Tulare County Biographies

Dixon L. Phillips

Submitted by Sally Kaleta, March, 2007

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	Dixon L. Phillips, Hanford, Tulare County, California, was 
born in Yazoo City, Mississippi, June 12, 1858. His father, S. M. Phillips, was 
a prominent lawyer of Mississippi. During the Mexican War he was colonel of the 
First Mississippi Regiment, and among his most intimate friends were Zachary 
Taylor and Jefferson Davis. Upon the declaration of civil war in 1861, he joined 
the Confederate army as captain of a company in a Mississippi regiment. Through 
exposure at the engagement at Fort Pickens, he contracted a severe cold which 
resulted in pneumonia and cause his death in the fall of 1861. He left a widow 
and children to mourn his loss. In 1863 the family moved to Madisonville, and 
among the earliest recollections of young Phillips is the passage of General 
Sherman's vast army on his memorable raid to the sea, being three days and 
nights in passing the house. Dixon L. Phillips received his education chiefly at 
home, attending the public schools only three months each year. He, however, 
made rapid progression as is evinced by his reading Latin at the age of thirteen 
years. In the fall of 1872 the family emigrated to California and settled at 
Centerville, Fresno County. The ravages of the war having left them about 
penniless, Mrs. Phillips turned her attention to teaching school for a 
livelihood, and in this she was ably assisted by Dixon L., who taught 
mathematics, although at that time under fifteen years of age. In 1873, with his 
brother, B. R. Phillips, he planted the first crop of cotton grown in Tulare 
County, which was very successful. In 1874 the family moved to Fresno, and he 
worked at painting, carpentering, tinning, or any honest labor to assist in the 
support of the family. In the fall of 1877 he attended one term of school at 
White River, and, after successfully passing an examination before the County 
Board of Education, he received a certificate to teach in the public schools of 
the State, being at that time under nineteen years of age. Securing his 
certificate in March, 1878, he used this as a stepping-stone to the law, 
teaching in winter and studying during the summer with Sayle, Tupper & Tupper, 
of Fresno. He was admitted to practice in the Thirteenth District Court, June 
16, 1879. He opened his first office at Centerville in July, 1880, and was 
appointed Deputy District Attorney under W. D. Grady. In April, 1881, Mr. 
Phillips moved to Hanford, where he has since resided, engaged in the practice 
of his profession. He was married in Oakland, California, December 28, 1882, to 
Miss Florence C. Miller, a native of Kentucky and a daughter of Theo. Miller, a 
prominent lawyer of that State. In 1884 he bought property in Hanford on Eighth 
Street, and built his residence. To him and his wife, four children have been 
born: Mary Louise, Florence, Esther and Lawrence Miller. Mr. Phillips has been 
twice appointed District Attorney of Tulare County - first, under E. J. Edwards 
in 1881, during the troublous days of the land league excitement; and he was 
three weeks in trying a merchant for violating the Sunday law. Several of the 
agitators in defense of the law were hung in effigy. Mr. Phillips is a member of 
Lucerne Council, No. 103, Young Men's Institute. For two years he was president 
of the council, and in August, 1890, was elected by the sixth Grand Council as 
Grand First Vice-President. He is also retained on the committee on laws and 
supervision.
 
Source: "The Memorial and Biographical History of the Counties of Fresno, Tulare 
and Kern, California," Lewis Publ. Co., 1892, pp.403-404.