Rev. E.L. Slavens.

Thanks to a family member, we can finally tell you about the Rev. E.L. Slavens.

Edward Laudie Slavens was a son of Daniel Edward and Mary Elizabeth (Wood) Slavens, born about 1910. After Daniel died, Mary married William Dozier and the family lived in the Kansas City area. Other members of the family were James Fletcher, Grover Wesley, Ellen, Gladys, Olive, Nadine, and Robert and Berniece, both of whom died in infancy. Many descendants of Edward's siblings still live in the Kansas City area.

Rev. Slavens was an evangelist of note in the midwest, as evidenced by the ad above, from Sikeston, Missouri, in 1948. He also recorded gospel music, and he and Ira F. Stanphill are the writers of "You Can Have a Song in Your Heart" which was copyrighted in 1946. Sheet music for the song appears in "Bill Gaither Presents Homecoming Souvenir Songbook, Vol. VII" which is still in print.

Sound files of these 78's will be available shortly.

Copyright © 2003 Larry Slavens. All rights reserved.