Imperial-San Diego County CA Archives Biographies.....Phillips, Thomas 1863 - ************************************************ Copyright. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://www.usgwarchives.net/ca/cafiles.htm ************************************************ File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by: Joy Fisher sdgenweb@yahoo.com February 21, 2006, 8:45 pm Author: F. C. Farr (editor, 1918) THOMAS PHILLIPS.—The gentleman whose name heads this biography was one of the first settlers in Imperial Valley, and since 1900 his activities have been directed towards the development and prosperity of the fertile section included in this county. He is among the first pioneers of the Valley, and the first standard history of Imperial County would be incomplete were there failure to make special mention of Thomas Phillips, one of the founders of this section, who now owns an eighty-acre ranch in Water Company No. 1. Mr. Phillips was born at Unionville, Putnam County, Missouri, September 17, 1863, a son of William D. and Hulda A. (Pearson) Phillips. His mother died in 1915 at the age of sixty-eight years, and is buried in Unionville. His father is in his seventy-sixth year and resides at Unionville, Missouri. Mr. Phillips acquired a limited education in the country school while assisting on the home place until he was eighteen years old. Starting out in life, he found employment at farming, and in 1884 he came to California, where he remained until 1886. Returning to his former home he remained for two years. Returning to California, he settled in San Diego. Here he took up a homestead. He proved up on his place, remaining on the ranch until he was married. He then engaged extensively in the bee business until he removed to Imperial County. He brought his bees to Imperial County in a wagon through Devil's Canon, and was probably the first man to engage in this business in the Valley. He remained in the vicinity of Calexico for two years, when he purchased his present place, which was a vast desert at that time. Mr. Phillips does general farming and is still largely interested in the bee business. Politically he is a Republican, and has served as constable of Silsbee Township for several years. He is president of the Imperial Valley Bee Keepers' Association. Mr. Phillips married Miss May Williams at Potrero, California, July 18, 1894, a daughter of Mr. and Mrs. J. W. Williams. Her father passed away in 1893. Her mother resides at Kingman, Arizona, and is eighty-five years of age. Mr. and Mrs. Phillips have seven children: Loris May, wife of Edward Bridgers, in the government service at San Diego; Frank A. and Lee E., both in the government service; Ella, Perry E., Delta, and Elsa, all residing at home. Mr. Phillips has made extensive improvements on his ranch, and has one of the well appointed places in the county. Additional Comments: From: THE HISTORY OF IMPERIAL COUNTY CALIFORNIA EDITED BY F. C. FARR IN ONE VOLUME ILLUSTRATED Published by ELMS AND FRANKS BERKELEY, CALIFORNIA 1918 Printed by Taylor & Taylor, San Francisco File at: http://files.usgwarchives.net/ca/imperial/bios/phillips621bs.txt This file has been created by a form at http://www.poppet.org/cafiles/ File size: 3.3 Kb