Life of Jefferson Slade

LIFE OF JEFFERSON SLADE

A few notes on the life of Jefferson, son of William Rufus (Washington Slocum) and Juliann (Higginbotham) Slade, born 22 Sep 1836 at Opelousas, St. Laundry, Louisiana.  They lived on a large plantation in a two-story colonial type house.  His father was a hard working man who loved the great out-doors.  His mother, a tall stately, athletic woman with long dark hair and small, dark beady eyes.  She could jump up and crack her heels together three times before alighting.

His brother William tells us, “Jeff could mimic the cries of the wild animals” and some quiet nights when the boys were sleeping on the upper balcony, they could hear the cries of wolves and mountain lions. Jeff would mimic the cry of the lion, and when it got close the hunting dogs would be released and they would tree the lion.  At daylight a big hunt would be on.  He said it was all very exciting.

Jefferson was young when the family moved to Texas, it was near Houston, Harris Co.  Here the Slade family first heard about the restoration of the Gospel.  One of the missionaries, Elder James McGaw baptized and confirmed the parents and two sons.  The family must have loved this Elder for when a baby boy was born he was given the name, James McGaw.  Jefferson was proxy for this brother to receive his endowments as he died young.  Jefferson also named a son James McGaw.

James McGaw Slade

LIFE OF MY FATHER

This is the life story of my Father, James McGaw Slade as told from his own lips.

I was born in Pine Valley, Utah in 1872 on the 4th of September.  When I was about three years old we moved to Panguitch.  I used to go up into the mountains where my father had a sheep herd.  While we lived there the ice froze so thick it was necessary to dig a tunnel in the ice for the stock to get to the water.  Father had quite a large head of cattle but it was so cold they all froze to death.  He had a large team he traded for four yoke of oxen and two wagon and a cow to move to Bluff, Utah.  We left Panguitch and went through Potato Valley and down through the “Hole in the Rock” where it was so steep it was necessary to place one of the oxen behind to hold back the wagon. The next day we had to ford the Colorado River and let the cattle swim across.  We then went on to Bluff. We got there in the winter and remained there until spring then moved to Durango, Colorado.  The next fall we moved to Fruitland, New Mexico. 

Hole in the Rock Family

James McGaw Slade

James McGaw Slade

James McGaw Slade

Jefferson Slade

Jefferson Slade

Mary Jane Western Slade wife of Jefferson Slade

Mary Jane Western Slade wife of Jefferson Slade

HOLE IN THE ROCK

There are many websites that talk about Hole in the Rock and the Slades are not listed.  At the end of these websites are people we can contact if we have more information.  In honor of our Grandparents that experienced this faith promoting event we need to make sure that they are honored.  I can find pictures of those involved but we need the stories to go along with them and then we can have them added to these websites.