PUBLIC "-//Wytheville Community College::Kegley Library::Special Collections//TEXT (US::ViWyC::viwyc00071::A Guide to the Phipps Family Papers, 1889-1915)//EN" "viwyc00071.xml" A Guide to the Phipps Family Papers, 1889-1915 Phipps Family, Papers, 1889-1915 2006.3 Cathy Carlson Reynolds Special Collections, Kegley Library, Wytheville Community College © 2011 By Wytheville Community College. All rights reserved.

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Machine-readable finding aid derived from MS Word, created by Cathy Carlson Reynolds, 3 February 2012 Description is in English 2013-11-21 Converted to schema conforming EAD by dtd2schema.vh.xsl. A Guide to the Phipps Family Papers, 1889-1915 A Collection in Special Collections, Kegley Library 2006.3 Cathy Carlson Reynolds

Special Collections, Kegley Library, Wytheville Community College 2011 Cathy Carlson Reynolds Special Collections, Kegley Library, Wytheville Community College Descriptive Summary Special Collections, Kegley Library Phipps Family Papers 1889-1915 2006.3 12 folders. English Administrative Information Access Restrictions

Collection is open to research.

Use Restrictions

There are no restrictions.

Preferred Citation

Phipps Family Papers, Mss. Collection 2006.3, Kegley Library, Wytheville Community College, Wytheville, VA

Acquisition Information

Donated by Ruth Ann Chitwood as part of the W. R. Chitwood Collection in 2001, 2006 addendum.

Biographical Information

John Martin Phipps, born 26 June 1865, was the son of Joseph A. Phipps and Cynthia Bourne Phipps of Bridle Creek, Grayson County, Virginia. He attended King College and the Medical College of Virginia from which he graduated in 1887. On 8 April 1887 he received his license to practice medicine, establishing a practice in Independence initially before moving to Rural Retreat, Virginia.

Phipps married Cora Miller, daughter of Rev. Charles K. Miller and Mattie Young Miller, on 28 November 1892. A native of Rural Retreat, Cora Miller Phipps graduated from Martha Washington College in 1885. The Phipps raised three children, Ruth Varnelle Phipps (1893-1972), John Neal Phipps (1900-1962), and Lois M. Phipps (1907-1959). The family attended Rural Retreat Methodist Church; Dr. Phipps served the church as a trustee for many years. He also had a farm, raising cabbages and apples among other crops.

Dr. Phipps died 17 June 1911 from a cerebral hemorrhage. Cora Miller Phipps spent the next several years raising her two children and settling financial issues such as selling stock acquired by her husband. She also continued to manage the family farm and livestock. She died on 10 February 1934 and is buried with her husband and children in Mountain View Cemetery in Rural Retreat, Virginia.

 Scope and Content

This collection consists of three series. Series I, Correspondence (1897-1918) includes letters received by Dr. John Martin Phipps and his widow Cora Miller Phipps from agricultural businesses, stock brokers, banks, real estate agents, veterinarians, and others.

Series II, Medical and Financial Records (1889-1915) consists of several daybooks containing notes on patients. Also included are receipts and account statements.

Series III, Miscellaneous Records (1912) contains a newspaper clipping about Charles S. Wassum and a report card for John Neal Phipps.

 Contents List Series I. Correspondence. 1897 - 1918, undated. 6 folders. Folder 1. Correspondence. 1897 - 1909. 1:1 8 items.

Correspondents include Laura Vaughan, John D. Cunningham of American Fruit Union, E. G. Bentley of Stafford Manufacturing Company, J. O. Straley of Wytheville District Methodist Church, and James W. Stuart. Topics include shipment and farming of cabbages and potatoes, Rural Retreat Methodist Church, and life in Wilmore, Kentucky (James W. Stuart).

Folder 2. Correspondence. 1910 - 1913. 1:2 8 items.

Correspondents include Lewis Nixon of Standard Motor Construction Company, Womble and Bryant Real Estate, Thomsen Chemical Company, J. G. Oliver of Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, and T. O. Herbert of Merchants Cold Storage and Ice Manufacturing Company. Topics include Standard Motor Construction Company stock, life insurance policies of Dr. John Martin Phipps, apple orchards and apple cultivation and fertilization.

Folder 3. Correspondence. 1914 - 1915. 1:3 10 items.

Correspondents include W. B. Hibbs Company, D. E. Newland, Mrs. E. E. Bolling, Beardsley and Company, and W. F. Culbert. Topics include stock management, illness of John (horse of Cora Miller Phipps), debt of Mrs. E. E. Bolling, and shipment of ground limestone.

Folder 4. Correspondence. January - March 1916. 1:4 6 items.

Correspondents include Mrs. E. E. Bolling, W. F. Culbert, Thomas and Thomas Law Firm, P. Z> Thompson, and H. H. Horton and Company. Topics include sale of Standard Motor Construction Company stock, ground limestone delivery, debt of Mrs. E. E. Bolling, health of P. Z> Thompson and Fannie Hall of Ivanhoe, Virginia.

Folder 5. Correspondence. April - August 1916. 1:5 8 items.

Correspondents include Gammon General Merchants, Ewald Insurance Agency, J. Hicks Rhudy of Virginia Examiner of Records Office, Dr. James M. Miller, Jno. A. Groseclose of Smyth County Trust Company, P. Z. Thompson, Lee and McVilty Company, and Mrs. Prickett. Topics include rental property in Newport News, Virginia, bond for Ruth Phipps, verification regarding guardianship of her children, banking transactions, and World War I. Cora Miller Phipps requested that Mrs. Prickett and Lee and McVilty Company refuse any purchases by her son John Neal Phipps.

Folder 6. Correspondence. 1917 - 1918, undated. 1:6 4 items.

Correspondents include Thomas and Thomas Law Firm, H. L. Bonham, Local Food Administrator of Smyth County, T. W. Murphy of C. C. Alley Confectioners and Fancy Grocers, and C. L. Jennings and Son. Topics include acceptance of cow from Martha Brewer in settlement of debt, threshing methods for wheat crop, apple crop shipment, and shipment of cabbages and potatoes.

Series II. Medical and Financial Records. 1889 - 1915. 3 folders. Folder 1. Medical and Financial Records. 1890 - 1908, 1915, undated. 2:1 8 items.

Folder includes receipt from Thomas, Haller and Company, 1892 statement of account with E. A. Craighill and Company, professional advertisement (1892) for Dr. John Martin Phipps, application for Virginia professional license, 1915 receipt from Rural Retreat Drug Store, and blank statements from J. M. Phipps Grower and Shipper of Cabbage, Potatoes, and Apples.

Folder 2. Medical and Financial Records - Daybooks. 1889 - 1894. 2:2 5 items.

21 April 1889 - 25 April 1889; 11 March 1892 - 26 May 1892; 17 September 1893 - 20 April 1894; 10 May 1894- 1 July 1894; and 16 August 1894 - 19 October 1894.

Folder 3. Medical and Financial Records - Daybooks. 1897 - 1900. 2:3 5 items.

Folder contains five daybooks used by Dr. John Martin Phipps to record medical transactions. Each daybook includes name of patient, date of visit, description of visit and treatment. Included are visits from 27 November 1897 - 8 April 1898; 9 April 1898 - 5 August 1898; 6 August 1898 - 5 December 1898; 12 March 1900 - 4 July 1900; and 5 July 1900 - 1 November 1900.

Folder 4. Medical and Financial Records - Daybooks. 1901 - 1904. 2:4 Folder contains five daybooks used by Dr. John Martin Phipps to record medical transactions. Each daybook includes name of patient, date of visit, description of visit and treatment. Included are visits from 1 April 1901 - 15 August 1901; 14 April 1902 - 4 August 1902; 3 October 1902 - 28 November 1902; 6 April 1904 - 21 June 1904; and 26 June 1904 - 24 September 1904. Folder 5. Medical and Financial Records - Daybooks. 1905 - 1908, undated. 2:3 6 items.

Folder contains five daybooks used by Dr. John Martin Phipps to record medical transactions. Each daybook includes name of patient, date of visit, description of visit and treatment. Included are visits from 16 August 1905 - 9 December 1905; 9 December 1905 - 29 March 1906; 24 July 1907 - 27 November 1907; 25 February 1908 - 29 May 1908; 30 May 1908 - 27 August 1908; undated.

Series III. Miscellaneous Records. 1912. 2 items.

Series includes newspaper clipping regarding Charles S. Wassum, manager of the Royal Oak Boxwood Farm in Marion, Virginia and a report card for John Neal Phipps while a student at Rural Retreat School with teacher Alda Cline.