George Phillips (c. 1593 – July 1, 1644) was an English-born

Puritan The Puritans were English Protestants in the 16th and 17th centuries who sought to purify the Church of England of Roman Catholic practices, maintaining that the Church of England had not been fully reformed and should become more Protestant. ...

minister who led, along with

Richard Saltonstall Sir Richard Saltonstall (baptised Halifax, England 4 April 1586 – October 1661) led a group of English settlers up the Charles River to settle in what is now Watertown, Massachusetts in 1630. He was a nephew of the Lord Mayor of London R ...

, a group of English settlers up the

Charles River The Charles River ( Massachusett: ''Quinobequin)'' (sometimes called the River Charles or simply the Charles) is an river in eastern Massachusetts. It flows northeast from Hopkinton to Boston along a highly meandering route, that doubles b ...

to settle in what is now

Watertown Watertown may refer to: Places in China In China, a water town is a type of ancient scenic town known for its waterways. Places in the United States *Watertown, Connecticut, a New England town **Watertown (CDP), Connecticut, the central village ...

Massachusetts Massachusetts (Massachusett: ''Muhsachuweesut Massachusett_writing_systems.html" ;"title="nowiki/> məhswatʃəwiːsət.html" ;"title="Massachusett writing systems">məhswatʃəwiːsət">Massachusett writing systems">məhswatʃəwiːsət'' En ...

in 1630. A

who was part of the Great Migration from England to

New England New England is a region comprising six states in the Northeastern United States: Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, and Vermont. It is bordered by the state of New York (state), New York to the west and by the Can ...

, Phillips was a contemporary of, and often shared differing views with,

John Winthrop John Winthrop (January 12, 1587/88 – March 26, 1649) was an English Puritan lawyer and one of the leading figures in founding the Massachusetts Bay Colony, the second major settlement in New England following Plymouth Colony. Winthrop led t ...

. He established the first Congregational Church in Watertown and was one of the early influencers of the Congregational Church in North America. His descendants number in the thousands and are well represented in American history in the clergy, local and national politics, business, and social justice arenas.

Early life

Phillips was born in Raynham,

Norfolk Norfolk () is a ceremonial and non-metropolitan county in East Anglia in England. It borders Lincolnshire to the north-west, Cambridgeshire to the west and south-west, and Suffolk to the south. Its northern and eastern boundaries are the No ...

, England. He earned a B.A. from

Gonville and Caius College Gonville and Caius College, often referred to simply as Caius ( ), is a constituent college of the University of Cambridge in Cambridge, England. Founded in 1348, it is the fourth-oldest of the University of Cambridge's 31 colleges and one of th ...

of the

University of Cambridge The University of Cambridge is a public collegiate research university in Cambridge, England. Founded in 1209 and granted a royal charter by Henry III in 1231, Cambridge is the world's third oldest surviving university and one of its most pr ...

in 1613, and subsequently earned an M.A. degree in 1617. There he was a classmate of John Allin. By 1630 Phillips was the village vicar of Boxted, Essex and was increasingly dissatisfied, as were many Puritans, with the continuance of Roman Catholic ritual and insufficient

Calvinist Calvinism (also called the Reformed Tradition, Reformed Protestantism, Reformed Christianity, or simply Reformed) is a major branch of Protestantism that follows the theological tradition and forms of Christian practice set down by John Ca ...

influences on the

Church of England The Church of England (C of E) is the established Christian church in England and the mother church of the international Anglican Communion. It traces its history to the Christian church recorded as existing in the Roman province of Britai ...

. He and many of his parishioners chose to leave England and head for America. Phillips joined John Winthrop on the

Winthrop Fleet The Winthrop Fleet was a group of 11 ships led by John Winthrop out of a total of 16 funded by the Massachusetts Bay Company which together carried between 700 and 1,000 Puritans plus livestock and provisions from England to New England over th ...

to emigrate to America on the

Arbella ''Arbella'' or ''Arabella'' was the flagship of the Winthrop Fleet on which Governor John Winthrop, other members of the Company (including William Gager), and Puritan emigrants transported themselves and the Charter of the Massachusetts Bay Co ...

, whose passengers included Winthrop and his family,

Anne Bradstreet Anne Bradstreet ( née Dudley; March 8, 1612 – September 16, 1672) was the most prominent of early English poets of North America and first writer in England's North American colonies to be published. She is the first Puritan figure in ...

Captain John Underhill John Underhill (7 October 1597 – 21 July 1672) was an early English settler and soldier in the Massachusetts Bay Colony, the Province of New Hampshire, where he also served as governor; the New Haven Colony, New Netherland, and later the Pro ...

Thomas Dudley Thomas Dudley (12 October 157631 July 1653) was a New England colonial magistrate who served several terms as governor of the Massachusetts Bay Colony. Dudley was the chief founder of Newtowne, later Cambridge, Massachusetts, and built the tow ...

, and Richard Saltonstall. The ship left England on April 20, 1630, and arrived in Salem on June 12.

Founding of Watertown and First Congregational Church

Phillips arrived with Saltonstall at what is now known as Gerry's Landing in what was initially known as the Saltonstall Plantation, in the summer of 1630. He called the first church together in July, and in late August he had 30 acres along the

. It is claimed that Phillips was the author of the Watertown Covenant signed by the founders of the town, which not only served as an organizing document but also as a declaration of a bill of rights whose authority comes from "God": ''"We ... have undertaken (for the promoting of His glory, and the Church's good, and the honour of our blessed Jesus...) a long and hazardous voyage from… Old England in Europe, to New England in America; that we may walk before Him, and serve Him without fear, in holiness and righteousness, all the days of our lives ... and enter into a sure covenant with the Lord our God, and before Him, with one another, by oath... to renounce all idolatry and superstition, will-worship, all human traditions and inventions whatsoever in the worship of God; and forsaking all evil ways, do give ourselves wholly unto the Lord Jesus, to do Him faithful service, observing and keeping all His statutes, commands, and ordinances, in all matters concerning our reformation, His worship, administrations, ministry, and government, and in the carriage for ourselves among ourselves and one towards another, as He hath prescribed in His holy Word.Further swearing to cleave unto that he Word of Godalone, and the true sense and meaning thereof to the utmost of our power, as unto the most clear light, and infallible rule, and all-sufficient canon in all things that concern us in this our way.'' While Phillips was a Puritan, he expressed a greater tolerance and acceptance for differing Protestant thought. While critical of the Church of England, he was not an advocate of full separation. In fact, he signed a document entitled ''The Humble Request'' on the Arbella, explicitly denouncing a desire for separation. He was a supporter of

Infant baptism Infant baptism is the practice of baptising infants or young children. Infant baptism is also called christening by some faith traditions. Most Christians belong to denominations that practice infant baptism. Branches of Christianity that ...

and was tolerant of

Baptist Baptists form a major branch of Protestantism distinguished by baptizing professing Christian believers only ( believer's baptism), and doing so by complete immersion. Baptist churches also generally subscribe to the doctrines of soul compe ...

religious views, much to the consternation of John Winthrop. Phillips drafted signed and filed with the State House a petition to pardon a man who had been fined for possessing a Baptist tract. Arguably Phillips, in deviating from the strictness of Winthrop on the other side of the Charles in Boston, helped to lay the groundwork for the more inclusive spirit of today's Congregational churches. Cotton Mather once said of Phillips that he was "better acquainted with the true congregational church-discipline than most of the ministers who came with him to this country." Phillips served on the committee of the

Massachusetts General Court The Massachusetts General Court (formally styled the General Court of Massachusetts) is the State legislature (United States), state legislature of the Massachusetts, Commonwealth of Massachusetts. The name "General Court" is a hold-over from th ...

in the formulation of what became called the ''Body of Liberties'' issues in 1641. In 1642 Phillips was appointed to the Board of Overseers of the newly formed Harvard College in

Cambridge Cambridge ( ) is a College town, university city and the county town in Cambridgeshire, England. It is located on the River Cam approximately north of London. As of the 2021 United Kingdom census, the population of Cambridge was 145,700. Cam ...

Family

Phillips had children by two wives. His first wife died soon after arriving in New England. Their children were: * Samuel (1625-1696), second minister of

Rowley, Massachusetts Rowley is a town in Essex County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 6,161 at the 2020 census. Part of the town comprises the census-designated place of Rowley. History The area was inhabited by the Agawam people under sachem Ma ...

. He married Sarah Appleton. He graduated from

Harvard College Harvard College is the undergraduate college of Harvard University, an Ivy League research university in Cambridge, Massachusetts. Founded in 1636, Harvard College is the original school of Harvard University, the oldest institution of higher lea ...

in 1650. * Elizabeth, who married Job Bishop of

Ipswich Ipswich () is a port town and borough in Suffolk, England, of which it is the county town. The town is located in East Anglia about away from the mouth of the River Orwell and the North Sea. Ipswich is both on the Great Eastern Main Line ...

. By his second wife Elizabeth, Phillips had the following children: * Zerobabel (born 1632), who moved to Long Island, New York and married Ann White. * Jonathan (born 1633), married Sarah Holland. * Theophilus (born 1636), married Bethia Kedell and later Mary Bennett. He was likely related to Henry Phillips, his brother Nicholas, and Martin Phillips, all of Dedham, Massachusetts. Phillips died in Watertown on July 1, 1644 and was buried the subsequent day in what is now called the Arlington Street Cemetery. Upon his death John Winthrop wrote "He was...a Godly man, specially gifted, and very peaceful in his place, much lamented of his own people and others."

Descendants

Phillips' descendants became prominent members of Boston, Massachusetts life and are considered part of what were known as the

Boston Brahmin The Boston Brahmins or Boston elite are members of Boston's traditional upper class. They are often associated with Harvard University; Anglicanism; and traditional Anglo-American customs and clothing. Descendants of the earliest English coloni ...

s. They include New England and national leaders in religion, academia, government, business and social justice. They include: * Samuel Phillips (1690-1771), first pastor of the South Church in

Andover, Massachusetts Andover is a town in Essex County, Massachusetts, United States. It was settled in 1642 and incorporated in 1646."Andover" in ''The New Encyclopædia Britannica''. Chicago: Encyclopædia Britannica Inc., 15th ed., 1992, Vol. 1, p. 387. As of th ...

* John Phillips (1719-1795), founder of Phillips Exeter Academy. * Major Moses Phillips (1742-1818), partnered with his father-in-law

Henry Wisner Henry Wisner (c. 1720 – March 4, 1790) was a miller from Goshen, New York. He was a Patriot leader during the American Revolution who voted for Independence on July 4, 1776, at the creation of the Declaration of Independence, and represented Ne ...

in Walkill, New York to manufacture gunpowder for

George Washington George Washington (February 22, 1732, 1799) was an American military officer, statesman, and Founding Father who served as the first president of the United States from 1789 to 1797. Appointed by the Continental Congress as commander of ...

. * Samuel Phillips Jr. (1752-1802), founder of

Phillips Andover ("Not for Self") la, Finis Origine Pendet ("The End Depends Upon the Beginning") Youth From Every Quarter Knowledge and Goodness , address = 180 Main Street , city = Andover , state = Ma ...

, member of the

Massachusetts Provincial Congress The Massachusetts Provincial Congress (1774–1780) was a provisional government created in the Province of Massachusetts Bay early in the American Revolution. Based on the terms of the colonial charter, it exercised ''de facto'' control over the ...

, and former

Lieutenant Governor of Massachusetts The lieutenant governor of Massachusetts is the first in the line to discharge the powers and duties of the office of governor following the incapacitation of the Governor of Massachusetts. The constitutional honorific title for the office is His ...

. * John Phillips (1770-1823), former

Mayor of Boston The mayor of Boston is the head of the municipal government in Boston, Massachusetts. Boston has a mayor–council government. Boston's mayoral elections are nonpartisan (as are all municipal elections in Boston), and elect a mayor to a four- ...

. * Josiah Quincy III (1772-1864), former Mayor of Boston, US Congressman, and President of Harvard University. *

Wendell Phillips Wendell Phillips (November 29, 1811 – February 2, 1884) was an American abolitionist, advocate for Native Americans, orator, and attorney. According to George Lewis Ruffin, a Black attorney, Phillips was seen by many Blacks as "the one whi ...

(1811-1884), leading 19th-century abolitionist. * Samuel Curtis Johnson Sr. (1833-1919), founder of

SC Johnson S. C. Johnson & Son, Inc. (commonly referred to as S. C. Johnson) is an American multinational, privately held manufacturer of household cleaning supplies and other consumer chemicals based in Racine, Wisconsin. In 2017, S. C. Joh ...

John Sanborn Phillips John Sanborn Phillips (1861–1949) attended Knox College in Illinois, where he worked on the student newspaper and met S. S. McClure. In 1887 McClure hired him to manage the home office of the McClure Newspaper Syndicate (founded in 1884). The ...

(1861-1949), publisher of

McClure's Magazine ''McClure's'' or ''McClure's Magazine'' (1893–1929) was an American illustrated monthly periodical popular at the turn of the 20th century. The magazine is credited with having started the tradition of muckraking journalism ( investigative, wat ...

. *

Phillips Brooks Phillips Brooks (December 13, 1835January 23, 1893) was an American Episcopal clergyman and author, long the Rector of Boston's Trinity Church and briefly Bishop of Massachusetts. He wrote the lyrics of the Christmas hymn, " O Little Town o ...

(1835-1893): American Episcopal clergyman and author. * Samuel Phillips Huntington (1927-2008), Harvard political science professor and author. * Charles F. Brush (1849-1929), inventor and philanthropist. *

Bill Gates William Henry Gates III (born October 28, 1955) is an American business magnate and philanthropist. He is a co-founder of Microsoft, along with his late childhood friend Paul Allen. During his career at Microsoft, Gates held the positions ...

(1955-), billionaire software pioneer (founder of

Microsoft Microsoft Corporation is an American multinational technology corporation producing computer software, consumer electronics, personal computers, and related services headquartered at the Microsoft Redmond campus located in Redmond, Washin ...

) and philanthropist.

Legacy

In 1855 a group of orthodox Trinitarian Christians founded a new church in Watertown, naming it the Philips Congregational Church in honor of Rev. Phillips. This church later merged with another Congregational Church, Payson Park

United Church of Christ The United Church of Christ (UCC) is a mainline Protestant Christian denomination based in the United States, with historical and confessional roots in the Congregational, Calvinist, Lutheran, and Anabaptist traditions, and with approximatel ...

. The building is now owned by Redeemer Fellowship Church. Phillips is specifically mentioned in a 1948 marker at the edge of the Charles River which honors him and Saltonstall at what is called Sir Richard's Landing. The text on the monument is as follows: ''Here Reverend George Phillips protest in 1632 against taxation without representation struck the first note of civil liberty heard in this wilderness.''Sir Richard's Landing marker
Accessed February 25, 2018 Phillips also appears prominently on the Watertown Founders Monument. A Phillips Street in Watertown is likely named after him. The Phillips name appears prominently in academia with Phillips Andover and Phillips Exeter prepatoratory schools, as well as the Phillips Brooks House Association at Harvard.

References

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Phillips, George Phillips family (New England) 1644 deaths Alumni of Gonville and Caius College, Cambridge English emigration People from Boxted, Essex People from Watertown, Massachusetts People of colonial Massachusetts American Congregationalists American Puritans 17th-century Calvinist and Reformed theologians English Protestant ministers and clergy Massachusetts colonial-era clergy 17th-century New England Puritan ministers American colonial clergy Kingdom of England emigrants to Massachusetts Bay Colony 17th-century Christian clergy Year of birth uncertain People from Raynham, Norfolk