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From Past and present of Fayette County, Iowa .. (1910), Portrait and biographical album of Fayette county, Iowa. Containing full page portraits and biographical sketches of prominent and representative citizens of the county .. (1891)
EORGE HOWARD PHILLIPS. In our
In g, subject we see one of the leading business il new of Oelwein, who for seventeen years has been prominently identified with its interests and aided in its upbuilding. He devotes himself principally to the legal profession and is also loan and collection agent.
Mr. Phillips was born in Whitewater, Walworth County, Wis., April 28, 1845, and is a son of George W. and Oil ve Lamyra (Jones) Phillips. His father was born in Pennsylvania in 1810, made blacksmithing his chosen occupation and died in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, Octoljer 2, 1888. The mother was reared in Lake County, Ill.,ankl died in Lima, Rock County, Wis., July 5, 1861. Through force of circumstances our subject was compelled to begin the battle of life for himself at the tender age of nine years. The question of the best necessaries of life was one of serious moment to him and his advantages of schooling were but slight. When the late war broke out he was a lad of sixteen years. The hardships of a soldier's life seemed to him a luxury as compared with some of the struggles which he had undergone and in April, 1861, he enlisted in a company intended for the first call for three mouths' men, but the quota of tfte State being full at the time of the organization of the comiiany it was rejected and disbanded. Again in 1862 he enlisted and was assigned to the Thirteenth Wisconsin Infantry. Here his father interfered, refusing his consent and the boy, being under age, was discharged. In the autumn of 1862 lie engaged with a part- from AVhitewater, Wis., to help drive a flock of sheep from that place to Southwestern Minnesota. When nearing their destination they found themselves in the track of the hostile Sioux and Crow Indians, then on the war path in that region. They reached New Ulm, Minn., so soon after the massacre at that place that they saw the mutilated victims of the savages. At one time a body of several hundred warriors was encamped within a few miles of the party but they luckily escaped their attention. The danger of proceeding farther became so apparent that the sheep were left in the care of local parties and the drovers cheerfully returned to Wisconsin thankful to get back with their scalps intact.
On the 2d of June, 1864 Mr. Phillips made a third and successful attempt to serve his country in the late war. He became a member of Company C,of the Fortieth Wisconsin Infantry, accompanied his regiment to Tennessee and was on duty in Memphis when that city was raided by the Confederate General Forrest. On the expiration of his term of enlistment he came to Iowa, locating in Decorah, Winneslieik County, where he operated a barber shop a few months. From there he went to West Union, Fayette County, in the fall of 186-t, where he carried on a shop for a few years, removing thence to Belle Plaine, Iowa, and in 1872 to Denver, Col. Returning to this State, he again went to West Union and subsequently wc find him living in Strawberry Point and later in Manchester. In May, 1874, he settled permanently in Oelwein. He carried on a barber shop here for some years, invested in real estate and in that way acquired considerable capital. I'or some years prior to coming to this place Mr. Phillips had experienced an intense desire to study latv. lie had read such law books as he could get and after coming to Oelwein pursued his studies with more method under the direction of A. C. Parker, a young lawyer of more than ordinary ability. He bean practice in the justice courts in 187,') and in 1880 was admitted to the bar in the district court at West Union, since which time he has been in practice. He has made collections a siiecialty and is an acknowledged expert in that important line of business. On January 7, 1874, in Strawberry Point, Mr. Phillips was united in marriage with Miss Ellen Johnson, daughter of Alexander Johnson, of West Union. Their union has been blessed with two children, a daughter and son, Lena Blanche and Ray B.
As before stated, Mr. Piiillips has been prominently identified with the upbuilding of Oelwein and is now proprietor of the Oelwein Opera House and the brick block adjacent, known as Phillips Block, together with other property situated on Main Street of that city. He is a member of Griffith Post, No. 134, G. A. R., of Oelwein and in politics was an enthusiastic Republican until 1882, since which time he has affiliated with the Democrats and is now as earnest in his support of that last named party as he formerly was of the Republican. It is Mr. Phillips' nature to do nothing by halves. He is and away's has been intensely in earnest in all he undertakes. Possessed of superior business ability, energy and perseverance he has always been successful in his undertakings and has acquired a large property. His success in life is more to his credit for the reason that it has been won by his own unaided efforts and ability. He posse.sses a natural aptitude for business and has always displayed more than usual sagacity in his investments and business enterprises. As a lawyer, he is conservative in his advice, sound in his conclusions, prompt in the discharge of professional duty and is always reliable. As a collector, he succeeds in cases seemingly hopeless. His integrity, energy and promptness has won for him the confidence and respect of a wide circle of acquaintances.
As printed in Portrait and biographical album of Fayette county, Iowa. Containing full page portraits and biographical sketches of prominent and representative citizens of the county .. (1891). See the original pages. Wording is the original; obvious scanning errors have been corrected, and a few may remain.
GEORGE HOWARD PHILLIPS.
Distinguished as a lawyer and public spirited citizen, the name of George Howard Phillips has long been closely interwoven with the history and development of Fayette county and it is with much satisfaction that the following brief outline of his career and modest tribute to his worth are accorded a place in this volume. Mr. Phillips Was born April 28, 1845, at Whitewater, Wisconsin, where his parents, George W. and Olive Lamyra (Jons) Phillips, natives respectively of Pennsylvania and Illinois, settled in an early day. The father, whose birth occurred in 1810 and who departed this life at Cedar Rapids, Iowa, October 2, 1888, was a blacksmith by trade and a most excellent and praiseworthy citizen; the mother, whose early life was spent in Lake county.
Illinois, died at Lemo Center, Rock county, Wisconsin, in the year 1861. Through force of adverse circumstances, George H. Phillips was early thrown upon his own resources and from the tender age of nine years has made his own way in the world. For some time the procuring of life’s best necessities was a matter for serious concern to him and as a result his educational advantages were exceedingly limited. By making the most of his opportunities, however, he obtained a fair knowledge of the elementary branches, but, possessing a strong mind and an ardent desire for knowledge, he subsequently made up for the lack of school privileges and in due time became a widely and unusually well informed young man.
At the breaking out of the late Civil war, Mr. Phillips was a lad of sixteen, but, animated by patriotic devotion to his country, he was among the first in his county to tender his services to the Union. In April, 1861, he enlisted in a company intended for the first call for three-months service, but the quota of the state being already full it was not accepted, much to the regret and disappointment of the members. The following year Mr. Phillips again enlisted and was assigned to the Thirteenth Wisconsin Infantry, but, his father refusing his consent, the boy being under age, he was discharged. In the fall of 1862 he engaged with a party to drive a flock of sheep from White Water, Wisconsin, to southwestern Minnesota and on reaching the latter state narrowly escaped death at the hands of the hostile Crow and Sioux Indians, who were then on the 'warpath in that region. With his companions, he succeeded in reaching New Ulm, shortly after the massacre at that place, the terrible effects of which could still be seen in the mutilated victims of the bloodthirsty sav ages. At one time the little party found themselves within a few miles of an encampment of several hundred hostile, but fortune appears to have favored them as they escaped without their whereabouts being discovered. The danger of proceeding farther became apparent, and the sheep were finally left to the care of local parties and the drovers, thankful to escape with their lives, returned to their homes in Wisconsin.
In 1864 Mr. Phillips made a third and successful attempt to enter the military service, joining, on June 2d of that year, Company C, Fortieth Wisconsin Infantry, with which he shared the fortunes and vicissitudes of war until the expiration of his period of enlistment. He was at Memphis when the Confederate General Forrest raided that city, and passed through many trying experiences while at the front and retired from the army with a record for brave and gallant conduct of which he feels deservedly proud. On receiving his discharge Mr. Phillips located at Decorah, Iowa, where he learned the barber’s trade, going thence in the fall of 1864 to West Union, where for several years he was similarly engaged. From the latter place he went to Belle Plain and in 1872 to Denver, Colorado, where he remained for some time, when he returned to Iowa, locating again at West Union, but removing thence after a short time to Strawberry Point. Disposing of his interests in that town, he afterwards lived for a while at Manchester and in May, 1874, took up his permanent residence at Oelwein, with the subsequent history of which he has since been actively and prominently identified.
For some years after locating at Oelwein Mr. Phillips operated a barber shop and in the meantime made a number of judicious investments in real estate, which returned him handsome profits. Possessing fine business ability, he continued his operations in real estate and it was not long until he accumulated considerable property and became one of the leading men of the city. In early life he manifested an ardent desire to study law, but circumstances prevented him at that time from carrying out his intention. After coming to Oelwein he read such law books as he could procure and in due time took up the study in earnest under the direction of A. C. Parker, a young attorney of exceptional ability, whose instruction was of great value and whose deep interest in his progress proved an additional stimulus. After being well grounded in the principles of jurisprudence and more or less familiar with the usual methods practiced, Mr. Phillips began to devote considerable attention to the profession and in the course of a few months had all the business he could attend to in the justice courts. He continued this kind of practice with marked success from 1875 to 1880, when he was formally admitted to the bar in the district court at West Union and for some years was actively identified with the legal profession, having a large clientele, including many of the wealthy and substantial men of the county, and occupied a conspicuous place among the leading men of his calling in the city of his residence, but now devotes his time in looking after his extensive business interests.
Not long after beginning the practice of his profession Mr. Phillips was elected city attorney of Oelwein and as such served for a period of nine years, during which time he was untiring in behalf of the interests of the municipality and made every other consideration subordinate to his official duties. Since retiring from the above position he has given his entire time and attention to his legal business and other interests, all of which are extensive and far-reaching, making him not only a very busy man but a very successful one also. A well balanced mind, sound, practical intelligence and mature judgment are among Mr. Phillips’ more prominent characteristics, to which may also be added the ability to forste with remarkable clearness the future outcome of present plans and the tact to create opportunities where they do not already exist. His career, which presents a series of continuous advancement, has been successful far above the ordinary and he is now without doubt one of the wealthiest men in Fayette county, as he has been for a number of years the heaviest taxpayer. He has contributed much if not more than any other to the material growth and prosperity of Oelwein and not a little of his capital has been invested with these ends in view. In addition to a number of other buildings, he erected some years ago a very creditable opera house which, after considerable service, was converted into a residence; he then purchased a valuable church property near the Rock Island depot, where he built a much larger and better planned opera house, which is modern and fully up-to-date and more in keeping with the city’s dignity and growth. Mr. Phillips’ wealth is nearly all within the city of Oelwein, consisting of business blocks, public buildings, private dwellings and town lots, from which he receives no inconsiderable part of the income which he is constantly adding to his already large and ample fortune.
From what has already been said concerning Mr. Phillips’ professional career it is easily seen that he stands high among the leading members of the Fayette county bar, a remarkable fact, considering his having commenced life poor and friendless and advanced to his present proud position from the humble though honorable vocation of a barber. He has practiced his profession from time to time with a number of leading lawyers, with whom he was associated as partner, including A. C. Parker, now of Des Moines, with whom he was associated for two years, Capt. H. W. Holman and others. Among those who studied under his direction and owe their success to him the most prominent perhaps is Hon. Lewis Baker, now an eminent member of the Colorado bar, but formerly of Edgewood, Delaware county.
In politics Mr. Phillips is a Republican, but on account of the prohibition movement and the proposed amendments to the constitution, he voted for Hon. Horace Boies 'when that distinguished gentleman ran for governor. He is an active and influential member of the Masonic fraternity, belonging to Lodge No. 374, at Oelwein, and is also identified with Griffin Post No. 134, Grand Army of the Republic, of this city. He took a leading part in the organizing of the first lodge of the order of Modern Woodmen in Fayette county and was a charter member of the same and one of the first officers; his name also appears on the records of the Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks at Oelwein, in which, as in the other fraternal societies with which connected, he fields a potent influence and from time to time has been honored with important official positions.
Mr. Phillips’ domestic life dates from January 7, 1874, at which time he was united in marriage at Strawberry Point with Ellen Johnson, daughter of Alexander Johnson, of Fayette county. The union has been blessed with two children, a daughter, Lena Blanche, and a son who answers to the name of Ray B. Phillips. In closing this brief sketch of one of Fayette county’s eminent lawyers and distinguished citizens, the following from the pen of another appears peculiarly appropriate:
“It is- Mr. Phillips’s nature to do nothing by halves; he is and always has been intensely earnest in all he undertakes. Possessed of superior business ability, energy and perseverance, he has been successful in his various enter prices and acquired a large and valuable property. His success in life is more to his credit for the reason that it has been won by his own unaided efforts. He has a natural aptitude for business and displays more than usual sagacity in his investments and enterprises. As a lawyer he is conservative in his advice, sound in his conclusions, prompt in the discharge of professional duty and always reliable. As a collector, he succeeds in seemingly hopeless cases. His integrity, energy and promptness have won for him the confidence and respect of a wide circle of acquaintances and it goes without the saying the prominent place he occupies in the esteem of the public has been faithfully and honorably earned.”
As printed in Past and present of Fayette County, Iowa .. (1910). See the original pages. Wording is the original; obvious scanning errors have been corrected, and a few may remain.
Named in this biography: Horace Boies (b. 1827)
Their biographies name George H. Phillips: Willard Joseph Ainsworth
The printed record stops around 1910. We trace your line from there down to you, with every source cited.