Phillipsc
Transcribed from "An Illustrated History of The Big Bend Country, embracing
Lincoln, Douglas, Adams and Franklin counties, State of Washington",
published by Western Historical Publishing Co., 1904.
CHARLES A. PHILLIPS is the postmaster
at Wilbur, where he is also one of the leading business men in the commercial
realm. He is a man who commands the respect and wins the esteem of
all who know him, owing to his uprightness, his business ability, and his
geniality. He was born in Polk county, Oregon, on August 30, 1854,
the son of John and Elizabeth (Hibbard) Phillips. The father was
born in Worcestershire, England, learned the cabinet maker's trade and
in 1835 came to New York, whence he went to Apalachicola, Florida and did
work on the Catholic mission churches there. Thence he went to New
Orleans in 1839 and there married Elizabeth Hibbard. Next we see
him in St. Louis, Missouri, and in 1845 he crossed the plains with ox-teams
to Polk county. He took a donation claim and gave his attention to
farming. The mother of our subject was born in Shaftesbury, England,
on July 17, 1820, came to New Orleans in 1839, was married on February
11, of that year and went to St. Louis, Missouri. From that point
she came with her husband across the plains. Our subject was educated
in Bishop Scott's school at Portland and in the Willamette University,
then turned his attention to teaching. Later he was editor on the
Silverton Appeal, a paper in the valley, and in 1893 Mr. Phillips came
to Woodburn, Oregon, engaging there in the mercantile business. The
year 1894 finds Mr. Phillips in Wilbur where he purchased a half interest
in the Parish Mercantile Company and in 1901 he was appointed postmaster
of the town. He has given the best of satisfaction in this capacity
and has shown his ability in his business career.
The marriage of Mr. Phillips and Anna M. Parrish
took place at Silverton, Oregon, on October 12, 1887. The father
of Mrs. Phillips, James Patterson Parrish, was born in Steubenville, Ohio,
on April 23, 1823. He married Miss Mary Fairfax Hickman, who was
born in Barnesville, Ohio, on January 15, 1834. John Hickman, one
of Mrs. Phillips' ancestors, was a civil engineer and was with George Washington
on the expedition sent by Lord Fairfax, to survey the vast territory, then
so little known and now embraced in the states of Kentucky and Ohio.
George Washington was then a boy of sixteen.
Mr. Phillips has the following named brothers
and sisters, J. E., Samuel, Mrs. Elizabeth McCarty, Mrs. Mary Martin, Mrs.
Martha Richardson, Mrs. Amelia Basey, Mrs. Cornelia Clagget, and Mrs. Hannah
Barker. To Mr. Phillips and his estimable wife the following children
have been born, Ethel E., Homer C., Mattie B., and Florence M. Mr.
Phillips is a member of the Masons and was one of the founders of the W.
W. lodge in Wilbur, being consul commander of the same for years.
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