The subject of this notice died at his residence about five miles west of Troy, May 25, 1875. He came to Missouri while it was still a territory, in 1819, and settled in the neighborhood in which he lived and died in 1828. He responded to his country's call in the War of 1812. He served with distinguished fidelty in all the campaigns of his command and was taken prisoner at Dudley'sdefeat. Nowithstanding these patriotic services, he was debarred from enjoying the benefits of a pension offered by the government to the surviving veterans of that war by the ignominious and proscriptive restrictions in the shape of test oaths imposed by a partisan congress upon the exercise of this manifest act of justice. Mr. Slavens respected his manhood and his loyalty to truth and honor and declined to take the proffered oath. He was a man of positive character and one whose influence was always for the good. For his years he was remarkably vigorous and active. He was for more than fifty years a conscientious member of the Methodist church.
Troy (Missouri) Herald, June 9, 1875.
SLAVENS, Thomas, was born in Virginia in 1792, and died 25 May 1875, aged 83 years 3 days. He moved to Kentucky in 1802; came to Missouri in 1819; remained nearly a year and returned to Kentucky; married Lucy Perks; came back to Missouri and settled in Lincoln County. He raised his family here and now lies buried near the old family residence. He was in the War of 1812 and would have been killed by the Indians had not the celebrated Tecumseh protected him from the murderous tomahawk. This occurred in the battle known as Dudley's defeat... his integrity and industry enabled him to secure good homes for his children, all of whom are members of the MECS.
St. Louis Christian Advocate
from Missouri Obituaries January 1875 - June 1877 abstracted by Mrs. Howard W. Woodruff, Independence, Missouri 1985.