David Phillips Biography


	This biography appears on pages 1523 in "History of South 
	Dakota" by Doane Robinson, Vol. II (1904) and was scanned, 
	OCRed and edited by Maurice Krueger, mkrueger@iw.net.

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	DAVID PHILLIPS was born in Providence county, Rhode Island, on 
the 4th of February, 1834, being a son of Rufus and Lillias (Young) 
Phillips. He was about six years of age at the time of his parents' 
removal to Pennsylvania, and there he, secured his early educational 
discipline, while he aided in reclaiming the homestead farm. He 
continued to reside in the old Keystone state until the spring of 1858, 
when he came with others from that locality to Nebraska, but he only 
remained there three weeks, returning eastward as far as Illinois, where 
he was employed at farm work during three summers, while during the 
winter seasons he devoted his attention to chopping wood, along the 
Mississippi river, receiving two dollars a day in compensation for his 
arduous toil in this connection. He then went to Bloomington, Illinois, 
where he was employed until the outbreak of the war of the Rebellion, 
when he responded to the call of higher duty by enlisting as a private 
in Company G, Thirty-third Illinois Volunteer Infantry, his enlistment 
taking place in August, 1861. He continued in active service until 
January 24, 1863, when he received an honorable discharge, on account of 
physical disability. He then returned to Illinois, and in 1883 he came 
to South Dakota, taking up a homestead claim of one hundred and sixty 
acres in Charles Mix county. He is at the present time chairman of the 
school board of his district. Fraternally he is a valued comrade of P. 
H. Sheridan Post, Grand Army of the Republic, at Geddes. 

	In 1863 was solemnized the marriage of Mr. Phillips to Miss Mary 
Elizabeth Kelly, who was born in Twin Grove, McLean county, Illinois, 
and of this union have been born eight children.