Robert F. Slaughter
was the third presiding judge of Adams County. He was born in Culpepper County, Virginia, in 1770. Of his childhood nothing is known, but, at the age of seventeen, he came to Kentucky and volunteered as an Indian fighter. He went to Chillicothe as early as 1796, at the founding of the city, and studied law. He was admitted to the bar in Chillicothe, Ohio, in 1799, and began practice there. He seemed to have traded and trafficked about considerable in lands, as everyone did at that time, but was a poor manager. In 1800 he purchased a farm about one and one-half miles south of Lancaster, and made his home there until his death. He was a merchant at first, but gave up that business and opened a law office in Chillicothe.
In 1802 he was a candidate from his county for the State Constitutional Convention, but was third in the race.
He was careless about his obligations, and in 1803 and 1804 he was sued for debts many times. He was elected presiding judge in 1805. He was elected to the State Senate 1803-1805 from Fairfield County, February 7, in place of Wyliss Silliman, resigned. His circuit was very large, and his salary very small. He had the second circuit and had to ride horseback to his appointments. The salary was only $750, and the creeks were without bridges. There were no ferries, and the swimming was risky. The judge would miss his courts, and the Legislature determined to make an object lesson of him. Legislatures are fond of displaying their power, and the one of 1807 was no exception to the rule. January 8, 1807, charges were filed against him in im peachment.
1. He failed to attend the March term, 1805, in Adams County.
2. Failing to attend same term in Scioto County.
3. Failing to attend spring term, 1805, in Gallia County.
4. Failing to attend July term, same year, in Franklin County.
5. Failing to attend fall term, 1805, in Scioto County.
6. Failing to attend fall term, 1805, in Athens County.
7. Failing to attend spring term, 1806, in Highland County.
8. Failing to punctually attend spring term, 1806, in Adams. County.
9. Failing to attend spring term, 1806, in Scioto County.
10. Failing to attend spring term, 1806, in Gallia County.
11. Failing to atten summer term, 1806, in Adams County.
12. Failing to attend summer term, 1806, in Athens County.
13. Failing to attend summer term, 1806, in Gallia County.
14. Failing to punctually attend the fall term of Fairfield County in 1806.
15. Failing to attend the fall term, 1806, in Franklin County.
Abraham Shepherd, as Speaker of the House, signed the articles. On January 9, 1807, Hough and McArthur were appointed a committee to prepare rules to govern the trial. Slaughter appeared in person and asked two or three days to prepare for the trial. He was granted to the following Monday to answer. In answer he alleged he was not charged with any misdemeanor and could not, by law, be bound to answer. To the first three charges he pleaded ill health. He denied the fourth, and said he did punctually attend. To the fifth, he said that after attending court in Adams County, he went to Paris, Kentucky, to attend to some business, and expected to reach Scioto in time to attend court, but on returning to the Ohio River, at Brook's Ferry, could not cross. That he went two miles below to be ferried, and, being impatient, rode into the corn field after the ferryman, and this unexpected delay, against his will, prevented him from attending the court until the second day, and there being little business to be done, court was adjourned. In answer to the sixth, he said he was well acquainted with the docket, and there was no civil case ready for trial, and not more than one or two being imprisoned in the county for misdemeanors, and the court would be obliged to pardon those rather than expose the weakness of the laws, since their sentence could not be enforced. That he had applied for a tract of land, for which he had the deposit money, and was compelled by law to pay the fourth within forty days or forfeit his application, and was compelled to attend to it. To the seventh, he stated that he had started from Lancaster, his home, but that his horse became foundered at Pickaway Plains, and his funds and his salary were not sufficient to buy another. He finally borrowed a horse to ride to Adams County. He answered the ninth charge that he had only borrowed the horse to ride to Adams County, and could not procure an other to go to Scioto County. That he is afflicted with ill health in the spring, and had the pleurisy, and did not attend the spring term in Gallia for that reason. That the rivers were high, and he would be compelled to swim some creeks and ford others, and his health would not permit it. To the eleventh, he answered that while in Highland County, his horse broke out of pasture, and he could not be found, and he was obliged to return to Chillicothe, supposing his horse had gone that way, but he did not, and he procured a horse of Joseph Kerr, to ride to Scioto County, on conditional purchase, but the horse was not able to carry him on to Gallia County if it were to save him from ruin, and was compelled to trade horses, on which he made the balance of the circuit. He denied the twelfth charge. His answer to the thirteenth was that his farm was advertised to sell, and not having the money to save it, was obliged to raise it, which he did in time to save it. He denied the fourteenth charge. To the fifteenth, he answered that he attended the Franklin term two days, and then obtained the Associates' consent to be absent the remainder of the term. He was compelled to return to New Lancaster before going to Ross County in order to take money to complete the payment for his land before the court in Ross County would convene. He asked for a continuance to the first Monday of December next to secure Joseph Kerr, Doctor Spencer, and George Shoemaker, witnesses. Four only voted in favor of this. Mr. Brush was admitted as counsel for respondent. Henry Brush, Jessup M. Couch, Wm. Creighton, Joseph Foos, James Kilbourn, Wm. Irwin, and Lewis Cass, witnesses for the prosecution. Respondent read the deposition of Samuel Wilson. Mr. Beecher was Counsel fo the State. The trial began January 26, 1807, and lasted until the twenty-eighth. On the question of his being guilty of neglect of official duty, the yea vote was: Claypool, Corre, Hempstead, Hough, Jewett, McArthur, McFarland, Sargeant, Smith, Wood, and the Speaker, Thomas Kirker. Mr. Schofield alone voted he was not guilty. On January 29, the respondent was called, but made no answer, though three times solemnly called. The speaker delivered the judgment of the court, that he had been found guilty of neglect of duty and should be removed from office. His removal did not seem to affect his health or spirits, or his standing among the people of Fairfield County, where he resided. He served four years as prosecuting attorney. He was elected to the Senate in 1810, from Fairfield, Knox, and Licking.
He was elected to the House from Fairfield County in 1817, 1819, and 1821. In 1828 he was elected to the Senate, and re-elected in 1830. While in the Legislature he voted for the School System and the Canal System.
He was eccentric and absent-minded, and the story is told of him that once when plowing, it became time for him to go to the Legislature. Leaving the plow in the middle of the field, mounting the horse, with one of his own shoes on and the other off, he rode away. He was of medium height, dressed plainly, and always wore his hair in a queue. He was a Democrat of the old school, a man of great strength of character, a bold speaker, and a natural orator, and in speaking was capable of making deep impressions on his audience. His public record was clear, notwithstanding the Legislature undertook to blacken it. He once said, "The best rule in politics is to wait until the other party declares itself, then take the opposite side."
He married a Miss Bond, who was devotedly attached to the Methodist Church, but he was not a member of any church. Their children were William, Terencia, Ann, Fields, and Frances, all deceased, and two surviving, Mrs. Mariah Dennison, of Los Angeles, California, and Thomas S. Slaughter, of Olanthe, Missouri. The judge survived until October 24, 1846, when he died at the age of 76 years. He is interred in the country cemetery near his home.
In view of the record of the Ohio Legislature in the matter of impeachments under the first Constitution of the State, we do not consider it any reflection on Judge Slaughter that his impeachment was successful, and had he lived in our day, his answer to the impeachment articles would have been held good, and any Legislature presenting articles of impeachment against him, such as are given above, would be deemed in the wrong.
From History of Adams County, Ohio from its Earliest Settlement to the Present Time - by Nelson W. Evans and Emmons B. Stivers - West Union, Ohio - Published by E. B. Stivers - 1900