Texas Ranger
Memorial Cross
Ceremony

February 25, 2006 at 1:00 P.M.

At  Sharp Cemetery    Sharp, Texas

Honoring

Stephen Thomas Slater

BORN:  January  21,  1815
Tennessee

DIED:  November 2, 1884
Milam County, Texas

 

Served with the TEXAS RANGERS under Capt. Jack Hays in 1842. He also served under Capt. Spence Co. during Snively Expedition in 1843. In 1844 he was Indian Agent under Sam Houston. In 1864 Slater served in the Texas State Troops under Capt. A. J. Berry's Company C.

STEPHEN THOMAS SLATER

S. T. Slater, early Texas Pioneer, states in his autobiography; "I was born in the state of Tennessee on January 31, 1815. I arrived in Texas on the 25^th day of Dec., 1837 AD. I served in Capt Jack Hays Co. in 1842. I was attached to the Somerville campaign. I served as a spy and was a scout, but Hays services are historical. I was discharged on the 1^st day of Jan. 1843 AD, after which I was in the Snively expedition, in Capt. Spence's Company in 1843. We killed and captured one hundred Mexicans and were frequently engaged with the Indians. I held a commission (from Gen. Sam Houston, who was then President of the Republic of Texas) as Indian Agent. I brought the Comanches in, and they made a treaty with the whites, near where the town of Marlin stands. During my term of service with the Indians there were less depredations on the frontier than at any time since."

Slater received his letter of commission as Indian Agent on August 6, 1844. He signed the Tehuacana Creek Treaty as a witness for the Republic of Texas.

In 1861, Texas formed the Texas State Troops for frontier defense. In 1864 Slater served in the Texas State Troops under Capt. A. J. Berry's Company C.

During Texas reconstruction period, Mr. Slater was installed as Justice of the Peace by special order No. 119 by Maj. Gen. Joseph Jones Reynolds, Commander of the 5^th Military District, State of Texas.

S. T. Slater was a Mason, and in 1873 served in the Davilla Lodge #340 as Tyler. His date of affiliation was September 6, 1873. Since his record shows affiliation, rather than installed, passed or raised, this would indicate Slater was a Mason prior to this date.

Mr. Slater married Mary Gilleland on Nov. 13, 1845 in Montgomery County. Mary was the daughter of Daniel and Precilla (Boatwright) Gilleland, one of the vanguard families of STEPHEN F. AUSTIN'S OLD 300 COLONY. They had four children, Eugene, Thomas, Mary Xantippe, and Stephen D.  Mary Slater died from complications of childbirth with their fourth child in 1852. She is buried in the Gilleland family cemetery outside of Rockdale, Texas.

S. T. Slater later married Margarett (unknown), and had 5 additional children, Samuel, Lee, Henry, Ella, and Emma. He continued to live in Milam County. After 47 years as a Patriot of Texas, S. T. Slater died on Nov. 2, 1884. He is buried in Sharp Cemetery, Sharp, Texas.