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Hidalgo County New Mexico
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Phillips, Dr James Riley Jr,
August 10, 1863 - November 1, 1928 |
James was born to James Riley Phillips and Rebecca J Mackey Phillips in Union Grove, Upshur County, Texas. His father died in the Civil War, fighting for the Confederacy in 1862. Rebecca was left with three children.
JamesRiley Jr made an arrangement with his brother William to give him his share of the farm, if William would help pay for his education as a doctor. He attended the University of Tennessee College of Medicine and received
his diploma on Feburary 26, 1889. He practiced in Gregg County, Texas and also in McLennan County, Texas.
He married Rutha V Duncan on 12/27/1889 in Gregg County. Their daughter Bessie S Phillips was born in 1890. Rutha died in 1899 and is buried in the Donelton Cemetery near Lone Oak, Texas. Dr Phillips remarried in about 1906
to Maggie Lilly Arnold and they had three children: James Riley Phillips, III, and twin girls Ruby Lou and Pearl.
He applied for a license to practice in New Mexico in 1909 after deciding to “go West” for his health. Several other Phillips cousins moved with him and were lifelong neighbors.
Jimbo Phillips was with James when he fell from a horse in 1928, and died.
His Son In Law, Claud Barton says that James was known for his knowledge of the Bible and he often filled in when the preacher failed to arrive. And one time, Doc shot a thief robbing his chicken coop and
when he was asked to extract the shot by the thief’s family member, he said, “No, I put that shot there to stay.”
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