Suwannee Democrat. (Live Oak, Fla.) 1897-current, 1909-09-17
DEATH OF REV. T. J. PHILLIPS.
One OF FlOrlda'S Best Known Method.
lst Ministers Has Passed AWAY.

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Died in Tampa, Wednesday evening
September 9Th, 1909, Rev. Thomas J 9,
seph Phillips. He died at the home of
MS son, State Attorney Herbert s
Phillips, Of Tampa, after an illness of
several weeks duration. During this
time everything possible was done for
MS rehet, but to no avail, and now an
other name is stricken from the roll of
the true and faithful servants of God
and his beloved wife, in the sunset Of
life, and a lonely home, is left to at
test how sadly he is missed. It must
be so. Yet IN such a death there is
really no cause fOrgrief. His life work
is now done, and well done.
The body was brought to this city
his old home for burial, and in the fam,
! lily burial lot of his daughter, Mrs s
}. White, he was laid to rest FRIDAY
afternoon.
The funeral services were conducted
at the Methodist church in this citv bv
Presiding Elder Rev. T. J. Nixon OF
Ocala, assisted by Rev. R. V. AtkisSon
pastor Of the Methodist church of this
city, who paid beautiful tribute to the
memory Of the deceased.
At the close of the service anunusualIv
large procession followed the bodyy
to the silent city where the Masonic
order, Of which he was member. per
formed the last sad rites.
! The casket was covered with beauti-
tul floral designs wrought with loving
hands, all of which spoke of peace,
purity and Immortality.
The funeral services were in charge
! q. POtSdamer, of this city.
Rev. Phillips was well known in Live
Oak where he resided for a number of
years. When presiding elder of this
circuit he resided in the district par
SOnage in this city. He was loved and
respected by all our people. His life
and his record will remain with US as a
lasting treasure. How much this state
owes to him and such as he, it IS inn
possible to estimate, though it would
bea grateful task to trace his influence
through some of the most direct chan
nels; to picture him in his various char
acters as minister for thirty-six years.
husband, father, neighbOr and FRIEND. to
speak Of the sons and daughters be has
reared to perpetuate his name and en-
ulate his virtues. But it comes not
within this brief article to do so.
Below we give a sketch Of his life
and work:
Rev. Thomas Joseph Phillips was
born at Marlborough, S. C, December
Is, 1912. His parents moved to Madi-
son county, Florida, when he was five
years old, his father dying about three
years later.
At nineteenhe joined the confederate
army, serving as a private in the COM
pany of Captain HOllOman. Fifth Flor
ida regiment, and was with his army
IN the Virginia campaign.
After the war he attended school.
and by his own exertiOn acquired Suf-
ticient education to teach. This pro-
feSSiOn he followed about three years.
He studied law and was admitted to
the bar in 1869 at Madison, Fla, but
hearing the divine call to preach, he
entered the ministry in 1873 and was a
member of the Florida conference until
the time of death. For thirty-six years
he has been in the active ministry, and,
until this year, never missed an ap-
pOintment on account of illness or other
wise.
He filled many charges through the
state, among the number being: Lib
erty and Gadsden, l year; Concord, 2
years; Union, / year; Waldo, 4 years;
! Columbia, 3 years; Madison, l year;
Alfalfa, l year; Plant City, year; Plant
City and Lakeland, ! year; Newman
vile, years; Bronson, year; Mel
rose, 8 years; Live Oak District, 4
years; Dade City, 2 years; Apopka,
year; Ovledo, year; MelrOSe, 2 years;
| BrOOkSville, l year; BrOOksville and
Webster, year; Port Tampa and Gray,
year; Bushnell, u years.
At the time of his death he was pas
tor at the Methodist churches at Bush
nell, where he lived.
/ Hewas appointed to this charge by the
late lamented Bishop c. B. Galloway,
at the conference in Tampa in Decem-
Der Of 1907. He was also a Royal Arch
( Mason and was a member Of the Live
. Oak lodge.
He leaves. surviving him, his wife
and the following children: Herbert S.
Phillips, Tampa; Mrs. S. J. White,
Live Oak, Mrs. j. P. Mccall. New
York; Mrs. F. S. Pate, BarnwelI, S.
c.; J. H. Phillips, Jacksonville; Rev.
/ c. R. Phillips, StOnewall, Okla, and
/ Ben Phillips, New York city.
Your complexion as well as your