PHILLIPS FAMILY DOCUMENTATION - compiled by John Phillips

Our family is lucky to have good documentation. Several Bibles contain family information, and at least two letters preserved family details. There's also an informative clipping from 1914. Below are transcriptions of some of these pertinent documents.

BRANNOCK PHILLIPS' LETTER
Brannock Phillips (1799-1875) left perhaps the most important family document. A grandson had the foresight to preserve it thusly:

July 1, 1895
The following is an exact copy of records of the family as left by my grandfather, Brannock Phillips of Unionville, Iowa.
Date, about 1870
Believing the American People are not as a whole as careful as they should be to leave and maintain records of chronology of families: Therefore I shall give as full and complete history of my progenitors as I can: But having nothing from which to draw items but a rather treacherous memory of words uttered by my Parents long ago it may not in all cases be reliable.
My parents claimed they and each family was of English descent and that they were the second generation from the emigrating parents.
That each family settled on the eastern shore of Maryland, Dorchester County, where they remained and where my parents were born and raised.
My Mother's name was Sarah Brannock before her marriage. I am not sure but think her Father's first name was Nehemiah, he was a farmer, owned a farm and some 15 or 20 slaves. A man of pleasure but small amount of perseverence in doing good in life. When I was a small boy my Mother was visited by a distant relative of the Brannock family who said his residence was in Harrison county, Kentucky. This was the only branch of my grandfathers family on my Mother's side I ever saw or knew anything about and he did not seem likely to set the world on fire.
Of the Phillips stock I know more.
Each of my grandparents lived in Dorchester County, Md. and on the bay shore, where Father and Mother were born, raised, and married. Philemon Phillips, my grandfather had, I believe, six sons, William, Philemon, Ezekiel, Thomas, John (my father), and James. In after life all moved to North Carolina except Philemon who I suppose remained in Maryland. But of him or his I know nothing. William and Father about 1795 emigrated to Kentucky, settling in Jessamine County, where I was born (July 12 1799), but a few years later moved to Montgomery County, Kentucky where each died at a good old age.
Uncle William had four sons, William who married and died in Jessamine County, leaving two or three sons, Ezekial who died an old bachelor, Thomas who died near Bloomington, Indiana leaving a family, and James who married in Montgomery County, and was yet there some four years since, and three daughters. Sallie who married a Hornback and lived in Jessamine County, Kentucky, Rachel who married Churchwell Garner and was living a few years since in Montgomery County, Kentucky, a widow and very old, and Nancy who married James Carson and was living in Tippecanoe County, Indiana, the last I heard of her.
Uncle Ezekial ultimately left North Carolina for Kentucky where he lived a few years and died leaving four boys and two girls by his first marriage and two sons of his second marriage. Of his descendents I know but little. They are scattered in Utah, Oregon, Iowa, and mostly in Indiana.
Uncle Thomas finally settled in Illinois where he died at an advanced age leaving three sons, Nimrod, Thomas, and Nathan. The father was a local preacher of the M.E. Church. Nathan, an M.D. I imagine they and their children are living somewhere about Peoria, Ill. or adjoining counties. The last intelligence of Uncle James and family was that they lived in the mountains of Virginia, on New River. Not doing well.
My father was born about 1761 or 1762, I am not positive which and Mother about two years later. He died in Montgomery County, Kentucky where his remains lie, in his 77th year (1837) and Mother some two years later in Putnam County, Indiana, where her remains were deposited. She lived after his death with her only surviving daughter Sallie Gibson. I suppose there is not a slab or anything to show where either lies.
Such is the laxity of southern life degenerated under the influence of slavery. Were I where they lie I would have plain slabs affixed. My Father was a farmer as were all his brothers. Was not a lazy man but seemed content with a little home, having some of the comforts of life without any of the luxuries thereof, thus they lived and raised seven children.
Aseneth the oldest who married Samuel Whitsitte who died leaving four sons and four daughters, who are scattered, some in Missouri, others in Iowa, but mostly in Indiana.
Alley, the second who married Ralph Whitsitte who died leaving four children. Three of whom I suppose are living now. William T. and Betsy living in Fayette County, Missouri and Polly, widow of John Miller, deceased, now living in Jefferson County, Indiana.
Sally the third child who married James Gibson raised a large family, lived to see all settled in life and died in Putnam County, Ind. in April 1863 being 77 years old. I believe most of her children are in Iowa but some in Indiana. She has grandchildren in and about Centerville, Iowa and one son in Monroe County, Iowa. John the fourth child lived in Jefferson County, Indiana and raised a large family all of whom live there or in adjoining counties. He died in his 69th year leaving a third wife. I cannot name all of his progeny and shall omit all.
Mary the fifth child who married William C. Wilson but died young leaving four children, Brannock, John C. Peter and Ally Jane all living in Indiana.
William the sixth child died in Cincinnatti on August 4 1836 being then assistant editor of the Western Christian Advocate. He left five children, only two are now living. John Milton and Frank W. (The former resides in Cincinnatti moved later to Brooklyn, N.Y. was a noted publisher of hymn books etc.) The latter in Illinois is an itinerant minister of the M.E. church of some eminence. (He later was superintendent of the State Blind Asylum at Jacksonville, Ill.)
Brannock the seventh, the writer hereof was born July 12, 1799, married Sept. 30, 1819 to Eliza M. Wells, since that time we have lived together in harmony and raised five sons and one daughter.

Actually, Brannock's father apparently died in 1835, although in my copy of the above transcript the date has been typed over other numbers.
Comment by Len Lyon in 1988: "I sense that Brannock did not like Ezekiel (or else his descendants) and deliberately failed to give them any more mention than he had to, since many of them lived in Indiana (he says) where he first lived, so he must have known something about them."
Comment by John Phillips in 1982: When people write genealogies they leave people out if they don't know how to fit them in. I think Brannock did that. He obviously knew a lot of Phillips relatives in southern Indiana whom he failed to mention.

THE WYNE BIBLE
Copies of a Bible record concerning the above John Phillips have circulated for years. The Bible was owned by Mrs. Ethel (Whitsitt) Wyne of Deputy, Indiana, at last report (about 1980). It lists page after page of Whitsitt family information. Someone, years ago, inserted a loose page in the Bible, on which a partial record of John and his family is listed. Relatives closest to those listed believe that John's granddaughter Margaret Whitsitt collected the original information on the Phillipses, then someone, perhaps Margaret, copied it onto the loose paper for insertion into the Whitsitt Bible. As it appears that Lucinda Whitsitt owned the Bible originally, some speculate that she or Margaret copied the data once when Margaret visited Lucinda. But just which Lucinda Whitsitt owned the Bible is still uncertain.
If we try to trace the ownership of the Bible, we become entangled in the complex interrelationships among the Whitsitts and various Phillips families. Myron Phillips of Deputy, Indiana, a descendant of Thomas H. Phillips, obtained photocopies of the Bible about 1980. Myron, who is a nephew of Ethel Wyne's husband through the Wyne family, says Ethel had gotten the Bible from her parents, DeWitt and Eliza Whitsitt. DeWitt, who was called "Dee," lived 1860-1939 and apparently had no Phillips ancestors. His grandfather William Whitsitt, though, was a brother of Ralph and Samuel Whitsitt, who had married John Phillips's daughters. Dee's wife had been born Eliza J. Phillips. Her father was Newton Phillips.
Here's a transcript of the Phillips information tucked into the Whitsitt Bible:

John Phillips born in Maryland July 4 1758. Died in Montgomery Co Ky Feb 17th 1835 in the 77 year of his age.
Sarah Brannock wife John Phillips born in Maryland Sept 1, 1760, died in Putnam Co Indiana April 30th 1838 in the 77 year of her age.
They were married March 6 1780.
Ralph Whitsitt born July 27th 1778, died August 19th 1849 [could read "1844."]
Allie Phillips Whitsitt born --- 1784, died July 14, 1813 [word possibly torn off edge.]
Sarah Phillips Gibson born in Rockingham Co N.C. March 6, 1787 died April 6 1862 in her 77 year
William Phillips born May 7th 1797 in Jessamine Co Ky. died August 4th 1836 in Cincinnati in his 39 year.
Brannock Phillips born in Montgomery Co Ky. July 12 1799. died in Iowa March 1st 1875 of neuralgia of the heart in the 76 year of his age.

Oddly, the record omitted three of John's children: Aseneth, Mary and John Jr.

THE ELLEDGE BIBLE
The above-mentioned Dr. Nathan Phillips (1789-1852) practiced in Pike County, Illinois. His wife was the former Nancy Elledge, a reputed niece of Daniel Boone. Here is a transcript of a photocopy made from an unspecified Boone genealogy:

Marthy Elledge, born July 24, 1789
died Augu 11, 1846
My mother, Peter Scholl
Nancy Elledge Octo 4, 1788
Marred a Nathan Fillaps
Edward Elledge, born Septe 30, 1791
Married a Malindy Scholl
sister to my father
died Sept 12, 1829
Charity Elledge, born May 4, 1794
Marred a Jessy Scholl
my father's brother
Jesse B. Scholl died 1858
Jesse Elledge, born Augu 12, 1800
married a Elizabeth Fillaps
Jamima Elledge, born Sept 29, 1803
married a Richard Bell
William Elledge, born June 12, 1897 [?]
married a Rebeck Bell
died Nove 13, 1831

The transcript apparently should have shown William Elledge's year of birth as 1797.

WILBUR PHILLIPS' LETTER
John Wilbur Phillips (1868-1941) taught school in Alexandria, Indiana. About 1940 Wilbur outlined family history in a letter to brother Eugene in Scott County, Indiana. The following transcript of that letter is taken from one done by Eurene's son Myron. Wilbur included Whitsitt information because his mother was a Whitsitt.

WHITSITT TREE
Samuel Whitsitt and John Whitsitt, brothers, came from Scotland. We are descendants of Samuel. They are as follows:
William, born 1767. His children from three wives are:

FIRST WIFE
1) John, born April 10, 1798
2) Samuel, born August 11, 1800
3) Polly, born December 13, 1802
4) James, born October 22, 1804
5) William, born February 25, 1807
6) Betsy, born February 7, 1809

SECOND WIFE, mother was Woodard
7) Joseph, born June 7, 1813
8) Sally, born December 31, 1817
9) Chasley, born January 23, 1820

THIRD WIFE
10) Lot, born January 7, 1821
11) Ralph, born November 12, 1822
12) Daniel, born December 28, 182-(?)
13) Allen H., born January 12, 1827

PHILLIPS TREE
Grandpa Phillips, son of Thomas Phillips, was born on a farm near Charlotte, N.C. in 1819. His father emigrated to Jennings County when Grandpa was seven years old and settled in a cabin northwest of Commiskey. I have seen the cabin.
He had one brother who was drowned when a young man while fishing in a small stream near the cabin.
He had three sisters, Aunt Martha Arbuckle, Aunt Betsy Arbuckle and Aunt Easter Phillips. Aunt Betsy and Aunt Martha married brothers. They were, respectively, John Arbuckle, and Alex Arbuckle. Uncle John and Aunt Betsy are buried in the Sembeau graveyard, two miles north of Brownsburg. Uncle Alex and Aunt Martha are buried at Coffee Creek.
Aunt Easter emigrated with her father, Thomas Phillips, to Joplin, Missouri. She married a man by the name of Feaster, but we have had little trace of them. In fact, Grandpa made a trip there once and barely heard of them at all. He walked over the Ozarks from St. Louis to Joplin, 320 miles.
Grandpa, John Thomas Phillips, was taken as an apprentice when 12 years old by Uncle Robin Smith to raise. He was brought up with Aunt Julia Robertson, Aunt Elzina Whitsitt, Aunt Evelyn Robertson and Milton Smith. The Smiths lived in the house where John Stewart lives now.
Uncle Robin Smith was a brother-in-law to Steven Stewart, Ma's grandfather. In other words, Uncle Robin Smith was a brother to Margaret Stewart, our great grandmother, and Ma's grandmother, wife of Steven Stewart. (Our great grandparents on the Stewart side came from Kentucky before the Civil War. Their names were Steven Stewart and Margaret Stewart.)
These are the parents of all the Stewarts.
Aunt Julia, Ed's mother, Aunt Elzina Crawford's step-mother, Aunt Evalyn, Dr. Robertson's mother, Milton Smith are all Uncle Robin Smith's children and they are own cousins of Grandpa Stewart, and Grandpa Phillips grew up in the home with them in the old brick house. They thought he was their brother until he was 21 years old.
Great Grandpa Phillips eloped from his own family with another woman and came to Indiana. Then his family, the one mentioned above, followed him here. Then he and the woman, together with Easter, fled to Missouri where they became lost to the rest. [Word illegible] was then only a little later, when our Grandpa was taken in by Uncle Robin Smith and raised. Ma, and Ed Robertson, Dr. Robertson, Charley and Colonel, are second cousins, you see. These Robertson are also second cousins to Uncle Jake, Uncle Preston, Uncle Smith, Aunt Cordilla, and Uncle Sam Story's wife. This is too much to write down.
Grandpa Phillips stayed with Uncle Robin Smith until grown (1840), then he married Emeline Courtney. They became the parents of Uncle Harvey, Pa, Uncle Almond, Uncle Addison, Aunt Mary C.
This will give you a brief history of the Phillips side. We have always regretted the notoriety of great grandfather Thomas Phillips, whose burial place is unknown but is supposed to be somewhere in the vicinity of Joplin, Missouri, the place where James Weldon Phillips now lives. We call him "Welly."

THE LONG-SOUGHT NEWSPAPER CLIPPING
For decades many relatives searched for an elusive story said to have been printed in a Zionsville (Indiana) newspaper. Mike Phillips of Lee's Summit, Mo., finally tracked it down in summer 2000. He found that Dale Phillips of Tuscola, Illinois had a copy. Someone then typed a transcript, and that's what the following material is based on. Actually, the article recounted a talk that Mrs. Samuel Amick gave at a family reunion. The article of August 30, 1914 began with information about the Wilson family, of interest to some Phillipses.

WILSON DESCENDANTS
Alexander Wilson's father was brought from Ireland when quite a small boy, he being picked up by sailors in the old country, and brought to America and sold for his fare across the water. Of him, we are unable to give any further account. Only that his son, Alexander Wilson, married Mary Dixon, and lived in North Carolina in the early pioneer days. Coming from there to Kentucky in the year 1804, they crossed the Ohio River, coming to Madison, Indiana. There was just one house and a blacksmith shop in Madison at that time. To this union, eleven children were born, whose names are as follows: Nellie, Julia, Robert, John, Martha, Elizabeth, Mary, Margarette, Nancy, Moses, and Susan. They came from Madison to Jennings County, four miles from Dupont, where he entered 160 acres of land where he lived till his death. In the early days, he would take his family and go to a fort several miles away built as a protection from the Indians.

PHILLIPS DESCENDANTS Philemon Phillips and Rachel Ballard were married in North Carolina, in the early days about the year 1808. They came from North Carolina to Kentucky on horse back, and from there to Indiana. They having at that time three small boys, Thomas, the eldest; Media; and Philemon, Jr., who was four years old at that time.
They made the trip through the new country on horse-back bringing two horses, two feather beds and three children. Philemon and Rachel came to Indiana, and settled in Jennings County, near Paris. The children of Philemon and Rachel Phillips were Thomas, Media, Philemon Jr., Verlinda, Hester, Rachel, Washington and Julia.
They endured many hardships in the early pioneer days. At one time Rachel, his wife, killed a deer with an ax and dressed it while her husband was away. At another time while he was away the wife and children found a bear up a tree near the house and minded it there until the father came home and killed it.
Julia, now well known to us as Aunt Julia Hulsizer, then only a small child, her mother carried on her shoulder as they would go back and forth trying to mind the bear till her father came would look back and say "Run, Mamma, the Booge, is coming."
Philemon's wife dying in Jennings County, he married Nancy Wilson and moved from there to Hendricks County, about four miles north of Brownsburg, on a farm where Nancy, his wife, died. Philemon living to be quite an old man died at the home of his daughter, Julia Hulsizer in Boone County.
Thomas Phillips, eldest son of Philemon and Rachel Phillips, was married to Susan Wilson and lived six miles from Paris, Jennings County. To this union eleven children were born: Newton, James, Wood, Loucinda, Susan, Rachael, Martha, Melville, Thomas, Milton and Daniel. Thomas, the father, died October 30th, 1851, age 41 years and 14 days, leaving Susan, his wife with ten small children. She endured many hardships raising her family alone and when the war broke out three of her sons enlisted in the war: Wood, Thomas, and Melville.
In the Spring of 1864 Thomas came home on a sick furlough and died May 9th, 1864 age 17 yrs., 8 mos. and 8 d. Lucinda and Rachel, both married and away from home came at this time to see their brother who was stricken down with spotted fever. They also were stricken down with the same dreadful disease and died; Rachel leaving a small child, Lucinda leaving four small children. When the war was over Wood came home and lived with his mother and took care of her, they moving in a few years to Hendricks County, where she died July 31, 1891. She was born July 15, 1815, making her age 75 years and 16 days. Her troubles and afflictions were great having been a cripple for some years, but she was patient through it all, always expressing her faith in her blessed Savior and as always leaning on his blessed promises. Of her eleven children, six are living, five are with us today. They are Newton, of Scott County, James and Melville, of Hendricks County; Wood, of Columbus, Ind.; Susan Peak and Milton Phillips of Indianapolis. Newton who is nearing his 80th year was too feeble to make the trip.

There were additional notes included with the clip. Relatives believe that a daughter of Walter Phillips of Tuscola added the material in 1936:

Washington Phillips, youngest son of Philemon and Rachel Phillips, married Isabelle Lawhead, and they lived in Indiana. They moved to the southern part of Illinois. To this union five children were born: John, David, Thomas, Alvy, and Walter. [Sic: They also had two daughters' Elizabeth and Ida.]
Walter Phillips, youngest son of Washington and Isabelle Phillips, won a teacher's certificate at the age of 18. In 1891 he came to Douglas County and worked on a farm for R.C. Macy, former prominent local resident who now lives in California. He married Jennie Rees in 1894. To this union four children were born: Adrian, Clell, Pearl, and Emma. He continued to return to Jasper County to teach during the winter school term.
:Later he worked for eight years for C.R. Lewis, drainage boat operator. He then farmed for a time on the farm of the late Edward Owen near Macedonia, which is located on the mail route he was later to cover. From the farm he went into the mail service in 1915. For four years he carried the mail on rural route 4 and was then transferred to route 3, which he has carried ever since, until he reached the retirement age of 65 last year.
His daughter, Mrs. Pearl Crowdes, has kept house for him since the death of his wife eight years ago. Another daughter, Miss Emma, is a supervising nurse at the Burnham hospital in Champaign. The two sons, Adrian and Clell, are engaged in farming west of Hayes. He has seven grandchildren.

SARAH ARBUCKLE'S BIBLE Elizabeth Esther Arbuckle was born in 1847 in southern Indiana. She was known as "Sarah" and married Harvey Deputy in 1866. She lived in Crothersville, Indiana into the 1930s. Mrs. Marie Menaugh Arbuckle copied information from Sarah's Bible and later recopied the data for Bill Arbuckle of Brownsburg, Indiana. Bill made copies in the 1970s and the following is taken from one of those copies:

Elizabeth E. (Esther) Arbuckle was born Nov. 26, 1847.
Sarah A. Arbuckle was born July 1, 1850.
Ellison B. Arbuckle was born Jan. 29, 1853.
Martha Phillips Arbuckle was born in North Carolina, came to Indiana when 6 weeks old with her parents, Thomas and Martha Phillips.
Ellison B. Arbuckle was born Jan. 29, 1853. Died May 12, 1925, age 73y 3 m 12d.
Alexander H. Arbuckle was married to Martha Phillips, Dec. 31, 1846 in Jennings Co. Ind.
Harvey Deputy and Elizabeth B. Arbuckle were married Aug. 12, 1866.
Ellison B. Arbuckle and Hester M. Deputy were married Sept. 7, 1872.
Sarah Arbuckle died -- 9, 1846. [sic]
John Stagg died July 9, 1846.
Martha Stagg was born Dec. 13, 1789. Died July 2, 1874 [she likely died July 2, 1856].
Elizabeth Arbuckle died Jan. 14, 1891.
Alex H. Arbuckle died Aug. 5, 1895.
Martha Arbuckle died Dec. 28, 1926.
James Harvey Phillips died Sept. 21, 1909. [He likely died Sept. 28, 1909].
Martha Arbuckle was born Feb. 12, 1829. Died Dec. 28, 1829 [she likely died Dec. 28, 1926].
Martha Phillips Arbuckle, born in North Carolina.
Alexander Arbuckle, was born Aug. 18, 1827. Died Aug. 5, 1895. Age 68.

Besides those questionable entries noted above in italics, Sarah Arbuckle's date of death is questionable; someone apparently miscopied it, instead duplicating John Stagg's date of death.

SPEAR FAMILY BIBLE
James Wiley Spear (1830-90) kept a Bible. It passed to daughter Mary Jane (Spear) Phillips, to Mary's daughter Blanche (Phillips) Fought, then to Blanche's granddaughters Eileen and Kathleen Lindsey. Below is a transcript of the family data. Parentheses show what's been written in later, obviously by Blanche. Incidentally, the Bible lists her as "Surrelda B. Phillips."

(Grandpa Spear) James Wiley Spear was born on the 5th day of August 1830.
(mothers mother) Surrelda fit-Simmons Jas W. Spear wife was born on the 6 day of January 1833
(mother) Mary Jane Spear (daughter of J.W. and Surrelda Spear) was born on the 26th day of August 1854
Infant daughter of J.W. and Surrelda Spear was born on the 4 day of December 1856
Armilda -- [?] wife of J.W. Spear was born on the 22 day of October 1832
Surrilda Catherine daughter of J.W. and Armilda Spear was born on the 6th day of August 1860
Infant twins sons of J.W. and Armilda Spear was born on the 19th day of June 1858
James Wiley Spear was married on the 16th day of October 1853 to Surrelda fit Simmons now his wife
James Wiley Spear was married Armilda Newkirk October the 4th 1857 (writing is light)
L.E. Whitsitt and Cassie Spear were married December 9th [?] 1883.
James W. Spear and Minerva Lowry was joined together as husband and wife October 2nd 1867
James W. Spear and Angeline Peacock was joined togather as husband and wife September the 2nd, 1877
James W. Spear and Mary Ellenor Clark was joined togather as husband and wife October the 6th 1883
Birda May Daughter James W. Spear and Mary E. Spear was born on the 21st day of August 1884
James Blaine son of James W. Spear and Mary E. Spear was born the 29th day of September 1886
Benjamin Harrison Son of James W. and Mary E. Spear was born February the 19th 1889. Married Minnie [illegible] Died 1935
Mary E. Clark wife of James W. Spear was born Sept. the 17th 1855, died Nov. 27th 1889
Goldie S. Whitsitt was born Oct. 14th 1884 atKeokuk, Iowa Tuesday morning half past eight. Married Curtis Bard--died 6 mo. later. Goldie married Will Casey 5 children.
(Mother's mother) Surrilda wife of James W. Spear died on the 15th day of Dec. 1856
Infant Daughter of J.W. and Surrelda Spear Died on the 4 of December 1856
Infant twins of J.W. and Armild Spear died the 19th day of June 1858
Armilda wife of J.W. Spear Died November the 3th [5th?] 1866
Mary E. Wife of James W. Spear Died November the 27th 1889
James W. Spear died December the 9th 1890 Tuesday morning at 3 o'clock
James Blain son of J.W. and Mary E. Spear died December [no date is given]
Susan Fitz Simmons died april 6th 1893. Thursday 4 o'clock A.M. she was born Feb. 17, 1803
George A. Phillips was born September 8th 1852. Died Joplin, Mo. Aug. 18, 1927.
Mary J. Phillips was born August 26, 1854. Died Nov. 26, 1919 715 W. 6th St. Marion, Ind.
James W. Phillips was born august 11th 1873 Scott Co. Ind. Monday 1 P.M.
Florra E. Phillips was born august 6th 1875 [last digit overwritten] Scott Co. Ind. friday half past 9 a.m.
Infant daughter (Elizabeth) born & died wednesday September 5th [1877 is written in above the line, and the last digit has been overwritten] 1 A.M.
Surrelda B. Phillips was born saturday January 18th 1879. 9 A.M. Jennings Co. Ind. [illegible note added]
Mary E. Phillips [Birdie] was born Nov. 2nd 1880 Tuesday half past 9 P.M. Bartholomew Co. Ind.
Charles T. Phillips was born Saturday January 17th 188511 A.M. bartholomew Co. Ind.
Fredie Clifford Phillips was born (Commercial Hotel room #28) monday July 8th 1889 1 A.M bartholomew Co. Ind.
George Raymond Phillips was born Friday Sept. 29th 1893 11 A.M. at columbus Ind at the Commercial Hotel (Room 28)
Florra E. Phillips died Tuesday 4 p.m. [June crossed out] May 13, 1902.
Mary Edna (Birdie) Phillips died August 19th 1917 Sunday 4 o'clock P.M.
Mae Spear Hamilton died April 11th 1919 Friday 5 o'clock A.M.
Mary Jane (Mother) Phillips died Nov. 26 1919 Wed. 8:40 Marion Indiana 715 W. 6th St.

ALMOND PHILLIPS' BIBLE
Almond Phillips was the third son of John and Emeline. Almond's son Homer, a veteran of the Spanish-American War, applied for a government pension. On July 19, 1938 he took his parents' family Bible to a notary public in Hendricks County, Indiana. The notary, William F. Evans, examined the Bible and certified that it hadn't been erased or altered. Evans certified that it was "the family Bible of John Almond Phillips and Viola Whitsett Phillips." On June 20, 1938 Homer sent the Veterans Administration a photostatic copy of "the old family Bible" with a cover letter stressing that the Bible showed he "was born in 1878 instead of of 1879." Unfortunately, a copy of this record, provided by the VA in 1996, is not wholly legible. The vital dates for Almond and wife Viola are the only readable dates. The names Lauretta Herrod, Flora Phillips and Porter Phillips are also legible.
Note: See my publication "Riley Phillips Family Bible" for lengthy data on the family of Almond's brother Riley.

JOHN PHILLIPS' BIBLE
John and Emeline (Courtney) Phillips of Scott County, Indiana kept a family Bible that passed to daughter Mary (Phillips) Christie. Mary's daughter Bernice remembers: "It burned up in 1945. Mom had promised it to me. . . . it had a letter in it from Harvey written to Almond during the Civil War telling about conditions, besides all the valuable births, marriages and deaths."
jphil36@yahoo.com