L.J. Slavens, a general merchant of Urbana, Dallas Co., Mo., was born in Buffalo, Mo., November 14, 1849, and is a son of Dr. James H. Slavens and Louisa A. (Rountree) Slavens. James H. Slavens was born July 30, 1809, and in 1818 went from Kentucky, his native State, to Illinois, and thence, in 1820, to Montgomery County, Mo. In 1832 he married Louisa A. Rountree, who was born in North Carolina August 31, 1816. Seven children blessed this union, three of whom are deceased, viz.: Dr. Joseph W. B. Slavens, Thomas F. Slavens and Louisa Almarinda Slavens; four are still living, viz.: Dr. Z. L. Slavens, Mrs. N. A. Price, L. B. Slavens and L. J. Slavens. Dr. James H. Slavens, father of our subject, was a minister, and did honorable service as a missionary to the Indians one year. He moved to Buffalo, Mo., in 1844, where he practiced medicine and preached, and from there moved to Ebenezer, Mo., in 1850, where he spent two years, and subsequently removed to Webster County, Mo., returning to Buffalo in 1859. In 1861 he went to Indiana, and afterward located in Springfield, Mo. In 1865 he bought a farm near Buffalo, and in 1875 settled in Urbana, where he lived until his death, which occurred June 23, 1888. During the war he served as surgeon in Col. John S. Phelps' regiment, United States Army. He was a successful medical practitioner, to which he devoted the greater part of his attention, commanding a large patronage wherever he went. He was a son of Stewart Slavens, of English descent. The mother of our subject died March 16, 1886; her parents were Joseph and Nancy (Nichols) Rountree, natives of North Carolina. Joseph Rountree located where Springfield now stands, before the town was founded, where he lived until his death, which occurred December 27, 1875, at the advanced age of ninety-three years. He was a farmer, and served as county judge. L. J. Slavens spent his early life in Webster and Dallas Counties, Mo., receiving a common-school education. At the age of eighteen he engaged in school-teaching, which he pursued for about twelve years. May 5, 1878, he married Josephine Lindsey, who was born in Hickory County, Mo., December 11, 1855, and is a daughter of Lycurgus and Lucy (Toby) Lindsey. Lycurgus Lindsey, a native of Kentucky, is now a farmer of Hickory County, Mo.; he served as lieutenant of Company B, Eighth Missouri State Militia Volunteers, under Capt. Cosgrove. Mrs. Slavens was the third in a family of seven, two of whom, Mrs. Cynthia A. Pendleton and Mrs. Mary E. Creed, are deceased. The remaining four now living are Mrs. Matilda Coon, Mrs. Emma Thurston, Mrs. Laura White and Eugene Lindsey. Mr. Slavens engaged in his present business, at Urbana, in 1881. He was appointed notary public in 1876, which office he still holds. They have three children: Joseph Rountree, Mary Louisa and Inez Lucy. Mr. Slavens is a member of the Methodist Episcopal Church. Politically he is a Republican.
History of Laclede, Camden, Dallas, Webster, Wright, Texas, Pulaski, Phelps and Dent Counties, Missouri, The Goodspeed Publishing Co., Chicago, 1889.