Benjamin H. Phillips, Winn Parish, Louisiana
Submitted by Greggory E. Davies
120 Ted Price Lane
Winnfield, LA  71483
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Benjamin H. Phillips


Benjamin H. Phillips, a lumberman and farmer, was born in Natchitoches (now 
Grant) Parish, La., in 1846, to Martin and Polly (Hatcher) Phillips, who were born 
in Barnald and Edgefield District, S. C., in 1795 and 1803, respectively, their 
marriage taking place there, and in 1838 went to Texas, staying but a short while 
and returning to Louisiana, making their home for about one year in Sabine Parish.  
The following year they removed to what is now Winn Parish, settling in the woods 
where they improved a good farm and spent the rest of their lives, Mr. Phillips 
dying in 1858, and the mother in 1880.  He was a mechanic and lumberman, and 
after the organization of Winn Parish was a police juror of the same until death.  
His father, Capt. Thomas Phillips, was born in Barnald District, S. C., in 1772, 
and died there about 1837, a mechanic by trade.  His father, William Micager 
Phillips, of French descent, came to America and took part in the Revolutionary 
War, afterward settling in South Carolina.  The mother's father, John Hatcher, 
was born in Virginia, but prior to the Revolutionary War went with his parents 
to Edgefield District, S. C., where he spent his declining years, engaged in tilling 
the soil.  Benjamin H. Phillips is the youngest of nine sons and six daughters now 
living, and was reared in the wilds of Winn Parish with but little schooling.  In 
1863, when but seventeen years of age, he joined Company D, Twelfth Louisiana 
Infantry, and became a member of the Army of Tennessee, and for some time 
fought at Resaca, Ga., in all the engagements to Atlanta, Ga., and back with 
Hood as far as Tuscumbia, Ala., where he was taken sick and spent about two 
months in the hospital.  Upon recovering he joined Johnston's army in North 
Carolina, and surrendered with him at Greensboro, N. C., afterward returning 
home.  He attended school for some time, then turned his attention to farming, 
and in 1869 was married to Miss Nancy, a daughter of Allen and Mary Wheeler, 
who were born, reared and married in Georgia, and about 1842 removed to 
what is now Winn Parish, afterward to Tyler County, Texas, and back to 
Natchitoches Parish, La., where his wife died during the war.  In 1876 Mr. 
Wheeler went back to the Lone Star State, dying there the same year.  Mrs. 
Phillips was born in Winn Parish, and by Mr. Phillips became the mother of 
three sons and four daughters, one of the former being deceased.  Mr. Phillips 
has been engaged in sawmilling nearly all his life, having built and operated 
several mills.  In 1888 he built his present mill, which is a sawmill, planer, and 
grist mill combined.  In addition to this he owns 1,600 acres of fine land, 1,000 
acres of which are pine land, and the rest river bottom land and very fertile.  
This property has been acquired by his own efforts during the last eight years, 
a fact that speaks louder than words can do as to his business ability, intelligence 
and perseverance.  


(The above was copied from "Biographical & Historical Memoirs of 
Northwest Louisiana", published 1890 by The Southern Publishing 
Company.  Submitted by Greggory Ellis Davies, Winnfield, La.)