Richard Slatten was Co-Editor of the Virginia Genealogical Society’s newsletter and Editor of the Magazine of Virginia Genealogy. In 1960, Richard joined the Virginia Genealogical Society and became a dedicated member. He was twice Treasurer and became President at a decisive time when local members were debating whether to remain an insular study club or expand into a professional organization that could serve genealogists everywhere. The prestige of the society today depends much on his foresight. He saw the need for professional publications, revealing the depth and breadth of Virginia's wealth of historic records.

With Janice Luck Abercrombie, Richard prepared abstracts of Revolutionary Public Service Claims for many counties in Virginia and was working on a definitive guide to all the public records in Virginia at the time of his death in 1990.