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WILLIAM COOK SLOAN
contributed by Lou Davis 14 November 2004

As of this writing, the following things are known about WILLIAM COOK SLOAN and his family.

WILLIAM COOK SLOAN (WCS) was born 13 August 1879 in Texas. His father was George Sloan and mother was Nancy Elizabeth Braden. Harvey Ned West, son of Nancy E. Braden from a later marriage, provided this information about George and Nancy.

WCS had a first marriage to (Minnie Hammons??) Probably around 1902 or 1903. A son, OREY SLOAN was born 26 September 1904 in Texas but possibly Oklahoma as WCS transferred around with the railroad.. Orey (my uncle) did not know the name of his own mother or where he was born. He had a little distress over this and stated times were extremely hard and there was not a lot of concern about genealogy, just surviving. As he was on his own at age 16, this is understandable. (Minnie Hammons?) Sloan died about 1913 or 1914 and WCS remarried to LOUISA VIRGINIA MCMAHON (LVM) probably near Hugo, OK. Two daughters and a son(?) were born to WCS and LVM; Alice, born 18 May 1915 near Hugo, OK , John, circa 1916 (died young) and Flossie born 31 December 1917 near Electra, TX.

WCS worked for the railroads, Southern Pacific or Rock Island around 1903-1905 and the Sante Fe 1910-1911 Belin, NM and maybe Rock Island out of Hallieville, OK. My mother, Alice Sloan Davis, stated he was close to retirement from the railroad but was dismissed for insubordination. What is known, he was dismissed and lost his pension. I was also told by Alfred Baysinger, Jr. , a nephew of LVM that “Bill Sloan was quite a gambler. Anytime he had a little money, he would go out and gamble. The family did not have much because of the gambling.”

WCS died 20 April 1920. There is a question as to where. Orey, his son, in later years, remembered a $4000.00 insurance policy was paid to widow, LVM. Orey said he left the home to make it on his own shortly after (in 1920) and did not receive any of the proceeds. Alice Sloan Davis stated WCS died in the hospital at Wichita Falls, TX from a ruptured appendix. I have found no records thus far as to his place of death. What is known is he is buried in Shoals Cemetery SE of Hugo, OK. It seems strange that if he died in Wichita Falls, TX he would be transported back to Hugo, OK for burial. My feelings are that the family moved beck to Hugo, OK after his dismissal from the railroad and he died there, being buried in Shoals Cemetery, also known as “Woods Cemetery”. ASD also stated she “could always find his grave in Woods Cemetery as he had a marker.” His marker was found in Shoals Cemetery with birth and death dates listed correctly. He was suppose to have had a Woodsmen of the World marker. Will check on this. There was a post office for Shoals, OK from 1904 to 1916 and post office for nearby Frogville, OK 1897 to 1933.

WCS was also an active member of the Odd Fellows Lodge in Electra, TX. I received a letter stating the only records the Grand Lodge had were that he was a member with no other information. I contacted Woodsmen of the World concerning insurance proceeds but they had no records.

GEORGE SLOAN - father of WILLIAM COOK SLOAN. There is a George Washington Sloan with wife Elizabeth in Grayson Co. TX Applied for and received pension as a Confederate veteran of Texas

Also: a G. W. SLOAN marriage to Nannie Braden 4 December 1977 Lamar Co TX