HISTORY OF UNION GROVE CEMETERY AND PHILLIPS FAMILY.
The Union Grove Cemetery(formerly Phillips) is situated in the H.H. Edwards Survey, Upshur County, Texas. This cemetery was in the beginning a burial plot on Phillips for family members.
As with most historical places, this cemetery has its own legend. Little Florence Phillips loved to play in a certain area under the dogwood trees and remarked to her father that should she die she wanted to be buried there. Her untimely death brought about a first grave and the beginning of the Phillips Cemetery.
Although one of the oldest graves in the cemetery is that of William Phillips was born 1805 in Georgia and who may have lived on this land at one time, it is not clear how this William Phillips was related to the Phillips who came to Texas from Tennessee and settled the Union Grove area. The Phillips families often referred to as those from Union Grove, West Mountain, and Phillips Springs still refer to each other as "cousin."
William "Billy" Phillips, born about 1776 in North Carolina, removed to Wilson County, Tennessee to raise his family. His elder son, Alpha had settled in the West Mountain area of Upshur County and Alpha made a trip to Tennessee to bring his ailing father to Texas where he lived with Alpha. Both of these men are buried at West Mt. Cemetery.
James Riley Phillips was born 1822 in Tennessee and was the youngest brother of Alpha. James Riley married Rebecca J. Mackey, daughter of Joel Lewis Mackey, born 1801 in Tennessee and Mary Fonville born 1801 in North Carolina. James Riley and Rebecca Phillips purchased land in the late 1840's, built their house and raised their family (William, Riley, and Sarah) in Union Grove very close to present Union Grove Cemetery.
William Marshall "Billy" Phillips, born June 20, 1859, was the first child of James Riley and Rebecca Phillips. He died October 23, 1937 and lived all his life in the same house (the house was torn down in 1977). William's first wife was Georgia Belle Little, daughter of S. Miles Little and Mary Elizabeth Biggers and their three children were Riley, Jess and Annie Lee. Georgia Phillips died in 1896 and some years later William Phillips married his cousin, Mary Pearl Phillips. They had two children, Reba Dale who died very young and Earl who died at about age twenty-one. All are buried in Union Grove Cemetery.
By deed dated March 6, 1913 and recorded 11:00 A.M. that date in Record of Deeds Book 28, Page 172, Upshur County, Texas. William Marshall Phillips' wife deeded to J.L. Mackey, John O'Byrne and A.M. Phillips as Trustees "2.1 acres of land....1-1/10th acres being amount in old cemetery and one acre amount of addition to same....". Phillips Cemetery! Such deed carried a verbal stipulation that his descendents have burial space for free and of their choice. This verbal stipulation has been honored through the years but the name of the cemetery was changed to Union Grove Cemetery to better serve the community.
A few of the markers of those original families buried in Union Grove Cemetery:
William Riley Phillips, 1889-1938
William Marshall Phillips, 1859-1937
Georgia Belle Little Phillips, 1873-1896
Annie Lee Phillips Jenkins, 1894-1971
Sarah E. Mings, 1862-1955
Mary Pearl Phillips, 1876-1955
James Riley Phillips, 1822-1862
Rebecca J. Mackey Phillips, 1836-1902
Joel Lewis Mackey, 1801-1855
Mary Fonville Mackey, 1801-1858
As those who are interested in Union Grove Cemetery are also interested in Union Grove School, they are referred to the first few pages of "Union Grove Common School District -1888-1955", which states that "formal education began in Union Grove Community in the year 1888, on a two-acre tract of land belonging to W.M. Phillips." (Book One, Page 598, Upshur County Deed Records). William Marshall Phillips was a civic minded man who counted among his ancestors the Lewis family who gave the land for the University of Virginia. He was proud of Union Grove.
-Compiled and contributed by Murle K. Rhodes, P.O. Box 121, Columbus, TX. 78934
Source: East Texas Genealogical Society, East Texas Family Records, Volune 02, No. 1, Spring, 1978; Pgs. 4-5
