JOEL ANDERSON PHIPPS
Joel Anderson Phipps, b November 22, 1868 in Trinity County, Texas, d
November 20, 1945 in Marlin, Falls County, Texas and buried in Calvary Cemetery
in Marlin - was a son of Toliver and Sarah Jane (Hughes) Phipps. Toliver Phipps
died when Joel was only three years of age, and it was at that time that he was
brought by his widowed mother, sisters, and other relatives in a covered wagon,
to Texas. Joel lived in Hill County, Texas until he was a young man, when he
settled in Marlin, Texas - working as a carpenter to learn the builder's trade.
After a few years, Joel had his own contracting business, and later established
a lumberyard and planning mill in connection with his other work. He became a
prominent Building Contractor for over a half century - working in his
profession until a few years before his death.
On March 9, 1893, Joel Anderson Phipps was married in Marlin, Falls
County, Texas to Mary Remington Singer, b November 11, 1871 in Franklin,
Louisiana, d October 10,1946 in Marlin, Falls County, Texas and buried in
Calvary Cemetery - a daughter of Colonel Edgar Collins and Harriet Newell
(Remington) Singer. Colonel Singer was considered a "colorful" character -
having a devotion to the Southern Confederacy in his young manhood. He had the
distinction of developing the first torpedo ever used in naval warfare.
Experiments were made and successfully carried out along the Gulf Coast of
Texas. Mary Remington Singer (called "Mamie"), was a great, great niece of Isaac
Merrit Singer, who invented the Singer Sewing Machine in 1851, at Pittstown, New
York.
Joel and "Mamie" Phipps were the parents of seven children:
Joel Anderson Phipps, Jr., b January 14, 1894 in Marlin, Texas, d
September 1956, who married Ima Dowis, of McGregor.
Marion Singer Phipps, b September 19, 1895 in Marlin, Texas, d September
6, 1958, who married Hawke Smith of Groesbeck, Texas.
Lucille Alice Phipps, b November 29,1898 in Marlin, Texas, d July 8,
1975, who married Holt Massey, of Waco, Texas.
Charles Hughes Phipps, b October 10, 1900 in Marlin, Texas, d February
25, 1972, who married Dee Webb, of Waco, Texas.
Ruth Bernice Phipps, b July 26, 1902 in Marlin, Texas, d March 24, 1982,
who married Dan Davis of Childress, Texas.
Cecil Remington Phipps - a daughter, b September 17, 1907 in Marlin,
Texas, who married December 27, 1928 to Lafayette John Harlan, b September 23,
1903 - a son of John Luther and Elizabeth (McGlasson) Harlan, of Blue Ridge,
Falls County, Texas.
Edith Beverly Phipps, b July 21, 1912 in Marlin, Texas, who married
November 21, 1936 to John Hal Harlan, b May 25, 1901- a son of James Lee and
Mabel (Martin) Harlan.
Early in the 1900's, Joel Anderson Phipps bought the property at the end
of Capps Street, which is now the 800 block; and it was there that he opened the
Phipps Addition. He built many of the downtown Marlin buildings, and also many
residencies in the city. He was the contractor to build the present building in
1910 of the First United Methodist Church of Marlin; and he also built the
Imperial Hotel, which was connected to the Majestic Bath House.
Mary Remington (Singer) Phipps came to Marlin about 1892 from Lemont,
Illinois. Her mother was an early member of First Presbyterian Church of Marlin;
and Joel and "Mamie" were dedicated members of that church - he being a Deacon
there for many years. Mrs. Phipps was active in the women’s work of the church,
and the guiding motivation of this couple was a combination of dedication to
their home, and to their church.
Copyright Permission granted to Theresa Carhart for printing the biographies of
these Falls County Families to this Web page.
"Families of Falls County", Compiled and Edited by the Falls County Historical
Commission, page 354 column 2 and page 355 column 1 and 2.
Member of Falls County Historical Commission.
