Samuel Phillips (reverend)

Samuel Phillips
Samuel Phillips by John Greenwood
1st Pastor of the South Church, Andover, Massachusetts
In office
October 17, 1711 – June 5, 1771
Preceded by office established
Succeeded by Jonathan French
Personal details
Born Samuel Phillips
(1690-02-17)February 17, 1690
Salem, Massachusetts Bay, British America
Died June 5, 1771(1771-06-05) (aged 81)
Andover, Massachusetts Bay, British America
Resting place South Church Cemetery, Andover, MA [1]
Spouse(s)
Hannah White (m. 1711)
Children Mary (b. 1712)
Samuel (b. 1715)
Lydia (b. 1717)
John (b. 1719)
William (b. 1722)
Parents Samuel Phillips
Sarah Emerson
Education Harvard College, 1708
Signature

Samuel Phillips (February 17, 1690 – June 5, 1771) was a minister and the first pastor of the South Church in Andover, Massachusetts. His grandson, Samuel Phillips Jr., was the founder of Phillips Academy Andover and shortly the lieutenant governor of Massachusetts.

Early life

Samuel Phillips was born in Salem, Massachusetts on February 17, 1690.[2][lower-alpha 1] Phillips was the eldest son of Samuel Phillips and Sarah Emerson.[4] His grandfather was Samuel Phillips of Rowley and his great-grandfather George Phillips of Watertown,[5] one of the first to settle in Watertown and founder of its First Congregational Church.

Phillips was admitted to Harvard College in July 1704 and graduated in 1708.[4] After about a year of teaching in Chebacco (formerly a parish of Ipswich and currently Essex), Massachusetts, he became more focused on preparing for the ministry.[6]

Ministry

Phillips preached in Norton for a short period of time. He had the respect of the parish and was asked to relocate and begin preaching with its the new church.[6] He was not ordained however: "The influence of the minister of the old Parish of Taunton was unfavorable."[6] In 1710 Phillips came to Andover to serve as the pastor of the newly founded South Church. He began preaching on April 30th of that year. On December 12th the Parish voted unanimously in his favor. He declined however, to officially take on the role immediately after his approval due to his young age.[6] On October 17, 1711, the day of the official organization of the church and at the age of 22, Phillips was ordained as the first pastor of the South Church.[3] He "preached the [first] Sermon himself, from Ezek. 3:17."[6] While pastor he published a number of works, many of which were written for members of the parish to take as guidance.[7]

Phillips remained pastor of the church until his death on June 5, 1771, serving nearly sixty years.

Marriage and children

Phillips married Hannah White (1691 – January 7, 1773) of Haverhill, daughter of John White[lower-alpha 2] of Haverhill and Lydia Gilman on January 17, 1712.[9][10][11][8][lower-alpha 3] Together they had five children:

  1. Mary (November 30, 1712 – 1737) was married to Samuel Appleton, of Haverhill.[9]
  2. Samuel (February 13, 1715 – August 21, 1790) was a teacher, businessman, a deacon of South Church, a Representative to the General Court and the Convention of Deputies, and a member of the Governor's Council. He graduated from Harvard University in 1734. He was a founder of Phillips Academy along with John Phillips (see below) and especially Judge Samuel Phillips and President of its Board of Trustees.[13][14]
  3. Lydia (June 10, 1717 – November 4, 1749) was married to Parker Clark.[15]
  4. John (December 17, 1719 – April 21, 1795) was a teacher, merchant, judge, and trustee of Dartmouth College. He graduated from Harvard University in 1735. He is also a founder of Phillips Academy and sole founder of Phillips Exeter Academy.[15]
  5. William (June 25, 1722 – January 15, 1804) was a merchant, representative, senator, member of the Constitutional Convention, deacon of the Old South Church in Boston, and trustee of Phillips Academy.[15]

Hannah died on January 7, 1773 at the age of 82.[9][11][lower-alpha 4]

Death and legacy

Phillips died on June 5, 1771. Over the course of his ministry, he baptised 2143 people including 30 adults[16] and witnessed the parish grow from 35 in 1711 to 573.[17] He is the longest serving pastor of the church to date. He is buried in the South Church Cemetery, Andover, Massachusetts along with other members of the Phillips family.[1]

Publications

Phillips wrote a number of publications over his lifetime covering a variety of subjects. The following is a complete list of his works:[12]

TitleYear CompletedNotes
Elegy upon the death of Nicholas Noyes and George Curwen1718Reverend Noyes (1647 – 1718) was a minister who served as the assistant reverend to Reverend John Higginson during the Salem witch trials in 1692. He was born in Newton and graduated from Harvard College in 1667. He may not gave regretted participating in the witch trials given that his signature is not present on related documents asking for forgiveness. He died of brain hemorrhage.[18]
A word in Season1727
Three plain, practical Discourses1728
Advice to a Child1729
The History of the Saviour1738
The Orthodox Christian1738
A Minister's Address to his People1739
A Preface to Mr. Barnard's funeral sermon for Mr. Abiel Abbot1739
Artillery Election Sermon1741
Living Water to be had for Asking1750
A Sermon at the General Election1750
A Sermon at the Installation of Rev. Samuel Chandler1751Chandler (1712 – April 16, 1775) was born in Andover, MA. He was ordained in the second parish of York, ME from January 20, 1742 to 1751 and served as a member of the clergy of Gloucester, MA from November 13, 1751 until his death.[12]
Sinner's Refusal to come to Christ Reproved1753Delivered in Boston on June 3, 1753[19]
The Necessity of God's drawing in order to men's coming unto Christ1753
Convention Sermon1753
Sermon at the Ordination of Nathan Holt1759Holt (1725 – August 2, 1792)[lower-alpha 5] was born and baptized in the South Parish of Andover. His father Nicholas Holt and mother were also members of the South Church.[20] He was ordained pastor of the church of Danvers, MA on January 3, 1759.[12]
Seasonable Advice to a Neighbor1761
Address to Young People1763
Discourse on Justification1766Delivered in Boston[12]
A Sermon on Suicide1767Given after the death of David Gray[12]

See also

Notes

  1. ↑ One source[3] claims his date of birth is unknown, either February 17, 1689 or 1690, but according to two different sources[2][4] he was born in 1690.
  2. ↑ John White (March 8, 1663-64 – November 20, 1727) was a "highly respectable and influential" figure born in Haverhill, Massachusetts to John White (b. 1639-40) and Hannah French. He is a grandson of William White, one of the first settlers of Haverhill landing in Ipswich in 1635 and one of the grantees of the Indian deed of Haverhill, dated November 15, 1642. He served as Town Clerk in 1694, the Representative of Haverhill in the General Court for eight years, 1700,02,03,08,13,15,16,19, Captain of the Haverhill company, and magistrate of the County Court. Rev. Samuel Phillips (1690 – 1771), his son-in-law after his marriage to Hannah in 1712, described him as the "Worshipful John White." He married Lydia Gilman on October 24, 1687.[8]
  3. ↑ The American Society of Church History cites Phillips' marriage to Hannah White having taken place on January 7, 1712.[12]
  4. ↑ The American Society of Church History says Hannah White died on January 11, 1773.[12]
  5. ↑ The Hisotrical Manual of the South Church in Andover, Mass. claims Holt died on August 1, 1792.

References

  1. 1 2 Glassford 2011.
  2. 1 2 Mooar 1859, p. 95.
  3. 1 2 Taylor 1856, p. 7.
  4. 1 2 3 American Society of Church History 1921, p. 273.
  5. ↑ Mooar 1859, p. 95-96.
  6. 1 2 3 4 5 Mooar 1859, p. 96.
  7. ↑ Mooar 1859, p. 99.
  8. 1 2 White 1889, p. 9-11.
  9. 1 2 3 Mooar 1859, p. 100.
  10. ↑ Topsfield Historical Society 1912.
  11. 1 2 Rev. George Phillips Genealogy.
  12. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 American Society of Church History 1921, p. 274.
  13. ↑ Mooar 1859, p. 100-101.
  14. ↑ New England Historic Genealogical Society 1885, p. 109-110.
  15. 1 2 3 Mooar 1859, p. 101.
  16. ↑ Mooar 1859, p. 67.
  17. ↑ Mooar 1859, p. 123-181.
  18. ↑ Salem Witch Museum.
  19. ↑ Phillips 1753.
  20. ↑ Mooar 1859, p. 91-92.

Bibliography

  • American Society of Church History (1921). Loetscher, Frederick, ed. Papers of the American Society of Church History. New York: G.P Putnam's Sons. p. 274. Retrieved 3 October 2018.
  • Glassford, John (2011). "Rev Samuel Phillips". Find A Grave. Find A Grave.
  • Mooar, George (1859). Historical manual of the South church in Andover, Mass. Andover, MA: Warren F. Draper.
  • New England Historic Genealogical Society (1885). Dean, John, ed. The New England Historical and Genealogical Register. 39. Boston: New England Historic Genealogical Society.
  • Phillips, Samuel (1753). Sinner's Refusal to come to Christ Reproved. Boston: S. Kneeland. Retrieved 4 October 2018.
  • "Rev. George Phillips Genealogy". Access Genealogy. Dennis N. Partridge. Retrieved 5 October 2018.
  • Salem Witch Museum. "Site of Reverend Nicholas Noyes Home". The 1692 Salem Witch Trials. Salem Witch Museum. Retrieved 6 October 2018.
  • Taylor, John (1856). A Memoir Of His Honor Samuel Phillips, LL. D. Boston: Congregational Board of Publication.
  • Topsfield Historical Society. LaMarco, Frances, ed. "Andover, MA Vital Records to 1850 [Marriages]". Rays Place. Topsfield Historical Society.
  • White, Daniel Appleton; Richards, Annie Frances (1889). The Descendants of William White, of Haverhill, Mass. Boston: American Printing and Engraving Company. Retrieved 5 October 2018.
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