San Luis Obispo-Napa-Yolo County CA Archives Biographies.....Phillips, Chauncey Hatch 1837 - 
************************************************
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 August 8, 2006, 3:34 am

Author: Thompson & West (1883)

C. H. PHILLIPS.

  THROUGHOUT this history, particularly in the chapter relating specially to the
city of San Luis Obispo, the name of C. H. Phillips frequently occurs. There are
men whose inventive genius, leading enterprise, and great energy make history
while they live and wherever their lot may be cast. Mr. Phillips has thus made
history in his endeavors to build the San Luis Obispo Railroad, in his
organization of the San Luis Obispo Bank, and in the company to supply the city
with water. His extensive operations in real estate have made his name familiar
to all the people of the county. With his activity he has made business a
success, and advanced all the interests surrounding him. Many people are so
dependent on the circumstances of the times that they wait until opportunities
have passed before they decide, but Mr. Phillips makes circumstances conform to
his desires, and is at once ready to reap all the advantages that may arise.
Tall in form, of strong physique, and commanding appearance, he represents the
type of energy and force. Such is one of the principal business men of San Luis
Obispo.

  Chauncey Hatch Phillips is the full baptismal name of this gentleman. He was
born in Wadsworth, Medina County, Ohio, July 5, 1837. His father was Nelson
Phillips, and his mother Almira Hatch, the first being a native of New York,
born in 1807, and the latter of Vermont, born in 1808. The father was of the old
pre-Revolutionary stock, of New York, his grandfather having served in the war
for independence, and was taken prisoner by the Indians. Mr. Phillip's mother
was a descendant of one of the early settlers of New England, coming from
England in the colonial days. In their early married life they were farmers in
the State of New York, but became pioneers of the West, locating first in the
wilds of Ohio, then at a later day making their home in the lovely land of
Wisconsin, by the shores of Fond du Lac. Wherever young C. H. Phillips was in
those early days, there he went to school, and wherever he has been through
life, there he has been a student, thus fitly claiming an education of the
first-class for every rank of social and business life. Removing to Fond du Lac
at the age of eight years, he there remained for eight years more, when, at the
age of sixteen, he left his home to make his own way in the world. He went to
Walworth County, in the Same State. With his ambition, he sought the higher
plains of life, teaching school, reading law, and various pursuits in the way of
earning a livelihood.

  In 1862 he returned to Fond du Lac, married, and early in 1864 came by steamer
to California, leaving his wife and child at home. He remained in San Francisco
but ten days; then continued his journey to Napa. There he engaged as teacher,
opening his school April 4, 1864. His first term was for three months. At first
his success seemed doubtful, as he adopted a new system, which took the people
by surprise. But at the end of his term, he had given such satisfaction that he
was re-engaged for a term of five months. After this he entered the law office
of Hon. Chancellor Hartson to continue the study of the law. In a short time he
received the appointment of Deputy County Clerk, under J. Maurice Carter,
afterward of Marshall & Carter, of Salt Lake, a noted law firm. After this he
was appointed Chief Deputy Collector of Internal Revenue of the Fifth District,
by the Collector, Hon. W. C. S. Smith.

  This was in the spring of 1865, and was the opening of a business peculiarly
adapted to Mr. Phillips, being the handling and accounting for of large sums of
money, in transactions requiring the utmost exactness, and pursuing minute
ramifications. He was in the Internal Revenue service five years, till April 1,
1870, and part of the time was also clerk in the bank of James H. Goodman & Co.
At one time, while thus employed, he organized a bank at Woodland, Yolo County,
but it did not open for business. Mr. Phillips was then appointed Chief Deputy
Collector of the Second District, at San Jose, by Dr. L. H. Cary, the Collector.
In the following year the district was consolidated with the First, or San
Francisco District, and the office removed to San Francisco. There the office
was entirely under the charge of Mr. Phillips, and the receipts aggregated
$5,000,000 annually, he having control of this vast sum without bonds, none
being then required. Formerly he had given bonds in a large amount, with James
H. Goodman, C. Hartson, Judge Crouch, and H. H. Knapp as his sureties. These
were men with whom he had been associated at Napa.

  In the fall of 1871 he sought a new home in San Luis Obispo, and proceeded to
organize a bank for that place, which until then had no such institution. In
this he was associated with H. M. Warden. The bank was opened for business on
the 13th of December, 1871, and continued successfully in business as a private
institution until October 15, 1873, when it was merged into a corporation,
styled the Bank of San Luis Obispo, with a capital stock of $200,000. The
incorporators were C. H. Phillips, H. M. Warden, E. W. Steele, George Steele, P.
W. Murphy, J. P. Andrews, Hugh Isom, D. W. James, M. Gilbert, John Harford, Wm.
L. Beebee, James H. Goodman, and I. G. Wickersham. H. M. Warden was President
and C. H. Phillips Cashier, and the organizer without the knowledge of any but
the corporators. Mr. Phillips was Cashier four years, then President one year,
and was its manager at all times.

  In the history of the bank are many interesting incidents, but a few of which
will illustrate the character of the manager. In August, 1875, came the great
revulsion, and the failure of the Bank of California, then the financial
dictator of the Pacific Coast. All ordinary banks feel as if they must succumb,
and suspend payments in such cases, spreading the ruin. Mr. Phillips did nothing
of the kind. The news of the failure of the Bank of California was received by
telegraph. Any nervousness or exhibition of fear would have been taken as
evidence of weakness, and would have caused a panic, a run, and failure. But Mr.
Phillips at once posted a notice that all demands would be paid, and met his
customers with perfect coolness and reassuring confidence. This averted a panic,
and saved the bank. A few of the wealthy depositors stood by him manfully. R. E.
Jack had on deposit $18,000. This was told, and he declared his confidence in
the bank and that the money should stay. Nathan Goldtree had $10,000, which he
at first proposed to withdraw, but the explanations of Mr. Jack and the coolness
of Mr. Phillips reassured him, and he allowed it to remain.

  Mr. Phillips' residence was, in 1878, in the northern part of the city at some
distance from his neighbors.

  On the 1st of April, 1878, at about 8 o'clock in the evening he was called to
the front door, where he found a suspicious-looking character, who invited him
to come out. This Mr. Phillips declined, and was stepping back into the house,
when the villain caught him and struck at his breast with a large knife. A
struggle ensued which was witnessed by a young daughter of Phillips, there being
a bright light in the hall shining out of the door. Mr. Phillips at last escaped
and closed the doors, and the robbers decamped. Several had been seen, but two
had been so closely observed by himself and daughter that a description was
given by which they were subsequently arrested and convicted. The robbers, as
that was proven to be their business, and robbing the bank their intention, were
two Mexicans, one Frenchman, and one Swiss.

  In October, 1878, he retired from the bank after being five years its manager,
during which it had paid its stockholders $100,000 in dividends. It had a credit
of $50,000 in San Francisco.

  After leaving the bank he engaged in the business of real estate and insurance
agency, which, with a few experimental episodes, he has continued to the
present, making a grand success. The present style of the firm is C. H. Phillips
& Co., being associated with Mr. P. H. Dallidet, Jr., a young gentleman, a
native of San Luis Obispo, and who for four or five years was a deputy in the
office of the County Clerk.

 The transactions of Mr. Phillips, both before and after his association with
Mr. Dallidet, have been very large. In 1875 he was the purchaser of the Morro y
Cayucos Rancho of 8,100 acres, but the title was not then satisfactory, but at a
subsequent date the title was perfected and the land sold on terms very
satisfactory to all. The town of Cayucos was laid out in 1875 under Mr.
Phillips' supervision, and he gave broad and straight streets, one of which,
Ocean Avenue, is one mile in length and 100 feet in width.

  In May, 1882, he made arrangements with Steele Brothers to sell for them their
lands on the Corral de Piedra, Balsa de Chemissal, Arroyo Grande, and Pismo
Ranchos, and these lands were sold at good prices. In September, 1882, he bought
the Corbitt tract of 1,900 acres for $8,000, and sold it in ninety days for
$16,000. In 1883 he took the San Miguelito Rancho to sell, and many other large
transactions are recorded. His business has been so successful that from June,
1882, to April, 1883, his profits aggregated $30,000.

  Mr. Phillips, although so absorbed in business, takes much interest in
politics and public, educational, and social affairs. In 1879 he received the
nomination by the Republicans for the position of Railroad Commissioner for the
Third District of California. He was opposed by Gen. George Stoneman, nominated
by the Workingmen's Party, by the New Constitution Party, and by the Democrats.
As an example of how outside, or class parties, are governed by principle is
shown the fact that the Prohibition Party, professedly temperate, indorsed the
nomination of General Stoneman, who was openly opposed to their principles, and
rejected Mr. Phillips, a strictly temperance man. With the strange combinations
against him Mr. Phillips was defeated. In 1879 he commenced the publication of
the Advocate, a newspaper which he edited and conducted with ability for nearly
one year, when he sold it. He has occupied many positions of public trust and
influence, being for four years a member of the Town Council and part of the
time President, during which many important improvements were made in the city,
building the bridges over San Luis Creek, etc. He has also been school trustee
and President of the Board of Education, in all instances being the active power
of the different bodies of which he was a member.

  Mr. Phillips is a member of the Masonic Order, of the Independent Order of Odd
Fellows, of the Chosen Friends, and of the Knights of Pythias. In religion he is
a member of the Presbyterian Church, and in politics a Republican.

  He has a very interesting family of wife and seven children, one being married
and residing with her husband, Mr. Sperry, on the Arroyo Grande, and the others
occupying their splendid home in the suburbs overlooking the city of San Luis
Obispo. Mr. Phillips was married at Fond du Lac, January, 18, 1862, to Jane
Woods, a native of Vermont. Their children are Mary Woods Phillips, now Mrs.
Sperry, born at Fond du Lac, Wisconsin, January 10, 1863; Jane, born in Napa,
September 17, 1867; Eliza, born in Napa, August 29, 1869; C. H., Jr., born in
San Francisco, August 28, 1871: Josephine, born in San Luis Obispo, January 24,
1874; Chester D., born in San Luis Obispo, September 10, 1876; and Nelson
Burnham, born in San Luis Obispo, September 15, 1881.


Additional Comments:
Extracted from:

HISTORY OF SAN LUIS OBISPO COUNTY
CALIFORNIA

WITH

Illustrations and Biographical Sketches
OF ITS
PROMINENT MEN AND PIONEERS.


OAKLAND, CAL.
THOMPSON & WEST

1883.

File at: http://files.usgwarchives.net/ca/sanluisobispo/bios/phillips994nbs.txt

This file has been created by a form at http://www.genrecords.net/cafiles/

File size: 12.3 Kb