Claudius C. Phillips, one ot the leading merchants of New York City, was born November 27, 1865, at Chuckatuck, Virginia. Mr. Phillips is descended from stock that is connected with the Garland and Underwood families of Virginia and that settled in Virginia after a period spent in New England.
It is not clear from which branch of the Phillips stock in Europe this well known family of Phillips belongs. The name is common to a great many countries in Europe and in its original meaning has the signification of "the son of Philip." The name is prevalent in England and Wales. It is also a very prominent name in Ireland and Scotland, where it is an anglicized form of MacPhilipin, being derived from an ancestor, Philipin, fourth son of Sir Edmond Albanach, who is number twenty-one on the pedigree of the Bourkes or De Burgos of Connaught, who trace their descent through Uilliam Mor de Burc, who married Isabel, natural daughter of Richard I., King of England, widow of Llewellyn, Prince of Wales, and was settled at Castleconnel in 1199, being descended through Charlemagne to Pepin Le Vieux, Duke of Anstrasia.
Not one whit less illustrious is the American genealogy of the family, for the grandfather of Mr. Claudius C. Phillips. John Phillips, of Virginia, was the brother of the father of Wendell Phillips, of Massachusetts, the silver tongued orator of America, both emigrating to New England about the same time. The family is of old colonial stock, John Phillips, grandfather of Mr. Claudius C. Phillips, being the son of William Phillips, who was born in 1737, died in 1772, having married Margaret Wendell. The father of William was John Phillips, born in 1701, died in 1768. having married Mary Buttolph. The father of John was Samuel Phillips, of Salem, Massachusetts, and his grandparents were the Rev. Samuel Phillips, born in 1625, died in 1696, and Sarah (Appleton) Phillips. The father of the Rev. Samuel Phillips, and immigrant ancestor of the whole Phillips family, was George Phillips, who arrived with his wife and two children at Salem, Massachusetts Bay Colony, about 1630. George Phillips settled at Watertown, and was first minister of the town, He had thirty acres of land granted to him and built a house which was burnt before the close of the year. Tradition says that his next house is still standing, "opposite the ancient burial ground, back from the road." He was admitted a freeman. May 18, 1631, the earliest date of any such admission. He died in 1644, and left a large estate for the time, five hundred and fifty pounds, two shillings and nine pence.
The father of Mr. Claudius C. Phillips was James Jasper Phillips, who was born at Chuckatuck, Virginia, in 1832, and died in 1907. He was a farmer by occupation mainly, but was also professor in a Virginia military institute, having been in his young manhood a school teacher. He served in the Confederate army during the Civil war until the surrender of Appomattox. He was colonel of the Ninth Virginia Regiment (the "Bloody Ninth"), and during the war belonged to Pickett's division at the battle of Gettysburg. Jane Jasper Phillips married Lou Emma, born at Westmoreland county, Virginia, daughter of John and (Crewdson) Betts.
Claudius C. Phillips was educated at private schools and at the Norfolk Academy, Virginia. He spent three years at Bethel Military Academy, Warrenton, Virginia, and took special courses in chemistry at Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland. He came to New York City with the idea of accepting a position as chemist in the New York City health department. However, at the request of his father, he entered the old established commission business of his father, a fruit and produce commission business, which had been founded in 1867. Mr. Phillips subsequently became sole proprietor, and the business was incorporated in 1912, when he became its first president and treasurer. He is also president of a pork packing abbatoir, and is an oyster planter and fanner in Virginia. Mr. Phillips is a Democrat in politics, and along with family is affiliated with the Protestant Episcopal church. He is brevetted captain of engineers, commissioned under both governors, Fitzhugh Lee, and William E. Cameron, of Virginia, of Company A at Bethel Military Academy. He is a member of the Southern Society of New York City, The Virginians of New York City, the New York Athletic Club, Merchants' Association of New York City, National League, Commission Fruit and Produce Association of New York City, Virginia Club of Norfolk, Virginia, and Order of Elks.
He married Jane Hicks, born December 25, 1873, at Faison, North Carolina, daughter of Captain Louis T. Hicks. There has been one child of the marriage, Louise, born in New York City, April 10, 1897, now a student at Sweet Brier College, Sweet Brier, Virginia.
Source: Encyclopedia of Virginia Biography: Under the supervision of Lyon Gardiner Tyler, LL. D., Volume V., published by Lewis Historical Publishing Company, New York, 1915; Pg. 1078
