William Phillips
The senior member of the bar of Polk county, in point of years of practice, is now William Phillips, his membership dating from July, 1856.
Judge Phillips was born September 22, 1827, in Steubenville, Jefferson county, Ohio. His parents, Thomas and Rebecca (Irwin) Phillips, were natives of Pennsylvania, the father of Irish and the mother of Welsh descent. William was reared upon a farm; his education being received in the common schools and supplemented by a college course.
In 1851 he came farther west, and engaged in mercantile pursuits for a time in Peoria, Ill., and in Galesburg and Henderson, in the same state.
Having an early and natural inclination for the legal profession, he pursued his studies for several years with his usual industry and thoroughness, and, in 1854, was admitted to practice in the courts of Illinois. In the same year he came to Iowa and located with his parents upon a section of land in Greene county, near to what is now the flourishing town of Jefferson. This town he laid out and aided in having made the county seat.
In July, 1856 he took up his permanent residence in this city, forming a legal partnership with Judge Curtis Bates, then one of the leading attorneys of the state. Three years later this partnership was dissolved, and the firm of Phillips & Phillips organized, the junior partner being a younger brother, James Harvey Phillips. This firm was a very successful one. Later, Col. C. H. Gatch became a member of the firm under the style of Phillips, Gatch & Phillips. In a few years Col. Gatch retired, and was succeeded in the firm by Col. E. J. Goode. This firm under continued for several years and then was dissolved. J. H. Phillips was elected Mayor of Des Moines, and William Phillips joined forces with Hon. James G. Day, who for a number of years had been a justice of the Supreme Court of Iowa. This partnership continued until 1894, when by mutual agreement, it was dissolved.
In 1896 was formed the present firm of Phillips, Ryan & Ryan. With the exception of the first, Judge Phillips was the head of all these legal firms, and the high rank they secured and maintained was largely due to his ability and application.
August 20, 1857, in Des Moines, Judge Phillips was married to Miss. S. Jennie Rutan, a native of Richland county, Ohio, a daughter of William Rutan, a niece of Gov. Samuel J. Kirkwood, and granddaughter of Gov. Clark, one of the territorial governors of Iowa. Their married life has been a happy one. To them have been born four children, two sons and two daughters. Of these two have departed this life; Nellie, an infant of one year and John Frank, who grew to the manly age of twenty-eight and around whom many hopes were built. Thomas William, the eldest son, is manager and secretary of the Merchants' Consolidated Insurance Company, of which Judge Phillips is president, and Jennie B. is married to Dr. J. B. Hardy, a prominent physician of Phoenix, Arizona.
Judge Phillips has all his life been pre-eminently a worker. A lover of his profession, he has always been a close student, and invariably devotes himself persistently to any cause he undertakes. He is always true to his clients, and at the same time is conscientious in the discharge of every duty devolving upon him. With him right is right and wrong is wrong, and nothing could influence him to smother an honest conviction, political or otherwise, for the sake of personal ends. True to himself, as to all others, he has for many years gained and retained the confidence and respect of men of all classes in this large community. While a man of liberal views, he has deep religious convictions; his benevolence has made his own success a continuous, though quiet benefit to many less successful, and a strong aid to all helpful or charitable enterprises. By his own brain and heart and application Judge Phillips has a right to his high rank at the bar and in business and social circles.
From Annals of Polk County, Iowa: and city of Des Moines, Iowa: G. A. Miller Print. Co., 1898
