The Henry M. Phillips collection contains materials related to Phillips's life and legal career in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, in the mid-19th century, and to the Citizens of the Fifth Ward for the Relief and Employment of the Poor.
A bound group of minutes and financial records (102 pages) pertains to the work of the executive committee of the Citizens of the Fifth Ward for the Relief and Employment of the Poor. The society met regularly between November 1857 and March 1858 and contributed coal and other assistance to needy Philadelphians. Henry M. Phillips's brother, J. Altamont Phillips, served on the organization's executive committee.
The collection contains a brief biography of Henry M. Phillips, written after his death; a letter to Phillips about a lot in Philadelphia; and a document permitting a visitor to see the grounds of Girard College. See the Detailed Box and Folder Listing for additional information.
Henry Myer (or Mayer) Phillips was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, on June 30, 1811, the son of Zalegman (or Zeligman) Phillips, a criminal lawyer. He attended the Franklin Institute and was admitted to the bar in 1832. Phillips practiced law and was a clerk for Philadelphia's court of common pleas before serving a term in the United States House of Representatives (1857-1858). After returning to Philadelphia, he became a trustee for Jefferson Medical College, a member and president of the Board of Fairmount Park Commissioners, and a member and president of the Board of City Trusts. Henry M. Phillips died on August 28, 1884.
