John was born in New York, as were both his parents. He likely came to California as a "49er" during the gold rush era. Per New Mexico historian Daniel Aranda, he may have come from Cambridge, Washington County, NY.
In the US Census of 1860 John D. Slocum lived in Washington Township, Yolo County, CA, in an area now known as West Sacramento. He lived with two other single men, both listed as blacksmiths. John listed his occupation as "wagon maker".
On October 20, 1861 he joined the Fifth Infantry Regiment, California Volunteers as it formed in Sacramento, accepting a commission as a 2nd LT. The regiment numbered nearly 1,000 men and became known as the "California Column". In January of 1861 the regiment boarded steamers at San Francisco for the trip down to southern California, landing at San Pedro. In May they marched east to Yuma, Arizona, across the Sonoran desert to Tucson, and down the Rio Grande River to Franklin, Texas (present day El Paso). They had one brief skirmish with Confederates near Picacho Peak, Arizona, but most of their fighting took place against hostile Apache Indians.
According to California State Senate and Assembly records 1st LT Slocum was promoted to Captain in January 1863, transferring from the Fifth Infantry to Company G, First Veteran Infantry, California Volunteers, Department of New Mexico.
At the end of the war John was stationed at Franklin, Texas (near modern day El Paso). In early 1866 he was based at Los Pinos/ Fort Cummings, New Mexico territory and recovered the bodies of four troopers killed by Apaches. He mustered out of the army on 20 September 1866 as a Captain, Company C, First Regiment Veteran Infantry, California Volunteers.
John stayed in New Mexico after leaving the army, taking a 320 acre land grant for veterans in an area 20 miles west of present day Las Cruces. He became partners with Virgil Mastin in a watering hole/stage coach stop on the property that became known as "Slocum's Ranch". The stop had a natural spring and they installed water tanks and a large dirt reservoir. The "Southern Overland" stage route from Mesilla to Tucson ran by the watering hole.
At some point Slocum married a Mexican woman named Jesusita Lucia Lopez and the couple had three children.
Lucia/Lucy (Sullivan) b. 1866 New Mexico d. 1953 Los Angeles, CA
John b. 1869 d. before 1876 New Mexico
Juana/Jennie (Dellaha/Delahay) b.1871 New Mexico d. after 1924 in Mexico
Slocum's business partner Virgil Mastin was killed by Indians in 1868. In 1870 Slocum bought out the watering hole from Mastin's estate for $258.
Slocum improved the stage stop's defenses against Indian attack, making a stronghold with eighteen rooms facing an inner courtyard, all of it surrounded by high adobe walls with loopholes to shoot through. He added separate quarters to house servants, cowboys, and stage travelers. The outer walls also contained two large corrals. Slocum ran a commissary selling hay, grain, and supplies to wagon trains coming through the area and renamed the place "Slocum's Ranch". Several New Mexico histories described him as "a man of recognized eminence on this frontier".
In the 1870 US Census John D. Slocum (age 40, of New York) was listed residing at Slocum's Ranch with Jesusa (age 28, of Mexico) and two children, daughter Louisa (age 3, New Mexico) and son John (age 1, New Mexico). Two men also lived on the ranch as employees.
In 1871, the couple had a second daughter, Juana (or Jennie).
During the 1870's Slocum's Ranch was an important place of shelter during the Apache wars, with many conflicts taking place along the stage road. Several people are buried near the site of the ranch who lost their lives during those days.
In October 1875 Slocum leased the ranch for $75/month to Richard Mason, who had served with him in the California Column Volunteers. Mason had difficulties keeping the water tanks full, and with the coming of the railroad in 1881, overland traffic decreased to the point that he abandoned the site by 1884.
After leasing the ranch, Slocum and his family moved to Mesilla, NM, a small village on the Rio Grande river southwest of modern day Las Cruces. Mesilla pre-dated Las Cruces and during the Civil War was the largest settlement between El Paso and Tucson, serving as the capital of Confederate Arizona.
Jesusita Lucia died at the end of August 1876. The obituary mentioned that two children survived her, so her son John had died by 1876.
Oddly, John recorded his marriage to Jesusita at the San Albino Catholic church in Mesilla on August 29, 1876, close to the day she died. Presumably he wished to document their marriage with the church because it had not been previously recorded.
John sent his two daughters, Lucy and Jennie, to a Catholic boarding school. They appeared together as students in the 1880 US Census.
John Slocum was mentioned in the "El Paso Times" on October 10, 1883. "Last July a boy name Thomas O'Neil stole from John D. Slocum, at Santa Domingo Ranch, Mexico, something like $115, and Mr. Slocum succeeded in getting the boy arrested and placed in jail in Paso del North, where he has been ever since. It is reported that Mr. Slocum succeeded in getting some of the money back from the boy under the promise that he would get him out of jail, but not being successful, the boy brought a charge against Mr. Slocum, which the judge considered of sufficient weight and importance to arrest him and put him in jail, where he was at a late hour last night.
On August 11, 1891 John applied for a military pension in New Mexico, listing himself as an invalid due to a double inguinal hernia condition. His service was listed as 2nd LT, Co. E, 5th California Volunteer Infantry. The pension was certificated in December 1893, paying $17 a month. The pension bureau was notified of his death December 20, 1910.
When his daughter Jennie married in Mexico in 1892, she listed her parents as "Juan Slocum and the late Lucia Lopez".
In the April 11, 1893 edition of the "Southwest Sentinel", Silver City, NM, contained a reference to John D. Slocum. It read, "Capt. John D. Slocum, a representative of the Corralitos Mining and Cattle Co, Mexico, is here in the interest of the company."
Between 1895 and 1910 the "El Paso Herald" noted several times that Capt J.D. Slocum of Corralitos, Mexico was in town staying at one of the hotels. Some entries list him as J.D. Slocum of San Pedro.
The March 12, 1900 edition of the "El Paso Herald" mentioned that "J.D. Slocum, chief carpenter at the San Pedro Mines, is in the city."
In the 1910 US Census, John D. Slocum resided in El Paso, in a home he owned. He was 78 years old, a widower, and listed his occupation as "wheelwright". He listed his and his parent's place of birth as New York.
The "El Paso Herald" of November 2, 1910 mentioned in an article entitled "14 Year Ago Today" that in November 1896 "Capt. J.D. Slocum is up from Corralitos, the guest of George Boves."
The "El Paso Herald" of December 12, 1910 had a brief obituary, reading: "J.D. Alocaum, 79 years old, died Sunday night. Nothing is known of his history or his home. The body will be buried today at Concordia cemetery without services."
(Research note: That obituary seems to be the basis of the findagrave entry for John D. Slocum. I'm unsure if it is a typographic error by the newspaper or the wrong person altogether. I can find no other reference to the surname "Alocaum" on the web, other than this obituary, so a typo is highly likely. However, it would be surprising that John D. Slocum was "unknown" to citizens of El Paso given his 50 year association with the city.) A 2020 call to Concordia Cemetery revealed no records of a burial of John Slocum or John Alocaum.
Positive evidence of his death came from the October 30, 1912 issue of the "El Paso Herald", reporting on the visit of Capt. L.E. Mitchell, veteran of the California Column, on his memories of his service nearly 50 years prior. He recalled Capt. John D. Slocum as one of the officers who married "native girls of Mexican descent" and stayed in New Mexico. He went on to say, "Capt Slocum, who died last year (1911) at his ranch up the valley, west of Mesilla, was second lieutenant of Company E and afterward promoted to captain of Company G, of our regiment".
Capt. Slocum's daughter Lucy married John W. Sullivan, and was the grandmother of Mexican film star Lupita Tovar.
In the US Census of 1860 John D. Slocum lived in Washington Township, Yolo County, CA, in an area now known as West Sacramento. He lived with two other single men, both listed as blacksmiths. John listed his occupation as "wagon maker".
On October 20, 1861 he joined the Fifth Infantry Regiment, California Volunteers as it formed in Sacramento, accepting a commission as a 2nd LT. The regiment numbered nearly 1,000 men and became known as the "California Column". In January of 1861 the regiment boarded steamers at San Francisco for the trip down to southern California, landing at San Pedro. In May they marched east to Yuma, Arizona, across the Sonoran desert to Tucson, and down the Rio Grande River to Franklin, Texas (present day El Paso). They had one brief skirmish with Confederates near Picacho Peak, Arizona, but most of their fighting took place against hostile Apache Indians.
According to California State Senate and Assembly records 1st LT Slocum was promoted to Captain in January 1863, transferring from the Fifth Infantry to Company G, First Veteran Infantry, California Volunteers, Department of New Mexico.
At the end of the war John was stationed at Franklin, Texas (near modern day El Paso). In early 1866 he was based at Los Pinos/ Fort Cummings, New Mexico territory and recovered the bodies of four troopers killed by Apaches. He mustered out of the army on 20 September 1866 as a Captain, Company C, First Regiment Veteran Infantry, California Volunteers.
John stayed in New Mexico after leaving the army, taking a 320 acre land grant for veterans in an area 20 miles west of present day Las Cruces. He became partners with Virgil Mastin in a watering hole/stage coach stop on the property that became known as "Slocum's Ranch". The stop had a natural spring and they installed water tanks and a large dirt reservoir. The "Southern Overland" stage route from Mesilla to Tucson ran by the watering hole.
At some point Slocum married a Mexican woman named Jesusita Lucia Lopez and the couple had three children.
Lucia/Lucy (Sullivan) b. 1866 New Mexico d. 1953 Los Angeles, CA
John b. 1869 d. before 1876 New Mexico
Juana/Jennie (Dellaha/Delahay) b.1871 New Mexico d. after 1924 in Mexico
Slocum's business partner Virgil Mastin was killed by Indians in 1868. In 1870 Slocum bought out the watering hole from Mastin's estate for $258.
Slocum improved the stage stop's defenses against Indian attack, making a stronghold with eighteen rooms facing an inner courtyard, all of it surrounded by high adobe walls with loopholes to shoot through. He added separate quarters to house servants, cowboys, and stage travelers. The outer walls also contained two large corrals. Slocum ran a commissary selling hay, grain, and supplies to wagon trains coming through the area and renamed the place "Slocum's Ranch". Several New Mexico histories described him as "a man of recognized eminence on this frontier".
In the 1870 US Census John D. Slocum (age 40, of New York) was listed residing at Slocum's Ranch with Jesusa (age 28, of Mexico) and two children, daughter Louisa (age 3, New Mexico) and son John (age 1, New Mexico). Two men also lived on the ranch as employees.
In 1871, the couple had a second daughter, Juana (or Jennie).
During the 1870's Slocum's Ranch was an important place of shelter during the Apache wars, with many conflicts taking place along the stage road. Several people are buried near the site of the ranch who lost their lives during those days.
In October 1875 Slocum leased the ranch for $75/month to Richard Mason, who had served with him in the California Column Volunteers. Mason had difficulties keeping the water tanks full, and with the coming of the railroad in 1881, overland traffic decreased to the point that he abandoned the site by 1884.
After leasing the ranch, Slocum and his family moved to Mesilla, NM, a small village on the Rio Grande river southwest of modern day Las Cruces. Mesilla pre-dated Las Cruces and during the Civil War was the largest settlement between El Paso and Tucson, serving as the capital of Confederate Arizona.
Jesusita Lucia died at the end of August 1876. The obituary mentioned that two children survived her, so her son John had died by 1876.
Oddly, John recorded his marriage to Jesusita at the San Albino Catholic church in Mesilla on August 29, 1876, close to the day she died. Presumably he wished to document their marriage with the church because it had not been previously recorded.
John sent his two daughters, Lucy and Jennie, to a Catholic boarding school. They appeared together as students in the 1880 US Census.
John Slocum was mentioned in the "El Paso Times" on October 10, 1883. "Last July a boy name Thomas O'Neil stole from John D. Slocum, at Santa Domingo Ranch, Mexico, something like $115, and Mr. Slocum succeeded in getting the boy arrested and placed in jail in Paso del North, where he has been ever since. It is reported that Mr. Slocum succeeded in getting some of the money back from the boy under the promise that he would get him out of jail, but not being successful, the boy brought a charge against Mr. Slocum, which the judge considered of sufficient weight and importance to arrest him and put him in jail, where he was at a late hour last night.
On August 11, 1891 John applied for a military pension in New Mexico, listing himself as an invalid due to a double inguinal hernia condition. His service was listed as 2nd LT, Co. E, 5th California Volunteer Infantry. The pension was certificated in December 1893, paying $17 a month. The pension bureau was notified of his death December 20, 1910.
When his daughter Jennie married in Mexico in 1892, she listed her parents as "Juan Slocum and the late Lucia Lopez".
In the April 11, 1893 edition of the "Southwest Sentinel", Silver City, NM, contained a reference to John D. Slocum. It read, "Capt. John D. Slocum, a representative of the Corralitos Mining and Cattle Co, Mexico, is here in the interest of the company."
Between 1895 and 1910 the "El Paso Herald" noted several times that Capt J.D. Slocum of Corralitos, Mexico was in town staying at one of the hotels. Some entries list him as J.D. Slocum of San Pedro.
The March 12, 1900 edition of the "El Paso Herald" mentioned that "J.D. Slocum, chief carpenter at the San Pedro Mines, is in the city."
In the 1910 US Census, John D. Slocum resided in El Paso, in a home he owned. He was 78 years old, a widower, and listed his occupation as "wheelwright". He listed his and his parent's place of birth as New York.
The "El Paso Herald" of November 2, 1910 mentioned in an article entitled "14 Year Ago Today" that in November 1896 "Capt. J.D. Slocum is up from Corralitos, the guest of George Boves."
The "El Paso Herald" of December 12, 1910 had a brief obituary, reading: "J.D. Alocaum, 79 years old, died Sunday night. Nothing is known of his history or his home. The body will be buried today at Concordia cemetery without services."
(Research note: That obituary seems to be the basis of the findagrave entry for John D. Slocum. I'm unsure if it is a typographic error by the newspaper or the wrong person altogether. I can find no other reference to the surname "Alocaum" on the web, other than this obituary, so a typo is highly likely. However, it would be surprising that John D. Slocum was "unknown" to citizens of El Paso given his 50 year association with the city.) A 2020 call to Concordia Cemetery revealed no records of a burial of John Slocum or John Alocaum.
Positive evidence of his death came from the October 30, 1912 issue of the "El Paso Herald", reporting on the visit of Capt. L.E. Mitchell, veteran of the California Column, on his memories of his service nearly 50 years prior. He recalled Capt. John D. Slocum as one of the officers who married "native girls of Mexican descent" and stayed in New Mexico. He went on to say, "Capt Slocum, who died last year (1911) at his ranch up the valley, west of Mesilla, was second lieutenant of Company E and afterward promoted to captain of Company G, of our regiment".
Capt. Slocum's daughter Lucy married John W. Sullivan, and was the grandmother of Mexican film star Lupita Tovar.
John was born in New York, as were both his parents. He likely came to California as a "49er" during the gold rush era. Per New Mexico historian Daniel Aranda, he may have come from Cambridge, Washington County, NY.
In the US Census of 1860 John D. Slocum lived in Washington Township, Yolo County, CA, in an area now known as West Sacramento. He lived with two other single men, both listed as blacksmiths. John listed his occupation as "wagon maker".
On October 20, 1861 he joined the Fifth Infantry Regiment, California Volunteers as it formed in Sacramento, accepting a commission as a 2nd LT. The regiment numbered nearly 1,000 men and became known as the "California Column". In January of 1861 the regiment boarded steamers at San Francisco for the trip down to southern California, landing at San Pedro. In May they marched east to Yuma, Arizona, across the Sonoran desert to Tucson, and down the Rio Grande River to Franklin, Texas (present day El Paso). They had one brief skirmish with Confederates near Picacho Peak, Arizona, but most of their fighting took place against hostile Apache Indians.
According to California State Senate and Assembly records 1st LT Slocum was promoted to Captain in January 1863, transferring from the Fifth Infantry to Company G, First Veteran Infantry, California Volunteers, Department of New Mexico.
At the end of the war John was stationed at Franklin, Texas (near modern day El Paso). In early 1866 he was based at Los Pinos/ Fort Cummings, New Mexico territory and recovered the bodies of four troopers killed by Apaches. He mustered out of the army on 20 September 1866 as a Captain, Company C, First Regiment Veteran Infantry, California Volunteers.
John stayed in New Mexico after leaving the army, taking a 320 acre land grant for veterans in an area 20 miles west of present day Las Cruces. He became partners with Virgil Mastin in a watering hole/stage coach stop on the property that became known as "Slocum's Ranch". The stop had a natural spring and they installed water tanks and a large dirt reservoir. The "Southern Overland" stage route from Mesilla to Tucson ran by the watering hole.
At some point Slocum married a Mexican woman named Jesusita Lucia Lopez and the couple had three children.
Lucia/Lucy (Sullivan) b. 1866 New Mexico d. 1953 Los Angeles, CA
John b. 1869 d. before 1876 New Mexico
Juana/Jennie (Dellaha/Delahay) b.1871 New Mexico d. after 1924 in Mexico
Slocum's business partner Virgil Mastin was killed by Indians in 1868. In 1870 Slocum bought out the watering hole from Mastin's estate for $258.
Slocum improved the stage stop's defenses against Indian attack, making a stronghold with eighteen rooms facing an inner courtyard, all of it surrounded by high adobe walls with loopholes to shoot through. He added separate quarters to house servants, cowboys, and stage travelers. The outer walls also contained two large corrals. Slocum ran a commissary selling hay, grain, and supplies to wagon trains coming through the area and renamed the place "Slocum's Ranch". Several New Mexico histories described him as "a man of recognized eminence on this frontier".
In the 1870 US Census John D. Slocum (age 40, of New York) was listed residing at Slocum's Ranch with Jesusa (age 28, of Mexico) and two children, daughter Louisa (age 3, New Mexico) and son John (age 1, New Mexico). Two men also lived on the ranch as employees.
In 1871, the couple had a second daughter, Juana (or Jennie).
During the 1870's Slocum's Ranch was an important place of shelter during the Apache wars, with many conflicts taking place along the stage road. Several people are buried near the site of the ranch who lost their lives during those days.
In October 1875 Slocum leased the ranch for $75/month to Richard Mason, who had served with him in the California Column Volunteers. Mason had difficulties keeping the water tanks full, and with the coming of the railroad in 1881, overland traffic decreased to the point that he abandoned the site by 1884.
After leasing the ranch, Slocum and his family moved to Mesilla, NM, a small village on the Rio Grande river southwest of modern day Las Cruces. Mesilla pre-dated Las Cruces and during the Civil War was the largest settlement between El Paso and Tucson, serving as the capital of Confederate Arizona.
Jesusita Lucia died at the end of August 1876. The obituary mentioned that two children survived her, so her son John had died by 1876.
Oddly, John recorded his marriage to Jesusita at the San Albino Catholic church in Mesilla on August 29, 1876, close to the day she died. Presumably he wished to document their marriage with the church because it had not been previously recorded.
John sent his two daughters, Lucy and Jennie, to a Catholic boarding school. They appeared together as students in the 1880 US Census.
John Slocum was mentioned in the "El Paso Times" on October 10, 1883. "Last July a boy name Thomas O'Neil stole from John D. Slocum, at Santa Domingo Ranch, Mexico, something like $115, and Mr. Slocum succeeded in getting the boy arrested and placed in jail in Paso del North, where he has been ever since. It is reported that Mr. Slocum succeeded in getting some of the money back from the boy under the promise that he would get him out of jail, but not being successful, the boy brought a charge against Mr. Slocum, which the judge considered of sufficient weight and importance to arrest him and put him in jail, where he was at a late hour last night.
On August 11, 1891 John applied for a military pension in New Mexico, listing himself as an invalid due to a double inguinal hernia condition. His service was listed as 2nd LT, Co. E, 5th California Volunteer Infantry. The pension was certificated in December 1893, paying $17 a month. The pension bureau was notified of his death December 20, 1910.
When his daughter Jennie married in Mexico in 1892, she listed her parents as "Juan Slocum and the late Lucia Lopez".
In the April 11, 1893 edition of the "Southwest Sentinel", Silver City, NM, contained a reference to John D. Slocum. It read, "Capt. John D. Slocum, a representative of the Corralitos Mining and Cattle Co, Mexico, is here in the interest of the company."
Between 1895 and 1910 the "El Paso Herald" noted several times that Capt J.D. Slocum of Corralitos, Mexico was in town staying at one of the hotels. Some entries list him as J.D. Slocum of San Pedro.
The March 12, 1900 edition of the "El Paso Herald" mentioned that "J.D. Slocum, chief carpenter at the San Pedro Mines, is in the city."
In the 1910 US Census, John D. Slocum resided in El Paso, in a home he owned. He was 78 years old, a widower, and listed his occupation as "wheelwright". He listed his and his parent's place of birth as New York.
The "El Paso Herald" of November 2, 1910 mentioned in an article entitled "14 Year Ago Today" that in November 1896 "Capt. J.D. Slocum is up from Corralitos, the guest of George Boves."
The "El Paso Herald" of December 12, 1910 had a brief obituary, reading: "J.D. Alocaum, 79 years old, died Sunday night. Nothing is known of his history or his home. The body will be buried today at Concordia cemetery without services."
(Research note: That obituary seems to be the basis of the findagrave entry for John D. Slocum. I'm unsure if it is a typographic error by the newspaper or the wrong person altogether. I can find no other reference to the surname "Alocaum" on the web, other than this obituary, so a typo is highly likely. However, it would be surprising that John D. Slocum was "unknown" to citizens of El Paso given his 50 year association with the city.) A 2020 call to Concordia Cemetery revealed no records of a burial of John Slocum or John Alocaum.
Positive evidence of his death came from the October 30, 1912 issue of the "El Paso Herald", reporting on the visit of Capt. L.E. Mitchell, veteran of the California Column, on his memories of his service nearly 50 years prior. He recalled Capt. John D. Slocum as one of the officers who married "native girls of Mexican descent" and stayed in New Mexico. He went on to say, "Capt Slocum, who died last year (1911) at his ranch up the valley, west of Mesilla, was second lieutenant of Company E and afterward promoted to captain of Company G, of our regiment".
Capt. Slocum's daughter Lucy married John W. Sullivan, and was the grandmother of Mexican film star Lupita Tovar.
In the US Census of 1860 John D. Slocum lived in Washington Township, Yolo County, CA, in an area now known as West Sacramento. He lived with two other single men, both listed as blacksmiths. John listed his occupation as "wagon maker".
On October 20, 1861 he joined the Fifth Infantry Regiment, California Volunteers as it formed in Sacramento, accepting a commission as a 2nd LT. The regiment numbered nearly 1,000 men and became known as the "California Column". In January of 1861 the regiment boarded steamers at San Francisco for the trip down to southern California, landing at San Pedro. In May they marched east to Yuma, Arizona, across the Sonoran desert to Tucson, and down the Rio Grande River to Franklin, Texas (present day El Paso). They had one brief skirmish with Confederates near Picacho Peak, Arizona, but most of their fighting took place against hostile Apache Indians.
According to California State Senate and Assembly records 1st LT Slocum was promoted to Captain in January 1863, transferring from the Fifth Infantry to Company G, First Veteran Infantry, California Volunteers, Department of New Mexico.
At the end of the war John was stationed at Franklin, Texas (near modern day El Paso). In early 1866 he was based at Los Pinos/ Fort Cummings, New Mexico territory and recovered the bodies of four troopers killed by Apaches. He mustered out of the army on 20 September 1866 as a Captain, Company C, First Regiment Veteran Infantry, California Volunteers.
John stayed in New Mexico after leaving the army, taking a 320 acre land grant for veterans in an area 20 miles west of present day Las Cruces. He became partners with Virgil Mastin in a watering hole/stage coach stop on the property that became known as "Slocum's Ranch". The stop had a natural spring and they installed water tanks and a large dirt reservoir. The "Southern Overland" stage route from Mesilla to Tucson ran by the watering hole.
At some point Slocum married a Mexican woman named Jesusita Lucia Lopez and the couple had three children.
Lucia/Lucy (Sullivan) b. 1866 New Mexico d. 1953 Los Angeles, CA
John b. 1869 d. before 1876 New Mexico
Juana/Jennie (Dellaha/Delahay) b.1871 New Mexico d. after 1924 in Mexico
Slocum's business partner Virgil Mastin was killed by Indians in 1868. In 1870 Slocum bought out the watering hole from Mastin's estate for $258.
Slocum improved the stage stop's defenses against Indian attack, making a stronghold with eighteen rooms facing an inner courtyard, all of it surrounded by high adobe walls with loopholes to shoot through. He added separate quarters to house servants, cowboys, and stage travelers. The outer walls also contained two large corrals. Slocum ran a commissary selling hay, grain, and supplies to wagon trains coming through the area and renamed the place "Slocum's Ranch". Several New Mexico histories described him as "a man of recognized eminence on this frontier".
In the 1870 US Census John D. Slocum (age 40, of New York) was listed residing at Slocum's Ranch with Jesusa (age 28, of Mexico) and two children, daughter Louisa (age 3, New Mexico) and son John (age 1, New Mexico). Two men also lived on the ranch as employees.
In 1871, the couple had a second daughter, Juana (or Jennie).
During the 1870's Slocum's Ranch was an important place of shelter during the Apache wars, with many conflicts taking place along the stage road. Several people are buried near the site of the ranch who lost their lives during those days.
In October 1875 Slocum leased the ranch for $75/month to Richard Mason, who had served with him in the California Column Volunteers. Mason had difficulties keeping the water tanks full, and with the coming of the railroad in 1881, overland traffic decreased to the point that he abandoned the site by 1884.
After leasing the ranch, Slocum and his family moved to Mesilla, NM, a small village on the Rio Grande river southwest of modern day Las Cruces. Mesilla pre-dated Las Cruces and during the Civil War was the largest settlement between El Paso and Tucson, serving as the capital of Confederate Arizona.
Jesusita Lucia died at the end of August 1876. The obituary mentioned that two children survived her, so her son John had died by 1876.
Oddly, John recorded his marriage to Jesusita at the San Albino Catholic church in Mesilla on August 29, 1876, close to the day she died. Presumably he wished to document their marriage with the church because it had not been previously recorded.
John sent his two daughters, Lucy and Jennie, to a Catholic boarding school. They appeared together as students in the 1880 US Census.
John Slocum was mentioned in the "El Paso Times" on October 10, 1883. "Last July a boy name Thomas O'Neil stole from John D. Slocum, at Santa Domingo Ranch, Mexico, something like $115, and Mr. Slocum succeeded in getting the boy arrested and placed in jail in Paso del North, where he has been ever since. It is reported that Mr. Slocum succeeded in getting some of the money back from the boy under the promise that he would get him out of jail, but not being successful, the boy brought a charge against Mr. Slocum, which the judge considered of sufficient weight and importance to arrest him and put him in jail, where he was at a late hour last night.
On August 11, 1891 John applied for a military pension in New Mexico, listing himself as an invalid due to a double inguinal hernia condition. His service was listed as 2nd LT, Co. E, 5th California Volunteer Infantry. The pension was certificated in December 1893, paying $17 a month. The pension bureau was notified of his death December 20, 1910.
When his daughter Jennie married in Mexico in 1892, she listed her parents as "Juan Slocum and the late Lucia Lopez".
In the April 11, 1893 edition of the "Southwest Sentinel", Silver City, NM, contained a reference to John D. Slocum. It read, "Capt. John D. Slocum, a representative of the Corralitos Mining and Cattle Co, Mexico, is here in the interest of the company."
Between 1895 and 1910 the "El Paso Herald" noted several times that Capt J.D. Slocum of Corralitos, Mexico was in town staying at one of the hotels. Some entries list him as J.D. Slocum of San Pedro.
The March 12, 1900 edition of the "El Paso Herald" mentioned that "J.D. Slocum, chief carpenter at the San Pedro Mines, is in the city."
In the 1910 US Census, John D. Slocum resided in El Paso, in a home he owned. He was 78 years old, a widower, and listed his occupation as "wheelwright". He listed his and his parent's place of birth as New York.
The "El Paso Herald" of November 2, 1910 mentioned in an article entitled "14 Year Ago Today" that in November 1896 "Capt. J.D. Slocum is up from Corralitos, the guest of George Boves."
The "El Paso Herald" of December 12, 1910 had a brief obituary, reading: "J.D. Alocaum, 79 years old, died Sunday night. Nothing is known of his history or his home. The body will be buried today at Concordia cemetery without services."
(Research note: That obituary seems to be the basis of the findagrave entry for John D. Slocum. I'm unsure if it is a typographic error by the newspaper or the wrong person altogether. I can find no other reference to the surname "Alocaum" on the web, other than this obituary, so a typo is highly likely. However, it would be surprising that John D. Slocum was "unknown" to citizens of El Paso given his 50 year association with the city.) A 2020 call to Concordia Cemetery revealed no records of a burial of John Slocum or John Alocaum.
Positive evidence of his death came from the October 30, 1912 issue of the "El Paso Herald", reporting on the visit of Capt. L.E. Mitchell, veteran of the California Column, on his memories of his service nearly 50 years prior. He recalled Capt. John D. Slocum as one of the officers who married "native girls of Mexican descent" and stayed in New Mexico. He went on to say, "Capt Slocum, who died last year (1911) at his ranch up the valley, west of Mesilla, was second lieutenant of Company E and afterward promoted to captain of Company G, of our regiment".
Capt. Slocum's daughter Lucy married John W. Sullivan, and was the grandmother of Mexican film star Lupita Tovar.
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