The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1903-07-28
life, race, color or previous condition of

life, race. color or previous condition of
servitude.
Uncle Jimmy was himself born in
slavery in Moth Cyahlina" 81 years
ago. Afterwards he moved to Missouri
and then to Kansas. Uncle Jimmy
knows most everyone of importance and
most everyone knows him. He has
happy old southern way of addressing
people If he is delivering mineral
water at the Santa Fe offices and sees
say to him "Mornin' Honey" If he
meets Governor Bailey the chief exec
utive of the state might be addressed a 8
sweetheart" and should President
Roosevelt meet Uncle Jimmy there
would be no formality on the part of the
old colored man for he would be likely
to use the appelation pet" instead of
President or even Mister. Uncle Jim
my knows no social distinction in US
ing his peculiar form of salutation
Very few in Topeka there are who have
not heard his salutations.
Uncle Jimmy" rode horseback from
Missouri to Mound City in 1861. At
Mound City he knew General Jim"
Lane, the grim chieftain of Kansas, 4"
who took care of Phillips and housed
and fed and clothed him. Uncle Jim
my" thinks Jim Lane is the greatest
man in Kansas history. "A mighty
fine man, he was, mighty fine. I'll neb-
Der forgit him. He was all right till
and that worked on his brain and was
was too much for him. He jes could
mt stand it. From Mound City
Phillips went to Oskaloosa.
Uncle Jimmy is always cheerful. No
one can point to time when he was
cross. Perhaps he is having a touch of
rheumatics. maybe his horse is dead,
perhaps his delivery wagon has been
wrecked, maybe he dropped and broke
a jug of water but he is never cross.
'Allus up an comm an similin', %
says Uncle Jimmy" Use gettin OF
but dis hyear water jes keeps me pow
up wild rheumatic when I began drinlxin'
1t. but I'm all right now. Use got no
reason to complain. 1 knows de people
here and dey knows me an knows dis
famous Phillips mineral water and dey
knows it's fine"
He is a veteran of the Civil war and
served with the Fourth Kansas regi-
ment at the time of Prices raid. In
1865 he came to Topeka and has lived
here ever since. For thirty years he and
his wife have lived at his present home
on West Eighth avenue.
When 1 came hyah," says "Uncle
wasn't nothin much and y'u could see
from my front do hyah as ia as Bur-
retts noun. Yes'm, I've seen all To-
peka grow up aroun' me. Tyler street
down thah was nothin but a SWAMP
from Tenth street to de river. That's all
made land where some of de fines
residences in Topeka is built Yes'm
this towns all been built up since my
time"
Twelve years ago "Uncle Jimmy dis
covered mineral spring in his back
yard. People laughed and joked about
it when he first made known his fine
but others who tasted the water though
it might have medicinal properties anC
advised him to have it analyzed by
chemist. w. d. Church of Topeka ane
f. II. S. Bailey of the University o.
Kansas both made analyses of it anC
''Uncle Jimmy's" circulars advertising
the water tell its different chemica
properties and for what diseases it viii
prove beneficial. Uncle Jimmy" count
among his customers some of twelv
years standing who have used his min
era1 water since the opening of tn
spring andsattribute whatever healtl
and prosperity they may have to tina
fact.
A battered sign at the corner of his 10