Biography of 	PHILLIPS, William D., M.D., W. Feliciana, then Orleans Parish, Louisiana
Submitted by 	Mike Miller June 1998

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Phillips, William Davis, M. D., New Orleans, was born at St. Francisville,
West Feliciana parish, La., Dec. 2, 1883; son of Marshall Pope and 
Camilla (Mumford) Phillips, the former of whom was born at Baton Rouge, 
La., and died at Lakeland, same state, May 30, 1894, aged 39 years.  
The mother was born at Bayou Sara, West Feliciana parish, La., and is now 
living at Lakeland, Pointe Coupée parish.  Marshall Pope Phillips was a 
planter in Pointe Coupée parish during all of his active career.  His 
father, William Davis Phillips, was born in Philadelphia, Pa., and came 
to Louisiana when a young man, locating at Baton Rouge, where for many 
years he was engaged in merchandising.  Later he removed to Lakeland, 
Pointe Coupée parish, and in partnership with his son, Marshall Pope, 
engaged in merchandising and sugar and cotton planting.  The maternal 
grandfather, Robinson Mumford, was a native of North Carolina.  He was a 
steamboat captain, and came to Louisiana in the course of his employment.
He continued upon the river but also established a merchandising business 
at Bayou Sara, which was continued until the beginning of the Civil war.  
At the close of the war he resumed this business and devoted his energies 
to it for the remainder of his life.  William Davis Phillips was the 
fourth of 6 children born to his parents, 5 of who are now living.  His 
early education was received in the private and public schools of 
Lakeland, Pointe Coupée parish.  In 1899 he entered the Louisiana state 
university at Baton Rouge, and graduated with the degree of B. S.  In 
In the fall of the same year he entered the medical department of 
Tulane university, and in 1906 received the degree of M. Ph.  In 1907 he 
entered the New Orleans Charity hospital as resident interne and 
ambulance surgeon, spending 2 years there and graduating as M. D. in 1909.
He at once began practice in New Orleans and his profession has claimed 
his undivided attention since that time.  In Oct., 1909, he was appointed 
resident physician at the New Orleans sanitarium, now the Presbyterian 
hospital, and served 2 years in that connection, at the same time 
carrying on private practice and specializing in gynecology and 
obstetrics.  In the year following his graduation, 1907, he was appointed 
assistant to the chair of operative gynecology in the post-graduate 
department of Tulane university, and served as such for 2 years, at the 
end of which time Dr. C. Jeff Miller, who had charge of that department, 
resigned, and Dr. Phillips was appointed demonstrator of operative 
gynecology.  In June, 1914, he was appointed assistant professor of 
operative gynecology on the cadaver in the same department.  In this way 
he came into active charge of this chair, and so continues at this time.  
In 1912 he was appointed assistant in Clinical Obstetrics under 
Dr. C. Jeff Miller, in the undergraduate department of Tulane medical 
school.  Dr. Phillips is visiting gynecologist and obstetrician to the 
New Orleans Charity hospital and visiting physician to Touro infirmary.  
He is a member of the Orleans parish, the Louisiana State Medical 
ocieties, and the American Medical association.  Since Feb., 1912, he has 
been secretary of the New Orleans parish Medical association.  Is also a 
member of the Chess, Checkers and Whist club, the Phi Chi Medical 
fraternity and the Sigma Nu academic fraternity.  Sept. 9, 1913, 
Dr. Phillips was married to Miss Mary G. Scott, of Lexington, Mass, the 
daughter of Hon. Augustus E. and Ceceil (Gustine) Scott, the former of Massachusetts and the latter of New Orleans; both still living in 
Lexington, Mass., where the father is an attorney by profession.

Source: Louisiana:  Comprising Sketches of Parishes, Towns, Events, 
Institutions, and Persons, Arranged in Cyclopedic Form (volume 3), 
pp. 562-563.  Edited by Alcée Fortier, Lit.D.  Published in 1914, by 
Century Historical Association.