Thomas G. Phillips
Thomas G. Phillips, life insurance agent, Ravenna, was born September 3, 1822, in Plaseyrhendy, Clyden Parish, Pembrokeshire, South Wales. His parents—Caleb and Sarah Phillips—brought their family to America and settled in Palmyra, this county, in 1837. They spent the latter years of their lives in Paris Township, this county, where they died, the mother January 7, 1866, aged seventy, the father March 23, 1869, aged seventy-seven. Of their nine children, two died in Wales; two died in this county: John, who was a soldier in the war of the Rebellion, and Mrs. Sarah Morgan; five are now living: William, in Newport Station, Ohio; Evan, in Detroit, Mich.; Anna, in Newport Station, Ohio; Mrs. Mary Jenkins, in Summit County, Ohio, and Thomas G. Our subject came to Ravenna in 1838 at sixteen years of age, where he learned the cabinet-maker's trade. He carried on an establishment at Freedom from 1843 to 1846. There he married, May 1, 1844, Miss Delia M.. daughter of Rev. John Hill, born in Monroe, Ashtabula Co., Ohio, and located in Freedom in 1843. To this union have been born five children: George Myron, Cashier of the First National Bank of Northfield, Minn, (he was a Lieutenant in the One Hundred and Twenty-eighth Ohio Volunteer Infantry during the latter part of the war of the Rebellion); Morton H, in Philadelphia (he was a private in the first Ohio regiment formed); Mrs. Laura Beers, in Cleveland, Ohio; Mrs. Lucy L. Smith, in Ravenna, Ohio, and one that died in infancy. Mr. Phillips carried on the furniture business from 1846 to 1872, with the exception of three years—1859 to 1862. He also dealt extensively in real estate, purchasing lots, putting suitable buildings and making improvements on them and then selling. In 1872 he was appointed agent of the Equitable Life Assurance Society of New York for Portage and Trumbull Counties. He rapidly built up the company's business in this locality, and received the appointment of general agent for the State of Ohio July 1, 1874, which position he still holds. Mr. and Mrs. Phillips are members of the Methodist Episcopal Church.
From History of Portage County, Ohio, Warner, Beers & Co., Chicago, 1885