James H. Slavens July 30, 1809 died June 23, 1888
Louisa A. Slavens August 31, 1816 died March 16, 1886
Zenas L. Slavens February 13, 1834died April 19, 1899
Joseph W.R.Slavens November 16, 1835 died April 7, 1865
Nancy Ann (Hollis Price) Slavens July 24, 1838 died November 3, 1911
Lucius B. Slavens July 26, 1841 died August 1, 1905
Thomas F. Slavens July 26, 1841 died April 5, 1862
Louisa Almarinda Slavens March 5, 1847 died January 18, 1850
Luther J. Slavens November 14, 1849
James H. Slavens and Louisa A. Rountree were married June 17, 1832
Joseph W.R. Slavens and Sarah T. Caple were married July 19, 1856
Zenas L. Slavens and Irene Z. Stanley were married Feb. 17, 1860
Lucius B. Slavens and Martha F. Johnson were married Spt. 19, 1867
John H. Price and Nancy A. Slavens (Hollis, widow) were married in 1866
Luther J. Slavens and Josephine Lindsey were married May 5, 1878
James H. Slavens died June 23, 1888
Louisa A. Slavens died March 16, 1886
Zenas L. Slavens died April 19, 1899
Joseph W.R.Slavens died April 7, 1865
Nancy A. Hollis-Price died November 3, 1911
Lucius B. Slavens died August 1, 1905
Thomas F. Slavens died April 5, 1862
Louisa Almarinda Slavens died January 18, 1850

Church Centennial.

The Centennial Anniversary of the Organization of the Methodist Episcopal Church in Springfield, Mo. by Rev. James Hervey Slavens on November 22, 1831was held in the St. Paul Methodist Episcophal Church, South, Springfield, Mo. on November 22, 1931. Of that event the Springfield Press said in part: "Almost every phase of Springfield life and history will be touched by the memories and traditions awakened at the celebration Sunday, November 22 of the 100th anniversary of St. Paul M.E. Church. Beginning with a congregation of seven members, holding services in a building called the Kickapoa Meeting House, those sturdy pioneers furnished a base for the erection of the stately edifice in which their grandchildren attended religious services."

The press reports state there was a large attendance at the anniversary, but in the large concourse there, the only descendants of Rev. James H. Slavens there on that occasion were Mrs. Laura Slavens McReynolds, Mrs. Josephine Slavens Vaughan, and Zenas L. Slavens, all children of Lucius Baily Slavens and grad children of Rev. James H. Slavens. Rev. Dr. A. Frank Smith, Bishop of Texas, was outstanding of the notables attending and participating in the exercise of the anniversary. There were a number who addressed the large assemblage, among whom was Prof. William Preston Coon, who knew Rev. Slavens well when they were both residents of Buffalo, and later of Urbana, Dallas County Missouri. Mr. Coon said "Doctor Slavens gave me my first certificate to teach after I came out of the army and went back to Dallas County in 1865. That was down by Buffalo when he was school superintendent. I knew him well after that. Doctor Slavens was a very positive sort of man and a very able talker. He never preached a sermon without preparing it and he had positive ideas about everything. There was a lot of discussion in those days about woman's sphere. The old doctor said it was to rock the cradle and get breakfast." Dr. E.W. Potter, Pastor of St. Pauls Church at the time of the celebration in his address referred to its pioneer organizer, and said. "It is hard to picture that other pastor who presided over St. Paul's 100 years ago, but we know that he received a challenge and threw his energy into the battle. We had the momentous problem of a new country; he was a pioneer. He was battling amid the raw products of a new civilization. Did he realize that 100 years later there would be a man, incumbent of the same pastorate who would face even more momentous conditions, a changing social system, an economic fabric tugged at from all corners, a religious crisis? If he did, he had faith to believe that the pulpit would be occupied by a man equally ready to do battle."

At 1300 National Avenue, Springfield, Mo., a monument was erected to mark the location of the first Methodist Church in southwest Missouri in 1833, which had been organized two years before by Rev. James Hervey Slavens. The 100th anniversary of the first organized church was celebrated at St. Paul Methodist Episcopal Church, South Sunday November 22nd, 1931. On the monument there is this inscription in capital letters:

100th ANNIVERSARY
METHODIST EPISCOPAL CHURCH
IN SOUTHWEST MISSOURI
WAS LOCATED IN 1833
SIZE 18X20 FEET BUILT OF LOGS
PUNCHEON FLOOR AND SEATS
COST 18 DOLLARS
REV. JAMES H. SLAVENS, M.D.
FIRST PASTOR OVER WHITERIVER
AND ST. FRANCIS DISTRICTS
100 BY 200 MILES IN EXTENT
MARKER ERECTED BY THE
SPRINGFIELD METHODIST EPISCOPAL AND
METHODIST EPISCOPAL CHURCH, South, 1921

Copyright ©2004 Larry Slavens. All rights reserved.