Kit Carson County, Colorado
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Kit Carson County Pioneers:

Joseph W. Phillips, 8 South 43 West




Joseph cash-claimed a quarter in section 32, 8S 43W in 1890.

1896 Aspen, Colorado "John M. Durand has quit claimed a twenty-seven acre tract of land in section 4, township 10, to Joseph W. Phillips; consideration named $1."

Another Joseph Phillips died in Leadville on January 31, 1897.
He was the son of Mr. and Mr. F. Stuthman.


POSSIBLE:
Joseph Wells Phillips, deceased, was widely known as a pioneer mining man, oil operator and philanthropist of Colorado. His birth occurred in New Castle, Pennsylvania, on the 7th of January, 1857, his parents being Charles Carol and Elizabeth (Lutton) Phillips, the former born near West Farley, Ver- mont, July 30, 1829, and the latter in Lawrence county, Pennsylvania, February 20, 1834. The forefathers of Mrs. Elizabeth (Lutton) Phillips were the earliest settlers of Lawrence county, Pennsylvania. The paternal grandparents of Joseph W. Phillips of this review were Joseph M. and Lydia M. (Davis) Phillips, the former a son of Jacob Phillips, who was a brave soldier in the War of 1812. Joseph Phillips, father of Jacob Phillips, served with the rank of colonel in the Revolutionary war and was a son of Rev. George Phillips, who came to the colonies with Governor Winthrop in 1630. The Phillips forefathers were nobility of England. Joseph Wells Phillips was reared midst an atmosphere of adventure. The fireside stories of the brave deeds of his forefathers, along with those of his father's adventures, were a liberal education for him and no doubt had much to do with his own life of adventure. His father, Charles Carol Phillips, joined the throng of gold seekers bound for California in 1850, being from March 1st to September 15th en route. They halted for a few weeks in Salt Lake City, where they replenished their supplies and Brigham Young exchanged mules for horses for the entire company. The fact that Mr. Phillips had known Brigham Young in Nauvoo, Illinois, had a bearing on the generous attitude the latter showed to the company. Charles C. Phillips re- mained in the Golden state for two years, engaging in prospecting and in the operation of a mine on his own account. He re- turned to his home in Pennsylvania via Nicaragua. He established himself in business and married Miss Elizabeth Lutton, a descendant of Bulwer Lytton. Joseph W. Phillips was the eldest son in the family, which in order of birth was as follows: ReHef, Joseph, Audley, William, Bessie Mary, Charles Alden, George Jonathan and Evra L. Charles C. Phillips, the father, made a second trip to California via the Isthmus of Panama, in 1863. He remained for two years, prospecting and working claims, and was quite successful in both mining ventures in California.
Very early in life Joseph W. Phillips worked for his father, first by ridipg the mule that hauled the canal boat with freight between New Castle and Erie. Later, when living in Illinois, he accompanied his father on many boat trips along the Mississippi river. He received his early education in the common schools of Pennsylvania, Illinois and Kansas, attending only in the winter. In the spring, summer and autumn months he worked on his father's ranch till he was seventeen years old, when he took the task of government hauling of supplies from Wichita, Kansas, to Fort Sill, Oklahoma, the government post for Indians.
In 1887 he traveled overland with mule team from Wichita, Kansas, to Lake City, Colorado, following the Arkansas river to Pueblo. His father had previously located a mine at Snow Mass, where they worked together for two years. Thereafter Joseph W. Phillips located and worked the Prospect mine for four years. He carried supplies on his back on snowshoes, during this period. At the same time he located practically the whole of Coal Basin coal land, which was sold to Osgood and Hewett. For several years afterward he superintended the work for Osgood in opening up the coal mines. He became interested in the Black Wonder mine near Lake City, which proved good in later years.
In October, 1886, Joseph W. Phillips married Miss Olive Penny. In July, 1887, Erma Olive Phillips (now Mrs. Vernon C. Dobson) was born. In 1888 his wife died. He became interested in the Polland Mining and Milling Company, which was closed in a few months, on account of the panic of 1893. Later this mine proved exceptionally good. He located the May Day and Idaho mines in La Plata county, but during the Cripple Creek panic of 1893 he became so involved that he stopped doing assessment work only twenty feet away from the rich ore that proved them bonanzas. In 1895 he took a lease on the Dead Pine mine in Victor, Colorado. He also took an interest in it. Soon afterward Dennis Sullivan bought this mine and made Mr. Phillips its superintendent. In 1898 Colonel Oliver Payne and G. B. Schley, both of New York city, and Dennis Sullivan of Denver sent Mr. Phillips into Old Mexico on a year's exploration trip in quest of mining properties. Mr. Phillips reported that a property sixteen miles from Chihuahua was the most promising he had examined. The El Potosi Company of twenty members was formed, of which Mr. Phillips was one, that bought the lead, zinc silver (El Potosi) mine, which when developed was considered the richest mine of its nature in the world. Mr. Phillips was made general manager of two mines and a mill for the reduction of ore at Cusihuiriachic, Mexico. In 1902 he procured an option on a Mexican mining property, and managed its purchase for New York financiers, who formed the La Calera Mining Company of twelve members, Mr. Phillips being one of the number. Later he was made manager of La Calera lead and silver mines at Mihaca, Mexico.
In 1900, Joseph W. Phillips married Miss Julia Close, of Phillipsburg, Kansas, a school teacher, who was educated at the University of Kansas and at the Kansas State Normal School, being a graduate of the latter institution. Her forefathers were among the early settlers of Pennsylvania and the New England states. Mr. and Mrs. Phillips became the parents of the following children : Norma Irene, who was born October 23, 1901, and died October 1, 1906; Ruby Imelda, born May 30, 1903, who is the wife of William Myric Wood and the mother of William Myric Wood, Jr., born September 26, 1926 ; Dennis Joseph, born April 21, 1907, who married Miss Alta Alvera Hansen ; Mary Elizabeth, born December 17, 1908; and Oliver Payne, born August 13, 1912.
In 1903 Mr. Phillips resigned as manager of the Mexico properties and resumed the superintendency of the Dead Pine mine in Victor, Colorado. He remained for two years and then managed a sale of the property. In 1906 Mr. Phillips retired from active mining. A number of times afterward, however, he made long journeys to different parts of the United States and Old Mexico to examine mines for particular friends. In 1915 he became interested in the Louisiana oil fields. In 1916 he became an independent oil operator in San Antonio, Texas. In 1923 he became interested in the Electra oil fields near Wichita Falls. Here he met with an accident in October of 1924 which along with influenza resulted in his death on the 28th of December, 1925. All through life Mr. Phillips was philanthropic in the true sense. He gave directly to those in need. He was generous to every church that came to him for help, though affiliated with none. He was a Knight Templar and Scottish Rite Mason and a life member of the Denver Motor Club. His diversions were fishing, hunting and motoring. Whatever of success he may have attained was due to preparedness, honesty, thrift and industry.
1906

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