John Finis PHILIPS, Congress, MO (1834-1919)

PHILIPS, John Finis, a Representative from Missouri; born in Thralls Prairie, Boone County, Mo., December 31, 1834; attended the common schools, the University of Missouri at Columbia, and was graduated from Centre College, Danville, Ky., in 1855; studied law; was admitted to the bar in 1857 and commenced practice in Georgetown, Pettis County, Mo.; member of the State constitutional convention in 1861; during the Civil War was commissioned colonel in 1862 and commanded the Seventh Regiment, Missouri Volunteer Cavalry; resumed the practice of his profession at Sedalia, Mo.; served as mayor; delegate to the Democratic National Convention in 1868; unsuccessful candidate for election in 1868 to the Forty-first Congress; elected as a Democrat to the Forty-fourth Congress (March 4, 1875-March 3, 1877); elected to the Forty-sixth Congress to fill the vacancy caused by the death of Alfred M. Lay and served from January 10, 1880, to March 3, 1881; unsuccessful candidate for reelection in 1880 to the Forty-seventh Congress; moved to Kansas City, Mo., in 1881 and resumed the practice of law; commissioner of the Missouri Supreme Court 1883-1885; judge of the Kansas City Court of Appeals 1885-1888; appointed United States judge of the western district of Missouri by President Cleveland in 1888 and served until 1910, when he retired from public life; died at Hot Springs, Ark., March 13, 1919; interment in Mount Washington Cemetery, Kansas City, Mo.

Source: Biographical Directory of the United States Congress, 1771-Present