Stephen Clarendon Phillips

Burial Location: Amaranth Path, Lot #150, Grave #8

Stephen Clarendon Phillips was born on November 4, 1801 in Salem. His parents were Stephen Phillips and Dorcas Woodbridge Phillips.

Stephen C. Phillips graduated from Harvard College in 1819. He immediately went into business as a merchant in Salem Massachusetts, but also spent much of his life in elective offices. He was a member of the Massachusetts House of Representatives from 1824- 1829, and then was elected to the State Senate in 1830. He was then elected to the 23^rd (1833-1835), 24^th (1835-1837) and 25^th (1837-1839) sessions of the US Congress. He resigned in 1838 and was elected the second mayor of Salem in which office he served until 1842. He was defeated in his bids for the office of Governor in 1848 and 1849.

He married Jane Appleton on November 6, 1822. She died December 19, 1837. On September 3, 1838, he married his first wife’s sister, Margaret Mason Peele. Eight children were born during his first marriage and four more during his second marriage.

During his later years, Stephen C, Phillips was active in the lumber business in Canada, He is said to have had a hopeful spirit and undaunted courage. After visiting the site of his business, he booked passage on a steamboat called Montreal going from Quebec City to the city of Montreal. Fire broke out. Of the 400 passengers on board only 150 were saved. Stephen C. Phillips was not one of these. He died in the St. Lawrence River on June 26, 1857 His body was recovered and a funeral service was held at the Barton Square Church in Salem on June 30, 1857. In his obituary it was said that; “He was one of nature’s noblemen and as an able, honest, sincere Christian man, added worth to the human race by belonging to it.”

Sources Consulted:

• Find a Grave: findagrave.com /memorial/166382736/stephen-clarendon-phillips
• History/house.gov/People/Detail/19660
• Wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Stephen_C_Phillips&oldid1119265873
• Wikitree: Stephen Clarendon Phillips (1801-1857)