Marion County, KY - Obits: Joseph Maxwell Phillips, 1922 Wednesday, May 22, 2002 Submitted by: pequotinn@yahoo.com (Deb Shillo) ************************************************************************ USGENWEB ARCHIVES NOTICE: These electronic pages may NOT be reproduced in any format for profit or presentation by any other organization or persons. Persons or organizations desiring to use this material, must obtain the written consent of the contributor, or the legal representative of the submitter, and contact the listed USGenWeb archivist with proof of this consent. The submitter has given permission to the USGenWeb Archives to store the file permanently for free access. http://www.usgwarchives.net/ *********************************************************************** AGED MILLIONAIRE PASSES AWAY HERE July 18, 1922, Sedgwick, Harvey Co., KS Capt. J.M. Phillips, aged millionaire broker and grain dealer, passed away here Tuesday night at 9 oclock, at the home of his niece, Mrs. J.J. Foushee on Commercial Avenue. Two years ago in Chicago, Mr. Phillips was struck by an automobile, and his hip was broken, and since that time he has been unable to get around to any advantage, part of the time being helpless. With him since his injury has been a valet, Mr. Harry Powell, with his wife who has taken care of him. Every summer it has been his custom to come to Kansas for a few months, much of which time was spent at the home of the Foushees. Mr. Phillips was 94 years old and had been in excellent health up until the time of the accident two years ago. His original home was in Brandenbury, KY., although most of time in recent years has been spent in traveling about. Funeral services will be held from the Church of Christ Friday afternoon at 2:30 oclock; burial to be at Hillside cemetery. ----------------------------------------------- JOSEPH MAXWELL PHILLIPS L.S. PENCE IN THE LEBANON(KY.) ENTERPRISE The subject of this sketch died some six months ago, at the age of 96, in the State of Kansas. By the language of his will, executed about a year before his death and while sojourning in Lebanon, he adopted the State and country of his birth as his final domicile; in these words: Now residing in and declaring myself a resident of the State of Kentucky and of Marion county. This energetic man was the son of Thomas Phillips and Mary Maxwell. It is the Maxwell branch that will be reviewed in this sketch, because I am unacquainted with any outline of genealogy concerning the Phillips family. Joseph Maxwell Phillips was the namesake of his quick-witted and industrious uncle, Joseph Maxwell, who married Miss Eunice Stiles, of Nelson county, Kentucky, on May 8, 1814. His grandfather was John Maxwell, who came as an early settler to Washington county, Kentucky from the vicinity of Morristown, N.J., in 1794. Sarah Maxwell, daughter of John Maxwell, married William Phillips May 15, 1804. (May not be correct NJ was where the Stiles family came from) (Parents were Thomas and Julia) Joseph Maxwell Phillips died domiciled in Marion county and, if I mistake not, he possessed the greatest wealth of any citizen dying within its limits. His estate, as appraised by discreet and disinterested housekeepers, totaled-----. However, it is not alone on account of his money that this sketch extolls him. Had he amassed a fortune ten times greater than the above sum, and have obtained such prodigious wealth through oppressions of the poor, or have achieved same in violations of our laws, he would pass unnoted by the writer. But starting as a poor boy, as I am informed, and making every dollar on the square, this distinctive feature sounds the zealous eulogy for his eminent character and honesty. Did you ever notice, or have called to mind, that some individual of a sturdy stock had blazed the way, so to speak, to a particular method of success, and that some later member of the same relationship, being attracted by the success of his forerunner, would adopt the same plan? So it was with Joseph Maxwell Phillips. It is told to me that the first dollar he earned, indeed the foundation of the splendid fortune, originated from the success of river craft at Cairo, Illinois; and down the Mississippi River, even venturing in ruggen flat boats, laden with various products, into New Orleans. So, therefore, I adopt the conviction the Joseph Maxwell Phillips took the measure, and breathed his inspiration and love for river craft from his namesake, Joseph Maxwell. In support of this assertion, I quote an ancient historical letter of his namesake, Wherein pioneer dangers were told, and also describing the ups and downs of flat boat markets. The letter came all the distance by stage, and its transmisssion by Uncle Sam cost 25 cents. The unique stamp--two figures--was the handiwork of the postmaster, with a quill pen--ink perfect today --and then deposited in the mail sack. However, in the lower left hand corner of the envelope (envelope made letter also) the postal service required that the postmaster endorse Per Male. (The postmaster was a bad speller). Natches (Miss.), 24th July, 1812. Dear Lewis (Stiles): I am at a loss for an apology for not writing you sooner. Be assured, my dear friend, it is not for want of respect, I can impute it to a hurry of business. Be assured further I shall never forget the esteemed friendship by you and your family to me. (His boat struck a fallen tree, badly crippling the flat boat, at the Stiles plantation. He was rendered every assistance necessary to continue the river journey. The Stiles Genealogy, 1897, gives this special romance: He (Joseph Maxwell) went to the house to get an ax with which to clear away the tree, and there saw Eunice Stiles at the spinning wheel. He was smitten with her and married her after about two years courtship). Please convey my sincere respects to Mrs. and the Misses Stiles. I would inform you that four days ago there was a report made to the Governor of this Territory were making active preparations for insurrection. In consequence, the whole Territory is alarmed; between 75 and 100 negroes in this city and vicinity have been committed to jail. A large quanity of poison was discovered, and this was procured through Dr. Harry ------, a colored man of this place. Not much of a physician. I feel great sympathy for the unguarded situations of this southern country. Many localities are destitute of arms and ammunition, and so exposed to savage Indians and vicious negroes. Yesterday there was a draft and every fifth man taken; should there be a general call for these men. I should not be surprised if this does not seriously injure prices current in the market. I am only offered 42-47 cents a gallon for wiskey. Lard 10 to 12 cents. Bacon 7 to 8 cents. Corn 75 cents per bushel. Flour $5.00 to $6.75. Dull indeed. I shall leave soon for Port Gibson. I found Lindsley. He said he had losses and crosses, and completely made use of the money I had entrusted to him. If he does not settle with me, without delay, I will put him in the flint mill. We did not get here as soon as engaged, owing to extreme low water . I wish to hear from you. Yours respectfully, wishing you long to live, and well to do, is the wish of -- Joseph Maxwell. In those days of flat boating, the rule prevailed to sell out (boat and cargo) and foot it back through dismal swamps and Indian infested forests. In truth Joseph Maxwell Phillips, when he reached young manhood, was equally as venturesome as his initiative namesake in steering river craft to market. After a career of some dozen years at flat boating out of Cairo, Illinois, Joseph Maxwell Phillips ventured into the young city of Chicago. Even at the first step he detected, by his keen observations, that this magical city should be what the immortal Proctor Knott said of Duluth: The zenith city of the unsalted seas. At this point comes another instance of foresight. Advice written to his namesake, Joseph Maxwell, from Morristown, N.J., anchored into the mind of Joseph Maxwell Phillips, and he engaged in lumbering. We read as follows: Morristown, N.J., May 31, 1851. Dear (Joseph) Maxwell: Pine lumbering is the future gold mine in Penn. Brother (Isaac) and myself now own two-thirds of 15,000 acres of fine pine timber growing near Easton. (Penn) (4 pages omitted). Affectionately your cousin, John Ford Pierson. Seeing idle forests almost in sight of Chicago, boundless acres cheap, on the faith of this letter Joseph Maxwell Phillips purchased huge boundaries of pine in the northwest. Years after, when J.J. Hill built his railroasd through, or near this acreage, the said timber yielded and gleamed its owner of a fortune. He had an eye that kindled with the fire of a fixed determination. This sketch is reaching too long. A wise man has said: A man is responsible for all the good he can do. One critic said concerning the will of J. M. Phillips: Outside of one gift to his faithful valet, there is not a gift made to charity in its provisions. If, however, this lone critic had known the heart of J. M. Phillips in this will, and also his generous donations numerously bestowed upon charities of religious merit for almost three quarters of a century, instead of him possessing at his death the aforesaid sum he might have hoarded a sum in excess of two milion of dollars. Be not faithless but believing. Joseph Maxwell Phillips lives the Abundant Life.