JOHN L. SLAWSON                               

The Osawatomie Graphic Thursday, Jan. 19, 1922

Died:  Jan. 16, 1922

 

DEATH OF MR. SLAWSON.

John L. Slawson Sr. Died Monday,

 Jan. 16, Following Short Illness.

 

  John L. Slawson, Sr., born August 3, 1846 at Perrysburg, Ohio, died on Monday, Jan. 16, 1922, after an illness of two weeks, caused by a stroke of paralysis.

  Mr. Slawson was 76 years old and was one of the oldest engineers on the Missouri Pacific out of here.

  He held a life membership in the Knights of Pythias, he having been a student under Justus A. Rathbone, organizer and founder of the K. of P. organization.  He was a member of the G. A. R. and the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers.  He came to Kansas in 1870 and settled at Salina and worked out of Council Grove.  He came to Osawatomie in 1890 but did not bring his family here until 1894, residing here ever since.  He was married to Miss Lida VanGorder in 1871.  They celebrated their Golden Wedding Jan. 30, 1921.  To this union ten children were given, seven boys and three girls, seven of whom are living.  They are:  Mrs. L. J. Nelson, Mrs. R. G. Walthall, Miss Mary Slawson, Edwin, John, Charles and George Slawson.

  Mr. Slawson was one of the defenders of the Union from ’61 to ’65 having enlisted in Co. A, 89th Illinois Infantry, in Aurora, Illinois when only 15 years of age.  He suffered in the prisons of Libby, Andersonville and Florence, after being captured at Pickett’s Mills, Ga.

  The funeral was held Wednesday at 2:30 p. m., from the Christian church, and was followed by a large concourse of life long friends to Elmdale cemetery, where the interment took place, Rev. Sherman Hill of Paola, officiating.