Thumbing through renowned historian Dr. E. Russ Williams, Jr.'s terrific book "History of Washington Parish, Louisiana, 1798-1992 The Story of a Land and People on Three Rivers: The Pearl, The Bogue Chitto, and The Tangipahoa in Southeast Louisiana" (my source for this column), I uncovered the biographical sketch of John Johnson Slocum who enjoyed an illustrious life and career in our neck of the woods. His biography, written by Dr. Williams, is noteworthy.
The son of David and Ellen Ellis Slocum, John was born around 1826 in Washington Parish. It was thought that he initially attended Centenary College in Jackson, Louisiana. From there, Slocum earned his LL. D. from the University of Louisiana in New Orleans. Returning home, he hung out his shingle for his law office, but soon he would discover his true passion -- politics.
John Johnson Slocum was also an educator, listed in the 1850 Census as a male teacher, likely at Slocum's Church which preceded Gorman's School. But by 1855, Slocum had become a Justice of the Peace near Franklinton. Becoming active in politics, he supported the American or Know Nothing Party, along with its candidate Millard Fillmore for president in 1856. Speaking at a colossal rally in September of 1856 in Franklinton, Slocum advocated for Fillmore to no avail. James Buchanan "Buck" defeated Fillmore in our parish with a tally of 394-142 votes.
The popular, charismatic Slocum was often asked to take the podium at local festivals, barbecues, and gatherings. Dr. Williams quoted a letter, dated May 10, 1857, which Slocum penned to his cousin Tom Ellis. Preserved in the Ellis collection of the LSU Archives, the missive described Slocum's reservations about addressing the crowd at the July 4th barbecue: "but I feel deeply my inability to do such a subject as liberty -(not Liberty, Miss)-However, I must do the best that I can & if I please the people, I will thereby make votes if I run for district atty-(Tis well that I look ahead)-Tom suppose you write a speech for me (as you did abstracts of old Rosa's [law professor at the University of Louisiana] lectures) and [I] will be proud to deliver what 'eminates from you poor brain' . . . I will begin to write my speech as soon as I find it certain that I will be called on and 'tis true that I would like to see one that you had written before hand . . . ." Dr. Williams added that Slocum likely both wrote and gave the speech.
Though he was a Unionist, Slocum had to align with the South during the Civil War. He was first lieutenant of the "Washington Rifles" (Company 1, 9th Louisiana Infantry), but after training at Camp Moore and travelling to Virginia with the unit, he resigned his commission by the end of 1861 due to poor health. Yet, in May 1862 after Slocum had returned home, he rejoined the Confederate forces, becoming Captain in Company A, Third Louisiana "Wingfield's" Cavalry. He enrolled men with horses and weapons, forming the first Partisan Rangers and taking them to Camp Moore where they were officially enlisted. With no military training, they began patrolling on the north shore of Lake Pontchartrain. A cantonment, Camp Slocum was established near Madisonville.
Slocum also saw action in and near Port Hudson from 1862-1863 and was captured when Port Hudson fell in the summer of 1863. He was transferred to New Orleans on the steamer Zephyr after which illness caused him to be transported to Baltimore to the U.S. Hospital at Fort McHenry and then Fort Delaware. Upon his release on June 12, 1865, he took an oath of allegiance to his country. Interestingly, Dr. Williams derived Slocum's description from his war record - "a lawyer by profession, of dark complexion, had dark hair, blue eyes, and was five feet-ten inches tall." Sounds like he was a tall drink of water, if you ask me. I rummaged through my books, but my effort to find a photograph was futile.
Once Slocum returned home to Franklinton, he was back to law and politics, reopening his law office and running for parish judge, a role provided for by the 1868 State Constitution. He won the seat by a vote of 287 to 255. Slocum was reelected in 1870 before being defeated by John Wadsworth in 1874.
With a genuine interest in farming and related issues, Slocum helped found the first Grange chapter in Washington Parish. He was a founding member of the Silver Creek Grange, Lodge No. 32. Digressing, earlier this year I caught my first glimpse of a Grange Hall on Martha's Vineyard, off the southeastern coast of Massachusetts. Founded in 1859 as a place for farmers to gather, "The Old Ag Hall" continues to be a central part of the community there. Naturally, my interest was piqued. Stay tuned for a future column detailing the Grange, a lifeline in rural America, and its role in Washington Parish. Back to John Johnson Slocum, he was also active in the Franklinton Masonic Order and a supporter of the Methodist Church.
But illness, which had played a definitive role in his life, finally got the best of him on January 27, 1876, when he succumbed at the residence of A. E. Daniel who was his half-brother. The Silver Creek Grange passed a resolution on his behalf, set forth at its February 1876 meeting. The resolution, in admiration of their Brother Slocum, appeared on April 13, 1876, in the New Orleans Christian Advocate. Slocum was laid to rest in what once was the old Slocum Cemetery located near the Fisher Methodist Church.
•Stay tuned for a future column with more on the Slocum ancestry and place.
