Evening Republican, Volume 15, Number 174, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 25 July 1911 — Simon P. Phillips 1823-1911 [ARTICLE]

Simon P. Phillips 1823-1911

Simon P. Phillips was born in Darke county, Ohio, February 8, 1823, and died in Rensselaer July 24, 1911, at the age of 88 years, 5 months and 16 days. He was a son of Valentine and Abigail (Crawford)- - Phillips. HIS father was a native of Maryland, but at an early day moved to Ohio, where he was a pioneer farmer. In 1826 he moved his family to Rush' county, Indiana, where he died in' 1840. He was a soldier of the war of 1812, as were his brothers, John and Simon, the later a captain of one of the regiments. Abigail Phillips also died in Rush county, in 1845, leaving three children, John, Susan and Simon. Mr Phillips’ grandfather was one John Phillips, the history of whose life reads like pages from some romance. He was born in Wales and was receiving an education''to fit him for the priesthood in the Catholic church. While attending the duties of his .profession he .met his affinity in the person of Miss Catherine Cassady. His ffellngs were reciprocated by the young lady and later they, came to America and were married. He was a good, true man and a soldier of the Revolution, in which war he was wounded by a bayonet thrust. With such ancestry it is not surprising that the subject of this sketch should have fought his own battles in life and come out the victor. Deceased was but three years old when bis parents moved to Rush county, this state. He was' brought up on the farm and had to work hard, while the opportunity for securing an education were very limited. The winter term of school, which he sometimes attended, was of three months’ duration, and to reach the school house he had to walk three miles. The building itself was of the most primitive kind—a log house, with a hugh fireplace in one end, a puncheon floor, slab seats and windows made by leaving a section of log out of one side of the building, and by covering the aperature thus made with oiled paper, to keep out the cold. Added, to all this the books for the little children were such as would be dry and difficult reading for the more advanced pupils of today. In such surroundings Mr. Phillips received his education, which he added to by reading and observation until he becameya well posted man on all general topics. When he came to Jasper county there were only six houses in the village of Rensselaer. He first settled on a farm in Hanging Grove township, where he remained until 1850, when he rented a farm of eighty acres three miles southeast of Rensselaer, now owned by A. K. Yeoman. In 1865 he moved to Rensselaer and bought a farm

and the residence in which he lived at the time of his death. He took an active Interest in* the advancement of the community and at one time was captain of a vigilance committee, and looked carefully after horse thieves and other evil-doers. He was married October J, 1850, to Miss Nancy Virginia Erwin, who died in 1882.. To this up ion ten children were born, five of whom survive, namely: Mrs. Charles A. Roberts, of Rensselaer; Mrs. S. S. Barnes and Mrs. Frank W. VaNatta, of Fowler; Fred A. Phillips, of Rensselaer, and Augustus Phillips, of New York City. Mr. Phillips was the first town marshal of Rensselaer, and in 1856 he was elected sheriff of the county, before Jasper and Newton county were divided and made into two counties. In 1882 he was appointed superintendent of the Jasper county poor farm, which position he retained for five years. He was a staunch Republican, and supported each and every Republican candidate for the presidency since General Fremont was fn the race against Buchanan. He was a member of the Masonic fraternity, and of the Order of the Eastern Star. He commanded the respect and esteem of all, by reason of bis upright conduct, as well as his kindly, jovial, benevolent nature. He followed the occupation of anc-, tioneer from 1847 to about twelve years ago, when he was compelled by advancing years to give up this work.