Kentucky: A History of the State, Battle, Perrin, & Kniffin, 5th ed., 1887,
Jessamine Co.

JUDGE WILLIAM H. PHILLIPS is the eldest son of Harrison and Matilda
(Pickeral) Phillips of Jessamine County.  He was born in 1838, and was
first married, April 5, 1859, to Silina Spears; she died March 6, 1874. The
children born to his first marriage are John H., born February, 1860, died
May 11, 1861; Dr. George M., August 11, 1862; Arthur Lee, December 6, 1864;
Mrs. Florence Denman, December 6, 1871; Mary S., March 11, 1873, died
October 29, 1875.  Judge Phillips married again, on the 19th of October,
1880, Miss Alice Shook, of Indiana, and they have one child, Annie Lena,
born September 15, 1881.  In 1874 William H. Phillips was elected county
judge of Jessamine County, and has held the office twelve years, having
been elected four times.  His administration of the affairs of the county
has been one of marked success.  His executive ability, his energy of
character, his long business experience, have given him power to do equal
justice to all, and to guard well the interests of Jessamine County.
Judge W. H. Phillips, the subject of this sketch, was born in Jessamine
County, Ky., on the 30th of March, 1838.  His father, H. H. Phillips, is
one of our most highly respected citizens, and at one time filled the
position of sheriff of the county.  W. H. Phillips spent the early portion
of his life on the farm of his father, and the education which he received
was mostly at the common schools in that vicinity, and latterly at Bethel
Academy in Nicholasville.  From the time he attained his majority up to
the year 1874 he resided on his farm in Jessamine County and devoted
himself to agricultural pursuits.  Although up to that time he had never
sought office he was a faithful and efficient worker in the Democratic
party.  In 1874 Jessamine County was in the hands of the Republicans.
The internal dissensions in the Democratic ranks had become so formidable
that even the most hopeful saw defeat staring the party in the face, and
when the convention met to nominate a Democratic ticket the party
dissensions became more apparent.  In that convention W. H. Phillips was
nominated for county judge--the nomination being unexpected to him and
unsought by him, but he cheerfully accepted the standard of his party as
their leader in which was then considered a forlorn hope.  That canvass
and the election which followed will always be remembered as one of the
hottest in the political history of our county.  The Republican party was
then in power and thoroughly organized.  Every county office was held by
their leaders, but in spite of all their efforts Phillips was elected by
a majority of 14 votes.  The Democratic candidate for circuit clerk was
elected by 11 votes, but the rest of the ticket were defeated by majorities
ranging from 40 to 180 votes.  This was the first signal defeat the
Republican party ever sustained in Jessamine County.  In 1878 Judge
Phillips was again nominated--this time he had an Independent Democrat in
the field against him in addition to the strongest man in the Republican
party.  Every effort was again made to defeat him, but he again triumphed,
having been elected by a majority of 26 votes.  In 1882 he again received
the nomination at the hands of his party and was again successful at the
polls, defeating his Republican competitor by 196 votes.  In 1885 at the
earnest solicitation of his friends he again became a candidate, having
submitted his claims to the party, he was chosen their leader and defeated
the Republican nominee 376 votes.  Judge Phillips is now serving his fourth
term, and no better testimonial need be given of the acceptability with
which he has discharged the duties of his office than the fact that in his
last race for the nomination he was elected over one of the most popular
and deserving members of his party by a majority of 300 votes.  As a
Democrat, Judge Phillips has ever been devoted to his party; as an officer,
he has been faithful and efficient; as an honest, upright citizen his is
the peer of any man in Jessamine County.

Phillips Pickeral Spears Denman Shook
=
IN

http://www.rootsweb.com/~kygenweb/kybiog/jessamine/phillips.wh.txt