Wm. Addison Phillips, b. Scotland, to America 1839; d. OK

William Addison Phillips was born at Paisley, Renfrewshire, Scotland, January 14, 1824. He received an academic education prior to the emigration of his father's family to America, in 1839. He grew to manhood on a farm in Southern Illinois.

At the age of twenty-one he was engaged in newspaper work, and a few years later began the study of law. In 1855 he moved to Kansas as the special correspondent of the New York Tribune. He volunteered for service at the outbreak of the war, was commissioned major of the 1st Indian Regiment and soon promoted to colonel. He commanded the Indian Brigade and for a time commanded a division, though he was never promoted above the grade of colonel. From 1873 to 1879 he represented the first Kansas district in Congress.

After his retirement he served as national attorney for the Cherokee Nation. He died at Fort Gibson, Oklahoma January 14, 1894.

Source: A History of Oklahoma, by Joseph Bradfield Thoburn and Isaac Mason Holcomb, published by Doub and Company, San Francisco, 1908; Pg. 90