Last Tuesday, Mica Anders presented on “Tracing African American Legacies in Minnesota.” Anders is a professional genealogist specializing in African American genealogy. She earned the Minnesota Genealogical Society’s Pioneer Award for her work on researching early African American communities in Minnesota. Her program on Tuesday was about African American life in Minnesota when it was still a territory, through early statehood, and through the late 1800s. Her presentation explored stories of communities and individuals who contributed to the region’s early development. She featured a couple of early African American settlers in Marshall, and one was Oliver C. Phillips.

Oliver C. Phillips was born on March 1, 1811, on the farm of John Bouden in North Carolina. He was a free born man of mixed parentage. His mother was white and his father was black. Oliver’s mother died when he was born. His parents were not married. Oliver remained on the Bouden farm until he was 12 years old. He then entered the service of a farmer and horseman named Aaron Lindsley, who raised racing horses in Morgan County, Indiana. Oliver was with Aaron Lindsley for fourteen years and they lived in various places.

In 1845, during the war with Mexico, Oliver, who was then living in New Orleans, got in connection with the United States Army, and for a year-and-a-half was the chief cook for General Zachary Taylor (later U.S. President), and was with him in Mexico. After the war, Oliver returned north and was for several years a barber in different cities. In 1878, he moved to Marshall where he remained the rest of his life. His first wife died several years prior to him moving to Marshall. He married a woman in Marshall in 1881 and they were together for four years and then divorced.

In 1899, when Oliver was nearly 90 years old, his eyesight having failed and his physical condition grown weak, he realized he would not be able to take care of himself. He wanted someone to take possession of his little property and agree to take care of him while he lived. Minnie Mathews, the wife of attorney Marvin Mathews, asked her husband to assume the duty. Marvin rebuilt the little house, making an addition of a room for Oliver’s use, and placed the shop in rentable condition. A person was employed to attend to Oliver, with the last attendant being John Brantman.

Towards the end of Oliver’s life, Father Guillot of Holy Redeemer Catholic Church, had been a frequent visitor administering consolation and material comforts. Oliver was not a religious man, but because of Father Guillot’s kindness towards him, Oliver wanted Father Guillot to take charge of his affairs and conduct his funeral. Oliver is buried in the Calvary Cemetery. Oliver, who was known as “Old Phil” passed away on Nov. 21, 1906, in Marshall. His obituary is in the News Messenger of Lyon County on Nov. 23, 1906. The information written here on Oliver’s life is from his obituary. His obituary includes much more information on places he lived and his work with horses and being a barber.

The photograph featured this week is Oliver Phillips’s headstone at Calvary Cemetery in Marshall.

The Lyon County Historical Society (LCHS) is a nonprofit, member-supported organization. LCHS operates the Lyon County Museum at 301 West Lyon Street in Marshall. The Lyon County Museum is open year-round to visitors. To contact us, visit our website: www.lyoncomuseum.org, call: 507-537-6580, email: director@lyoncomuseum.org, or on our Facebook page.