Archives of Maryland
(Biographical Series)

Matilda Phillips (b. circa 1805 - d. after 1880)
MSA SC 5496-035954
Property Owner, Montgomery County, Maryland

Biography:

Matilda Cohlier was born around 1805.1 She married Philip L. Phillips, a shoemaker, who purchased a farm in 1822.2 Philip and Matilda's children were Mary E. (b. 1822), John L. (b. 1825), Sarah R. (b. 1832), Arthur A. (b. 1833), Arthalinda J. (b. 1836), Thomas J. (b. 1840), Julietta (b. 1844), William L. (b. 1846), and James E. (b. 1849).3

Around 1855, the slave Adam Brooks escaped from the Phillips' farm, where Matilda's son John worked as the slavedriver.4 In 1853, Philip Phillips bought 1181/2 acres of farmland from Thomas Cocklin.5 However, he died in 1858, and Matilda bought back 110 acres of land from her son John, which he had received from his father's estate.6 Matilda lived with different children (or had different children living with her) during the years spanning 1860, 1870, and 1880.7 The 1880 census showed that Matilda could read, but not write.8
 

1.     BOARD OF HEALTH, (Death Record, Counties), [MSA S1178-1586]. James E. Phillips, February 13, 1904.

2.     MONTGOMERY COUNTY COURT (Land Records), Liber V, Folio 612, 1819-1822, [MSA CE 148-23]. Jesse Phillips to Philip L. Phillips, February 21, 1822.

3.     U.S. Census Record (Census Record, MD) for Matilda Phillips, 1850, Montgomery County, Medleys District, Page 17, Line 31 [MSA SM61-142, M 1499-1].
        U.S. Census Record (Census Record, MD) for Matilda Phillips, 1870, Montgomery County, District 3, Page 59, Line 31 [MSA SM61-275, M 7256].

4.     William Still. The Underground Rail Road (Philadelphia, PA: Porter & Coales, 1872) 312.

5.     MONTGOMERY COUNTY CIRCUIT COURT, (Land Records), 1853-1853, Liber JGH 2, Folio 63, MSA CE 63-2]. Thomas Cocklin to Philip L. Phillips, August 2, 1852.

6.     MONTGOMERY COUNTY CIRCUIT COURT, (Land Records), 1858-1860, Liber JGH 7, Folio 115, [MSA CE 63-8]. Philip L. Phillips' estate to Matilda Phillips, September 14, 1858.

7.     U.S. Census Record (Census Record, MD) for Matilda Phillips, 1860, Montgomery County, Medleys District, Page 26, Line 33 [MSA SM61-213, M 7223-1].
        U.S. Census Record (Census Record, MD) for Matilda Phillips, 1870, Montgomery County, District 3, Page 59, Line 31 [MSA SM61-275, M 7256].
        U.S. Census Record (Census Record, MD) for Matilda Phillips, 1880, Montgomery County, Medleys, District 111, Page 1, Line 19 [MSA SM61-324, M 4748-2].

8.     U.S. Census Record (Census Record, MD) for Matilda Phillips, 1880, Montgomery County, Medleys, District 111, Page 1, Line 19 [MSA SM61-324, M 4748-2].
 

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