Thomas C. Phillips received his first marine engineer's license from the underwriters while in the steamer Princess, in 1859, and had been an engineer several years previous to that time—no license having been required. He was born in Algonac, St. Clair Co., Mich., March 30, 1838, a son of Charles and Perlina (Cushaway) Phillips. His father was a native of Vermont, and his mother of Detroit, Mich., the latter of French descent. Both parents have passed away, the father in 1854 and the mother in 1888.
Thomas C. Phillips acquired his education in Algonac, and in 1853 shipped as fireman in the steam tug Diamond, plying on the St. Clair river, remaining with her three seasons, the last as second engineer. He then passed a season each as engineer of the tugs Julius C. Morton and United, then serving one season as engineer of the tug Armstrong, with Capt. Tod Boynton. In 1859 he was appointed chief engineer of the passenger steamer Princess, which plied on Lake Superior, between Keweenaw Bay and Houghton; and in 1861 of the tug St. Mary on Portage river, for Barton & Williams, dredging the canal. The next spring he took the tug Zouave, which exploded her boiler on May 22, and of a crew of fourteen, seven were killed. Mr. Phillips had a dream that he heard a crash and rush of water, which awakened him, and went to caution the second engineer to look after the steam. On the way up the Detroit river they took the steamer Game-cock in tow, and released a schooner ashore on Hog Island. When they got about seven miles into Lake St. Clair he was again awakened by a crash and a rush of water, and found that the boiler had exploded and the second engineer and others killed. Mr. Phillips got out of the after cabin through the engine room and jumped overboard, thence to the roof of the pilot house, and picked up the captain's desk and trunk and floated until the tug Frank Moore, Capt. William Wilds, came along and picked him up with the rest of the survivors.
Mr. Phillips enlisted in Co. E, 22nd Mich. Vol. Inf., August 22, 1862, his reg1ment being assigned to the Western army. They went into camp at Covington Heights, after having an adventure with General Morgan's cavalry, after which they went to Lexington, Mt. Sterling, Somerset and Danville, Ky., where they had a slight skirmish. Mr. Phillips was also in the battles of Bowling Green, Nashville, Stone River, Bridgeport, Chattanooga and Ch1ckamauga, his regiment laying the pontoon bridge at the last named place. At Mission Ridge the regiment went into battle seven hundred strong and came out with but sixty-two men fit for duty. Mr. Phillips was wounded in the left shoulder, left arm and left cheek. He was thirty days in the hospital at Nashville and received thirty days' furlough. He returned to his regiment at Lookout Mountain, where they camped about a month. The rebels had cut off their line of supplies, and Mr. Phillips was detailed to fix up the little steamer George Dunbar in order to secure supplies by way of the Tennessee river. He also rafted logs down the Tennessee river that winter to Chattanooga to build store houses for the government. He participated in the battles of Resaca, Big Shanty, Altoona Pass, Kenesaw Mountain, Dalton, Marietta, Atlanta, Peach Tree Creek and Jonesboro. His regiment returned to Chattanooga with General Thomas, and Mr. Phillips was detailed to work in the United States navy yard machine shop, where he remained until the expiration of his term of service. He had previously been appointed third corporal. He was honorably discharged in June, 1865, at Detroit, and, on returning to Algonac, was appointed engineer of the tug J. B. Smith.
In the spring of 1866 Mr. Phillips joined the lake tug Wm. B. Castle as second engineer with Cornelius Blauvelt as chief, closing the season as engineer of the tug Ariel. He then engineered the steamer St. Clair four years, the Ira H. Owen two years, the S. C. Baldwin two years, the Edith one year, the Ira H. Owen one year and the P. H. Birckhead two years. In the spring of 1879 Mr. Phillips was appointed chief of the V. H. Ketcham, remaining with her until June, 1880, when he joined the steamer Allegheny, as chief, and ran her until the close of 1881. The following season t1e became chief engineer of the N. T. steamer Lowell, remaining two seasons, and of the Rhoda Stewart two seasons. In 1886 Mr. Phillips entered the employ of the Alpena Sulphite Fibre Company as chief engineer, and has remained with that company until the present time, in the meantime having full charge of the mill for seven years.
Socially he is a member of the I. O. F., and was chief ranger one term and court deputy four terms. He also belongs to the Maccabees, Grand Army of the Republic, and is foreman of the A. O. U. W.
For his wife Mr. Phillips chose Miss Julia Robertson, of Algonac, and to them have been born children as follows: Henry R. and Cora C., both of whom died young; Lizzie, and Lulu Belle, who died at the age of eleven. This wife died in 1882 and Mr. Phillips then wedded Miss Jennie Court, of Cairo, Michigan. They have had two children: Aggie Lorena, who died young, and Lulu J., now in school. Mr. Phillips' father served in the war of 1812 in Captain Van Camp's company of a Vermont infantry regiment, and secured a land grant which he located in Sanilac county, Mich. He invented the first machine to make cut nails. The mother's father was killed by the Indians at the battle of Bloody Run, where Detroit now stands. The great-grandfather Charles Phillips was a soldier in the Revolution. Mr. Phillips' oldest brother, Peter, served through the Mexican war and was killed at the battle of the Wilderness in the Civil war. Another brother, Joseph, was a soldier in the Ninth Michigan infantry; while Joel, a third brother, served in the First Michigan and is now an engineer and mechanic. Samuel L. Phillips, also a brother of our subject, has been engineer of the steamer John Owen seven or eight years. Mr. Phillips makes his home in Alpena, Mich., although he has a pleasant summer home at Grand Lake, Michigan.
Source: History of the Great Lakes, Volume II, by John Brandt Mansfield, published by J.H. Beers & Co., Chicago, 1899; Pgs. 1108-1109
