Philips and Kula Family
Photo Album

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Philips' Family Farm in South Dakota about 1900.

Philips' Family Farm in South Dakota about 1910.

         Braxton Bragg Comer Wilson, born May 30, 1907 in Blacksher, Alabama, married Jennie Barbara Philips on May 26, 1928. Jennie was born August 13, 1904 in Potter County, South Dakota to Mike Philips and Barbara Kula. The Kula Family immigrated from Bohemia to the United States and homesteaded in Iowa. The Philips immigrated to the United States from Bohemia in 1866 through Ellis Island and homesteaded in South Dakota.

Kula and Philips school children circa 1914 in South Dakota.

Kula and Philips school children circa 1912 in South Dakota.

         Mike Philips was born in 1850 in Servia, Bohemia and died April 10, 1946 in Silverhill, Alabama and is buried in the Silverhill Cemetery. Barbara Kula Philips was born in 1871 in Wisconsin and died on April 19, 1955 in Silverhill, Alabama and is buried beside her husband in the Silverhill Cemetery.

Mr. and Mrs. Mike Philips and family in Gettysburg, Potter County, SD. about 1906. Left to right: Frank, Mother Barbara, Jennie, Emma, Annie, Father Mike, Albert and John on the horse.

Kula's Family Sheep Farm circa 1910 in South Dakota.

Philips and Kula Cousins circa 1910 in South Dakota.

Frank Philips, brother of Jennie (Philips) Wilson on Philips Farm in South Dakota, hunting water fowl.

Philips barn in Gettysburg, Potter County, South Dakota.

         There were six siblings in the Philips family. They included Anna May Philips Zuber, born July 10, 1893 and died Nov. 1975; Emma C. Philips Myers, born 1895 and died Nov. 2, 1975; Frank David Philips, born May 26, 1896 and died Dec. 1984; John Lee Philips, born July 29, 1898 and died Jan. 3, 1972; Albert Mike Philips, born Nov. 15, 1901 and died Nov. 2, 1999; and finally, Jennie Barbara Philips Wilson, born on Aug. 13, 1904 and died in Feb. 14, 2001.

Kula's Family Sheep Farm circa 1910 in South Dakota.

Kula and Philips Family circa 1915 in South Dakota. Kneeling on the right is Mike Philips with Emma Philips far right. Barbara Philips is in the back center in a dark dress.

Albert Kula, (left) brother of Barbara (Kula) Philips in South Dakota.

Albert Kula, brother of Barbara (Kula) Philips in South Dakota ca 1917.

Kate Kula, sister of Barbara (Kula) Philips, in Parker, South Dakota.

         When members of the Philips' Family first came to the United States through Castle Garden in New York and homesteaded in Iowa, they lived in a sod house in the side of a hill, which was the custom in that barren territory. Trees for timber were few and far between. Mike Philips was about sixteen years old when he first immigrated to the USA in 1866, on the passenger ship, the Ohio, out of Bremen, Germany. He took his Oath of Allegiance to the United States of America on June 5, 1889 in Potter County, South Dakota. Later in life, he would again travel back to Bohemia/Czechoslovakia, on May 28, 1920, out of the port of New York, to visit family and encourage them to return with him to the United States. After about six months, he then returned to the USA, where he would move his family south to Alabama in 1922.

Rausch Country School also called South Artichoke School in Artichoke Township, Potter County, South Dakota, 1910. Teacher was W.C. Irvine. First students to attend school, children of Henry Rausch, Gottlieb Siebrasse, Mike Philips, John Barr, John Sunne, Benton Donner, and Mr. and Mrs. Payne. Copy has the names: Teacher W. C .Irwin, George Barr, Elda Rausch, Mrs. Charles Todd, Louis Siebrasse, Stella Sunne, Lulu Payne, Emma Rausch, Emma Philips, Anna Philips, Grover Rausch, Nettie Cavanaugh, Johnnie Philips, Frankie Philips, Maude Payne, Fred Rausch, Johnnie Doner, Andrew Barr, Henry Siebrasse, Margaret Sunne, Kate Sunne, Peter Rausch. Photo belonged to Maggie Rausch Westphal.

The last day of school, May 1916, all the children are the youngest of the first settlers of Artichoke Township that went to the Rausch School. Back row left to right: Albert Philips, Charles (Bud) Rausch, Howard Donner, Leo Siebrasse, Ardeena Siebrasse, Jennie Philips, Maggie Rausch & Lena Siebrasse. Front row: Parents: Mrs. Mike Philips, Mrs. Henry Rausch; Vistors: Mrs. George Rausch, Emma Stienkampf and Emma Philips a former pupil. Photo belonged to Maggie Rausch Westphal.

Barbara Philips on right in South Dakota circa 1895.

Barbara Kula Philips on right in South Dakota about 1900. Her friend on the left.

Barbara Kula Philips (sitting) with Emma, John, and Frank in South Dakota circa 1910.

Barbara Philips (on left) in South Dakota circa 1906.

Albert Philips and mother, Barbara Philips picking berries on the banks of the Missouri River in South Dakota, circa 1910.

Jennie Barbara Philips circa 1916 in South Dakota.

Philips Family circa 1916. Top right is Jennie Philips in South Dakota.

         The Philips family along with a group of countrymen living in the Bohemian community in Potter County, South Dakota saw brochures advertising Silverhill, Alabama and traveled down in circa 1918 to investigate the area. Apparently they liked what they saw and the men and boys moved down to build homes, barns, and prepare the land for farming. The Philips family first settled south of Silverhill on Highway 55 at Joe Ryber's road.

Boys leaving for WWI 1917 Gettysburg, South Dakota. Second from left Frank Philips, far right, Kula Cousin.

WWI, Frank Philips, on left, brother of Jennie P. Wilson.

Albert Kula during WWI, Barbara (Kula) Philips' brother.

Jennie Barbara Philips circa 1920.

Frank Philips, 1921 in South Dakota.

Cousin, Albert, John and Frank Philips circa 1922 in South Dakota.

         An additional benefit and drawing factor to moving to this area was the fact that Barbara Philips had very bad arthritis and the doctor told her this southern climate would be beneficial for her health. Unfortunately, it did not help her health. The men traveled back to South Dakota in 1922 and moved the women and children south.

Mike Philips, daughter Jennie, and son, Frank in background circa 1923 in Silverhill.

Barbara (Kula) Philips circa 1923 in Silverhill.

Jennie Philips at Bay Minette Fair in 1926, age 22 years old.

Francis Sturma and Jennie Philips at Bay Minette Fair in 1926.

Jennie Barbara Philips in Silverhill, AL, circa 1928.

         Jennie Philips was eighteen years old (1922) when she rode the train south to Robertsdale, Alabama. Her parents later built a home at the north end of First Street in Silverhill and their great-grandchildren continue to live in it today (2007).

Standing: Emma, Jennie, Barbara (Kula) Philips, Annie, sitting: Frank, Albert and John. (Photo taken in Silverhill at Albert Philip's home at the SW corner of 8th St. and Hwy. 104 circa 1948.)

Annie, Barbara (Kula) Philips, Jennie and Emma in Silverhill circa 1948.

Philips sisters, Jennie Wilson, Annie Zuber, and Emma Myers in Silverhill circa 1948.

         The Philips family (also spelled Fhilips) spoke Bohemian and my father remembers that on Sunday afternoons the family would usually gather at Uncle John Philips home on East Boulevard and my father could not understand a word that was spoken; he said they sounded like a bunch of magpies, “what a racket”. Jennie Philips Wilson tried to teach her grandchildren the language but they never did learn to speak it fluently.

Barbara (Kula) Philips.

Barbara (Kula) Philips and son, Frank in Silverhill circa 1948.

Barbara (Kula) Philips in Silverhill circa 1948.

         Jennie Philips and her older brothers, John and Albert chose to stay in Silverhill but Frank, Emma and Annie went back to South Dakota to live. The three older children were already pretty much independent. Frank never married and made frequent trips to Silverhill to visit with family. Jennie stayed due to her mother’s health.

Trip to Gettysburg, South Dakota in July 1973 - Philips Siblings
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Albert and Grace Philips, and Jennie (Philips) Wilson.

Jennie (Philips) Wilson, Albert Philips, and Annie (Philips) Zuber.

Jennie (Philips) Wilson, Frank Philips, Albert Philips, and Annie (Philips) Zuber in chair.

Standing (l to r): Elmer Zuber, Albert Philips, Jennie (Philips) Wilson, Grace (Norman) Philips, Everett Myers; sitting: Annie (Philips) Zuber, and Frank Philips.

Jennie (Philips) Wilson, Albert Philips, Frank Philips, and Annie (Philips) Zuber in chair at The Manor Nursing Home.

Westminister Village, Spanish Fort Alabama
Photo on the left shows Albert and Grace Philips' children visiting them in the nursing home.

Standing (l to r): Barbara (Philips) Young, Austin Philips, Norma (Philips) Schafer, Nancy (Philips) Ewing, Joyce (Philips) Clark; sitting: Albert Philips Jr., Grace (Norman) Philips, Albert Philips, 1991.

Jennie (Philips) Wilson visiting her brother Albert Philips, Nov. 1996.

Silverhill Cemetery ~ Philips Family Plots

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Mike and Barbara (Kula) Philips Family Plot.	Mike Philips husband of Barbara (Kula) Philips.	Barbara (Kula) Philips wife of Mike Philips.
Mike and Barbara Philips' son, John and his wife, Mary Philips Family Plot.	John Philips husband of Mary Philips.	Mary Philips wife of John Philips.
Mike and Barbara Philips' son Albert and wife, Grace (Norman) Philips Family Plot.	Albert Philips, husband of Grace Philips.	Grace (Norman) Philips, wife of Albert Philips.
Mike and Barbara Philips' daughter Jennie Barbara (Philips) Wilson and husband, Braxton B.B. Wilson, youngest son of John T. and Annie Wilson.	Braxton Bragg Comer Wilson (B.B.), husband of Jennie Barbara (Philips) Wilson.	Jennie Barbara (Philips) Wilson, wife of B.B. Wilson.

The photos and history were contributed by Carolyn Hastings Dickinson.

Edited by Debbie Owen.