Indian Fighter from Sumner

Attention: Program by Nancy King scheduled for February 5, 2026 at History Center, Ladies' Lingerie through the Decades, has been cancelled due to weather.

Thomas Perkins was born February 10,1832, near Sumner. He was the son of Alfred Perkins and Susan Shidler Perkins. At age 20 he moved west to the territories of Oregon, Washington and California where he stayed for almost forty-four years.

Around 1854, he joined the U.S. military to assist in the Indian Wars in Washington. He became so familiar with the country and the Native American customs and language that he was employed by the U.S. government as a guide to surveyors in laying off the territory of Washington state. While there he married and had six daughters.

His obituary states that TJ was involved in the freight transportation business, providing services to stations for immigrants and soldiers traversing the mountains and plains. “Along with other businesses he realized considerable wealth that, however, was lost through later misfortune.” His obituary doesn’t say what that misfortune was unfortunately. (Too many daughters perhaps….)

He returned to Illinois about fourteen years before his death living near Sumner. His second marriage, as his obituary stated, “was brief but pleasant.”

 “T J” Perkins died June 21, 1912, of ‘old age’ being 80 years 4 months and 11 days. Burial was in the Sumner Cemetery.