My Genealogy Hound

W. N. Slack, the well-known and popular land agent for the St. Louis, Iron Mountain & Southern Railroad, whose headquarters are at Alexander, was born in Nashville, Tenn., in 1846, and is a son of Robert E. and Lucy J. (Love) Slack, the father a native of Kentucky, and born in 1826, while the mother was born in Tennessee. The parents were married in Nashville, and in 1847 moved to Little Rock, Ark., where the mother died in 1863. The elder Slack was again married in 1870, and moved to the State of Texas, where he commenced farming; his occupation previous to that was contracting and building, in which he made an excellent reputation at Little Rock. During the war he served in the Confederate army, and was assigned to the quartermaster’s department at Little Rock. He afterward joined a Texas squadron, and sometime later was transferred to an Arkansas regiment, and while in Ashley County, was captured and taken to Little Rock, where he was confined until May 5, 1865. His father was John Slack, of Virginia, and of Irish descent, who died in Logan County, Ark., where he was also a carpenter and builder by occupation. Mrs. Slack’s father was Benjamin Love, of Virginia, who fought in the War of 1812, and died in Cleburne County, Ark., at an advanced age. W. N. Slack was the oldest child of five sons and one daughter born to his parents, and was reared and educated in Little Rock, attending private schools altogether. At the age of seventeen years he joined Company A, Tenth Arkansas Infantry, and took part in the battles at Mark’s Mill, Mount Elba, Jenkins’ Ferry and many others, as well as accompanying Gen. Price in his raids through Missouri. He was captured in Kansas and held a prisoner for seven months in the Gratiot Street prison at St. Louis, at Alton and the prison at Rock Island, Ill. At Lewisburg, Ark., he was severely wounded in the hip, but recovered and lived to return to Little Rock to enjoy the peace he had well-earned after passing through nearly all of the most stirring scenes of the Rebellion. While at Little Rock he was employed in a clerical capacity for two years, and afterward went into the cigar and tobacco business for himself, at which he continued for three years. He then moved to Alexander, where he commenced farming, but since 1876 has been more actively engaged as real-estate agent for the Iron Mountain Road, a business that he is well fitted for. He still looks after his farm, however, and owns about 340 acres, of which he has placed 100 acres under cultivation, and owes all of it to his own enterprise and good management. In 1867 he was married to Angie, daughter of John and Sarah B. Ross, of Pennsylvania and Ohio, respectively. Mrs. Slack was born in Newton County, Ark., and lost her father in 1856, the mother surviving him for thirty years. Eleven children were born to this union, of whom two sons and four daughters are still living, and Mr. Slack is determined that they shall obtain the best education obtainable. In politics he is a stanch Democrat, and has served two years as deputy sheriff. He is a member of the A. F. & A. M., Alexander Lodge No. 353, and was Master for several terms, and also belongs to Royal Arch Chapter of Little Rock. Mr. Slack is one of the earliest settlers of Pulaski County, and has watched the city of Little Rock grow up from a small town into its present proportions, and it would only be justice to add that it is to men of his enterprise and character that the county owes its prosperity.