Phillips - Cornelius
Source: H.W. Beckwith History of Montgomery County, Indiana (Chicago: HH Hill, 1881) p 516
Cornelius A. Phillips, physician, Pleasant Hill, was born August 11, 1838, in Adkin County, North Carolina, and is a son of James and Margaret (Vanterpool) Phillips. His parents were natives of North Carolina, and moved to Lincoln County, Kentucky, where they resided ten or twelve years, then made their home in Crawfordsville, Indiana, where he died in 1878, aged sixty-five years, and she in 1856, aged forty-one years. Both were members of the Missionary Baptist Church. The fathers of both were in the War of 1812 and lived to be over one hundred years old. The Phillipses are of Welsh descent, and the Vanterpools of German extraction. Cornelius A. Phillips received but a common school education, and early learned the carpenter's trade. In 1849 he came with his parents to Crawfordsville. When eighteen years of age he began the study of medicine. He read in spare moments, and in the winter of 1860-61 attended a course of lectures at the Cincinnati Eclectic Medical Institute. April 16, 1861, he enlisted in Co. I, 11th Ind., being the seventh man to take his place from Montgomery County. He served in the three-months service, then reenlisted, July 29, 1861, in Co. B, 19th U.S. Inf., for five years. September 20, 1861, he was transferred to the general hospital, and for over four years he served in that capacity. He gradually rose in position till he became second assistant surgeon, which place he filled for eighteen months. He took charge of the wounded, and distributed them among the different hospitals of New Orleans, Philadelphia, Baltimore, Nashville, Louisville, etc., also treating them. This was a grand school for him. During his stay in Philadelphia, in 1864, he attended the Jefferson Medical College. At the close of the war he was discharged. He soon began the practice of his profession at Pleasant Hill, in partnership with Dr. J.H. Crews, with whom he stayed one year. He then practiced in Waynetown with Drs. Boss and Steele, and next changed his location to Colfax. Remaining there but one year, he located at Pleasant Hill, where he is now the leading physician. In 1872-73 he again attended Cincinnati Eclectic Medical Institute. Dr. Phillips has met with unusual success in his practice, not having lost, on an average, to exceed two cases per year since his practice began. He is a great reader, and has a library worth quite $1,000. He was married January 1, 1864, to Elsie J. Moore, daughter of P. Moore, of Wayne township, Montgomery County. They have two children deceased and three living: Cameron A., Laura, and Aurilla. Dr. Phillips is a Methodist, and his wife is a member of the Christian Church. He is thoroughly republican. -- typed by kbz
Source: Zach, Karen Bazzani. Montgomery Medicine Men .... Crawfordsville: MCHS 2002
Receiving a common school education, and working as a carpenter, 18-year-old Cornelius A. Phillips (son of James and Margaret Vanterpool Phillips) decided his life's trade was to work with the sick. Thus, he attended lectures at the CIncinnati Eclectic Medical Institute and studied further under Dr. Bass and Dr. Steele, but it was admininstering to the wounded in the CIvil War that really gave Phillips his title of Doctor. He was the seventh man from Montgomery County to enlist, Co I, 11th Indiana. After his three-month initial stint, he enlisted again in Co. B 19th US Infantry where he stayed for five years, four of these spent in the general field hospital. He gradually rose in rank, eventually earning the Assistant Surgeon Rank. In this capacity, he took charge of wounded soldiers, distributing them to hospitals in New Orleans, Philadelphia, Nashville, Louisvilleand other places. While in Philadelphia, he completed his study at Jefferson Medical College. After the war, he returned to Pleasnat HIll, Indiana and went into partnership with Dr. J.H. Crews. Dr. Phillips boasted of losing less than two patients each year. His reading was wide and varied, including medical journals, of course. To bring in the New Year in 1864, Phillips married Elsie J. Moore of Wayne Township. They were the parents of five children, three growing to adulthood: Cameron; Laura and Aurilla. Dr. Phillips was born in Adkin County, North Carolina according to two sources although I didn't find an Adkin County, North Carolina on August 11, 1838 and he died 21 August 1887 at his home on West Main Street in Crawfordsville after a lengthy illness from consumption. - kbz
See also his obituary on this site