CAPTAIN JOSEPH PHILIPS.
An able and much respected representative of the agricultural and horticultural interests of Davidson county, Captain Joseph Philips is the owner of a good farm lying on Brick Church pike, not many miles from Nashville. He was born November 11, 1838, on this same farm, and here also occurred the birth of his father, William Duncan Philips, on June 10, 1804, thirteen years after the land had been secured from the Government by Joseph Philips, the Captain's grandfather. He is of Welsh ancestry, his paternal great- great- grandfather, Joseph Philips, having emigrated from Wales to this country in colonial days, settling in North Carolina, where he purchased a tract of land that had been granted by the Crown to Earl Grey, his name having been spelled "Phillips."
Joseph Philips, grandfather of Captain Joseph Philips, was born in 1763, in Edgecombe county, North Carolina, where his parents were life-long residents. He was a rebel, and during the Revolutionary War fought for independence. Another family named Phillips fought in the same war for the Crown, being tories, and this so incensed Joseph Philips that he dropped one of the "l's" from his name, changing it to its present form, not wishing anyone to suspect that he might possibly be a kinsman of the Tory Phillips..
Shortly after his marriage, in 1791, Joseph Philips started with his wife for the wilds of Tennessee. They made an overland journey with teams, following a blazed trail a large part of the way, bringing with them their household goods, and all of their stock and slaves. He located in Davidson county, which he had previously visited, and which was then very thinly populated. He bought a tract of land lying six miles north of Nashville, and began the establishment of a home, his first step in that direction being the erection of a log cabin which he and his family occupied until 1804, when it was burned, the fire occurring in March of that year. He then burned a kiln of brick, and erected a substantial house, in commodious colonial style, using whip-sawed timbers in its construction. This was the first brick house built in Davidson county, and is still standing in good condition, and a part of the original log barn, built in 1791, is also standing. When he located there Nashville was but a hamlet, and for more than half a century afterward there were no railroads in the state. He improved a fine homestead, and with the help of his slaves was there engaged in general farming until his death in 1818. A part of this farm is now owned by his grandson, Captain Joseph Philips, of whom we write.
Joseph Philips married in about 1784, in North Carolina, Milberry Horne, who was born in Edgecombe county, that state, where her parents were pioneer settlers. She died on the home farm, in Davidson county, Tennessee, in 1849. They reared seven children, as follows: William Duncan, Henry, Sarah, Margaret, Charlotte, Martha, and Mary. Henry died at the age of seventeen years. Sarah married William Williams, and Margaret married his brother, Joseph Williams. Charlotte was drowned when a girl in the Cumberland river. Martha married Thomas Martin, and Mary became the wife of Jesse Wharton.
William Duncan Philips spent his entire life of seventy-five years on the old homestead, which became his by inheritance, and during his active career carried on farming with the assistance of slaves. He was a stanch adherent of the Democratic party, sustaining its principles by voice and vote. He married Eliza Dwyer, who was born in Roscrea, County Tipperary, Ireland, and came with her parents to America when a child. Her father, Daniel Dwyer, a native of the Emerald Isle, immigrated to this country, bringing with him his wife and twelve children, and his mother-in-law, Mrs. Cantwell. After living for a time in Nashville, Tennessee, Mr. Dwyer moved to Franklin, where for a few years he was engaged in mercantile business. From there he went to Louisville, Kentucky, and was there a resident until his death. Mrs. Eliza (Dwyer) Philips died at the age of seventy-five years. To her and her husband seven children. were born, namely: Milberry, who married William P. Harding; Mary became the wife of John Felix De Moville, of whom a sketch appears elsewhere in this volume; Joseph married Annie Cozart; Margaret married Rufus K. Polk; Daniel married Mary E. Finn; and William and Sarah died when young. Daniel Philips, the fifth child, who settled in Nashville, enlisted at the age of sixteen years for service in the Civil war, being commissioned lieutenant in a company of heavy artillery. He was twice captured, first at Island 10, the last time at Fort Hudson, and each time imprisoned on Johnson's Island, where he was confined as a prisoner until the close of the conflict.
Obtaining his elementary education in the rural schools, Joseph Philips completed his early studies at the University of Nashville. At the breaking out of the war between the states he enlisted in the Tenth Tennessee Volunteer Infantry, known as the "Irish Regiment," and was commissioned lieutenant of his company. At the end of four months he joined Bankhead's First Battery as its lieutenant, and being assigned to the staff of General Leonidas Polk, was one of its lieutenants when the general met his death at Pine Mountain in North Georgia. Subsequently a member of the staff of General Stephen D. Lee, Captain Philips was in active service in the C. S. army from the beginning until the close of the war, taking part in many battles of note, among which were the engagements at Perryville, Kentucky; at Shiloh; in the battles with Sherman's Army through North Georgia to Atlanta; and in the siege of that city. He was captured by General Wilson's forces at Selma, Alabama, and while a prisoner-of-war was a guest at General Wilson's headquarters. On May 15, 1865, Captain Philips was paroled at Columbus, Mississippi, and immediately returned home. He inherited, on the death of his parents, a part of the old homestead. In addition to carrying on general farming, the Captain has made a specialty of horticulture.
Captain Philips married July 13, 1864, Miss Annie Cozart, who was born in Columbus, Mississippi, a daughter of William Mangum and Sarah (Murray) Cozart, natives, respectively, of North Carolina and Georgia. Captain and Mrs. Philips reared two sons, William Cozart and Joseph, both of whom died unmarried. Politically Captain Philips is a straightforward Democrat. He is a member of one of the American college fraternities, the Delta Kappa Epsilon, and belongs to the John C. Brown Bivouac, Confederate Veterans.
Source: A History of Tennessee and Tennesseans: the leaders and representative men in commerce, industry, and modern activities, by William T. Hale and Dixon L. Merritt, published by Lewis Publishing Co., Chicago, 1913; Pgs. 2024-2026
NOTE: The spelling of an "e" has been added as "Horne" to be allowed to be posted on this website.
