South Carolina. Born free. Mulatto/Black.
Occupation: teacher, carpenter.
Father's occupation: carpenter.
Thomas A. McLean was born in 1853 in Charleston, South Carolina to Maria and Stephen McLean. The father was a free person of color who worked as a carpenter and is recorded as owning 4 slaves in the 1850 U.S. Census.
For his education, he first attended the Saxton School, a freedman's school in Charleston. This was a school set-up by the American Missionary Association. It was later renamed the Avery Insititute. Thomas was a stand-out student. In summer 1867, he was one of two students to receive a second-class medal for boys. The awardee was Joseph O'Hear. Joseph would later attend the University of South Carolina alongside Thomas. Also receiving medals (for Latin) were future USC students T. McCants Stewart and Joseph Morris.
Before completing his studies at the Saxton School, Thomas moved to the northeast and began attending Brown High School (now Newburyport High School) in Newburyport, MA. He graduated from the Classical Department in 1873. At the graduation ceremony, he delivered an oration on "Models."
After graduating from Brown High School, Thomas attended Amherst College for a year (the 1873-74 academic year). That year he was one of three African American students at the college. Reportedly at the urging of his parents, he transferred to the University of South Carolina, registering at the university on October 5, 1874. Thomas completed the classical studies course and received an A.B. degree in 1877, making him part of the last class of graduates before the university's closure. Of Thomas, his classmate C. C. Scott wrote in a 1911 newspaper article that he was "perhaps the best prepared scholar in his class."
Thomas returned to Charleston after graduation. There he worked at a newspaper and taught school. He also studied under former state Supreme Court justice Jonathan J. Wight at the Claflin College Law Department (located in Charleston), although he did not receive a degree and was not admitted to the bar.
C. C. Scott said that Thomas spent some time in the American West, holding a government position teaching Native Americans, but most of his life was spent in Charleston, working as a teacher. In 1890, he worked as an enumerator for the U.S. census. He died in the Charleston on January 2, 1934.
Sources
1). "When Negroes Attended the State University," May 8, 1911. State (published as The State). Page 9.
2) South Carolina Department of Archives and History; Columbia, South Carolina; Year Range: 1925-1949; Death County or Certificate Range: Charleston.
3). Year: 1850; Census Place: St Michael and St Phillip, Charleston, South Carolina; Roll: M432_850; Page: 153B; Image: 147
4). Seventh Census Of The United States, 1850; Record Group: Records of the Bureau of the Census; Record Group Number: 29
5). Year: 1880; Census Place: Charleston, Charleston, South Carolina; Roll: 1221; Page: 85B; Enumeration District: 056
6). Year: 1880; Census Place: Saint Denis and Saint Thomas, Charleston, South Carolina; Roll: 1224; Page: 518A; Enumeration District: 097.
7). Year: 1900; Census Place: Charleston Ward 4, Charleston, South Carolina; Page: 5; Enumeration District: 0083; FHL microfilm: 1241520
8). Year: 1910; Census Place: Charleston Ward 4, Charleston, South Carolina; Roll: T624_1452; Page: 1A; Enumeration District: 0026; FHL microfilm: 1375465
9). Year: 1920; Census Place: Charleston Ward 4, Charleston, South Carolina; Roll: T625_1687; Page: 1A; Enumeration District: 28
10). Year: 1930; Census Place: Charleston, Charleston, South Carolina; Page: 1A; Enumeration District: 0009; FHL microfilm: 2341923
11). July 18, 1873. The Newburyport Daily Herald. Page 2.
12). Burke, W. Lewis. All for Civil Rights: African American Lawyers in South Carolina, 1868-1968, University of Georgia Press, 2017.
After graduating from Brown High School, Thomas attended Amherst College for a year (the 1873-74 academic year). That year he was one of three African American students at the college. Reportedly at the urging of his parents, he transferred to the University of South Carolina, registering at the university on October 5, 1874. Thomas completed the classical studies course and received an A.B. degree in 1877, making him part of the last class of graduates before the university's closure. Of Thomas, his classmate C. C. Scott wrote in a 1911 newspaper article that he was "perhaps the best prepared scholar in his class."
Thomas returned to Charleston after graduation. There he worked at a newspaper and taught school. He also studied under former state Supreme Court justice Jonathan J. Wight at the Claflin College Law Department (located in Charleston), although he did not receive a degree and was not admitted to the bar.
Thomas spent some time in the American West, teaching Native Americans in Oregon and North Dakota. He also spent nine years teaching in Texas. However, most of his life was spent teaching in Charleston. He also worked as an enumerator for the U.S. census in 1890.
In 1933, Thomas applied for a state teaching certification. As part of his application, he submitted the diploma that he had received from the University of South Carolina in 1877. His application attracted an unusual amount of attention and was even featured in an article in The State. It's unclear why Thomas submitted his application. At the time, he was eighty years of age, well past retirement age.
C. C. Scott said that Thomas spent some time in the American West, holding a government position teaching Native Americans, but most of his life was spent in Charleston, working as a teacher. In 1890, he worked as an enumerator for the U.S. census. He died in the Charleston on January 2, 1934.
Sources
1). "When Negroes Attended the State University," May 8, 1911. State (published as The State). Page 9.
2) South Carolina Department of Archives and History; Columbia, South Carolina; Year Range: 1925-1949; Death County or Certificate Range: Charleston.
3). Year: 1850; Census Place: St Michael and St Phillip, Charleston, South Carolina; Roll: M432_850; Page: 153B; Image: 147
4). Seventh Census Of The United States, 1850; Record Group: Records of the Bureau of the Census; Record Group Number: 29
5). Year: 1880; Census Place: Charleston, Charleston, South Carolina; Roll: 1221; Page: 85B; Enumeration District: 056
6). Year: 1880; Census Place: Saint Denis and Saint Thomas, Charleston, South Carolina; Roll: 1224; Page: 518A; Enumeration District: 097.
7). Year: 1900; Census Place: Charleston Ward 4, Charleston, South Carolina; Page: 5; Enumeration District: 0083; FHL microfilm: 1241520
8). Year: 1910; Census Place: Charleston Ward 4, Charleston, South Carolina; Roll: T624_1452; Page: 1A; Enumeration District: 0026; FHL microfilm: 1375465
9). Year: 1920; Census Place: Charleston Ward 4, Charleston, South Carolina; Roll: T625_1687; Page: 1A; Enumeration District: 28
10). Year: 1930; Census Place: Charleston, Charleston, South Carolina; Page: 1A; Enumeration District: 0009; FHL microfilm: 2341923
11). July 18, 1873. The Newburyport Daily Herald. Page 2.
12). Burke, W. Lewis. All for Civil Rights: African American Lawyers in South Carolina, 1868-1968, University of Georgia Press, 2017.
13). "Negro Graduate of Carolina, Now Eighty Years of Age, Asks Teaching Certificate." The State [Columbia, SC] September 13, 1933. p. 12.
14) "Public Examination of Saxton School." Charleston Courier [Charleston, SC]. April 19, 1867. p. `5.
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