[p. 691] a leading citizen of Wampum, and the owner of a valuable farm of sixty acres, situated in Big Beaver Township, about one mile southwest of the town, was born April 25, 1861, in Iowa, but was reared from childhood in Pennsylvania. His parents are Isaac and Elmira (Hoagland) Phillips.
The Phillips family originated in Wales, and its earliest settler in America came about 1758 and located at Philadelphia. The grandfather, Samuel Phillips, was born in Northampton County, Pennsylvania, where he married Susan Weiney, and together they came to Mercer County, where he bought a farm near Kiel Ridge, on which both died. Of their twelve children, Isaac Phillips was the eldest, and he was eight years old when the family removed from Northampton to Mercer County. When he was about seventeen years old he accompanied a party of young men to California, in search of gold. They started in 1849, overland, finding the present city of Omaha, Neb., but an Indian trading post, its main building being a log blacksmith shop. Isaac Phillips remained in California for eight years, and when he returned to the East it was over the present route of the great Panama Canal. While he did not make a fortune, he brought back enough money to enable him to buy a good farm, and after his marriage, he invested in land in Buchanan County, Iowa. He remained there for six years, and then sold his land and returned to Pennsylvania, purchasing a farm in Mercer County, two and three-fourths miles west of Mercer at a point called Yankee Ridge. Both he and his wife still reside on that farm.
Isaac Phillips was married after his return from the far West, to Elmira Hoagland, who is a daughter of John and Catherine (Hull) Hoagland, the former of whom served in the War of 1812. Catherine Hull belonged to the family made famous by Capt. Isaac Hull, in his capture of the British ship, the Hornet. Isaac Phillips and wife had two sons: Wilson Hull and Burton R.
Wilson Hull Phillips obtained his education in the Mercer County schools, and remained closely at home until he was twenty-one years of age. He then spent a few years in the West, during which period he lived as a cowboy and had many adventures, and took the hazards which pertain to that exciting occupation. In his case they were lamentable, as he lost his left hand in a fight with cattle thieves, after which he decided to return to eastern civilization, and located at Wampum. He was possessed of considerable capital, and first opened a coal bank and later organized the Wampum Run Coal Company. He sold his interest in this enterprise to A. Andrews, of Youngstown, Ohio, following which he bought his present farm, from the Smith heirs. It was heavily timbered and until he had it cleared he ran a sawmill and sold the lumber, this occupying some four years. He further invested capital as a banker, being one of the organizers of the First National Bank at Wampum, and one of the first directors, and continues a member of that board. He also owns stock in the Crescent Portland Cement Works, at Wampum. While more of a business man than politician, Mr. Phillips performs every duty resting on a public-spirited citizen. In his political views he is a Republican.
20th Century History of New Castle and Lawrence County Pennsylvania and Representative Citizens Hon. Aaron L. Hazen Richmond-Arnold Publishing Company, Chicago, Ill., 1908
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