Eugene PHILLIPS

22 Oct 1881 - 26 Dec 1909

h/o Malinda Elnora (Carson) Phillips m. 26 May 1905
s/o James M. & Martha Divon "Mattie" (Dodson)Phillips

This is one of a number of Woodmen of the World monuments in the Pleasant Ridge Cemetery. There were at least four articles pertaining to his death and the erection of the monument that were carried in the Mountain Echo, Yellville, from December 31, 1909, until July 22, 1910. One told about his death, and brought out that he "Was a member of the W.O.W. carrying $1,000 life insurance." Another stated, "The W.O.W. made settlement of the death claim of Eugene Phillips...The amount was $750.00. The July 22, 1910, Mountain Echo then carried a long article that gives present day readers insight to the ceremonies that accompanied Woodmen of the World Memorials.

Sunday at Pleasant Ridge
The Woodmen of the World camp of this place, joined by some of the members of the camp at Flippin, turned out in a body at Pleasant Ridge last Sunday and amid solemn and imposing ceremonies, decorated the grave of their deceased soverign Eugene Phillips, also unveiling the monument recently erected at his grave by the noble order. The memorial sermon was preached by Rev. John Womack of Harrison at 11 o'clock and immediately after the sermon the Woodmen formed in double file procession and marched to the cemetery, to decorate the grave. The conciousness of the fact that once every year a band of faithful brother soverigns will gather round your grave and tenderly wreath its mound with flowers, in token of love and remembrance, is certainly alone sufficient to inspire in every man a desire to become a woodmen. A large concourse of relatives and friends witnessed these rites that woodmen pay their dead. After the sovereigns had each deposited on the grave his floral tributes, the bereaved father and wife of the deceased, together with the little three-year-old daughter, Zena, each with that devotion that never dies, planted a beautiful floral offering over the remains of him whose dear association and protection is lost to them. The noon hour having arrived, white spreads were soon in evidence all about through the shady grove and invitations came up from everywhere to "come along and take dinner with us." Those who have visited Pleasant Ridge on former occasions know something of the generous hospitality of the people in the community and their habit of taking their baskets WELL filled. Suffice to say that in this respect, this occasion was no exception to their well established rule and if anyone left there hungry, it was through no one's fault but his own. At 2 o'clock the Woodmen were called together by the tap of the drum and proceeded to the cemetery, while the woodmen cornet band of Yellville discoursed a funeral march.

After the Woodmen had taken their positions around the grave, the band came within the wedge shaped circle and played Nearer My God To Thee. With due ceremonies the veil was raised from the shaft of gray granite that will for ages mark the place where a worthy Woodman sleeps and the crowd repaired to the stand in the grove, for the further excercises of the occasion. The band played another appropriate selection, at the close of which Zena, the little daughter of the deceased was lifted to the speaker's desk, where, in a clear an distinct voice, she repeated the following beautiful and touching verses in memory of her father.

My papa was a Woodmen
You really couldn't find
In all the good old world
A papa so good as mine.
He joined the order to protect
Mama and we little girls.
He was a faithful member
of the Woodmen of The World.
He was a faithful husband;
He was my papa dear;
He was a noble Woodman
The one that's buried here.

On behalf of the order, the memorial address was then deliered by A. C. Sewel and was indeed a splendid tribute to the life and character of the deceased and the wisdom which he exercised in providing his loved ones with the protection not he left them through having associated himself with the order of the Woodmen; and portrayed in forcible terms not only the advantages to be realized through being a consistent member of the order, but, as well, the duty of everyone to provide for the protection of his helpless loved ones, should he be taken from them.

Contributed on 11/5/08 by maxparnell
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Record #: 94080

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