The Iola register. [volume] (Iola, Allen County, Kansas) 1875-1902, 1897-04-16
HON. w. a. sLAvENs DEAD.

William Henry SlaveDs, only child
of Reuben and Martha Slavens, was
born at Portland Mills, in Putnam
county, Ind, Aug. l, 1S49, and grew
to manhood in that county. He at
tended Asbury NEW Dupaw) Uni
versity. at Greencastle, Ind, during
the years 1867 and 1868. He came to
Kansas in 1859 and settled in Neosho
Falls, then the county seat of Wood
son county, and commenced the prac-
tice of law, and was admitted to the
bar the same year. In 1871 and 1872
he edited and published the NeOs no
Falls Advertiser, and ten years later
was editor of the Yates Center NeoCs
He was elected county attorney of
WoOdsOn county in 1874, and at the
close of bis term of Office moved to
Allen county, and was there elected
county attorney in 1878, but resigned
before his term OF office expired and
moved to Yates Center. He was
elected to the office of representative
in the State legislature of 1884, and
re elected i'm 1886 and served with dis
tinction i'm the regular sessions 1885
and 1887 and in the special session of
1886.
MIR. Slavens received the solid vote
of WOOdsOn county for the Republi-
can nomination for congress in the
convention of 1888 that nominated
the successor to Hon Thos. Ryan. In
1892 he formed a law partnership
with G. H. Lamb at Yates Center,
which partnership continued until
the fall of 1895, when MIR. Slavens
moved to Kansas City, Kansas, aud
there engaged in the practice of law.
On March 10, 1897, he moved to No.
227 West 18th St.. Kansas City, Mo-,
where he died at 4:40 a. m, Friday,
April 3, 1897, of heart failure.
Mr.. Slavens was married to Miss
Mary Olive Jones, April %, 1872, and
Jessie and Queen. The mother and
children survive to mourn the loss of
kind, indulgent and loving husband
and father. He was a member of
the NJ. E. Church, and had for many
years been a prominent Mason aud
Odd Fellow. He also held member
ship in the Northwestern Legion Of
Honor. and the Knights and Ladies
of Security, in each of the latter he
carried 1000 life insurance. Mr..
Slavens was an able lawyer and had
wide range of experience in the
practice of his profession. He prac-
ticed law at NeOshO Falls, Defiance,
Burlington, Humboldt, lola, Yates
Center and ArmOurdale, and in each
of these fields he was very successful.
"Billle," for by such name he was
best known among his friends, was
hearted, kind, genial and gener-
Gus, and "to know HIM was to love
him." He had been in poor health
for some time, but his death was un-
expected and a great shock la his
family and friends There was no
warning of the approach of death,
just a few gasps for breath and the
heart ceased tu do its accustomed
work and all was over. His last ILL
ness did not last to exceed 10 minutes
His remains were brought to Yates
Center and laid by the side of his
father and mother IN the Yates Center
cemetery, under the rites and cere-
monies of the A. f. & A. NJ. At his
special request Elder g. H. Lamb,
his former law partner, read the 22nd
Chapter of Revelation and conducted
brief religious services at the grave.
His family will remain in Kansas
City but they carry with them the
love and sympathy of his many
friends and neignbsrs 10 this county.