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Jasper County, Iowa
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Thomas
R. Phillips The
present sketch is concerned with the life of a man who was formerly one of the
prominent farmers of Jasper County. In all the relations of life he was faithful
in every respect to the highest standard of duty, whether in the service of his
country in war, or in the every-day duties of his peaceful farm. Though for some
time he has been a resident of the better land, his memory still lives in the
hearts of his affectionate wife and children, the latter of whom are now
occupying useful positions in the work of the world today. Thomas
R. Phillips was born in Steubenville, Jefferson County, Ohio, on December 22,
1833, the son of Henry and Maria Phillips. When he was seven years of age his
parents came to Knox county, Ohio, and here he grew to manhood on a farm eight
miles West of the city of Mount Vernon. On
the 9th day of November 1856, he was married to Harriett Rebecca Allfree, of
Green Valley, in the same county, for whom his friendship dating from boyhood
had ripened into love. In August
1862, he enlisted in the service of the United States government in Company E,
Ninety-sixth Ohio Infantry, thus freely offering, if need be, his life to his
country. His regiment was under the
command of Col. W. C. Cooper, of Mount Vernon, and soon after joining it Mr.
Phillips was detached from his company, and made wagon master of his division, a
position which he filled honorably and efficiently until he was honorably
discharged from the service on account of ill health. In 1864 Mr. Phillips and his family moved to Iowa, where he
expected to find, and did find, greater opportunity in farming than in his
native state. He lived on his
farm of one hundred and twenty acres until 1883, when he removed to Newton,
there erected a handsome residence at No. 319 South Market street, and lived
here until his death, on March 4, 1903, his life lacking but a few months of
reaching the three score and ten allotted to man. His widow is still living in the home on South Market street.
Mr. Phillips, as well as his family, was a member of the Methodist church
of Newton, and took an active part in church work.
Fraternally, he was a member of the Masons and the Knights of Pythias,
and the Grand Army counted him as one of the most enthusiastic of its members. The
children of Thomas R. and Harriett R. Phillips are: Edward, deceased; Arthur A.,
deceased; Ella M., the wife of William Yost, of Newton, to whom she has borne
one child, Cecil B.; Ida M., deceased, formerly the wife of Charles Downs, of
Kansas. Thomas
R. Phillips was a man liked and respected by all who knew him, on account of the
many strong and worthy features of his character. Of a companionable
disposition, enjoying the society of his brother man, welcome in all gatherings,
kind and generous to the poor and needy, he was in the bosom of his family the
most affectionate of husbands and kindest of fathers. In war a brave and gallant
soldier, in peace a substantial, public spirited citizen, to all mankind a
friend, to his family all in all, and they all in all to him—such was Thomas
R. Phillips, whose taking away left a vacancy not to be filled in the ranks of
the citizens of Newton. The Past and Present of Jasper County, Gen. James B. Weaver, Editor-In-Chief, 1912 B.F. Bowen Co., Indianapolis, IN, p. 495. |
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