Christopher Columbus Slaughter
Christopher Columbus Slaughter | |
|---|---|
| Born | Template:Birth date Sabine County, Texas, U.S. |
| Died | January 25, 1919 (aged 81) Dallas, Texas, U.S. |
| Occupation(s) | Cattleman, ranch owner, cattle breeder, financier, benefactor |
| Years active | 1857–1919 |
| Known for | "Cattle King of Texas", founder of C. C. Slaughter and Company, president of United Confederate Veterans, vice president of Southern Baptist Convention |
Christopher Columbus Slaughter (commonly referred to as C. C. Slaughter or Lum Slaughter; February 9, 1837 – January 25, 1919) was a prominent American cattleman, ranch owner, cattle breeder, financier, and benefactor during the American frontier era. Following his service in the Confederate States Army throughout the American Civil War (1861–1865), he amassed a herd of 40,000 cattle and controlled over one million acres of ranch territory in West Texas. As one of Texas's leading taxpayers, he invested his fortune in supporting Baptist educational and religious organizations and earned the title "Cattle King of Texas."
Early life
Born on February 9, 1837, in Sabine County, Texas, Christopher Columbus Slaughter was the son of George Webb Slaughter (1811–1895), a Baptist preacher and rancher, and Sarah (Mason) Slaughter (1818–1894). At age twelve, he began working with cattle along the Sabine River and Trinity River. In 1852, his family relocated to Freestone County, Texas. He later engaged in hauling timber from Anderson County to Dallas County for commercial purposes and processed wheat in Collin County, Texas, marketing it in Magnolia within Anderson County. His education comprised private tutoring and studies at the now-closed Larissa College located in Larissa, Cherokee County, Texas.
Career
Slaughter initiated his ranching career in 1857 alongside his father in Palo Pinto County, Texas, overseeing a herd of 15,000 cattle that supplied meat to both Fort Belknap and various Native American reservations. During the American Civil War, he attained the rank of colonel with Terry's Texas Rangers in the Confederate States Army. Together with Charles Goodnight, he participated in the rescue of Cynthia Ann Parker.
Following the war’s conclusion, Slaughter accompanied Goodnight on an expedition into Mexico, which was cut short due to an accidental firearm injury. Subsequently, he worked as a cattle drover along the Chisholm Trail heading into Kansas. In 1873, he established C. C. Slaughter and Company, concentrating on cattle breeding operations. By 1877, he acquired the expansive Long S Ranch, recognized as the largest ranch in West Texas, and co-founded the Texas and Southwestern Cattle Raisers Association. That same year marked his role as co-founder of City Bank (later known as City National Bank), where he advanced to vice president by 1881. The community of Slaughter, Texas was named in his honor in 1882. In 1884, he launched the American National Bank (which evolved into American Exchange National Bank), presently part of the First National Bank network.
Referred to as the "Cattle King of Texas," by 1905 Slaughter’s holdings included 40,000 head of cattle grazing across more than one million acres throughout West Texas. His breeding programs focused on crossbreeding Shorthorns with Herefords. His extensive properties spanned Howard, Dawson, Borden, Martin, Castro, Lamb, Hale, Lynn, and Cochran counties. Notable estates under his ownership were the Long S Ranch; the 25,000-acre Lazy S Ranch; the 17,000-acre Zavala Ranch; and the Whiteface Ranch situated near Lubbock, Texas. For many years he ranked among the highest taxpayers within Texas.
Slaughter held leadership positions including president of the United Confederate Veterans and vice president of the Southern Baptist Convention. He also served on the executive board for the Baptist General Convention of Texas and joined the Texas Baptist Education Commission in 1897. In 1904, he founded Baylor Hospital of Dallas and acted as a trustee for this institution. His philanthropic efforts extended to supporting the Texas Baptist Memorial Sanitarium along with its Nurses' Home and Training School—now integrated into the facilities of Baylor University Medical Center at Dallas. Additionally, he was a trustee for the Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary.
Personal life
In 1861, coinciding with the onset of the Civil War, Slaughter wed Cynthia Anna Jowell (1849–1876), and together they had five children. Following her passing, he entered into a second marriage with Carrie Averill (1861–1928) in Emporia, Kansas, in 1877, and they had four children.
By 1910, Slaughter experienced paralysis resulting from a hip fracture and also endured substantial vision impairment.
Death and legacy
Slaughter passed away on January 25, 1919, in Dallas, Texas, and was interred at Greenwood Cemetery. Subsequent to his death, his son Bob accused his uncle Bill Slaughter—who oversaw the Long S Ranch—of attempting to sell the Western S Ranch located in Hudspeth County to Mexican purchasers, despite ownership rights belonging to Bob. This conflict escalated to Bob shooting his uncle and Bill initiating a $3 million defamation lawsuit against him. By 1921, Slaughter’s descendants had divided and sold the Long S Ranch along with other properties.
One of his daughters, Nelle (Slaughter) DeLoache, was married to Ira P. DeLoache (1879–1965), a prominent real estate developer credited with founding Dallas's Preston Hollow neighborhood.
Secondary sources
- Clarke, Mary Whatley. The Slaughter Ranches and Their Makers. Austin: Jenkins, 1979.
- Murrah, David J.. C. C. Slaughter: Rancher, Banker, Baptist. Austin: University of Texas Press, 1981; 2nd edition University of Oklahoma Press, 2012.