Submitted by Jimmy Phillips

Biography of Thomas L. Phillips, M. D.

Thomas L. Phillips, M. D., one of the most experienced and dependable physicians and surgeons of Lyon County has not only built up a desirable practice at Kuttawa, but has firmly established himself in the confidence of the people of his locality.

He was born in Livingston County, Kentucky, 29 March 1868, a son of George W. Phillips, and a member of an old Colonial family established in Virginia by Scotch-Irish ancestors who located in that colony prior to the American Revolution. There the grandfather of Doctor Phillips was born, but he died in Stewart County, Tennessee of pneumonia, when still a young man. He had married a Miss Curtis and brought his family to Stewart County, being the first of his name to settle in that locality.

George W. Phillips was born in Stewart County, Tennessee in 1833 and died in Christian County, Kentucky in 1917, having devoted himself to farming all his life. In 1863 he moved with his family to Johnson County, Illinois, but after three years spent there he came to Kentucky, and continued his agricultural activities in Livingston County.

In politics he was a Democrat, but he did not go actively into public matters. Not only was he a consistent and earnest member of the Free Will Baptist Church, but he was one of the active supporters of the local congregation of that denomination.

George W. Phillips married Elizabeth Williams, who was born in Montgomery County, Tennessee in 1836 and died in Livingston County, Kentucky in 1898. Their children were as follows: Lucy E. who died on the farm in 1918, was the wife of W.G. Fort, a farmer who is still living on his farm in Livingston County; John A., who is a merchant of Muhlenberg County, Kentucky; George F. who was a merchant of Paducah, Kentucky; Richard G. who is a farmer of Livingston County, Kentucky; Mary who died at the age of twenty-three years; Doctor Phillips; Robert L. who is a farmer of Livingston County; Ida Lou, who married Kit Haynes, a grocer of Paducah, Kentucky; and Eugene D., who is a ranchman of Rocky Ford, Colorado.

Doctor Phillips attended the rural schools of Livingston County, and then took a one-term course in the college preparatory institution known as the McCulley School of Madisonville, Kentucky. Following that he attended Holbrook Scientific and Classical School at Lebanon, Ohio, for one term. In the meanwhile he began teaching school, when he was nineteen years of age, and for forty-four months, off and on, was engaged in teaching in Livingston County and in the State of Arkansas, in this earning the money to further pursue his studies.

Entering the Kentucky School of Medicine at Louisville, Jefferson Co. Kentucky, he took the regular medical course and was graduated from there in 1898, with the degree of Doctor of Medicine. In 1909 Doctor Phillips took a post-graduate course in the Illinois Post-Graduate School of Chicago, Illinois, was always kept abreast of modern thought in his calling through reading and study.

In 1898 he began the practice of medicine at Dycusburg, Crittenden County, Kentucky, and remained there for thirteen years, winning the grateful affection of his patients and the respect of his fellow citizens.

In 1911 he was induced to move to Kuttawa, Kentucky, where he is now located, and here he is carrying on a general medical and surgical practice. His offices are located in the Post Office Building.

During the late war Doctor Phillips was one of the men of Kentucky who offered their services to the Government, he enlisting in the medical department of the United States Army in July, 1917, and was called into service July 5, 1918. He was sent to Fort Benjamin Harrison, near Indianapolis, Indiana, where he remained until December 27, 1918, when he was mustered out. He was commissioned a first lieutenant, but now holds the rank of captain in the Medical Reserve Corps.

Doctor Phillips is a democrat, and has served as a school trustee of Kuttawa. He is a member of the Lyon County Board of Health, but does not aspire to public office. He is a member of the Missionary Baptist Church. Well known in Masonry, he belongs to Dycusburg Lodge No. 232, A.F. and A.M.; Bristow Chapter No. 79, R.A.M.; Paducah Commandery No. II, K.T., and Rizpah Temple, A. A. O. N. M. S., of Madisonville, Kentucky. Formerly he belonged to the Woodmen of the World and Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks.

Professionally he belongs to the Lyon County Medical Society, Kentucky State Medical Society, and the American Medical Association. He owns his modern residence on Oak Street, where he has a first-class, comfortable home. In addition to serving in the army Doctor Phillips took an active part in the war work prior to being called, participating in the various drives, and buying bonds and stamps and contributing to the various organizations to his limit.

On February 7, 1900, Doctor Phillips married at Kuttawa Miss Willie Cooksey, a daughter of P.K. and Josephine ( Pickering ) Cooksey of Dycusburg, where Mr. Cooksey is engaged in a real estate business as a broker. Mrs Phillips was graduated from the public schools of Marion, Kentucky, and is a accomplished and cultivated lady.

Doctor and Mrs. Phillips have three children, namely: Mary Elizabeth, who was born June 1901, is a student in the Bethel Woman's College at Hopkinsville, Kentucky; Eugene H., who was born June 28, 1910; and Thomas L., Junior, who was born January 15, 1913.

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Thomas L. Phillips, age 88 years died May 7, 1956 in McCracken Co., Ky. a resident of Lyon Co., Ky.