This gentleman, one of the old settlers of Linn county, was born in Mercer county, Kentucky, December 20, 1813. His father, George Mitchell Phillips, was born July 10, 1771 in England and came to America with Jeremiah Phillips, a Revolutionary War veteran.
His mother was Margaret Johnson, born March 4, 1773 in Virginia, daughter of Stephen Johnson. Margaret Johnson Phillips died April 5, 1837 and George Mitchell died June, 1838. Both are buried in Kentucky.
George Wesley Phillips grew up in his native county, and received a common school education. His father was a farmer, and he himself was reared to that calling, and has been engaged in it all his life. In 1841 he came to Missouri, and first settled in Howard county, where he farmed for seven years. In 1848 he moved to Linn county and bought a place three and one-half miles southwest of Linneus,on which he resided for five years. He made several removals subsequent to this, and lived ten years of the time in Jackson township. Finally in 1865, he made a permanent location on the place where he now resides in Clay township. It contains one hundered acres, and it is situated in the north part of the township, five and one-half miles northwest of Linneus. At the time of his first coming to Linn, settlements were so sparse that Mr. Phillips could have named nearly every man in the county, at least those who were permanently located.
He was married in October, 1837, to Miss Lucy Connelly, daughter of Rice Connelly, of Kentucky, deceased. His wife died in 1864, after leaving him twelve children, ten of whom lived to be grown, and eight of whom still survive.
In politics, Mr. Phillips was formerly a Whig, but became a Democrat on the death of Whiggery, and has continued to act with them ever since. Though he enjoyed limited school privileges in youth, Mr. Phillips has ever been a man of close observation, and a great reader. His contact with men has developed his analytic powers, and given a maturity of judgement that better educated men might envy.
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From The Brookfield Gazette, June 29, 1901
PHILLIPS - At the home of his son-in-law, Richard Crookshanks, in Jackson township, Friday, June 21, George W. Phillips aged 87 years. The deceased had lived in Linn County since 1845.