My Genealogy Hound

James P. Slagle, judge from the Eastern district of the Polk County Court, and who now resides a short distance from Slagle, Looney Township, was born November 22, 1828, in Henry County, West Tenn., and is the son of Jacob and Frances (Dunlap) Slagle. The paternal grandparents were originally from Virginia, but emigrated to Polk County, Mo., where they passed their last days, he dying some time in the forties, and she three years previous to his death. The maternal grandparents were originally from Virginia, lived for some time in Kentucky, and afterward moved to Henry County, Tenn., where they passed their last days. The parents of our subject were both natives of Kentucky, born in 1796 and 1801 respectively, were married in their native State about 1818, and soon afterward moved to Mississippi (1820). Here they remained a short time, and then moved to Henry County, Tenn., where the father followed farming for twelve years. In 1832 he emigrated to what is now Polk County, Mo., locating eight miles south of Bolivar, and soon after served in a company engaged in fighting the Indians. He died on the old homestead in 1851, and the mother died in 1856. James P. Slagle is the sixth of eight children, six now living, and grew to manhood in Polk County, where he received an ordinary common school education. Miss Barbara L. Barham, a native of Kentucky, born in 1833, became his wife in 1855, and to them were born nine children, eight now living: William F., Alice E., Benjamin P., Fannie B., Charles C, Wade H., Ella C. and Emma V. (twins). Mrs. Slagle is the daughter of James F. and Margaret (Holbrook) Barham, and emigrated to Greene County, Mo., with her parents at an early day. She is a member of the Baptist Church. Under the township organization Judge Slagle was elected judge of Looney Township in 1872, but before taking his seat the Legislature repealed the township organization system. At the general election of 1888 he was elected an associate judge from the Eastern district of Polk County on the Democratic ticket, in which capacity he is now serving. He is a member of the Baptist Church also.