Joseph Phillis and Elizabeth Little

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Husband Joseph Phillis ¹

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           Born: Abt 1744 - Ireland
     Christened: 
           Died: 1830 - ? Washington Co, PA 1
         Buried: 

       Marriage:  - Ireland

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Wife Elizabeth Little ¹

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           Born: 
     Christened: 
           Died: 1827 1
         Buried: 

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Children

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1 M John Phillis ¹

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           Born: 
     Christened: 
           Died:  - Guernsey Co, OH
         Buried: 

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2 M James Phillis ¹

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           Born: 
     Christened: 
           Died:  - Pennsylvania
         Buried: 

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3 M Joseph Phillis ^{1 2 3}

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           Born: Abt 1789 - Raccoon Twp, Beaver Co, PA
     Christened: 
           Died: 
         Buried: 

         Spouse: Elizabeth Cowen (      -      ) 2 3

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4 M Charles Phillis ¹

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           Born: 
     Christened: 
           Died:  - Ohio
         Buried: 

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5 M Jacob Phillis ¹

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           Born: 8 Apr 1792 4
     Christened: 
           Died: 1847 4
         Buried: 

         Spouse: Ann Bruce (1798-1871) 4

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6 M William Phillis ¹

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           Born: 
     Christened: 
           Died: while young
         Buried: 

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7 M Thomas Phillis ¹

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           Born: 
     Christened: 
           Died: 
         Buried: 

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8 F Nancy Phillis ¹

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           Born: 
     Christened: 
           Died: 
         Buried: 

         Spouse: David Alexander (      -      ) 1

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9 F Elizabeth Phillis ¹

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           Born: 
     Christened: 
           Died: 
         Buried: 

         Spouse: Thomas Cherry (      -      ) 1

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10 F Jane Phillis ¹

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           Born: 
     Christened: 
           Died: 
         Buried: 

         Spouse: Joseph Walker (      -      ) 1

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11 F Catharine Phillis ¹

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           Born: 
     Christened: 
           Died: 
         Buried: 

         Spouse: Gilbert Hallick (      -      ) 1

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General Notes: Husband - Joseph Phillis

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In 1775 he came to America, locating in Washington County, Pennsylvania, near the present site of McDonald village. He raised the first crop of corn in that part of the county, which crop yielded fifty bushels to the acre, then considered a very large average. He was a soldier in the Revolutionary War, and after its close located on a part of the Hoagland and Crawford tract in Smith township, which was thereafter in the possession of the Phillis family for several generations. Before the first crops were raised, the family came near starving, and driven to desperation, they decided to watch a cow and see upon what kind of vegetation she subsisted. After observation they made "greens" the food of the family, and so managed to exist until the grain was ripened to replenish the empty larder. Indians were numerous and hostile in those early days, and wild animals were plenty. The home of these early pioneers was known as the "Dunmore War tract," and under careful cultivation the wild land soon assumed an air of comfort and civilization, becoming in time a valuable piece of property.

On May 10, 1776, he received the first genuine land title which was issued in Smith township, Washington County, Pennsylvania.

He came from Kentucky opposite Cincinnati, about 1777, and settled in Washington County, Pennsylvania, where he purchased 300 acres of land, and followed farming and stock raising, being one of the first settlers in that part of Pennsylvania.

The English family of Phillis has been long identified with Beaver County, Pennsylvania, whither the emigrant, Joseph Phillis, came from his native land. He was born in England in 1694, died in Beaver County, Pennsylvania, at the wonderful age of one hundred and seven years.

1 —, Commemorative Biographical Record of Washington County, Pennsylvania (Chicago, IL: J. H. Beers & Co., 1893), Pg 672.

2 —, History of Beaver County, Pennsylvania (Philadelphia and Chicago: A. Warner & Co., Publishers, 1888), Pg 803.

3 John W. Jordan, LL.D., Genealogical and Personal History of Beaver County, Pennsylvania (New York: Lewis Historical Publishing Co., 1914), Pg 755.

4 —, Commemorative Biographical Record of Washington County, Pennsylvania (Chicago, IL: J. H. Beers & Co., 1893), Pg 673.