My Genealogy Hound

PETER G. PHILLIPS, of Westfield, Chautauqua county, New York, is a son of James and Mary (Dafoe) Phillips and was born in Hastings county, Canada, on New Years day of 1835. His paternal grandfather, James Phillips, was a native of Scotland, from whence he emigrated and came to Canada about 1800. Farming was his avocation and he pursued it in Hastings county until his death in 1830. He left eight children, five boys and three girls. James Phillips, Jr., father of Peter G., was born in Scotland, in 1794 and came to Canada with his father in 1800, where he spent his entire life farming. He was a pushing, active man, a member of the Methodist Episcopal church and a Mason of exalted rank. James Phillips died, April 19, 1837, aged forty-three years. He married Mary Dafoe, of Newburg, Ontario, in 1818, and reared a family of nine children, six boys and three girls.

Peter G. Phillips was reared on the farm where he spent the first sixteen years of his life. He was educated in the schools of the Dominion, and, at the age mentioned, began to learn to build fanning-mills. In that work he continued eleven years, when, during the latter part of 1861, he came to the United States, where, after staying for a year, he located in Westfield some time in November, 1862. Here he has made his home ever since. For several years he was the general agent in this county for the Singer Sewing Machine Co., and travelled, establishing agencies in the larger cities. His sales record was equal to the best and on several occasions, during contests, he was the recipient of the prize for being the best salesman. In the fall of 1866, Mr. Phillips bought a farm containing one hundred acres, located four miles west of the village of Westfield and conducted it himself, but in 1882 he moved two and a quarter miles east of Westfield, where he now lives and has a very desirable place. He has a fine frame residence and the farm contains a magnificent vineyard, and an extensive truck garden. Mr. Phillips is a member of the Methodist Episcopal church, affiliates with the Republican party and belongs to Chautauqua Lodge A. O. U. W.

In 1866 he was united in marriage to Lizzie Winsor, of Westfield, who has become the mother of one son and one daughter: James W. and Mary S.

Peter G. Phillips is a kind father and a gentle husband; public-spirited and enterprising and enjoys the confidence of all his acquaintances.