Page:The Biographical Dictionary of America, vol. 08.djvu/327

 PHILLIPS

PHILLIPS

He was a founder and fellow of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, and received the honorary degree of A.M. from Dartmouth in 1774, and that of LL.D. from Harvard in 1793. He was married, July 6, 1773, to Phebe, daughter of the Hon. Francis Foxcroft of Cambridge, Mass., and after her husband's death she assisted in founding Andover Tlieological seminary. Mr. Pliillips died in Andover, Mass., Feb. 10, 1802.

PHILLIPS, Stephen Clarendon, representa- tive, was born in Salem, Mass., Nov. 4, 1801 ; son of Capt. Stephen and Dorcas (Woodbridge) Phillips ; grandson of Stephen and Elizabeth (Elkins) Phillips, and of Dudley Woodbridge of Salem, and a descendant of the Rev. George Phillips, first minister of Watertown, Mass. He was graduated at Harvard, A.B., 1819, A.M., 1832 ; studied law, but soon abandoned it, and engaged in business in Salem. He was a repre- sentative in the Massacluisetts legislature, 1824- 80 and 1832-33, a state senator in 1831, and a Whig representative from the fifth district in the 23d, 24th and 25th congresses, being elected to fill the vacancy caused by the resignation of Rufus Choate from the 23d congress in 1834, and resigning from the 25th congress in 1838. He was the second mayor of Salem, 1838-42, a Harrison presidential elector in 1841 ; was defeated as the Free-soil candidate for governor of Massachusetts in 1848 and 1849, and engaged in the lumber business in Canada, 1849-57, He was an overseer at Harvard, 1846-54, and a member of the state board of education. He was married to Jane Appleton, daughter of Willard Peele of Salem, Mass., and secondly, Sept. 3, 1838, to Margaret Mason, sister of his deceased wife. He perished in the burning of the steamer Montreal, St. Lawrence river, June 26, 1857.

PHILLIPS, Wendell, abolitionist, was born in Boston, Mass., Nov. 29, 1811 ; eighth child of John and Sally (Walley) Phillips ; grandson of William (1737-1772) and Margaret (Wendell) Phillips, and of Thomas Walley ; great-grandson of John (1701-68) and Mary (Buttolph) Phillips, and of Jacob Wendell ; greats-grandson of Samuel Phillips of Salem and of Nicholas Buttolph of Boston ; greats-grandson of the Rev. Samuel (1625-1696) and Sarah (Appleton) Phillips, and great*-grandson of the Rev. George Phillips (1593-1644), who vpith his wife and two children, left Boxted, Essex county, England, embarked on the Arhella, April 12, 1630, and arrived in Salem, Massachusetts Bay colony, June 12, 1630. Wendell Phillips attended the Boston Latin school, 1822-26, and was graduated from Harvard in 1831. While in college he was pres- ident of the Hasty Pudding club and of the Gentlemen's club, and had so little interest in reform that he defeated the first proposition to

establish a temperance society at Harvard. He showed no taste for oratory, but was fond of debate. He was graduated from the law depart- ment of Harvard university in 1834, and was admitted to practice at the Suffolk bar. He continued his law studies in the office of Thomas Hopkinson, Lowell, Mass., and established himself in practice in Boston. He took no part in the early antislavery movement, but upon the imprisonment and subsequent outrage upon the person of William Lloyd Gar- rison, Oct. 21, 1835, he cast in his lot with, the antislavery party. He was married in October, 1837, to Ann Terry, daughter of Benjamin Green. She was deeply interested in the antislavery movement, and was largely instrumental in converting him to the cause. On Dec. 8, 1837, at a meeting held in Faneuil Hall for the purpose of giving expression to the horror felt by a number of persons headed by Dr. William Ellery Channing, at the murder of the Rev. Elijah Lovejoy, Phillips made his debut as an orator, in an impromptu reply to the scurrilous utterances of Attorney-General James T. Austin. He was one of the first to take part in the movement for a lyceum-lecture system, and in 1836 he delivered his first lecture. Tliis was followed by several others, including one on " The Lost Arts " 1838, which was probably one of the most popular lectures ever delivered in America. He was one of the lecturers who succeeded in breaking down the old rule of refusing negroes admittance to tlie lyceum lectures. He delivered his first antislavery lecture at Lynn, Mass., and in 1838 delivered a Fourth of July oration at Lynn. He advocated the rights of women as co-equal with men, and was a delegate to the world's antislavery convention held at London, England, June 12, 1840, where he earnestly spoke on the eligibility of women as delegates. His advice was out-voted, however, and the women were excluded. He traveled in Europe, visiting France, Italy and Great Britain, and returned to Boston, July 12, 1841. He was foremost in opposing the slave measures of 1841-50. The fugi- tive-slave act was passed in October, 1850, and a meeting was held in Faneuil Hall, Boston, for the denunciation of the law, at which Phillips was one of the speakers. Instant repeal of the act was demanded and a vigilance committee of