Phillips Family  

William PHILLIPS 1st

PHILLIPS - Craven Co., N.C.

PHILLIPS Records - Dobbs and Lenoir Counties

Curtis PHILLIPS Headstone

PHILLIPS - Beaufort and Pitt Counties, N.C.

PHILLIPS Family 1850-1880 Census and Cemeteries

PHILLIPS - Greene Co., N.C.

PHILLIPS' Photographs

Susan Ella Phillips PHILLIPS

Samuel F. PHILLIPS Family

PHILLIPS by Family Groups

Thomas and Isabelle PHILLIPS

Mark PHILLIPS son of Thomas and Isabelle

Mason PHILLIPS son of Thomas and Isabelle

James PHILLIPS son of Thomas and Isabelle

Thomas PHILLIPS son of Thomas and Isabelle

Thomas PHILLIPS son of John I, Grandson of Thomas I

William PHILLIPS son of Thomas, grandson of John I Richard L. PHILLIPS possible son of Wright Phillips

MISC PHILLIPS WE CAN'T PLACE

INTRODUCTION

The Phillips family of Lenoir County is a large family but can not be followed because of the lack of records. Indeed there may well be two different families but that can't be determined either. The family of Thomas and Isabella is one family and it is possible the James Phillips with probable sons James and Reubin may very well be another family, maybe connected to the well known Maryland family where the name Reubin was often used. For good measure, there is an odd James who may or may not be the above James or a completely different one or he may have left the area.

Thomas and Isabella moved from Prince George County, Virginia and no doubt have many descendants still in the area. They settled in what is today Lenoir County on Eagle Swamp. Fortunately this area remained in Craven County until ca 1800. Only one of their children can be followed with any certainty - John who was the eldest son and appears to have inherited most of the property as was the custom of that time. John continued to live on Eagle Swamp and good records can be found for him in Craven County.

Thomas Jr also lived on Eagle Swamp but he did not own the amount of land that John did and therefore, is not as easy to follow. Some of his children can be followed but not all with any definitive proofs. Most of his children probably moved out of the area but there are many descendants of his youngest son, Peter, and maybe Richard still in Lenoir or Greene Counties.

Mason has the most unusual name but he lived west of his brothers in Dobbs County and we have almost no records for him. He probably had a large number of sons but none can be proven. We do think the line of Charles comes down Mason because of the name Mason. No doubt Charles was a grandson.

It is not known if James with the probable sons James and Reubin was the son of Thomas and Isabella or not. For the time being we are saying he is but that could change. A good portion of the Phillips families in Lenoir Co today descend down this line.

Mark appears to have had a large family as did Mark Jr., an assumed son. The deed for the heirs of Mark do give a list of his children but the question is was this Mark Sr or Mark Jr and even we can't agree among ourselves. I am inclined to think it was Mark, Jr.

The son William is also a question mark. There was a William on Moseley Creek in Craven County who was the right age to have been the son William but again this William could have had no connection. Descendants of this family are still in Craven County.

Of the daughter, Mary, nothing in known.

Unless old Bible records or documents in private hands come to light, this family will always be speculation.

The Phillips information represents years of research by a number of people - Mary Jane Phillips Matz and her father before her, Lenore Phillips Smith who has additional information on her lines, and Martha Mewborn Marble. Howard Phillips likewise has done extensive work on the Pitt County Phillips family which could be related but there is no proof.

Most of this research was done a number of years ago and I have really not added to it since. Other than my direct line, none of the Phillips information is on my database.

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PRINCE GEORGE'S COUNTY

Written by Mary Jane Phillips-Matz and sent to the Phillips List Mary Jane has taken Prince George County, Va. and British Records as her research focus and research is a field she is more than qualified for. Her passion is genealogy but her work is in the field of music, especially opera, where she is very well known. She is the author of a number of books and considered one of the world's leading authorities on Verdi.

This is my first use of this list. I've just spent a week in Petersburg, VA. researching PHILLIPS families in Bristol Parish, and Merchant's Brandon Parish in present Prince George Co.

The family I'm working on is John Phillips, who owned land 7.2 miles south of Petersburg on a creek scalled Second Swamp. The total acreage in 1820 was 1,170 acres, north and south of the Swamp. He had a mill, dam, mill pond and house there. The dam and mill pond are still there. The pilings from the old mill can be seen when the water in the creek is low. The house is in ruins. It was a two-story, pitched-roof house of eight rooms with two center halls and outbuildings. It was a hospital during the Civil War.

In the early 1720s John Phillips added 129 acres to land he already owned on Second Swamp. He bought the additional acreage from Edmund Browder. The original patent on the land was from the 1690s. From what I learned from the 1700s records, I believe that his wife may have been Mary Adams, daughter of Thomas Adams, whose will was prob. in Prince George Co.

I believe that John Phillips of Second Swamp had two sons, John (older) and Thomas (younger) who began to have children of their own beginning in 1726. Their births and some of the bapts. are registered in the Vestry Book and Parish Register of Bristol Parish. The present church of Bristol Parish is St. Paul's Church in Petersburg.

They were very staunch Church of England members, bringing in their children promptly for baptism, even though they lived about 10 miles south of the parish church.

This line --of John Phillips' family on Second Swamp-- remained on that land until late in the last century. I have names of the original patent owners, many of the neighbors' names in the 1700s, the 1820 surveyors' plat (from Surveyors Record 2 in Prince George County Court House). I have also seen the original surveyors' document, which is in the collection of the present owners. I have the names of all the neighbors in the 1800s, and all information from the Vestry Book. This was the ONLY PHILLIPS family in Bristol Parish. The name John comes down in several Johns then John A., John T., etc.

Thomas Phillips and wife Isabella and children left Bristol Parish in about 1735 and went to Craven Co. NC, where Thomas left a will in 1743.

The descendant of the original John who owned the farm and mill on Second Swamp in 1720 was George W. Phillips, who died in Edgecombe Co. NC. His sister was Mrs. James Pace, one of the three heirs of John Phillips, whose will made the 1820 survey necessary. The Pace family is one of the oldest in Prince George (originally Charles City) Co. Dozens of families from this area emig. to NC. so the names of some of these neighbors (and execs. of wills, etc.) may be of help to people researching Phillips in NC. For example, Carl Phillips from California has a Mason Barwick Phillips in his records. A Barwick was one of the earliest people transported here.

PS I believe that the Phillipses and Lantrips who were in So. TN in the counties adj. to Lauderdale Co. AL were from Second Swamp.

The "Lantrip" was originally spelled "Lanthorpe" and they were John Phillips's neighbors.

Next: To clarify a bit who the Second Swamp people were:

John I - I call him this because he owned land on Second Swamp before 1720 and acquired more from Edmund Browder. I can't prove yet that he was the father of John II and Thomas (husband of Isabella); but there is no reason to think he was not. There was no other elder Phillips in Bristol Parish at that time.

John II - and wife Ann - having children in Bristol Parish 1720s-1740s. Descendants stayed on Second Swamp.

Thomas I - husband of Isabel/Isabella (Lanthrop, I think) - they had children in Bristol Parish from 1726 to 1734. They went to Craven Co. NC. I think Thomas was the younger brother of John II and the son of John I.

The descendants of John II can be traced in tax list and census, in Petersburg newspapers and in docs. at court house.

The surveyor's record (in SR 2 in Prince George Co. Court House) is there because of an estate settlement in 1820. The owner of the property who had died is John Phillips. Survey of February 7, 1820.

Surrounding owners were in order: Peter Fenn (later identified as Finn in Civil War map), Francis Pace, Richard Sturdivant (of the mill-owning Sturdevants), Richard Williams, Joel Chieves (the Cheeves had come to Bristol Parish in 1730s), John B. Williams and James F. Temple.

The property was divided between John A. Phillips (500 A), George E. Phillips and James Pace (in right of his wife, who was obviously a Phillips).

The Phillips land was up Second Swamp from the Sturdevants' mill --it was west of it.

In the Loose Wills of Prince Geo. Co. (typescript there in Court House) in 1842 there is probate of will of William Phillips, dated October 27, 1839. Land (loc. not specified). to William F. Phillips, George W. Phillips, and John T. Phillips., who are desc. as "children of Polly Phillips" 1/3 of land to Polly Phillips for life, then return to three chidlren. Exwecs. William Brockwell and Gilliam R. Moore.

Also in Loose Wills: in 1845 John A. Phillips and Richard Williams were justices of the peace --settled Richard Akin's sale to James Pace (who was named in the 1820 settlement).

Also in Loose Wills: 1849 will of Martha M. Smith, dated June 1849.names 4 brothers (Smith) and nieces: Harriet and J. Baird, daus of my sister Sally who married James Baird and moved to Kentucky; niece Elvira Cheeves, wife of James Cheeves, and Emeline A. Phillips, wife of John T. Phillips.

Also in Loose Wills: 1850: Will of Richard Sturdevant names grandson Daniel Sturdevant (land and mill); Heath, Burchett/Birchett and Betsy and Sally Lanthrop. the exec. is John A. Phillips, (who inherited the 500 Ac in 1820.)

RE: Bristol Parish (Prince George Co, VA)
Thanks for your note of May 31. I have to correct an error that has arisen from my previous nommunication:

George W. Phillips, whose family had that 1,170 acres on Second Swamp, just south of Petersburg, DID NOT DIE IN 1820.

John Phillips died in 1820, and the settlement of his estate required that land survey that is in Surveyors Record 2 in Prince George County Courthouse, Prince Goerge Virginia.

The estate was divided as follows: 500 acres to John A. Phillips, this land was on the north and sourh sides of Second Swamp and included the "mansion house" and mill, mill pond and dam.

To George W. Phillips, 350 acres, the sw portion of the estate. His land lay all below Second Swamp and below the mill, house, etc. To James Pace "in right of his wife" (wife not named, but she must have been a Phillips) 320 acres --the SE portion of the estate. These Paces had a large estate in the northern part of Surry Co in the early 1600s.

More on Bristol Parish: In the 1704 Quit Rents there were NO Phillipses paying Quit Rents in Bristol Parish. The only Phillips paying Quit Rent in Prince George County was Nathaniel Phillips, in Martin's Brandon Parish. (His godfather was born in Stroud, Gloucestershire, Eng. near Bristol.)

Sometime between 17O4 and 1720, John Phillips bought land on Second Swamp, south of Petersburg. In 1720 he added to that land, buying 129 acres from Edmond Browder. This must mean that he became an adult before 1720. Therefore he was born before 1700. He is the ONLY Phillips adult male in Bristol Parish before "our" Thomas Phillips and Isabel make an appearance in the Parish Registers in the Vestry Book. John added to his Second Swamp land in 1720, six years before Thomas and Isabel began to have children in Bristol Parish.

In 1726 Thomas and Isabel appear in the Parish Registers in the Vestry Book. The Vestry Book also shows John Phillips's subsequent participation in parish events. Also in 1790 census, etc.

The family remained on Second Swamp. One of the descendants died in 1820 (Eighteen Twenty), as I recall without going to the file to look up the exact date. His death triggered off the survey of the huge estate on Second Swamp that I found in Prince George Co. Court House in the Surveyor's Record Book # 2.

I looked at the births and baptisms again. ALL BRISTOL PARISH: 1) 8 May 1726 - John Phillips, son of Thomas Phillips and Isabel, born. John Phillips baptized 7 June 1726. (Hot Church of Englanders.)

2) 6 November 1726 - Joseph Phillips, son of John Phillips and Ann, born. NO BAPTISM RECORDED.

3) 23 July 1728 - Mason Phillips, son of Thomas Phillips and Isabel, born. Mason Phillips baptized 16 Sep. 1728. (Harvest was over?? Time to bring him in, but again they brought him in promptly.)

4) 9 March 1730/1731 - Mary Phillips, dau. of Thomas Phillips and Isabel, born. Mary Phillips bapt. 19 April 1731. (Again, bapt. soon after birth.)

5) [1732 OR 1733 WE THINK THOMAS PHILLIPS, SON OF THOS. AND ISABELLA WAS BORN, ACCORDING TO THE ORDER OF CHILDREN IN THOMAS PHILLIPS'S WILL IN CRAVEN CO. NC.]

6) 12 Sept. 1734 - James Phillips, son of Thomas Phillips and Isabella, born. No baptism recorded. This is the first time the name "Isabella" appears.

[No further record of Thomas and Isabel[la] in Prince George Co. Next record of them is in Craven Co. NC., as you found.]

Mary Phillips - dau. of John Phillips and Anne, born 11 April 1731, baptized 14 November 1731.

No other Phillips in Bristol Parish until 1740.

7) 20 Aug. 1740 - John Phillips, son of John and Anne Phillips, born. No bapt. recorded.

There is someone from this family --a John Phillips-- whose death, prob. in 1820, caused the survey to be made of the farm on Second Swamp.

No other Phillips in Bristol Parish until 1743.

8) George, s. of John Phillips and Anne, born 15 Ferbuary 1742/1743. Bapt. 29 May 1743.

9) Elizabeth, dau. of John Phillips and Anne, born 5 Feb. 1745-1746. No baptism recorded.

This strongly suggests that they went away and came back. No other Phillips entries in Baptisms or Births, but a John and an Ann do appear in the Vestry Records. Some pretty strange entries, actually. He (or his relative) appears to be a pillar of the parish. An Ann appears to be receiving financial or other help from members of the vestry.

NOTE THAT THE CRAVEN COUNTY RECORDS SHOW A JOHN PHILLIPS AND A JOHN PHILLIPS JR., SO ONE OF THESE JOHN PHILLIPSES WAS IN CRAVEN WITH THOMAS AND ISABEL. One of those Craven Co. deeds calls John-son-of-Thomas-and Isabel "John JR."

I feel that our Thomas and Isabel were strict Church of England observers, as indeed most of Virginia was. But they really did bring their children in promptly, as required.

Interesting aside: Martha, you remember that I brought back two bricks from the Phillips farmhouse (now destroyed) on Second Swamp in Prince George Co. VA??? Well, dear heart, those bricks were made to the ELIZABETHAN MEASURE!!!! Not to the later official English measure!!! It is interesting to see the matching births:

Mary Phillips, dau. of Thomas and Isabel, was born 9 March 1730/1731 (old English dating) and baptized 19 April. In other words, these two Mary Phillipses were born only a few weeks apart.
Cordially, to all, Mary Jane Phillips-Matz

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