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Submitted by Carlyle Phillips - [email protected]

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The Descendants of Robert Phillips and Mary Ann (Greenslade) Phillips

Submitted by Carlyle Phillips, a great-great grandson of Robert and Mary Ann Phillips.

My E-mail address: [email protected]

Generation No.1

1. Robert¹ Phillips, b. ? ; d.1834, his wife Mary Ann Phillips, b.1778; d.1876 and their 4 sons and 1 daughter emigrated from Barnstable, Devonshire, England in 1832. They arrived at Port Hill, Prince Edward Island. The name of their ship is unknown.

Robert was of Welsh descent. He was a brass finisher by trade. Where there was little demand in Port Hill for Robert's skill, he soon began working in the woods clearing land and it was here that he was killed-less than three years since his arrival. Although he is buried in the Anglican cemetery at Port Hill, there is no gravestone or marker.

Soon after the Phillips family arrived at Port Hill, a son was born. Henry was baptized in the St.James Anglican church in February 9^th, 1834. Also another son John, born in Port Hill, died in infancy.

Mary Ann Phillips, out of necessity gave out many of her children to families for care. William ² Phillips was taken by the MacKendricks of Birch Hill and lived with them until his mother remarried to Neil Ramsay of Arlington, Lot 14. Neil Ramsay�s first wife died. They had one son.

William Phillips lived with Neil Ramsay and Mary Ann (Greenslade, Phillips) Ramsay. Neil Ramsay thought enough of William Phillips that he divided his farm and willed � of it to William and it remains in the Phillips family to this day.

Mrs. Phillips "lived to see her family become strong sturdy men and women. She was an outstanding singer; her voice could be heard at all services throughout the church".

Hubert³, James�s² son, was in possession of a walking cane, which was presented to Mrs. Phillips on leaving England. Her brother, James Greenslade, presented this cane to her. The year and date of presentation was carved on the top of the cane. This cane was to have been handed down to future generations via Mary Ann (Greenslade) Phillips�s oldest surviving descendent. The last known descendent to have the cane was Hubert�s daughter, Kathleen⁴, Mrs. Crooks.

Children of Robert and Mary Ann Phillips are:

1. Samuel²
2. Robert Jr., b. 1828; d.1896. The archive record in Barnstable shows he was christened in Barnstable, September 20th, 1829.
3. Hannah, b.? d.? Christened in Barnstable, July 10th, 1826. Moved to New Brunswick. No further contact.

1. William² a twin b. 1829; d. Oct. 23, 1906, age 77

1. James, a twin, b. 1829
2. Henry, born in Port Hill PEI soon after the family arrived from Barnstable. He was christened at St.James Anglican Church in Port Hill on Feb.9th, 1834.
3. John, born in Port Hill but died in infancy

Generation No.2

2. William² Phillips (Robert), ¹ a twin, was born in Barnstable, Devonshire England in 1829. He immigrated to Prince Edward Island with his parents and siblings in 1832. Baptismal records in Barnstable record the baptism of William and his twin brother James occurred on Sept. 20, 1829. A tombstone in the Presbyterian Cemetery in Birch Hill PEI, records that his death occurred on Oct.23^rd, 1906. He married Christy Montgomery, b.1828; d.1906.

Children of William and Christy Phillips are:

3. Alfred³

4. Emily

5. Annie

Generation No.3

3. Alfred ³ Phillips (William² Robert¹), b. in Arlington, PEI on Mar. 22nd 1858; d. July 5^th

1913. Married Sarah Gordon, b.Jan.24^th 1868; d. June 2^nd 1950. She was the daughter of

John Gordon, Huntley, PEI.

Sarah Gordon and Alfred Phillips had four children:

6. Mildred⁴ Eliza,

7. William Gordon

8. Mary Louise

9. Annie Isabelle.

In the "IN MEMORIAM" recorded in the Charlottetown Guardian, July 1913; Alfred Phillips was "an honorable and highly respected resident of Arlington Lot 14"died from a "very severe attack of pneumonia". His contribution to the community and his church was significant. He was known to have had a thorough understanding of music and for many years he gave instructions on vocal music as well as organ lessons. "For 15 years he was the leader of the Presbyterian Church choir, Tyne Valley, PEI" The funeral procession contained "130 carriages containing sorrowing friends and neighbors."

4. Emily³ Phillips (William² Robert¹), b. in Arlington, PEI. In 1860; d.1947. Never Married. She lived most of her adult life in Worchester, Massachusetts, USA. However when she was unable to care for herself she returned to PEI. She lived with her niece Mildred Pickering for two years before moving to the old home in Arlington PEI. Her nephew William⁴ and his wife Dorothea Phillips cared her for two years then she was cared for by a Heckbert family in Summerside, PEI where she died. She was buried in the Presbyterian Cemetery, Lot 14, PEI.

Emily Phillips had one child.

10. Leslie⁴ Phillips

5. Annie³ Phillips (William² Robert¹) b. in Arlington, PEI in 1865; d.1947. Married James Miller, b.1871; d.1953. They had no children.

In her later years Annie suffered from Dementia. Often she walked from her Port Hill home, through fields and woods-taking a familiar path- to her old home in Arlington where her much loved nephew William⁴ would take her back to Port Hill by horse and wagon. Her heart was at the old home-place in Arlington.

Anne was about 50 years old when she married. She and her husband, singing as a duet, were known to have had beautiful singing voices and were often invited to sing especially in churches. For a wedding present, her father William² gave her a new organ. Following Annie�s death, her husband, "Uncle James"Miller, offered William⁴, her nephew, the organ and it is still in the Phillips family today.

Generation No.4
6. Mildred⁴ Eliza Phillips Pickering (Alfred ³ William² Robert¹), b. June 24, 1892; d.Feb.13, 1967. Married George Pickering b.1872, d.1939.

They had four children and they are:

11. Marjorie⁵ Isabelle

1. 12. Ruth Helen
2. 13. William Alfred

1. Amy Jean Caroline (living)

4. William⁴ Gordon Phillips (Alfred ³ William² Robert¹), b. July 12^th1898; d. June15, 1980. Buried in the Lot14 United Church Cemetery, PEI

Married Elizabeth Barbara Dorothea (Rodd) Phillips b. Nov. 9 1899; d. Sept. 9, 1983.

They had seven children and they are:

14. Eleanor ⁵ Isabelle living

15. George⁵ Alfred William Deceased

1. Herbert Ralph⁵ deceased
2. Major Wendell⁵ deceased

16. Olive Mildred Gwendolyn⁵ deceased

3. Dorothy Edna living
4. William Gordon Carlyle Phillips living
5. Carolyn June (Adopted) living

Notes for William⁴ Gordon Phillips

William was born in Arlington, PEI. William and his oldest sister, Mildred, went to the Birch Hill School where the farm was in the Birch Hill school district. He was 15 years old when his father, Alfred died.

At age 17 he enlisted in the Canadian Army, joining the C. Company, 105^th Battalion at Summerside, PEI. His training began in Summerside PEI and later his battalion was transferred to Valcartier, Quebec. Eventually the battalion was sent to England, crossing the Atlantic in the Empress of Briton, arriving at Lower Dibgate near Folkstone on the South East Coast on July 23^rd, 1916. In late November 1916, the battalion was transferred to Camp Whitby for the winter. In early July, 1917 he was transferred to Camp Bramshot where he was pronounced to be medically unfit due to a painful condition in the right foot and leg and was transferred back to Halifax. He was stationed in Halifax as a German prison guard until his discharge in June14th, 1918.

One near death experience about which William shared with his family occurred at the time of the Halifax explosion. He was sitting on the woodbox near the stove to get some warmth, got up to put wood in the stove and at that moment the explosion happened. The brick chimney fell from the ceiling landing on the woodbox where he had been sitting. He received minor cuts to his neck from flying glass otherwise unhurt. In later years he regretted not having kept an account of his army experience. He remembered it as being "quite an experience".

Following his discharge, William returned to the farm. He met and married Dorothea Rodd on Nov.27^th, 1918. They had 7 children. William lived on the homestead and farmed until his retirement. He got great joy from music especially singing. When he was 12 years old he began singing with the Presbyterian Church choir in TyneValley, PEI where his father, Alfred, was choir leader. Following church union, he became a member of the Lot 14 United Church Choir and contributed for nearly 50 years. Also, he was a member of a quartet (bass) that included two brothers who were cousins, James and Clarence Phillips and Bob Dobie. He was a long time church elder, Sunday school superintendent and teacher.

William loved his farm animals especially the horses. After the horses did heavy work like plowing, William made sure they were watered and fed before he had his meal. His daily routine was to start the fire in the kitchen stove then with light from the kerosene lantern make his way to the barn and feed the animals before having his breakfast.

William had a great passion for family history. He could spend hours inquiring about relatives from other family members. He put great energy into recording all the descendents of the original Phillips family who came to Prince Edward Island from Barnstable, England. His effort has made writing this record easier.

4. Mary⁴ Louisa Phillips (Alfred ³ William² Robert¹), b. 1901; d.1932. Mary never married.

She is buried in the Presbyterian Church Cemetery, Lot 14 PEI.

9. Anne Isabelle⁴ Phillips (Alfred ³ William² Robert¹), b. June 26^th, 1908; d.Mar.22^nd, 1994. Married Kenneth Campbell, b.Sept.29^th; d.Mar.18^th, 1956. They lived in O�Leary, PEI where Isabelle was a schoolteacher and Kenneth was a barber. They had 2 children.
10. Leslie⁴ Phillips (Emily ³ William² Robert¹), b 1880, d Dec8 1971. In his early years, Leslie lived on the family farm in Arlington, and later, moved to Worchester, Mass. He occasionally visited his cousin William Gordon Phillips at the farm in Arlington, PEI. He married Ethyl Montgomery. They had one known child, Donald⁵.

Leslie died in Worchester Mass USA and is buried in the Hope Cemetery in Worchester.

Generation No.5

11. Marjorie⁵ Isabelle Pickering Colwell (Mildred⁴ Alfred ³ William² Robert¹), b. Oct 1^st

1916; d. Jan.26^th 2002. Marjory married Alfred Colwell and they had 3 children.

12. Ruth⁵ Helen Pickering Compton (Mildred⁴ Alfred ³ William² Robert¹), b.Sept.14 1917; d. May 1980. Ruth married Nelson Compton and they had 1 daughter.

Mildred⁶ Ruth Compton Mills (Ruth⁵ Mildred⁴ Alfred ³ William² Robert¹),

d. Jan 26, 2010, age 68.

13. William⁵ Alfred Pickering (Mildred⁴ Alfred ³ William² Robert¹), b. April 7 1923,

d. Oct 2, 1981. William had four children.

14. Eleanor⁵ Isabelle Phillips Gates (William⁴ Alfred ³ William² Robert¹), living. b. June 19^th 1919. Married Harvey Gates.

Children of Eleanor and Harvey Gates are:

1. Beverly⁶ (Eleanor⁵ William⁴ Alfred ³ William² Robert¹) twin,

b.Feb. 19^th 1947; d. Mar. 25^th 1965 Buried in the lot14 United Church Cemetery, PEI

2. Barbara twin living
3. Joan living

11. George⁵ Alfred William Phillips (William⁴ Alfred ³ William² Robert¹), b.Oct.26^th, 1920; d. June15^th, 2004. Buried in the Lot 14 United Church Cemetery, PEI

Children of George and Nina Phillips are:

1. Alfred Blaine⁶ living. Blaine and his first wife had three children.

Betty⁷Jean Phillips (Blaine⁶ George⁵ William⁴

Alfred ³ William² Robert¹), b. Sept 15, 1967;

d, Jan 26, 2000

2. William Lyman⁶ (George⁵ William⁴ Alfred ³ William² Robert¹), deceased; b.April 9^th 1949; d.May 19^th 2001 Buried in the Lot 14 United Church Cemetery, PEI
3. Donald George living
4. Eleanor Dorothea living
5. Linda⁶ June (George⁵ William⁴ Alfred ³ William² Robert¹), deceased; b. June 15^th 1954; d. Dec.14^th 1972 Buried in the Lot 14 United Church Cemetery, PEI

11. Herbert Ralph⁵ Phillips(William⁴ Alfred ³ William² Robert¹), b. Feb 15 1922, d. Dec 4, 2009 Buried in the Lot 14 United Church Cemetery, PEI

17 Wendell ⁵ Major Phillips (William⁴ Alfred ³ William² Robert¹) b. Aug13, 1923,

d. March 10, 2010. Buried in the Floral Hills Memorial Gardens, Pleasant Valley, PEI

Children of Wendell and his wife Ruth are:

xxi. Wendell Blair⁶ Phillips, (Wendell ⁵ William⁴ Alfred ³ William² Robert¹) b. Aug.30^th, 1946, d. Jan.3, 2009. Buried in the People�s Cemetery, Summerside, PEI

xxii Judy Marlaine Phillips living

xxiii Brenda Ruth Phillips, living

 

18 Olive Mildred Gwendolyn⁵ Phillips Matthew (William⁴ Alfred ³ William² Robert¹), b March 1

1926, d. January 15, 2011. Buried in the People�s Cemetery, Summerside, PEI

Children of Gwendolyn and Thomas Matthew are:

1. Wayne⁶ living
2. Sheila living
3. Wendell⁶ (Gwendolyn⁵William⁴Alfred ³ William²

Robert¹), b. June 4^th 1956; d. March 17^th 1992. Buried in the People�s Cemetery, Summerside, PEI

4. William living
5. Garth living
6. Dale⁶ (Gwendolyn⁵ William⁴ Alfred ³ William² Robert¹), b.Sept.11^th 1964; d. Sept. 21^st 1985. Buried in the People�s Cemetery, Summerside, PEI

Information Sources:

1. A written family history by my father, William⁴ Gordon Phillips. As a child, I remember watching him while he sat at our dining room table writing the Phillips family history. He knew the names of all the living relatives, to whom they had married and their children�s names. He also stated that he learned a great deal from the oldest living member of the Phillips family at that time, Albert³ James Phillips, a grandson of Robert¹ Phillips.

2. Head stones at the Lot 14, PEI Presperterian graveyard.

3. The Cemetery transcript, the Public archives, Summerside, PEI.

4 The baptismal records at the public library in Barnstable, England.

5. Dates and historical events from the Phillips family research done by

Mr. Basil Phillips (my 5^th cousin), as recorded in his written manuscript. (With his permission).