JOHN PHILLIPS DIES AT CENTER
Another Veteran of Civil War Passes Away at Williams Center Sunday.
John Phillips was born in Wayne county, Ohio, October 12th, 1840 and died at his home in Williams Center July 28th, 1906, aged 65 years, 9 months and 16 days.
Very little is known of his early boyhood days other than he came to Defiance county with his grandfather, Cornelius Britton, in the late 40’s, who settled on a farm two miles southeast of Williams Center on the Defiance road where he lived for several years afterward making his home with his mother who married Solomon Shook and lived in the same community.
He employed his time as a farm laborer or with a gun in the woods. He was an expert with the rifle and the squirrel that came to his view was very sure to lose its life. Deer were pretty scarce when he was old enough to hunt, so that the principal game was squirrels, turkeys, rabbits and coon, with now and then a fox or mink and he was always sure to have his full share of the game.
Being always pleasant and agreeable, he never had any trouble finding employment on the farm if the owner needed his assistance. With no one to take any interest in his welfare he had very few advantages. What he obtained for himself should be merited for he was thrown on the world at an early age to care for himself.
In 1863 he enlisted for three years in the 128th Ohio Infantry to guard prisoners at Johnson’s Island, near Sandusky, where he served his country to the close of the war when he returned home, married, and worked at the cooper trade. By his first marriage he had one daughter, Mrs. Robins, now residing in Michigan.
In November, 1881, he married Fannie Harger, who survives him.
Thus passes away another of the old boys who served their country’s call from 1861 to 1865.
In 1894 he united with the United Brethen church being converted under the preaching of Rev. C.E. Moorman. He served the Master to the best of his ability according to the talents he received. He meant to be strictly honest and when well enough to do so wanted to earn his bread by the sweat of his brow and there are many things connected with his life that are worthy of emulation.
Funeral services were conducted by Elder J.W. Lilly at 2 o’clock Sunday afternoon at the United Brethen church at Williams Center and his body laid to rest in the cemetery near by.
Source: The Bryan Times-Democrat, Bryan, Ohio, Tuesday, July 31, 1906; Pg. 4, Columns 5-6
