JOHN F. PHILLIPS.
Many of the successful men of this country have achieved success while conducting agriculture along with other lines of business, giving a portion of their time to each avocation and becoming adept in each. One of these is the gentleman named above, Mr. John F. Phillips, who occupies a comfortable farm home on section sixteen, Kinderhook township.
Mr. Phillips is of English birth, he having been born in Cornwall, England, May 6, 1844. The Phillips had been residents of Cornwall for many generations and the first of the family to leave the mother country and come to America was the paternal grandfather of our subject, who settled in Hastings county, Canada, where he spent the remainder of his life. Our subject's father, John Phillips, was also born in Cornwall, England, where he grew to manhood and married Elizabeth Roberts, a native of the same place. They were the parents of three children, when, a few years after the departure of the senior Phillips, they decided to also try their fortunes in the new country. They made the voyage in 1850 and likewise located in Ontario upon,a new farm. The father died two years after their arrival and the son, John F., was brought up by strangers, he being only eight years old when his father died. John Phillips and Mary Roberts Phillips were the parents of five children, as follows: Peter died in Hastings, Canada; John F. is the subject of this review; Mary Honey, Susan Holmes and Josiah Phillips always made their home in Ontario, and of the family only John F. and Mary Honey are living. The mother also died in Ontario in 1880.
John F. Phillips lived in Canada until 1865 and then went to Lockport, New York. He had learned the trade of carpenter and joiner in Canada and after going to Lockport he worked at his trade in shops there for several years. This was followed by two years' work upon a farm not far from Lockport, after which he worked at his trade at Charlottesville, New York, until 1871, when he came to Michigan, locating first at Kinderhook Corners, where he remained for two years. His first purchase of land was fifty acres, which comprises a portion of his present farm, and in later years he increased this to one hundred and eighteen acres. The place was but little improved and he cleared the land himself, working also at his trade when opportunity offered. It is an acknowledged fact that no carpenter or contractor in this portion of the county has so many good buildings to his credit as has Mr. Phillips. He has been engaged in construction in all the southern townships of Branch county, as well as in the northern townships of Steuben county, Indiana, and his buildings have stood the test of years,
Mr. Phillips was married, March 30, 1871, to Emma Ketchum, who was born in Niagara county, New York, February 8, 1846, and who died here January 10, 1887. Two children were born unto them: Mertie is the wife of Frank Whaley and their home is in Kinderhook; they have one daughter, Mildred. The other daughter, Nettie L., is the wife of Francis Flandemeyer and they live in Coldwater, Michigan. Mrs. Phillips' parents were George Ketchum and Mary Jane West, natives of western New York state, where Mrs. Ketchum died, her husband afterward coming to Michigan and dying at Flint December 11, 1905. Three of the Ketchum children are still living: Mrs. L. J. Skinner, of Flint, Michigan; William I. Ketchum, of New Fane, New York; and Charles Ketchum, of Lockport, New York.
The second marriage of Mr. Phillips occurred November 11, 1888, when he was united with Miss Alice A. Hess, a native of Alabama, New York, where she was born May 5, 1859, her father being Phillip Hess, born in Germany, and her mother being Mary Lawrence, a native of Rloyalton, New York. Mr. Hess was born March 31, 1821, and Mary Lawrence was born December 6, 1823. They were married at Buffalo, New York, and were the parents of nine children, all of whom grew to maturity, as! follows: Charles PL lives in South Dakota; Frances Ross died in South Frankfort, Michigan; Homer died in Orleans county, New York; Mary Martin lives in Kinderhook; Nellie died in New York state; George P. died in Genesee county, New York; Iona J. Thompson lives in Genesee county, New York; Martin K. lives in Kinderhook; Alice Phillips is the wife of our subject. Mr. and Mrs. Hess were esteemed people and both members of the Presbyterian church. Mr. Hess died April 19, 1902, while Mrs. Hess passed away November 20, 1897. Tracing their genealogy still further we learn that the father of Mr. Hess was George Hess, while the father of Mrs. Hess was Alvin Lawrence, whose wife was Abigail Parker, both being of English descent. The marriage of John F. Phillips and Alice Hess has been a particularly happy one, and it has been blessed with one son, Clare J., whose birth occurred September 28, 1895. He lives at home with his parents and is attending school.
In addition to his business as a builder, Mr. Phillips also finds a great deal of his time occupied with other outside matters, he having been administrator of many estates and dealing considerably in real estate of various kinds. At the same time he manages his farm after the best and most approved methods and we find it a model in condition and general appearance, being supplied with excellent buildings and all needful machinery for operation. The whole premises possess a remarkable neatness of appearance, the owner being methodical and having an eye for beauty as well as utility.
Although of necessity a very busy man, nevertheless Mr. Phillips finds time for fraternal and social duties and he is a member of the Masonic order, Greenleaf Lodge No. 349, and the A. O. U. W. in Kinderhook. Mr. and Mrs. Phillips are also members of the Methodist Episcopal church in Kinderhook.
Source: A Twentieth Century History and Biographical Record of Branch County, Michigan, by Rev. Henry P. Collin, M.A., published by The Lewis Publishing Company, 1906; Pgs. 393-395
