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From: Dee <>
Subject: [NYCHAUTA] Elisha PHILLIPS, Mary LEWIS and family
Date: Wed, 14 Feb 2001 05:19:09 -0800

Posted on: Chautauqua Co. NY Bios Forum
Reply Here: http://cgi.rootsweb.com/~genbbs/genbbs.cgi/USA/NY/ChautauquaBios/1173

Surname: PHILLIPS, LEWIS, THOMPSON, GATES, STEPHENSON, CALE, ODELL, CHASE,
BROWN, MARSH
-------------------------


Elisha PHILLIPS, born 13 March, 1781, probably in Preston, Connecticut,
removed as a child with his father Squire PHILLIPS and Mother, Anna GATES;
to Bennington, Vermont. He had reached mature bachelorhood when on 1 May,
1808, he was married to Mary LEWIS of the neighboring town of Petersburg,
just across the state line in New York. Here he made his home until after
the war of 1812. He saw service in the war. His daughter Pamelia PHILLIPS,
born 12 February, 1809--cherished her first memories of the sight of her
father returning from the war. The pioneer instinct caught him and he went
West to clear a home in the forest south of Lake Chautauqua, his farm embracing
or adjoining the present Chautauqua grounds. Bemus Point CHAUTAUQUA County
NY near-by was evidently named for their neighbor--perhaps a Rhode Island
relative as the Lewises and Bemises of Rhode Island were connected. In
Mr. Bemus's corn crib began the school life of Pamelia and her wee sister
Bridget when they were both under six. An upright, stern man was Elisha
Phillips, who had enjoyed few advantages and led rather a barren, unprofitable
life. His daughter pleaded for books; but he bade her be content with what
she had--Webster's Spelling Book--and not dare to ask for another until
she knew it by heart. "If he had to speak twice to his children," Grandmother,
rather proud of his Roman severity, often repeated, "it was a word and
a blow, but, in his own words, 'The blow came first.'" He did not remain
at Chautauqua, nor did he prosper. About 1826, after living at Harmony,
New York, he finally settled near Russell, Warren County Pennsylvania,
where he was drowned in Conewango Creek, a tributary of the Allegheny,
7 March, 1840. Who led the way we do not know, but ultimately there was
a large Phillips clan centering at Russell. Near him lived his father and
on the same farm his brother Elijah,
also near at hand his brother Levi, and his sister Maria. His sister Lydia
had gone to Cambridge, Ohio.
These were his children:
1 Pamelia, 12 February, 1809;
2 Bridget, 30 September, 1810, married C. W. CHASE in May, 1841, died 23
May, 1891;
3 Abel, 20 April, 1813, married (1) 5 October 1837, Mary STEPHENSON, married
(2) Maria ODELL, died 18 December, 1893;
Children of Abel and Maria: David A., born 3 December, 1844;
William E., 5 February, 1845, killed at Fredericksburg 13 December, 1862;
Lee, 3 March, 1847, living at Forestville, New York; Lewis, 30 November,
1849, died 2 July, 1899; Maria A., 25 June, 1851; died 12 August, 1865;
Rose A., 27 July, 1853, died 24 November, 1914. Abel served in the Mexican
War, his sons, William E. and Lee, in the Civil War.
4, Lucina, 15 April, 1815, married Elisha THOMPSON in September, 1832,
died 13 December, 1903; Lucina was married to Elisha Thompson in September,
1832; they lived chiefly in southern Ohio and Indiana. Her last years were
spent with her children in Chicago, but she was buried in Darrtown,??

5 Augustus C., 12 September, 1817, married 4 February, 1837, Sarah BROWN,
died in July, 1909;

6. Asa L. D., 20 March, 1821, killed 10 February, 1828;

7. Harvey, 17 November, 1824, married 4 April, 1844, Thursa MARSH died
14 August, 1909;

8. De Witt C., 7 December, 1826, died 26 December, 1909;

9. Lee A. D., 27 February, 1829, died 8 November, 1914.

Omitting the boy Asa, killed by accident in the woods, all married and
have descendants, and lived to be eighty years of age or more. The eldest,
Pamelia, lacked a few days of being ninety-eight. Another was over ninety,
and three others passed the age of eighty-five. The combined ages of the
nine reaching maturity amounted to 779 years, 3 months, and 9 days, or
an average for each of the nine of eighty-eight years, seven months, and
one day.this longevity was inherited on both sides. The grandfather, Squire
Phillips, lived to be over ninety, ninety-eight according to family traditions;
his grandmother Esther must have been 108. On the other side is a record
of an age of 100 years. Only one of Elisha's sons entered professional
life, Clark C.PHILLIPS, who for many years was a preacher of the Disciple
or Christian persuasion. Several served in the wars.
Mary LEWIS, wife of Elisha PHILLIPS;
Mary was born 18 March, 1791 the daughter of Augustus and Esther (LEWIS)
his wife/cousin LEWIS . She was married on 1 May 1808,to Elisha PHILLIPS.
About 1814 the family removed to the southern shore of Lake Chautauqua.
Later they lived in Harmony, also in Chautauqua Co NY . About 1826 the
family removed to Russell,Warren Co. Pennsylvania, where Elisha was drowned
7 March, 1840. His widow married a man by the name of James CALE, who died
23 May, 1874. She died in a childish condition, not able to remember the
name of her first husband, 26 May, 1886. She had ten children.Her eldest
was Pamelia.

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