Which Thomas Walker was the one listed as a student in the 1857-58 catalog?

The puzzle pieces: A student listed in the 1857/58 Eleutherian College catalog: Thomas Walker, College Hill, Indiana.

In the 1828, 1830 and 1831 Madison property tax rolls, Amos Phillips is listed living on Lot 75.

At first glance there seems to be no connection. But like much of the history about the free blacks who settled in Jefferson County, Indiana, there are clues. But, how do the pieces fit?

The earliest record of Amos Phillips is the recording of his marriage to Patsy, a woman of color, in Jefferson County on June 8th, 1822. They were both from Virginia.

Finding the property deed at the Jefferson County Courthouse provided clues. Betsey and Harriet Philips purchased “Lot No. 75 Add. West” from John and Sarah Paul in 1828 for $100. So, who were Betsey and Harriet? They were Amos‘ daughters. At that time, though, Harriet was 2 years old.

Throughout the 1830s, the Phillips family lived near the City Cemetery (now John Paul Park). Life was not always easy for the free blacks in Madison. We have this account of the 1839 troubles in the Madison Courier of 1881:

“On Third street…stood a log house, the home of Amos Phillips. This old Negro was too ‘sassy’ and the mob, under its new leader, moved down to take him out and put him in the river. When they got there, they found the house barricaded, and port-holes improvised by knocking out “chinking” between the logs. Inside, John Brown like, were three determined black men – Amos Phillips, Jacob Carter, and James Griffin – who gave battle, severely wounding one citizen engaged in the attack and compelled the mob to retire. After this engagement, Carter and Griffin disappeared from Madison, and we are informed never again put in an appearance. Amos Phillips was a terror afterwards to whites who came fooling around his domicile. He was badly wounded in one of the many engagements he was drawn into by the whites, and died years afterward from the effects of these injuries.“

His daughter, Betsey, married James Cook in 1839. They had two children. But in 1846, Amos Phillips was appointed guardian to Betsey’s children and sold an undivided one-half of Lot 75 for $350 to John Boyd, to pay the bond for their sustenance and education. His other daughter, Harriet, sold Boyd one-half of Lot 76 for $500 that same year. Amos moved the family to Lancaster township on land he purchased from John Boyd.

In the 1850 census, Amos was 89 years old, still farming on his land in Lancaster township. Harriet was 23 and lived with him and his grandchildren, Amos & Mary E. Cook, Charlotte & Clarissa Phillips. Harriet married Stephen Walker in 1855. Thomas was born in 1843.

HEC board member Larry Stout has spent years researching the Cook and Walker families, who are buried in Nelson Cemetery. They were neighbors of his grandfather, Sanford Ezra (Lat) Stout, and great-grandfather, James P. Stout, who served in the Civil War. The Stouts lived halfway between Nelson and the Cook properties.

Amos Cook was in the Civil War in the 28th U.S. Colored Regiment. “I visited with one of his sons in 1980s. His name was Benjamin Harrison Cook, at the suggestion of a cousin of mine (A.O. Stout) who suggested to Amos that he name him after the president. But he was always known as Buck,“ Larry Stout said. Buck lived in North Vernon until his death at age 98.

Buck’s son was Herschel Cook, who also lived in North Vernon. Herschel died in 2016 at age 88. Herschel, a.k.a. Herky, attended the celebration at Nelson when the state cemetery marker was erected. He also attended “Gathering” events at Eleutherian College.

Amos Phillips’ daughter Harriet and her husband, Stephen Walker, are buried at Nelson Cemetery. When Harriet died in 1922 at the age of 95, her death was recorded in the Courier under heading “Death of Nonagenarian.” She was called “Aunt Harriet” by the locals, black and white.

Like his cousin, Amos Cook, Thomas Walker served in the 28th Indiana, U.S. Colored Troops during the Civil War. After the war, he also returned to farming in the area. Both Amos and Thomas are listed in the 1870 census as farm laborers on Stephen and Harriet Walker’s farm in Lancaster Township. Sisters Clarrissa, Julietta, Phebe and brother Seth are listed as living there with them.

Thomas Walker is buried in the old part of the cemetery at Dupont, close to the highway. There is a military-issued headstone, but there are no dates on it. His death certificate shows that he died Sept. 18, 1900, in Lovett Township, Jennings County.

Is this the same person as the 14-year-old Thomas Walker – the student from College Hill, listed in the 1857/58 Eleutherian College Catalog? We think so, but there are four other Walkers listed: Rueben Walker is the steward at the College. His wife, Sarah, is the Matron. They have a 13-year-old daughter, Thurza, who is listed as a student from College Hill. They also have a 12-year-old son, John, who is not listed, and an 8-year-old son, Thomas. Could their younger son be the Thomas Walker in the catalog? (There is also a Sarah Walker – but she’s from Terre Haute, not College Hill.)

It’s still a puzzle. Which Thomas Walker attended Eleutherian College?