Thomas J. Phillips

As printed in 1901

HOMAS J. PHILLIPS, ex-mayor of Ottumwa, -hose portrait is shown herewith, is general superintendent of the Whitebreast Fuel Company of Illinois, a company extensively operating in Illinois and Iowa. The main office has been located in Ottumwa for some years, and the entire business of the company is done through the office of Mr. Phillips. He was born in South Wales in 1841, and is a son of John T. and Margaret (Edwards) Phillips.

John T. Phillips and his wife became the parents of nine children, only two of whom are now living: Thomas J.; and Jeanette, widow of Edward E. Ivens, who resides in Lucas county, Iowa. John T. Phillips war. engaged in the coal business throughout his entire life, first in AYales and later in America. He died in Lucas county, Iowa.

Thomas J. Phillips was but six or seven years old when the family came to, America, landing in New Orleans. They then moved to St. Louis, where he was reared, his parents residing in what was then Shaw's Tower Grove, now a park and garden. Aside from a good common school education, he has had no assistance, but is entirely a self-made man. His first work was in the coal business as an employe of the Northern Missouri Coal & Mining Company, by which he was later advanced to be a foreman. Upon. the dissolution of that company, he immediately entered the employ of the W. B. Jackson & Brothers Coal Company as a foreman, remaining Aith them until 1879, Avhen he became identified with the Whitebreast Fuel Company. He thereby bettered his position, and was thereafter steadily advanced until he became general superintendent of the entire company. He was mine superintendent in Lucas county, Ljwa, from 1879 to 1884, and then served as general superintendent with his offices at Cleveland until 1890, when he came to Ottumwa, changing the general office to this point. The main offices of the company are in the Rookery Building, Chicago, although all of the business passes through the hands of Mr. Phillips at Ottumwa, as he has charge of all the company property both in Illinois and Iowa. The company first began operations in Iowa about 1875 or 1876, and it is really the parent of the Colorado Fuel & Iron Company, a mammoth concern, of which J. C. Osgood, formerly president of the Whitebreast Fuel Company, is now president. Mr. Phillips is ably assisted in his work by his son, J. T. Phillips. They have occupied their present suite of rooms since the building was erected by Mr. Bonnifield, who arenged the rooms for the convenience of the company. Ottumwa is the distributing point of the company for Iowa, and Chicago for Illinois.

Thomas J. Phillips was united in marriage, in Missouri, with Isabella Watkins, a native of the East, who came to St. Louis as a child and was a daughter of Henry Watkins. She was left an orphan and she, herself, died in

1 89 1, at the age of forty years, leaving six children: John T., vi'ho is assistant to his father, and who married Miss Atherton, of Marion county, Iowa, and has a daughter, \Vilma; Margaret (Campbell), of Lucas county, Iowa; Jeanette, who is in the employ of the Colorado Fuel & Iron Company, and lives in Colorado; Kate, who resides with her father at Ottumwa; Thomas, who has a position as weighing foreman at the mines in Lucas county; and Ruth, who is at home. Mr. Phillips was married in 1892, to Alary AIcHugh, a native of the Empire state, and later a resident of Bureau county, Illinois.

[This passage is too damaged in the scanned book to reproduce. See the original book.]

August 21, 1 90 1, at the Democratic convention held at Des Aloines, Iowa, Air, Phillips \as nominated as the Democratic candidate for governor of Iowa.

As printed in History of Wapello County, Iowa, and representative citizens (1901). See the original pages. Wording is the original; obvious scanning errors have been corrected, and a few may remain.