The following information was assembled from numerous sources and cannot be used directly as proof of Qualifying Service or Lineage.
It is considered a research aid and is intended to assist in locating sources that can be used as proof.
State of Service: VA
Qualifying Service: Soldier / Patriotic Service
Author: James Edward Mitchell
Robert Slaughter, III, our subject was born (b.) 1724 at his parents Robert Slaughter Jr., and wife (w.) Mary Smith’s home in Spotsylvania County (Co.) formed 1720 from Essex Co., Virginia (VA). Robert Slaughter’s grandfather Robert [b. 1702, died (d.) 1768] lived on his 536 acre 1st patent of land, mapped -Slaughter’s Mill in the Great Fork of the Rappahannock River, now, Stevensburg community at the intersection of Rt 3 & Rt 663 in Culpeper Co., formed as Orange, in 1734 from Spotsylvania Co.; sources, Encyclopedia of Virginia Biography. Tyler. Vol I., Robert Slaughter, pg 324, column 2, and, An 18th Century Perspective. (Mary Stevens) Jones, 1976, publ. by Culpeper Historical Society, Inc., pg 112.
Siblings of Robert III were Francis (c1730-1805, d. Hardin Co., KY) see, SAR Patriot #: P-290950; George (1731-1818, d. Clark Co., Indiana) see, SAR Patriot #: P-290953, married (m.) Mary Field, a dau. of neighbor, Maj. John Field of Culpeper Co., VA Militia, KIA 10 Oct 1774 at the battle of Kanawha or Point Pleasant, West Virginia in Dunmore’s War fought against British Shawnee and Mingo Indian allies; James (c1732-aft 1796, KY) see, SAR Patriot #: P-290964; Lawrence (c1735-aft 5 Jul 1796, VA) see, SAR Patriot #: P-290974; William (1754-_ Washington Co., Tennessee) identical with SAR Patriot #: P-290992; Thomas (1755-1794) see, SAR Patriot #: P-290989; Elizabeth Slaughter m. Maj. (Wm.) Lightfoot (1720-1805) see, SAR Patriot #: P-236472; and, Martha Slaughter m. 1st Capt. Gabriel Jones (Patriot #: P-226121) and 2nd Maj. William Broadus (Patriot #: P-121489).
At age 25, Robert III m. on 11 Dec 1750, Susannah Harrison. See, Culpeper County Virginia. Wulfleck. 1965. pgs 31 & 33. From this marriage were born a daughter, Sarah and a son, Augustine Smith Slaughter, b. 5 Feb 1769, d. 6 Sep 1845, (Harrodsburg, Mercer Co., KY). Augustine m. on 12 Feb 1801, Susannah Fisher and the couple was survived by a daughter, Lucinda Smith Slaughter b. on 20 Apr 1802 at Harrodsburg and d. 16 Nov 1888.
Military Background: In 1775, Col. Patrick Henry of Hanover Co., VA was chosen as Governor of Virginia under the Constitution (1776-2018) and, served from 5 Jul 1776 to 1 Jun 1779. He recruited a minute battalion (bttn.) from Fauquier (Maj. Thos. Marshall), Orange (Col. Lawrence Taliaferro), and Culpeper (Lieut. Col. Edward Stevens) and became major of a regt. known as the Culpeper Minutemen; sources, A Handbook of Virginia History, 1949. J.R.V. Daniel. Richmond, VA. pg 7 and, An 18th Century Perspective. Jones. Pgs 16-22 & [99, see: Est. of the Stevensburg Masonic Lodge No. 40, chartered by the Grand Lodge of VA in 1793 and Stevensburg Academy (1799) 1st First trustees – Reubin Zimmerman, Robert Slaughter (III) et al.] In his early 50’s, Robert Slaughter mustered after he was commissioned initially an Ensign in Capt. David Arell’s company raised in 1776 for Culpeper. This VA Line Rgt. was ordered attached for service with the Continental Troops as (3rd) VA Rgt., commanded over a period of 12 months by Col Thomas Marshall, b. 1730, formerly high sheriff of Fauquier Co., in 1767, and Lieut. Col. William Heth between Jan and Dec 1777. After Gen’l. George Washington’s American forces crossed the Delaware River and attacked Princeton on 3 Jan 1777, Robert’s company joined the American forces of (Brig. Gen’l. Weedon’s (2nd) VA Rgt. in the (2nd) VA Bgde., (1st) Division (Maj. Gen’l. Nathanael Greene) in New Jersey. At this time Robert III was commissioned as a Lieut., raised at Culpeper Co., VA for Capt. Arell’s company until his discharge the following year, 1778; sources, U.S. Revolutionary War (Muster) Rolls, 1775-1783 Virginia, initially (2nd) VA State Rgt., re-formed as (3rd) VA Continental Rgt., (Folders 66-73) see, Robert Slaughter Lieut., Jan through Dec 1777, Virginia, USA –[Nat’l. Archives and Records Administration (NARA) Microfilm Publ., M246, 138 rolls] War Dept. Collection of Revolutionary War Records, Record Group 93; NARA, WDC. Also, see Orders of Battle: Campaign. 176 -Philadelphia 1777: Taking the capital. Osprey. American Forces, (2nd) VA Bgde., 1st Div. (Maj. Gen’l. Nathanael Greene) pg 24.
Robert Slaughter III following the conclusion of the Revolutionary War relocated his family from Culpeper Co., VA by 1785 to settle at formerly (1774) Harrod’s Town, a stockade fort built by James Harrod and designated, Mercer Co., KY by the Virginia General Assembly. At age 73, Robert died after 28 Aug 1798 at Harrodsburg, Mercer Co., Kentucky, KY and was buried at the private, family burying ground, lost upon the Slaughter bounty land after development of Harrodsburg.
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