Los Angeles County, CA, Biographies

This file is part of the California Genealogy & History Archives 
http://www.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~cagha/index.htm

JOSEPH S. PHILLIPS.
 
        The subject of this sketch is the founder of Covina, Azusa Township, and 
is one of the representative and well-known citizens of that section. Mr. 
Phillips was born near Cleveland, Ohio, in 1840. His parents, Samuel S. and Anna 
(Foubs) Phillips, were natives of Pennsylvania. In 1850 his father commenced his 
movement westward, first locating in Illinois, then in Wisconsin, and going to 
Iowa in 1854 and engaging in farming in Howard and Clayton counties. Mr. 
Phillips was reared to agricultural pursuits upon the great prairies of the 
West, until 1860. In that year he came via the Isthmus route to California, and 
shortly after his arrival located in
San Joaquin County, where he was engaged in farming and stock-growing until 
1864. He then established his residence in Stockton and for the next three years 
was engaged in general brokerage and real-estate business. In 1867 he located in 
Stanislaus County and for many years was largely engaged in grain-raising. He 
owned
1,000 acres in that county, but he also rented adjoining lands and often sowed 
and harvested 5,000 acres of grain in a season. As an illustration of his 
practical method of farming it may be stated that in 1876 he plowed, sowed and 
harvested 4,400 acres, which yielded a large crop of grain, this work all being 
done with a force of only four men besides himself. Mr. Phillips continued his 
farming operations in Stanislaus County until 1880, when he came to Los Angeles 
County and established his residence in Los Angeles. There he entered into 
manufacturing, and, in connection with A. L. Bath, established the well-known 
plow manufactory of Bath & Phillips, the first gang plows made in Los Angeles 
County being manufactured by this firm. In 1882 Mr. Phillips severed his 
connection with the firm, and purchased 2,000 acres of land, the northern 
portion of the old Puente grant, and again turned his attention to agricultural 
pursuits, taking up his residence upon his purchase and engaging in hay and 
grain raising, farming his own and about 1,500 acres of rented lands. In 1885 he 
laid out the town of Covina, and was one of the most active men of his section 
in inducing the settlement of that fine section of the county. He was one of the 
prime movers in incorporating the Azusa Water Development and Irrigation 
Company, and was a large stockholder in the company. From 1883 to 1889 he was 
the superintendent of the company, and had the direction of putting in the 
magnificent system of ditches that have made the lands of the old Azusa and 
Covina section available for fruit and vine cultivation. Over twenty miles of 
cement ditches were constructed under his direction. Eight miles of the main 
ditch are capable of conveying a supply of 5,000 inches, while fourteen miles of 
the ditch have a capacity of from 300 to 800 inches. Mr. Phillips is now the 
owner of 500 acres of some of the choicest land in his section. Forty acres are 
devoted to a fine variety of Muscat and White Malaga raisin grapes, thirty acres 
to citrus fruits, mostly Washington Navel oranges, five acres to apricots, and 
he also has a fine family orchard, producing a large variety of fruits of the 
most approved order. He has also on his lands a large nursery stock consisting 
of about 500,000 citrus fruits, 250,000 olive trees, and a large stock of 
peaches, nectarines, apricots, etc. The rest of his land is devoted to general 
farming. Mr. Phillips is an energetic and progressive citizen, aiding and taking 
the lead in any enterprise that has so wonderfully developed his section. It is 
to such men that the remarkable development in the last few years of the San 
Gabriel Valley is due. Although not a politician, he has always taken an 
intelligent interest in the political questions of the day, and has cast his 
influence with the Republican party. In 1865 Mr. Phillips was united in marriage 
with Miss Mary Madden, a native of Virginia. She died in 1878, leaving the 
following named children: Annie, George and Gracie. In 1880 he married Miss 
Cornelia Hunt, the daughter of David Hunt, a veteran of the Mexican war, and 
well-known pioneer of California. From 1851 to 1853 Mr. Hunt was sheriff of 
Sacramento County, and later was the well-known proprietor of the International 
Hotel in San Francisco. Her mother was nee Cornelia Beazely, and both her 
parents were natives of Tennessee. From this marriage there are five children: 
Laura H., Gladys I., Joseph Dexter, Francis N. and Elizabeth H. H. In 1870 Mr. 
Phillips's father came to California and established his residence in Stanislaus 
County, remaining there until his death, which occurred in 1885.
 
An Illustrated History of Los Angeles County, California �  Chicago, The Lewis 
Publishing Company, 1889   Page 792
Transcribed by Kathy Sedler