🏠» Genealogy » Phillis and Thomas
Compiled and written by Kimberli Faulkner Hull
Grandniece of Howard Thomas Phillis
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Howard Thomas Phillis was born on 10 August 1893 in Cambridge, Guernsey County, Ohio to John C. Phillis and Julia A. Thomas.1
[Open Endnotes in separate tab]
Howard lived with his parents and family on their farm in Cambridge, Guernsey County, Ohio until he was 12 and the family moved to Caney, Montgomery County, Kansas, then a few years later about 20 miles further south to Dewey, Washington County, Oklahoma.2
In 1909, Howard’s older brothers, Charlie and Boyce, who had lived in New York City for the past three years and then traveled, came home for Thanksgiving with the family.3
In 1912, the family moved again, this time to Chicago, Cook County, Illinois.4 At the age of 24, Howard was working at the Blackstone Hotel at 7th and Michigan, where his brother Charlie also worked, which was adding on a 22 story annex in 1917.5
1917 postcard
Howard’s father, John C. Phillis, died on 30 January 1918 in Chicago and is buried in Montrose Cemetery in Chicago.6
On 18 August 1919, Howard married Ethel E. Sawyers Tate in Chicago.7 Ethel was originally from Tennessee and worked in the printing industry.8
After their marriage, Howard and Ethel lived in the same building as Howard’s mother and brothers, at 508 Grant Place in Chicago. Howard continued working at a hotel, and Ethel worked in the print industry.9
Howard’s mother, Julia Thomas Phillis, died on 20 Mar 1927 in Chicago and is also buried in Montrose Cemetery in Chicago.10
In 1930, Howard and Ethel had moved a few doors down to 514 Grant Place and Ethel’s background in printing must have inspired Howard to join the industry, as he was working as a pressman in a print shop.11
Ethel and Howard had no known children and both worked in the print industry throughout their lives.12
Howard Thomas Phillis died on Christmas Day in 1966 in Chicago at the age of 72.13 Howard is buried in Graceland Cemetery in Chicago.14
Ethel died ten years later at the age of 82 on 19 Oct 1976 in Chicago.15 Ethel is buried in Elm Lawn Memorial Park in Elmhurst, DuPage County, Illinois.16
Endnotes
1. Guernsey County, Ohio, Probate court, Record of Births, p. 141, no. 178, Howard Phillis, 10 Aug 1893.
Place of birth: Cambridge. Father: John C. Phillis. Mother: Julia A. Thomas. Residence of Parents: Cambridge Twp.
Guernsey County, Ohio, Birth Record Index Card, Howard Phillis, 10 Aug 1893. Parents: John C. Phillis and Julia A. Thomas. Birthplace: Cambridge Township. Register: vol. 2, p. 141. Registered: 1894.
2. 1900 U.S. census, Cambridge Township, Guernsey County, Ohio, population schedule, enumeration district (ED) 3, sheet 27-A, dwelling 223, family 223, John P. Philis.
– John P. Phillis, head, age 43, married 16 years, born Sept 1856 in Ohio
– Julia, wife, age 48, married 16 years, 6 children born and living, born Mar 1859 in Ohio
– Will, son, age 15, born Sep 1884 in Ohio
– Charlie S, son, age 14, born Jul 1886 in Ohio
– Fred, son, age 11, born Aug 1888 in Ohio
– Boyce, son, age 9, born June 1890 in Ohio
– Howard, son, age 6, born Aug 1893 in Ohio
– Ralph, son, age 3, born Aug 1896 in Ohio
Also, “Farewell Dinner Held for Mr. and Mrs. J. C. Phillis,” news article, Cambridge Jeffersonian, (Pleasant Valley, Cambridge, Guernsey County, Ohio), 23 Feb 1905, p. 1, col. 6.
Also, “Mr. and Mrs. J. C. Phillis and Family Begin Move to Kansas” news article, Cambridge Jeffersonian (Pleasant Valley, Cambridge, Guernsey County, Ohio), 9 Mar 1905, p. 1, col. 3.
Also, 1905 Kansas state census, Caney, Montgomery County, Kansas, population schedule, p. 5, dwelling 43, family 43, J. C. Phillis; Kansas State Historical Society, Topeka, Kansas,
1905 Kansas Territory Census, roll: ks1905_104.
– J. C. Phillis, age 48
– J. A. Phillis, age 45
– W. W. Phillis, age 20
– C. S. Phillis, age 18
– Fred, age 16
– Boyce, age 14
– Howard, 11
– Ralph, age 9
– Clarance, age 3
Also, 1910 U.S. census, Dewey Township, Washington County, Oklahoma, population schedule, enumeration district (ED) 255, sheet 19B, dwelling 389, John C. Phillis household.
The family was living on Cherokee Street.
– John C. Phillis, head, age 54, married 27 years, born in Ohio
– Julia A., wife, age 50, married 27 years, 7 children born and living, born in Ohio
– Howard, son, age 16, single, born in Ohio
– John B., son, age 19, single, born in Ohio
– Ralph R., son, age 13, single, born in Ohio
– Clarence E., son, age 8, single, born in Ohio
3. “A Family Reunion, Chas. S. and J. B. Phillis Return,” news article, The Dewey World (Dewey, Oklahoma), 2 Dec 1909, p. 8, col. 1.
4. “Mr. and Mrs. Phillis Move to Chicago,” newspaper article, Dewey Globe (Dewey, Oklahoma), 16 Feb 1912, p. 5, col. 3.
5. United States World War I Draft Registration Card, Howard Thomas Phillis, serial no. 2182, Local Draft Board 23rd ward, 58th precinct, Chicago, Illinois, 5 June 1917. Birth: 16 Aug 1893, Cambridge, Ohio. Address: 508 Grant Pl, Chicago. Occupation: Operator, Drake Hotel, Michigan and Seventh. Single. Supports father and mother.
Note: This was not the existing Drake Hotel at 140 East Walton Place. The current Drake was not built until 1920. This was the Blackstone at 636 South Michigan Avenue which adding an annex in 1917.
“Blackstone to Build 22 Story Hotel Annex,” newspaper article, Chicago Tribune (Chicago, Illinois), 5 Aug 1917, p. 1, col. 5.
Also, “History,” The Drake (https://www.thedrakehotel.com/explore/history).
Also, “History of the Blackstone,” The Blackstone (https://www.theblackstonehotel.com/about/story).
Also, United States World War I Draft Registration Card, Charles Suit Phillis, serial no. 2188, Precinct 58, 23rd Ward, Chicago, Illinois, 4 June 1917.
Address: 508 Grant Place, Chicago. Born 25 July 1886, Cambridge, Ohio.
Occupation: Bellman, Blackstone Hotel, 7th and Michigan. Single.
Also, The Blackstone Hotel, Chicago, Illinois, 1917, postcard.
6. State of Illinois, Standard Certificate of Death, Chicago, Cook County, no. 2867, John C. Phillis, 30 Jan 1918; privately held by Kimberli Faulkner Hull, Massachusetts.
Birth: 29 Sept 1856, Ohio. Age 61 years, 3 months, 1 day. Married. Occupation: Watchman. Cause of death: chronic interstitial nephritis arterial paralysis. Father: Joseph Phillis, born in Ohio. Mother: Josephine Ewing, Ohio. Informant: Charles S Phillis. Burial: Montrose, 1 Feb 1918.
7. Illinois, Cook County Marriages, Chicago, Cook County, no. 838041, Howard T. Phillis–Mrs. Ethel E. Tate, 18 Aug 1919. Groom: Age 26. Bride: Age 26.
8. Nashville City Directory 1907 (Nashville : Marshall-Bruce-Polk Co., 1907), p. 1169, Ethel Sawyers.
Sawyers, Ethel E., binder, 215 3d av N, b w s Kennedy av 2 n of Carlton av
Also, 1920 U.S. census, Chicago, Cook County, Illinois, population schedule, enumeration district (ED) 1261, ward 23, sheet 1A, dwelling 2, family 7, Howard Phillis household.
Address: 508 Grant Place
– Howard Phillis, age 26, married, born in Ohio, inn clerk, hotel
_ Ethel, wife, age 26, married, born in Tennessee, typesetter, printing
Same page, same address, dwelling 1, family 2, Julia Phillis household:
– Julia Phillis, age 61, widow, born in Ohio
– Ralph Phillis, son, age 23, single, born in Ohio, chauffeur, garage
– Clarence, son, age 18, single, born in Ohio, saleman, department store
9. Ibid.
10. State of Illinois, Department of Public Health–Division of Vital Statistics, death certificate, registered no. 6008278 (1921), Cook County, Julia A. Phillis, 20 Mar 1927; Faulkner-Hull Family Papers, privately held by Kimberli Faulkner Hull.
Transcript
Julia A Phillis, 638 Webster Ave, Chicago, Cook, Illinois, Female, White, widow Date of death: 20 March 1927, Spouse: John C Phillis Cause of death: Cerebral hemorrhage, Contributing: arteriosclerosis Age 67 years, 10 months, 20 days Occupation: housewife, Birthplace: Cambridge, Ohio. Name of father: Jos. Thomas, Birthplace of father: Cambridge Ohio Name of mother: Julia H Thomas, Birthplace of mother: Cambridge Ohio. Informant: Clarence E Phillis, Place of burial: Montrose Cemetery. Note: Parents’ names are incorrect.
11. 1930 U.S. census, Chicago, Cook County, Illinois, population schedule, enumeration district (ED) 16-1655, ward 44, sheet 11B, dwelling 60, family 229, Howard Phillis household.
Address: 514 Grant Place
– Howard Phillis, age 36, married, born in Ohio, pressman, ptg shop
– Ethel, wife, age 35, married, born in Tennessee
12. 1940 U.S. census, Chicago, Cook County, Illinois, population schedule, enumeration district (ED) 103-2799, ward 44, sheet 1B, family 11, Howard Phillis household.
Address: 2433 Geneva Terrace. Same address 1935.
– Howard Phillis, age 46, married, born in Ohio
– Ethel, wife, age 45, married, born in Tennessee, floor lady, Ideal Bindery
13. Illinois, Cook County Death Index, Chicago, Cook County, Howard Phillis, 25 Dec 1966.
Birth: 10 Aug 1894, Cambridge, Ohio. Age: 72. Occupation: Printer. Married. Address: 2433 N. Geneva Terrace. Parents: John Phillis and Julia Thomas. Funeral Home: Rentley Funeral Service. Burial: 27 Dec 1966, Graceland Cemetery, Chicago, Illinois.
14. Find A Grave, memorial 197864836, Howard Thomas Phillis (1894–1966), Graceland Cemetery, Chicago, Cook County, Illinois; no headstone photo.
15. Illinois, Cook County Death Index, Chicago, Cook County, Ethel Phillis, 19 Oct 1976. Birth: 23 May 1894, Tennessee. Widowed. Address: 2423 Geneva Terr. Age: 82. Parents: John Hamilton Sawyers and Mary Ann Longworth. Funeral home: A. L. Bentley and Son. Burial: 21 Oct 1976, Elm Lawn, Elmhurst, Illinois.
Cook County, Illinois Death Index, no. 624421, Ethel Phillis, 19 Oct 1976.
16. Find A Grave, memorial 236783817, Ethel E. Sawyers Phillis (1894–1976), Elm Lawn Memorial Park, Elmhurst, DuPage County, Illinois; no headstone photo.
Citing this page: Kimberli Faulkner Hull, author, “Howard Thomas Phillis,” Cool Adventures
( https://cooladventures.com/genealogy/howard-thomas-phillis-1893-1966/ : posted 2022).
