Biographies:  John (Phillips) Philopoulos, 1971, Winn Parish, LA.
Submitted by Greggory E. Davies, 120 Ted Price Lane, Winnfield, LA 71483
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From:  April 22, 1971 Winn Parish Enterprise-News American

Mr. John, "Golden Greek" Of Dodson, Winn Parish

Does anyone in Winn Parish know John Philopoulos?  Does anyone in Dodson
know him?

John Philopoulos is better known as John Phillips in this country.  In his
hometown of Papaflessa, Greece he is know as Philopoulos.

John Phillips, a resident of Dodson, is one of the friendliest people
anyone could wish to meet.  It's hard trying to describe Mr. John without
the use of superlatives, because he's super in so many things.

Mr. John, 79, came to America from Greece when he was 14 years old.  He
came with no knowledge of the English language and very little of anything
else, except a desire for adventure and a Greek Orthodox Bible which was a
family heirloom

When asked recently his reason for coming to America he answered, "Why did
Columbus come to America?"

Mr. John says that America is the best country in the world and that the
people here are the best in the world.  "They the best, and they been good
to me," he exclaims earnestly.

John has traveled a long road in this country.  He came to Dodson via New
York, St. Louis, Arkansas, Texas, and Wyoming.  In fact, he traveled and
worked in almost every state in the Union.

He came to this area in 1924 after the Tullos oilfield broke out.  He says
he came in an effort to acquire land, but found none was for sale after oil
struck.

But that did not stop "the Golden Greek."  Today he has over 1000 acres of
oil and timber land in Winn Parish, land holdings in other Louisiana
parishes and a large spread in Arkansas.

"I did little of everything I was big enough," Mr. John says about his work
in America.  He explains that by this he means he worked at every job he
was big enough to handle.  From all evidence, America presented him with
some big, tough jobs, along with a variety of challenges.

Mr. John became a United States citizen and he believes in supporting the
country which opened its doors to him.  He says he buys U. S. Savings Bonds
every chance he gets and also that he registered to fight in World War II
but was never called into the service.

Mr. John still has the Greek bible he carried from the "old country."
Although he has attended services in every church in Winn Parish, he points
to the Bible and says, "That's my church.  My church is in my home."  He
calls the Bible his "bodyguard."

Mr. John receives letters almost every week from relatives in Greece.  He
still owns his parent's home and land in Greece.  It is the birthplace of
John Philopoulos.

But America is the birthplace of John Phillips, and he is happy to remain
in the country he has adopted, because America has adopted him.

Mr. John's parting words to this reporter were "God Bless you; God Bless
America.  You good boy; this good country."