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CAPTAIN SIMON SLOCUM (1705–1790), son of Captain Simon Slocum and Abigail Wheatley

ABIGAIL METCALF (b. 1713), daughter of Eleazer Metcalf and Judith Rockwood

Simon, the son of Captain Simon and Abigail (Wheatley) Slocum, was born on 26 July 1705 in Boston.1 He died on 12 March 1790 in Templton, Worcester County, Massachusetts.1 He married Abigail Metcalf, the daughter of Eleazer.1

Abigail, the daugher of Eleazer Metcalf, was born on 18 January 1713.1

Abigail's father Eleazer left Simon and Abigail a bequest:1

In consideration of that parental love and affection that I bear toward my well-beloved son-in-law, Simon Slocomb of Wrentham, clothier, and for their more comfortable subsistance ... 26 acres of land in Wrentham.

Simon is on a June 1736 list of petitioners to the General Court asking for the establishment of another church in Wrentham. The church was organized on 16 February 1738 and Simon was a charter member.2,3

Signers of the covenant of the First Congregational Church in Franklin in 1737/8 are listed below.4 As seen, many of Simon and Abigail's relative's joined the church. Benjamin Rockwood [Sr.] was probabaly Abigail's grandfather; Benjamin Rockwood [Jr.] was possibly a cousin of Abigail's mother; Nathaniel and John Fisher may have been relative's of Abigail's aunt Mary Rockwood's husband; Robert Pond was probably Simon's sister Abigail's father-in-law and Ebenezer Lawrence was probably her mother-in-law's brother; Eleazer Metcalf was probably Abigail's brother and Michael Metcalf was probably her father's first cousin.

Abigail Slocumb joined the church on 3 July 1754.4

The Franklin church does not seem to have been an entirely happy one. Almost immediately they quarrelled over singing styles. David Pond—taking a minority view—was censured and his case dragged on for over ten years until he was excommunicated on 4 October 1749. On 18 November 1750 it was noticed that many members were absenting themselves from communion. Church members committed fornication, bore false witness, stole, used profane language and altered lottery tickets. They split over doctrinal issues.4

Simon lived in the part of Wrentham that became Franklin. He was precinct clerk in Franklin in 1740, 1741, 1743, 1748 and 1752.12

Simon was appointed ensign of the First Company in Wrentham, [his brother-in-law] Baruch Pond, Captain, on 2 July 1744.1

"Jun. 2. 1754. it was propoosed^to choose a Meet person as a Modr. Assistant to the Pastor in his present weak State, till further Order. Jun. 9, 1754. The Chh made choice of Simon Slocomb for that Purpose."4 "May 7.1758 The Chh being stayed a motion was made to the Chh  by brother Simon Slocom that they choose a Moderator in his Room he having Entered his Majesty’s Service & about to leave the place."4

Captain Simon Slocum of Wrentham served in Colonel Joseph William's regiment in the Canada expedition from 13 March to 8 December 1758 and in February 1759. He served 64 weeks and six days on the Fort Cumberland expedition in 1759/60. He served in Colonel Frye's regiment in the Nova Scotia Expedition from 1 January to 26 June 1760.5

After the British capture of Fort Beauséjour in Nova Scotia in 1755, the fort was renamed Fort Cumberland and manned by troops from Massachusetts. In the fall of 1759, 100 or more men went to the fort under the command of Captain Simon Slocum.6

Captain Simon Slocum was a member of the House of Assembly, Province of Nova Scotia, Canada, on 4 December 1759.1

In May 1763 the Franklin church voted that it wanted Brother Simon Slocum to explain why he was long absent from communion. On 11 August, the church voted that he had offered satisfaction. However there was longstanding controversy in in the church and Simon was one of those who fell out with the congregation.4

"May 18 1766| Chh stayed after public Excercise when the Result of the late Council was read — & after waiting some Time for Objections if there was any to be offered — ye Vote was called ... past in the Affirmative Then it was asked if any were contrary ^minded whereupon several Hands were lifted up & among the rest Brother Slocombs which gave Occasion to the Pastor to ask him if he did not accept the result whereupon He rose up & spoke in such a Manner as that the Chh took Exceptions at wt he said & June 1 1766 Chh stayed after public Excercise & voted to send the following to Brother ^Simon Slocomb viz.  Brother Slocomb! ... We are not so much desirous that you would explain those Expressions themselves (because they are sufficiently plain already) as that you would discover their Consistancy & Harmony with the Confessions you so lately made to the Chh upon which you was received into Favor. ..."4

"Jan. 29 1767 Chh Stayed after public Lecture & voted to chose a Committee ... to discourse with Br. Simon Slocomb on those Instances of his Conduct which have given Uneasiness to the Chh & make Report to the Chh. Voted also, That sd Comittee be instructed to endeavour with all Tenderness to convince Br. Slocomb of the Contempt he seems to have shewn to ye Chh in neglecting to make Answer to a few plain Questions when desired once."4

"Feb. 25 1767 ... A Letter from Br. Simon Slocomb is now communicated to ye Chh dated Feb. 23 1767 implying a Refusal to make answer to ye Request which ye Chh had repeatedly sent to him. Whereupon ye Chh appointed a Chh meeting to be held in ye public ... to consider ye Contents of this Letter — And chose Brothers Jos. Whiting & Nathll Haws to notify Brother Simon Slocomb of it by presenting him with a Copy of the Following viz Br. Slocomb! We are a good deal sorry & surprized yt you ^should intimate in your Letter as if you was ignorant of your Crime (as you are pleased to phrase it) when we so plainly informed you in our first Letter to you wt was the ground of our Offence viz ye Observations you was pleased to make before ye Chh when the late Council’s Result was Voted. — And we are also equally Surprized that you should insinuate as if you had no Opportunity to defend yourself — when this is what we have been from time to time desiring you to do — but all in Vain as yet — We therefore have appoint a Chh Meeting to beheld at ye public ... when & where you are desired hereby to be present & answer to what ye Chh have informed you over & again — And do instruct you no longer to abuse ye Patience & Forbarance of ye Chh by any further Neglect. — March  11 1767 | Chh met ... Br. Simon Slocomb being present — it was observed to him yt the Chh now waited upon him to hear what Answer He could make to the Exceptions they had taken at his Conduct — Where upon He intimated, he had nothing now to communicate in Writing — But after some Debate ... Br Slocomb signified that if the Chh would adjourn for a short Time He would make his Answer in Writing — Accordingly the Chh Voted an Adjournment to the 31st of this instant March at one o’ Clock P.M. March 31, 1767  | Chh met according to Adjournment, when was communicated an Answer by Brother Simon Slocomb to the Chh’s Request ... the following Vote was called — Brethren! If it be your Minds that what Brother Slocomb has now offered in answer to the Letter we sent him dated June 1 1766 be sufficiently satisfactory respecting ye Matter therein referred to; be pleasd to signify it — past in the Negative."4

Late in life Simon went to live with his son Apelles in Templeton and he died there.1

Children of Simon Slocum and Abigail Metcalf: Births recorded in Wrentham, as children of Simon and Abigail; Metcalf and Jeremiah as children of Ensign Simon and Abigail; Apelles as the son of Lieutenant Simon and Abigail.7

i. Lois Slocum was born on 13 April 1732. She died on 30 November 1736 in Wrentham.7

ii. Esther Slocum was born on 17 November 1733. She was baptised on 5 March 1737/8 in the First Congregational Church of Franklin.4 She married John Hall on 23 April 1761 in Wrentham.7 She died on 15 September 1769.1 Lieutenant John (Josiah, Benjamin, Edward) Hall was born on 21 October 1735.1 Deacon John Hall died on 10 April1812, age 76 and is buried in the Wrentham Center Cemetery in Wrentham.8 He married second Sarah Unknown.1 She died on 8 June 1807 and is buried in the Wrentham Center Cemetery.8

iii. Abigail Slocum was born on 14 April 1736. She died on 1 March 1737 in Wrentham.7

iv.. Captain Samuel Slocum was born on 25 June 1738. He was baptised on 2 July 1738 in the First Congregational Church of Franklin.4 Captain Samuel Slocum died on 8 November 1829, age 91, in Hubbardston, Massachusetts.9 He married Miriam Richardson on 6 November 1763 in Wrentham.7 They published their intention in Medway on 15 October 1763.10 Miriam, the daughter Asa (John, John, John) and Abigail (Barber) Richardson, was born on 4 January 1741/2 in Medway.10,11 Mirian, the wife of Samuel, died on 23 November 1825, age 84, in Hubbardston.9 Samuel and Miriam are buried in the Parish Cemetery in Hubbardston.8

Samuel and Miriam lived in Hubbardston.9,11

v. Chloe Slocum was born on 12 February 1740/1. She was baptised on 12 April 1741 in the First Congretational Church in Franklin.4 She died on 12 December 1741 in Wrentham.7

vi. Benjamin Slocum was baptised on 27 March 1743 in the First Congregational Church in Franklin (as the son of Simon and Abigail).4

vii. Susanna Slocum was born on 23 June 1747. Susanna, the wife of Benjamin, died in 1835 in Wrentham.7 She married Benjamin Shepard, Jr. on 26 October 1769 in Wrentham.7 Benjamin, the son of Benjamin and Hepzibah Shepard, was born on 4 April 1746 in Wrentham.7 He died in 1839 in Wrentham.7 Benjamin and Susanna are buried in the Shepardville Cemetery in Plainville, Norfolk County.8

viii. Eleazer Slocum was born on 23 November 1749. He died on 25 September 1820, age 72, in Wrentham.7 He left no children.1

Eleazer was a soldier in the Revolutionary War.1

ix. Metcalf Slocum was born on 15 November 1751. He was baptised on 26 January 1752 in the First Congregational Church in Franklin.4

Metcalf was an ensign in the Revolutionary War.2

x. Jeremiah Slocum was born on 10 January 1754. He left no children.1 He was baptised on 3 March 1754 in the First Congregational Church in Franklin.4

Jeremiah was a corporal in the Revolutionary War.1[2]

xi. Apelles Slocum was born on 10 June 1756. He married Deborah Coleman.

Endnotes:

1. Charles E. Slocum, The Slocums, Slocumgs and Slocombs of America, vol. 2 (Defiance, OH: the auther, 1908), 453–4.

2. Richard William Cutter, New England Families: Geneaglogical and Memorial, vol. 4 (New York, n.p., 1915), 2007–8.

3. "New Englanders in Nova Scotia," database with images, AmericanAncestors (2010), citing Crowell, Fred E., New Englanders in Nova Scotia, Manuscript R. Stanton Avery Special Collections, New England Historic Genealogical Society, Boston, 403–4.

4. "Church Records, 1737–1781," images with transcription, Franklin, Massachusetts First Congressional Church, Congregational Library & Archives (https://www.congregationallibrary.org/nehh/series1/FranklinMAFirst4842).

5. "Colonial Soldiers and Officers in New England, 1620–1775," database with images, AmericanAn1tor(https://www.americanan1tors.org/DB494/i/13257/323/236082812) > Massachusetts officers in the French and Indian Wars, p. 323.

6. "Fort Cumberland, Nova Scotia, Orderly's Book," New England Historical and Genealogical Register 98 (1944), 102.

7. Thomas W. Baldwin, Vital Records of Wrentham: To the Year 1850, 2 vols. (Boston: Stanhope Press, 1910), vol. 1: 186, 189–90 (births); vol. 2: 372–3 (marriages); vol. 2: 498 (496, deaths).

8. "Deacon John Hall," Findagrave (https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/20909917/john-hall), "Sacred to the Memory of Deacon John Hall who died April 10th 1812 in the 77th year of his age /Who lived respected and died lamented." "Sarah Hall," Findagrave (https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/142989413/sarah-hall). "Cpt. Samuel Slocomb," Findagrave (https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/113495963/samuel-slocomb). "Mariam Richardson Slocomb," Findagrave (https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/113495694/mariam-slocomb). "Benjamin Shepard," Findagrave (https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/143008896/benjamin-shepard). "Susanna Sloccomb Shepard," Findagrave (https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/143046567/susanna-shepard).

9. Vital Records of Hubbardston, Massachusetts: To the End of the Year 1849 (Wor1tor: Franklin P. Rice, 1907), 92, 216.

10. Vital Records of Medway, Massachusetts: To the Year 1850 (Boston: New England Historic Genealogical Society, 1905), 115, 251, 253.

11. E.O. Jameson, The Biographical Sketches of Prominent Persons, and the Genealogical Records of Many Early and Other Families in Medway, Mass.: 1713–1886 (Millis, MA: unknown, 1886), 183.

12. History of Norfolk County, Massachusetts : With Biographical Sketches of Many of its Pioneers and Prominent Men (Philadelphia: J.W. Lewis & Co., 1884), 183.

Last revised: 08-Dec-2023