Rhode Island Tercentenary Issue First Day Cover
300th Anniversary of the Settlement of Rhode Island
Issued on May 4, 1936 in Providence, RI - Scott #777

Unofficial Town Cancel - Slocum, RI
1st John B. Kilton Cachet - Planty 777-61i

The Slocumville Post Office, (North Kingstown Township, Washington County) was established on March 5, 1857 under Postmaster Jonathan Slocum. The name was changed to Slocum on March 3, 1900. The postmaster at the time of the name change was Arthur A. Wood. The post office is currently in operation under Postmaster Michael K. Lipka appointed on May 23, 1998.

The Slocum or Slocombe family were among the first families to settle in Rhode Island. The family patriarch; Giles Slocum was born in Old Cleve, Summerset, England in 1623.  Sometime in either 1639 or 1640 he emigrated to the colonies and ended up settling in Portsmouth, Rhode Island where he married Joan Cook in 1640. They had 9 children.

The original spelling of the name (Slocombe) derives from the English word for the valleys of southwestern England called Combes and the abundant growth of the Sloe Tree there; thus Slocombe.

Sources:
Check List of Rhode Island Post Offices 1790-1994 - Del Beaudreau
Rhode Island Postal History: The Post Offices - Merolla, Jackson & Crowther