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Sunday, September 5, 2010

Dr. William J. and Margaret Z. Phillips

Dr. William J. Phillips was the pioneer physician and surgeon for Beaumont, Kansas and Bob Van Huss' maternal grandfather. (The daughter of William and Margaret Z. Phillips, Beulah Phillips, married Fred Van Huss.)

Dr. Phillips was born in Iowa in 1856, graduated from medical school in 1885, moved first to Lacrosse, Kansas (south of Hays, Kansas) and later Beaumont, where he was the practicing surgeon and doctor until his death in 1929 at the age of 73. He married Margaret Z. Redman, (1867 - 1958) in Lacrosse before moving to Beaumont. Margaret's father had been the sheriff and later probate judge for Lacrosse. The couple had eleven children, who they raised on a 130 acre farm just west of Beaumont. William and Margaret are buried in the Old Benton Cemetary in Beaumont, Kansas along with several of their children. Geneology Trails.

Skyways has reprinted a biography of Dr. Phillips online, parts of which I have reproduced here: 

...Doctor Phillips was born in Washington County, Iowa, October 2, 1856. He also has some Irish blood, since his paternal grandmother came from Ireland when she was nine years of age. His father, George Phillips, was born in Ohio, February 10, 1814, and died at Daytonville, Iowa, February 6, 1873.

...

Doctor Phillips spent most of his early life and gained his education at Iowa City, the first state capital of Iowa and the home of its university. He attended the public schools, also an academy, and took his course in the State University. where he was graduated M. D. in 1885. When only eighteen years of age, in 1874, Doctor Phillips had paid his first visit to Kansas and had come out here largely on account of his health. He recuperated and spent fifteen months in farm work at Washington, Kansas.

After securing his medical degree Doctor Phillips returned to Kansas and for ten years was engaged in practice at Lacrosse. Since then he has made his home at Beaumont, and is the only physician in practice. His services have been in great demand over a large community, and with his many years of experience he is counted one of the most competent physicians and surgeons in that part of the state. Doctor Phillips is emergency surgeon for the Frisco Railroad at Beaumont, is examiner for three large life insurance companies, and for five years was a member of the United States Pension Board Examiners at Lacrosse as local examiner. He also owns a drug store at Beaumont.

Doctor Phillips might also be designated as a farmer, since he owns a farm and residence adjoining the town on the west. His farm comprises 130 acres and is well improved and managed on a par with the best farms in Butler County. Doctor Phillips is now serving as town clerk of Beaumont and has held other township offices. He is a republican in politics, and a member of Beaumont Lodge No. 465, Ancient Order United Workmen.

Soon after coming to Kansas in 1885 Doctor Phillips was married at Lacrosse to Miss Maggie Z. Redman. She is a daughter of A. J. and Mary (Wright) Redman. Her mother is still living at Lacrosse. Her father, deceased, was for six years sheriff of Rush County and for ten years held the office of probate judge and other county offices. In business he was a farmer. Doctor and Mrs. Phillips take great pride in their children, and eleven sons and daughters have been born into their home. Clarence M. is a farmer 3 1/2 miles southwest of Beaumont. Hubert W. is employed as a brakeman with the Grand Trunk Pacific Railway and lives at Biggar in Saskatchewan, Canada; Edith Fern is the wife of A. L. Milliken, who is station agent for the Frisco Railway at Altamont, Kansas; George A. drives an auto stage at Brawley, California; Pauline, the fifth child, died when three years of age; Helen M. is the wife of J. H. Nichols, an express messenger living at Wichita; Beulah M. is a teacher in Butler County and still makes her home with her parents; Paul W. is attending a school of automobile instruction at Wichita. The three younger children are Alwilda, Wendell and Ruth, all of them attending the public schools of Beaumont.
 Reprinted from A Standard History of Kansas and Kansans, (Volume 3, page 1457, published 1918), which can be read online.

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