My Genealogy Hound

Dr. John B. Phipps, practicing physician and surgeon of El Dorado Springs, was born in Jefferson County, Ohio, in 1829, and is the seventh of eight children born to John C. and Rebecca (Burnett) Phipps, and the grandson of Isaac Phipps, who was a native of Chester County, Penn., but who removed to Ohio in 1812, and there died about 1841. He was of the fourth generation born in America. The first of the Phipps family came to America with William Penn, and were Quakers for many years. The maternal great-grandfather of the subject of this sketch, Enos Passmore, was born in Chester County, Penn., was a great iron man, and was the owner of Valley Forge at the time Gen. Washington went into winter quarters at that place. John C. Phipps was born in Chester County, Penn., in 1791, and his wife was born in Loudoun County, Va., in 1792. They went with their parents to Ohio in 1809 and 1802, respectively, were there married in 1814 or 1815, and died in Harrison County, Ohio, at the age of seventy-nine and seventy-five, respectively. Both were members of the Christian Church for many years. Mr. Phipps was a tanner, shoe and harness manufacturer, nurseryman and pottery and brick maker, and the latter part of his life was engaged in merchandising, and was also occupied in keeping a hotel. He was well known in Eastern Ohio. He was the first to start a nursery and the first to manufacture pottery in Eastern Ohio. Dr. John B. Phipps received a good common school education, and, in 1847, began the study of medicine with Dr. D. A. Scott, of Akron, Ohio, and graduated from the Eclectic Medical College, Petersburgh, Va., in 1849, when but twenty years of age. He practiced in Akron, Ohio, until 1855, when he removed to Story County, Iowa, and there practiced with success until 1873. He then spent four years back in Ohio, after which he came to Cedar County, spent about one a half years at Virgil City, and then located at Clintonville, but since 1881 he has been at El Dorado Springs. He has practiced with success for more than forty years, and is among the oldest practitioners of Southwestern Missouri. He filled the position of justice of the peace for some years while in Iowa. He was married January 25, 1857, to Miss Martha J. Chandler, daughter of Sylvanus and Sarah (Harlow) Chandler, natives of Maine, but in 1855 they removed to Story County, Iowa, where they died in 1883 and 1881, respectively. Mr. Chandler was of English descent, and was a farmer by occupation. To Dr. Phipps and wife were born ten children, two sons and three daughters now living: William B., Clara B., wife of Rodney M. Prouty; Roland C., Emma R. and Nellie J. In politics the Doctor was formerly a Whig, casting his first presidential vote for Gen. Scott in 1852, but since the war he has been a Republican. He is a member of the Masonic Fraternity, Clintonville Lodge No. 482, and he joined the I. O. O. F. at Anamosa, Iowa, twenty-five years ago. He has been a prominent member of the last order, has held all the offices, and has represented his lodge in the Grand Lodge, etc. He has been a member of the Encampment for eight or ten years. He has been a member of the Christian Church for thirty years, and his wife has been a member for thirty-seven years.