GEORGE A. PHIPPS. In the little village of Huntsville in Fall Creek Township, on the north bank of historic and picturesque old Fall creek, the principal industrial features and also business institutions are the flour mill and the saw mill which for many years have been conducted under the name and proprietorship of Mr. Phipps. A mill or factory is always an important institution in any community, and particularly is this true of the small rural settlement of Huntsville, where the mill becomes almost the central feature of the place and around it are grouped in comparative order the church and the school and the homes of the local population. Mr. Phipps came to Huntsville more than forty years ago, learned his trade in the old Huntsville mill and finally became its proprietor. He has thus for many years been known in the business economy of this County, and is one of the highly respected citizens of Fall Creek Township.
George Aiman Phipps was born at Weldon, in Montgomery County, Pennsylvania, January 4, 1842, a son of William and Margaret (Aiman) Phipps. Both parents spent all their lives in Montgomery County, Pennsylvania. In the same County George A. Phipps was reared and attained his early education in the common schools while growing up on his father’s farm. Most of his early education was attained in one of the old fashioned subscription schools.
In November, 1870, Mr. Phipps came to Madison County, Indiana, and took employment under his uncle, who was the owner of the grist mill at Huntsville. In that institution he learned his trade and in 1882 rented the grist mill from its owner. Three years later, in 1885, he had advanced so far as to be able to buy the property, and now for nearly thirty years it has been conducted under his name and ownership. In 1909 a fire destroyed the old grist mill, which was never rebuilt. The saw mill was not burned at the time the grist mill was destroyed, Mr. Phipps was financially interested in the glass factory and the post factory when they were located as industrial institutions in Pendleton.
In November, 1870, Mr. Phipps married Arminta Alfont. Mrs. Phipps was reared in Madison County and has been the mother of seven children, four sons and three daughters, namely: Margaret, a graduate of the Pendleton high school and now the wife of Ward M. Taylor of Chicago; Ben F., in the hardware business at Pendleton and a graduate of the Pendleton high school; Claude A., now deceased; Sarah, who is a graduate of the common schools and is now the wife of Ed G. Brown of Lafayette, Indiana; Harry M., of Chicago, an unmarried young man and a graduate of the local schools; Hazel M., who is a graduate of the high school and is now a stenographer at Frankfort, Indiana; Paul, who is a student in he high school. Mrs. Phipps is an active member of the Methodist church. Mr. Phipps is one of the prominent Masons of Madison County. He is affiliated with Madison lodge, No. 44, A. F. & A. M., at Pendleton, with Pendleton Chapter, No. 52, R. A. M., with Fall Creek Council, No. 42, R. & S. M., and with the Commandery, No 32, of the Knights Templar at Anderson. He has attained thirty-two degrees Scottish Rite Masonry. In politics he is an active Democrat and has long been a royal worker and supporter of the party interests and for local good government. At the present time he is a member of the Madison County council. He has also served on the Township advisory board. Mr. Phipps is a quiet, unassuming man, honorable and honest in all his business relations, and has given an excellent account of the many years he has spent in this County. In his opinions he is a man of strong convictions, and what he believes to be right he acts upon as a solid principle underlying all his character.
