The Slater Family of Simsbury and Bradford County
This site traces one paternal line from John Slaughter/Slater, who married at Windsor, Connecticut, in 1669, to Kenneth Harry Slater (1927–1987). Each step is shown with the record that supports it and how strong the evidence is.
Where did John come from?A Southwark baptism of 1639, a Concord apprentice of 1656, and the case that they are one man.
John Slater's 1664 versesThe two libel poems he confessed to writing at Concord, transcribed from the original court papers.
Roswell → WilliamThe weakest link in the line, and the circumstantial evidence for it.
Line atlasAn interactive map of where each generation lived, 1669–1987.
The line
- John Slaughter (Slater), c.1639–1713. Married Abiah (Gillett) Bartlett at Windsor, CT, 15 July 1669; town clerk of Simsbury.
- Deacon John Slater, 1670–1717, Simsbury.
- John Slater, 1708–1778, Simsbury; married Abigail Case.
- John Slater Jr., 1730–after 1790; Simsbury, then Amenia, Dutchess Co., NY.
- Roswell Slater (Slaughter), 1774–c.1830; christened Simsbury; settled Pike/Orwell, Bradford Co., PA.
- William Johnson Slater, c.1806–1882 probable link; Pike, Wysox, Auburn, Forkston, Burlington.
- Edwin E. Slater, 1845–1931, Burlington Twp.
- Harry Grover Slater, 1888–1955, Burlington Twp.
- Kenneth Harry Slater, 1927–1987, Methodist minister; died Columbus, Ohio.
Every parent–child link is documented except where marked "probable link". See Roswell → William.
How sure are we?
| Question | Current answer |
|---|---|
| Was John of Windsor the Concord apprentice baptised in Southwark in 1639? | Probable, not proven. Seven independent points agree; no record names him in both places. |
| Was William Johnson Slater a son of Roswell? | Probable, not proven. Place, naming, and his father's Connecticut birthplace all fit. |
| Is the family descended from the Slaughters of Upper Slaughter, Gloucestershire? | No evidence. That claim rests on unsourced, merged online trees. |