---

This site is designed with the PHILLIPS family researcher in mind. The goal is to share

information and prove the individual PHILLIPS lines. This site will grow and change as

we receive input from you. If you would like to contribute primary source documentation,

querys, or personal theories to this site, please send information (and permission to post)

to Martha Marble .

UPDATED Tuesday, 24-Jun-2014 20:59:59 MDT

Introduction

Virginia

Phillips - Craven Co., N.C .

Phillips Records - Dobbs and Lenoir Counties

Curtis Phillips Headstone

Phillips - Beaufort and Pitt Counties, N.C.

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

William PHILLIPS 1st 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

PHILLIPS Off Site Links

Zachariah Gibbs Phillips - at BJ's Genealogy Site

~NEW~ Lucinda May Phillips - at Jim & Sue Gaddis ' Web Site

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.

If anyone has ANY information that would assist in sorting these families,

please let me know.

Martha Mewborn Marble

------------------------------------------------------------------------

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

Back to the Surname Project Pages