in Wells, NY
   3. Elva Mae born May 30, 1890 in Wells, Hamilton, NY
   4. Florence M. born July 7, 1897 in Wells, NY
   
    

Sources

• Research by Lois Mogren who made a research trip to Hamilton/Fulton Counties summer 1998, searched grave yards and old records.

Jane Ann Slack

possibly the daughter of Roswell

Jane Ann Slack married Amos Page, son of Ephraim B. Page. Amos was born March 25 1814/1816 in Galway, NY. He died October 6, 1903 and is buried in Speculator Cemetery, Speculator, NY. Jane and Amos had:
 

1. Ephraim B. born 1838. He married Sarah.
    
2. Emily A., born 1842/1843. She died between 1870 and 1880 and is buried in Speculator Cemetery. She married David Satterlee, son of Selah and Maria Dodge Satterlee.
    
3. Nathan Riley, called Nate, born February 22, 1846 in Speculator, NY. He died September 28, 1929 and is buried in Speculator Cemetery. He married Mary L Satterlee, sister of Emily's husband David.
    
4. Almeda, born 1847
    
5. Mary E., born 1852 and died 1932. She is buried in Speculator Cemetery. She married Toles Satterlee, son of Clark and Sylvia Dunning Satterlee.
    
6. Ellen or Hellen A., born 1856
    
7. Amos Bion, born March 26, 1861 and died 1941. He is buried in Speculator Cemetery. He married Mary Elvira/Elora Page, daughter of Benajah and Sarah Slack Page.
    
8. Edna, born 1865, died 1896. Her middle initial may have been N. She married Fred S Burgess.
    

More on the Page family at a later date.

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Last Updated: Wednesday, 14-May-2008 13:17:31 PDT
Copyright © 2000:  Mary Slack Maynard