Horatio G. Phillips was one of the several merchants who laid the foundations of large fortunes in 1812. He was a native of New Jersey, and the son of Captain Jonathan and Mary Forman Phillips. He was born in 1783. His father was an officer in the Revolutionary army. In 1803 H. G. Phillips and a party of friends came west to seek a new home. At Cincinnati, on his return from a visit to Natchez, Mississippi, where he had had some thought of settling, he met D. C. Cooper, a New Jersey acquaintance, and at his invitation came to Dayton in the winter of 1804-05. At the close of the year 1805 he made the long, lonely journey on horseback, without a companion, to Philadelphia. Having purchased goods in that city, he went to Lawrenceville, New Jersey, where, on April 10, 18o6, he was married to Miss Eliza Smith Houston. The journey to Ohio was made on horseback to Pittsburg, thence by flatboat to Cincinnati, and from the latter place to Dayton in a wagon. Their home till 1812 was a two-story log house on the southwest corner of First and Jefferson streets. His store was in his dwelling. In 1809 he took his wife and their infant daughter back to New Jersey on a visit to the old home. They traveled on horseback, a lead-horse carrying their baggage. J. N. C. Schenck, of Franklin, Charles Russell Greene, and other merchants, going east for goods, traveled with them. all the men of the party being armed with rifles as roaming bands of Indians made the journey through the woods dangerous. There were now occasional taverns, where a night could be spent in primitive style.
In 1812 Mr. Phillips built a two-story brick store and a residence on the southeast corner of Main and Second streets. Dayton was at this period the thoroughfare of all regiments and wagons bound for the seat of war, and the army brought a great deal of trade to Mr. Phillips and other business men. Troops were always stationed here and their purchases added largely to the profits of our merchants. In 1812-13 Mr. Houston, whom Mr. Phillips sent to Philadelphia to purchase goods, bought more largely than the latter intended, and fearing the stock could not all be disposed of here, he opened a store at Troy, with Mr. Houston in charge. Fortunately, the war created a demand for pork, whisky, flour, and grain, taken in exchange for merchandise, and he accumulated a large amount of these articles at Troy and Dayton, which he sold at good prices at those towns, or at the forts between New Lexington and Urbana. In 1815 he opened a third store in Greenville, under the control of Easton Morris. He was actively engaged in business for many years, and retired in his old age. He was one of the founders of the first Dayton bank, and was interested in woolen mills at Hole's Creek. In 1830, in partnership with Alexander Grimes and Moses Smith, he laid out the town of Alexandersville. In 1843 or 1844 he, with others, purchased from John Kneisley the water-power afterwards owned by the Dayton Hydraulic Company. His partners were Daniel Beckel, T. D. Phillips. and S. D. Edgar. He was an ardent advocate of the building of turnpikes. The Phillips House, built in 1850, was named in his honor. In 1831 Mrs. Phillips died. "By her death society lost one of its most hospitable and gifted members and the church a liberal giver and an earnest, unselfish worker.” In 1836, Mr. Phillips married Mrs. C. P. Irwin, who survived him many years. By his first marriage he had three children who lived to grow up : Elizabeth, deceased, who married John G. Worthington, and with her son and daughter lived in Washington ; Jonathan Dickinson, born December 31, 1812, married Luciana Z. Greene, and died in 1871, his wife dying in 1881; Mariana Louisa, born March 30, 1814, married, first, Robert A. Thruston, and, second, John G. Lowe.
J. D. Phillips was a man of culture and taste, and very generous and public-spirited. When he gave anything to his native city,- and his gifts were large and frequent,-it was, if possible, beautiful as well as appropriate and useful. He was one of the founders of, and a very liberal contributor to, the Public Library, and the extent of his gifts in that and other directions was known only to a few intimate friends. He was a warm friend of the Public Library, and (about 1849) proposed to construct a room on the second floor of his new building especially adapted
to the use of the library, and lease it to the association on very favorable terms The proposition was accepted, and a room forty by sixty feet, with lofty ceiling, supported through the center by Corinthian columns, was prepared. This room was elegantly furnished by special subscription, at a cost of over two thousand dollars. It is safe to say that at that day there was no library room in Ohio outside of Cincinnati that could compare with it in beauty and convenience. The room was finished in white and gold. A pair of handsome, large, revolving globes, in tall stands, and other ornamental and useful articles were, in addition to his contribution to the general fund given by Mr. Phillips He .. very hospitable, and loved, for his own enjoyment as well as for the honor of the town, to entertain at his residence distinguished guests during their stay in Dayton. His elegant, large ball-room was the scene of many a brilliant reception.
Mrs. John G. Lowe has, through a long life, been noted for generosity and active interest in benevolent and religious work, following the example of her mother, who was a leader in every undertaking for the benefit of the community. During the War of 1812 Mrs. Phillips took sick and wounded soldiers who were brought here from the battlefield, into her own home, and nursed them till they were well, and was one of the band of ladies who constantly forwarded provisions and clothes to soldiers at the front. Her daughter, Mrs. Lowe, was one of the founders and hardest workers in the Dayton Sanitary Association. which met daily to cut out and make garments and pack boxes of food and comforts for our men serving in the army during the Civil War. Mrs. Lowe has seven children living: General Gates P. Thruston, Mrs. G. W. Houk, Mrs. Charles Newbold, Henry C. Lowe, Houston Lowe, Mrs. Fowler Stoddard, Mrs. Thomas Caddis. A son and daughter, Dickinson P. and Jeannette J. Thruston, died in early manhood and womanhood.
J. D. Phillips had one son, Horace,-who married Miss Nannie Pease and lives in Seattle.-and four daughters. Mrs. A. McD. McCook, deceased, Mrs. J. P. Davies, Mrs. J. Harrison Hall, and Miss Sophia Phillips.
