Grundy County IL Archives Biographies.....Phillips, Walter 
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File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by:
Deb Haines ddhaines@gmail.com May 13, 2006, 7:44 pm

Author: History of Grundy County, 1914

Phillips, Walter.—Nearly all of the more progressive agriculturalists of 
Grundy County specialize on some one product, finding it more profitable to 
concentrate their efforts in this way. One of these men, who is becoming 
wealthy as a result of his intelligent foresight and good management is Walter 
Phillips, of Goose Lake Township, who specializes in grain raising. He was 
born in Washington County, Ohio, May 6, 1847, a son of John and Czarina 
Buchanan Phillips, natives of Pennsylvania, and Vermont. They were married in 
Ohio and settled on a farm, where he died in 1857. His widow later came to 
Grundy County, where she died in 1900.

When he was fourteen years old, Walter Phillips left school, having been 
attending those of his vicinity, and learned the harnessmaking trade, at which 
he worked in Ohio until 1865. From then until 1869, he worked at different 
things, and in that year came to Grundy County, where, for two years, he 
worked by the month. He then began farming, at first renting land in Goose 
Lake Township, but after fourteen years was able to buy eighty acres of land 
which he improved, erecting all the buildings and putting up good fences. In 
1900 he bought 160 acres opposite his homestead on the east, in Felix 
Township, and operates this as well. On December 23, 1873, Mr. Phillips was 
married to Sarah J. Conklin, born in Indiana, daughter of Orin and Ruth 
(Conrey) Conklin. They have had children as follows: George, who resides in 
Goose Lake Township, married Agnes Barr and they had three children, Walter, 
Edna and George, and married (second) Edith Gabb; John, who is of Goose Lake 
Township, married Bertha Onsan, and they have one son living, Raymond, and one 
deceased, Arthur; Orin, who is of Saratoga Township, married Lizzie Perry, and 
they had one child, who died in infancy; Charles, who is of South Dakota, 
married Susie Wren and they have two children living, Irwin and Martha, and 
two deceased, Muriel and one in infancy; Jasper and Jesse, twins, are of Aux 
Sable Township; Jasper married Christine Olson and they have two children, 
Viola and Elsie; Jesse married Mary Bols; Otis, who is at home, married 
Josephine Ribblard; William, who is of Wauponsee Township, married Lena 
Peterson and they had two children, Carl and Clarence; Lydia, who is Mrs. 
Hubert Bols, of Goose Lake Township, and she had two daughters, Harriet and 
Marion; and Mary, who is at home. 

Mr. Phillips is a Republican and served as road commissioner of Goose Lake 
Township many years. In 1909 he was elected supervisor of the township, and 
served for two years, giving his section a fine administration and yet, at the 
same time, conserving the county’s interests. He is one of the most valued men 
of the county, and his services as a farmer and public official cannot be too 
highly commended.

pages 885-886

Additional Comments:
Source:  History of Grundy County, Illinois, Chicago: Munsell Publishing Co. 
Publishers; 1914

File at: http://files.usgwarchives.net/il/grundy/bios/phillips963nbs.txt

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