William B. Slaughter (rancher)
William Baxter Slaughter | |
|---|---|
| Born | 1852 Freestone County, Texas, U.S. |
| Died | Error: Need valid birth date (second date): year, month, day San Antonio, Texas, U.S. |
| Occupation(s) | Rancher, cattleman, banker, county judge |
| Years active | 1867–1929 |
| Known for | Ranching in Texas and New Mexico; establishing regional banks; county judge candidacy |
William Baxter Slaughter (1852 – March 28, 1929) was a multifaceted American figure known for his roles as a rancher, cattleman, banker, and county judge. Originating from a ranching lineage, he initially managed and drove cattle across New Mexico before purchasing a ranch in Sherman County, Texas. He played a key role in establishing regional banks in both Texas and New Mexico and faced legal challenges related to loan practices but was ultimately cleared. He spent his final years in retirement in San Antonio, Texas.
Early life
Born in 1852 in Freestone County, Texas, Slaughter was the son of George Webb Slaughter, a Baptist minister from Mississippi who was also an early Texas rancher. His mother was Sarah Mason. Among his siblings, Christopher earned the title "Cattle King of Texas," while another brother, John Bunyan Slaughter, also gained recognition as a notable rancher.
Slaughter’s upbringing took place in Palo Pinto County, Texas. During the American Civil War, he assisted his father by supplying beef from their ranch to the Tonkawa, a Native American tribe allied with the Confederate States Army.
Career
In 1867, Slaughter joined his brother Christopher on a cattle drive to Jefferson, Texas. By 1869, he and brother Peter were moving cattle along the Chisholm Trail to Abilene, Kansas. The following year, he transported 1,600 cattle to Kansas City, Kansas, passing through territory inhabited by the Osage Nation.
In 1877, William and his brother John invested in steers and annually marketed cattle in Kansas. They operated a ranch near McDonald Creek in Crosby County, Texas until 1883 when William sold the property and moved to Sierra County, New Mexico. A land dispute with rancher Solomon Luna culminated in an armed confrontation in 1884 where William sustained injuries; Luna prevailed in the ensuing court case. Despite this setback, William persisted with ranching activities in New Mexico and conducted yearly cattle drives to Nebraska and Wyoming until 1894. By 1895, he was associated with the American Valley Cattle Company based in New Mexico.
Beginning in 1889, Slaughter expanded his holdings by acquiring rangeland in Sherman County, Texas. His estate included Coldwater—Sherman County’s seat from 1889 to 1891—before the administrative center was relocated to Stratford, named after Robert E. Lee’s family plantation. In 1900, he ran unsuccessfully for the office of Sherman County judge.
By 1905, Slaughter had settled in Dalhart, Texas where he launched a bank and later opened another institution in Texline. In 1914, alongside his brother C.C., he co-established the Bankers' Trust Company—a bank capitalized at $5 million—while concurrently serving as president of Mercantile National Bank of Pueblo. In 1916, he faced litigation from thirty clients over questionable loans but was acquitted of all charges. Following this episode, C.C. took over most of William’s cattle operations and ranch properties and resolved his outstanding debts.
Personal life and death
In 1877, Slaughter married Anna McAdams; they had a son named Coney C. Slaughter born the following year. A devout Baptist, William frequently invited notable preachers such as George Washington Truett and James Bruton Gambrell to deliver sermons on his ranches. After retiring in Dallas, he moved to San Antonio, where he remained active within the Trail Drivers Association.
William Baxter Slaughter passed away on March 28, 1929, at approximately age 76 or 77 in San Antonio and was interred in Palo Pinto, Texas. His son later served time at Leavenworth Penitentiary for embezzlement until 1930 and tragically ended his own life in 1932.