| Notes |
- There is a verbal history on "Old T.K." saying that he had to leave Virginia and his home in a hurry. The story goes that he was at a Fall Harvest Dance at a colored church and had pulled back a slab from over a well, and a slave of his uncle's had fallen into the well and been so injured that he was unable to work anymore. TK's uncle, upon learning this, had sworn out a warrant for T.K.'s arrest. One of his friends told him that he was about to be arrested, upon hearing this TK set out for lamp oil with an ox cart and kept on going. This was within a month of the death of his father so the story does not ring true.
History of Jersey and Green Counties, Continental Historical Society, December 1885. Page 404:
Thomas K. Phipps came to this country in 1848, and purchased then 40 acres of land in the western portion of the country. Three years later he sold this land and bought another forty to which he added 120 acres more in 1885, and divided his estate among his children, reserving 200 acres for himself. Mr. Phipps cleared nearly all his land, which was covered with bushes and small timber. he has been an enterprising and successful farmer. In 1878, he rented his farm to one of his sons and moved to Rosedale, where he built a dwelling house and a store building, and engaged in merchandising, purchasing a general stock of goods to the value of about a thousand dollars. He continued in business there four years, then on account of the death of his son, who was killed, he retunred to his farm where he now lives. He built a store room near his residence, and now sells general merchandise.
Thomas K. Phipps was born in Virginia, December 17, 1819. He remained in that state until 17 years old, then came west, and visited Kansas, Missouri, and Iowa, after which he went south to Louisiana and Mississippi. he was married in the latter state to Martha Ruy (sp), who was born May 9, 1929. In 1847 he moved to Illinois and three years later to this county. Mr. and Mrs. Phipps have four children-Lewis, born June 11, 1855, died Feb. 2, 1882, John, born May 23, 1857, Mary J. born in 1859 and died in infancy, and Isabel, born Feb 10, 1861, now married to Leonard Ratcliff. Mr. Phipps is a member of the Masonic fraternity, and a republican politically. He has held all of the township offices, including justice of the peace, and is one of the leading citizens of Rosedale township.
Page 399:
Pleasant Grove grist mill was built in 1883 by T.K. Phipps. This mill is equipped with one corn buhr, and has a capacity for grinding 150 bushels of meal per day. It is run by a steam engine, which is used, during the season, for running a threshing machine.Mr. Phipps threshes from 32,000 to 40,000 bushels of grain per year.
(Ron Phipps states that he suspects that this was the steam engine that John Thomas Phipps traded in for a newer steam engine and was subsequently unable to make the payments on it, as a a result he lost his father's farm.)
The Union Mills were built by the Union Mill co. the company consisted of Dr. W. Park, T.K. Phipps, J.H. Belt, Peter Dranery, William Krueger, Asa Briggs, Frank Brown, Charles McDaniels, John Terry, Z. Reddish and others. After completion, the mill was leased to J.H. Belt who operated it one year for the company, and afterwards ran it a year for himself. Steven Reddish then ran the business one years, and was succeeded by T.K. Phipps and Leonard Radcliff.
Jersye County Public Domain Land Tract Sales to Patentees /@/$1.25 per acre:
Phipps, Thomas K. 40 acres Feb 24, 1854
Phipps, Thomas K. 40 acres April 11, 1851
Phipps, Thomas K. 40 acres Oct 2, 1854
Phipps, Thomas K. 80 acres oct 2, 1854
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1819 - 1889 (69 years)