Charles Hooks Slocumb, a retired farmer resident at Albany, was born Nov. 14, 1817 near Carmi, White Co., Ill. Rev. Samuel Slocumb, his father, was a native of Georgia, and was born Nov. 23, 1783, in Atlanta. The family trace their descent in a direct line from Anthony, Giles and Edward Slocumb, who came to America from England in 1637. The first named is recorded as the first landed proprietor by purchase of 103 acres, which was called New Plymouth and is now included in Taunton and vicinity. Giles settled in Portsmouth, R.I. and died there in 1682. Edward is on record as one of the Supervisors of Highways in Taunton, June 1, 1647. There is no further record of him. The Slocumb family of Whiteside County are lineal descendants fromGiles Slocumb. Joseph Slocumb, great-grandfather of C.H. Slocumb, was a merchant at Atlanta Ga., early in the 18th century, and he had two sons, John Charles and Ezekiel. The former was a soldier of the Revolutionary War, and became a Methodist preacher. About the year 1800 he went to Kentucky, whence he removed about five years later to Concord, White Co., Ill. and there died, about 1825.
Ezekial lived in North Carolina after the close of the War of the Revolution, and from 1812 to 1818 he was a member of what was then designated the "House of Commons' of that State. He was a valiant soldier in the Colonial struggle with England, and was a Lieutenant at the battle of Moore's Creek. He was promoted to a Colonelcy for bravery in action. Samuel SLocumb, son of John Charles, went with his parents to Kentucky, and in 1812 he removed to the Territory of Illinois, settling near Carmi. The second struggle with Great Britain called him into the military service in the same year and he became an officer. He married Mary Ann Beck, March 21, 1804, and settled to the pursuit of farming in Concord. He was a man of recognized abilities and became Postmaster at Concord. He also held other important official positions at that place. In 1833 he went to Knox Co., Ill. where he settled on Government land and engaged in farming. He built a log house entirely without nails, covered with clapboards bound in place with poles, and having a punceon floor. He lived on the place five years, and in 1838 settled where the village of ALbany n ow stands. He died there Dec. 29, 1859. His wife's death took place Feb. 24, 1851. He officiated many years as a local preacher in the Methodist Church, and was a farmer nearly all his life. After coming to ALbany he was made Justice of the Peace and discharged the duties of the position a number of years. To him and his wife 11 children were born; Samuel lives in LaBette Co., Kan.; William W. is a steamboat captain and lives at Winona, Minn. With the execption of Mr. Slocumb of this sketch no others are living. Samuel Slocumb died at the age of 76 years. He was six years old when the Republic entered upon its first stage of existence under the administration of a President, and he died during the executive term of the 15th head of the nation. He was always a pioneer, and encountered the trials, privations and vicissitudes of the period of first things successively in White, Knox and Whiteside Counties, and at the time of his death, Albany was just emerging from its formative stage. If the record of his experiences as pioneer farmer and preacher had been preserved, the recital would have possessed the interest of a work of fiction.
When the family removed to KNox County they traveled with the aid of ox and horse teams, driving their stock and camping and cooking by the wayside. There were no mills to grind grain, and their food was shaved corn, or hominy made by pounding the grain in a mortar; and, having plenty of milk, they subsisted on mush and milk. What would they have said if they could have forseen the time when their wholesome but compulsory food would be served as a luxury on aristocratic tables?
Charles H. Slocumb was 20 years old when his parents removed to Albany. He rented five acres of land and engaged in farming in 1839. In the winter which ensued he chopped wood, at 25 cents per cord. In 1840 he established a sort of independent transportation line, carrying passengers to various points in the county. He did a good business, as many travelers came to Albany on the river who had business inland. After pursuing this vocation two years, he entered a claim in the (now) township of Newton, where he erected a log house, the material from which was removed from Albany. He made his land claim at Dixon in 1842, whither he went for the purpose, accompanied by his brother. Associated with two brothers, he improved and fenced 160 acres, on which he lived until his removal in 1851 to the township of Garden Plain. He at first bought 40 acres of land, to which he added by subsequent purchases of State land until he was the possessor of 218 acres. He occupied his estate until 1878 when he rented the property and removed to Albany.
Mrs. Elizabeth A. (Bennett) Slocumg was born March 23, 1830 in Cazenovia, Madison Co NY. She is the oldest daughter of Lyman and Susan E. (Latham) Bennett. Her father was born Nov. 8, 1802, in Ludlow, Hampden Co., Mass., of English parentage. He went to Cazenovia, where he was married Oct. 31, 1827. Susan Elizabeth Latham who became his wife, wsa born in Norwich, Conn., in September 1808, and while yet young went to Madison County with her aunts. In the fall of 1835 the family set out for Whiteside County, traveling in the primitive method then in vogue. They had an ox team as a motive power and went to Buffalo, where they embarked on a steamboat for Detroit, their team coming across the lakes by the same boat; and it was again brought into requisition in the journey from the City of the Straits to Whiteside County. The family brought all their personal possessions, and they camped and cooked their food while on the way to their destination.
Mr. Bennett entered a claim on the north bank of Rock River, opposie Portland, where he built a log cabin, and resided about four years. At the end of that time Mr. Bennett went to what is now the township of Newton. He entered a claim, built a log dwelling, and fenced and otherwise improved 40 acres of land, on which he was a resident until 1859, the year in which he located in Albany Township.
A few years later he moved to the village of Albany which was his home until his death, which transpired March 3, 1884. His wife died April 9, 1873. Their children included two sons and eight daughters, and all but one lived to reach maturity; Elizabeth was married to C.H. Slocumb, Oct. 23, 1848; Helen M. is the wife of David C.Hanks, and lives in Albany; Harriet A. is the wife of A.t. Jenks, of Stillwater, Minn.; Lewis D. is a resident of Lyons, Iowa; Alice married J.F. Hopper, and is a resident of Albany; Irene is the wife of Charles Paddock and lives at Albany; Emily Jane and Sophronia are deceased. The children of Mr. and Mrs. Slocumb now living are; Lyman C., Samuel Chester, Sylvester B., Grandus H., Robert D. and Mabel Azelma; four children are not living.
Whiteside County Portraits & Biographical Pg 610
