Notes and Links

• m. Ann King Hortsen; on Oct 10, 1821, In Geneva, Ontario County NY. She was b. Aug 11 1803, Geneva NY; d. Jan 16 1890, New York NY; bur Jan 19, 1890, New York NY. Ann was the daughter of Dr. William Hortsen and Mary King, both of whom were born in England.
• Samuel Akins and Ann King had 7 children:
  • William H. Phillips; b. NYC; middle name may have been Hortsen?.
  • Samuel Phillips; b. NYC
  • John Phillips; b NYC
  • Anne Phillips; b. abt. 1838, New York NY
    • m. George W. Knowlton; on Nov 19, 1859
    • Annie and George had 3 children:
      • Lena Knowlton
      • Anne Knowlton
        • m. Charles Hilliard
      • Minnie Knowlton; b. 1865 in Riverdale NY; d. 1958 at Woodlawn, NY.
        • m. William Henry Young

  • Richard M. B. Phillips; b. NYC; one middle name may have been Meade?
  • Thomas J. Phillips; b. about 1844, NYC.
  • Edwin Phillips; b. May 1846; d. Jun 1913, bur Trinity Church (254th Street, NYC)
    • m Margaret C. ___?

Brief Biography

After he left home, according to the "conventional" story, as passed down from James, Samuel joined the English Navy, while his "brother" James served as a clerk in Plymouth, England. They came to America together in 1818, after a brief tour in France. They arrived in New York City and started a private boy's academy in Harlem.

Recent findings suggest that James was enlisted in the Royal Marines and had married Agnes Robins and two children by her before deserting from the Royal Marines, abandoning his family and changing his name from James Postlethwaite to James Phillips. He came to New York in 1818 with Samuel Adkins Phillips, who could have been no relation to him at all. See the link to James Phillips and his father: Rev. Richard Postlethwaite for further details.

After Samuel married Ann King Hortsen (1803-1890) on Oct 10, 1821 in Geneva NY, while James married Judith Middagh Vermeule(1795-1881) on Oct 16, 1821 in NJ. After their marriages, Samuel and James sold their school in Harlem in 1826 and went their separate ways. Samuel and Ann went to Detroit MI, while James and Judith went to Chapel Hill NC.

Samuel and Ann apparently spent little time in Detroit and returned to New York City where he prospered as a merchant. The 1869 and 1872 New York City Directories show that he was a merchant and notary with offices at 25 Pine Street, and residence at 121 W. 20th Street. His name was listed as Samuel A. Phillips.

Samuel was buried on Dec 31 1872 at Trinity Cemetery, 254th Street, New York NY. His wife, Ann, died Jan 16 1890 and was buried on Jan 19, 1890, beside Samuel. Their son, John, and his wife, Margaret, are believed to also be buried nearby.

Samuel's niece, Cornelia Ann (Phillips) Spencer (daughter of James Phillips (1792-1867) visited Samuel in New York City in 1867, just after her father's death, and entered the following in her journal: "I was glad to be at my uncle Sam Phillips' and talk with him of my father. They were very unlike, but there was resemblance enough to make me cling to him".

Summary of the circumstantial evidence that Samuel Adkins Phillips (1790-1872) was NOT the son of Richard Postlethwaite (c1765-1819):

• There is no record of Richard Postlethwaite having a son by the name of Samuel in the Church records at Nevendon, whereas there are records for his sons, John, James, and Enoch. Richard was installed at the Nevendon Church in 1788, prior to Samuel's date of birth in 1790 as recorded on his tombstone.
• Samuel had a son named Samuel by his second wife, Benedicta, and it would be highly unusual for Richard to have two sons named Samuel, unless the earlier one died young (which didn't happen).
• Samuel had a middle name, "Adkins", while none of his other children by either of his two wives had middle names, except Mary Benedicta, who was clearly named for her mother. Also, the evangelical Christian faith did not approve of names other than biblical Christian names for first and middle names. The first names of all of his other children are biblical Christian names, whereas, the name "Adkins" is clearly a family surname.

References:

• Discourse with descendant Virginia "Ginny" Henley of Keller TX.
• Discourse with descendant Harry B. Phillips of Spanish Fort, AL.
• When Chapel Hill was a Village, by Cornelia Spencer Love, published by UNC Press, Chapel Hill NC, 1976.
• Old Days in Chapel Hill by Hope Summerell Chamberlain, pub. by the UNC Press, 1927.
• The Woman Who Rang The Bell, by Phillips Russell, pub. by the UNC Press, 1949.