BENJAMIN THOMAS PHILLIPS.
Son of John and Mary (Jenkins) Phillips, was born, Jan. 9, 1820, in New York City, and early united with the Rutgers Street Church. His preparatory studies were pursued in the Cornelius Institute, New York City, under the Rev. John J. Owen, D.D. He graduated from Princeton College in 1842. After spending one year in Union Seminary, New York City, he entered the Seminary at Princeton in 1843, and studied there a year. He was licensed, April 24, 1844, by the Presbytery of New Brunswick, and ordained by the Presbytery of West Jersey Dec. 11, 1844, being at the same time installed pastor of the Presbyterian Church at May's Landing. This relation was dissolved, Oct. 22, 1845. He was stated supply of the Manhattan Church, New York City, from May 1, 1846, to Nov. 1, 1847, and pastor at Rondout, N. Y., from Dec. 13, 1847, to May 1 1861. At the outbreak of the civil war he entered the army as chaplain of the 9th N. Y. regiment. He was in active service for three years, when, disabled by rheumatism, he was appointed chaplain of the hospital at Annapolis Junction, where he remained until the war closed. From January to March, 1863, he was the agent of the U. S. Sanitary Commission in New York City. After the war he was appointed agent of the Howard Mission, New York, which position he held from Nov. 25, 1865, to March 1, 1867. He was superintendent of the Home for Little Wanderers, in Philadelphia, from May 1, 1867, to Sept. 1. 1873. He served the church at Windham, N. Y., as stated supply, from April 1, 1874, to Jan. 1, 1876. On May 8, 1876, he became pastor of the church at Manchester, N. J., and resigned this charge on April 14, 1891, a year before his death, which occurred, May 23, 1892, at Manchester, of heart failure, in the 73rd year of his age. Mr. Phillips was possessed of consideral ability, was a gifted preacher and a man of much liberality of spirit.
He was married three times: (1) Oct. 12, 1842, to Miss Mary Elizabeth Phillips, who died, Aug. 12,1863; (2) Feb. 1, 1865, to Miss Marion Ball, who died, March 4, 1882; (3) Sept. 12, 1883, to Miss Rachel French, who, with two sons and three daughters, survives him.
Source: Necrological Reports and Annual Proceedings of the Alumni Association of Princeton Theological Seminary, Volume II, 1890-1899, published by Princeton Theological Seminary., 1899; Pgs. 200-201
