Hett Phillips

Hett Phillips (May 7, 1895 – July 21, 1918) was an Oneida man killed in action during World War I in France.

See Also: Scott Countians killed in war

Biography

Born May 7, 1895, Hett Phillips was the son of General Phillips (1850-1912) and Alice Cross (1868-1921). He had 14 siblings: Angeline West (1891-1970), Laura Bell Phillips (1893-1940), Martha West (1897-1941), Florinda Reed (1900-1984), Engram Phillips (1903-1942), Riley Phillips (1904-1979), Burl Phillips (1906-1959), Mary Lee Terry (1907-1959), Leonard Ledford Phillips (1908-1945), Dillard Phillips (1910-2001), Sylvania West (1872-1954), William Phillips (1875-1943), Rachel Stanfill (1877-1948) and Hulda Bell West (1880-1966).

General Phillips was first married to Emily Ellis (1853-1954) in 1872 and they had four children together: Sylvania, William, Rachel and Hulda Bell. General then married Alice Cross in 1892.

General was the son of William Phillips (1817-1880) and Sarah Sexton (1817-1880). He was descended from two Revolutionary War veterans on his father’s side: Tobias Phillips and Randolph Lawson.

Alice was the daughter of Emmanuel Micajah Cross (1840-1916) and Amanda Lay (1843-1878). Her uncle, Larkin Cross, was a man from Smith Creek near Buffalo who was murdered by Confederate soldiers during the Civil War. Her first cousin, Claborn Cross, was an influential early businessman in Oneida and the founder of First National Bank.

World War I

Sgt. Phillips enlisted in the U.S. Army on April 6, 1917. He was assigned to Co. G, 18th Infantry, 1st Division. He rose to the rank of corporal on May 16, 1917 and to sergeant on Oct. 10, 1917. He was involved in the battles of Cantigny and Soissons.

Sgt. Phillips was killed in action on July 21, 1918, during the Battle of Soissons, which was fought from July 18 to July 22 as part of the Aisne-Marne counter-offensive. He was a distant cousin to Sgt. Lawrence Phillips and Pvt. Robert Hughett, first cousins who were killed three days earlier at Soissons.

The Americans and British supported the French at Soissons, which marked the turning point of the war by forcing the Germans to retreat and put them on the defensive for the remainder of the war. Allied forces suffered nearly 120,000 casualties during the battle — mostly French, but also including more than 11,200 Americans.

Aftermath

Sgt. Phillips was initially buried at the American Cemetery in Aisne, France. His mother was informed of his death. As was the case with his distant cousin, Pvt. Robert Hughett, who was also initially interred at the American Cemetery, his body was moved to Knoxville National Cemetery in Knoxville, Tenn.

Sgt. Phillips’ father — who died in 1912 of heart failure — is buried at Winfield Baptist Church Cemetery in Winfield, and his mother is buried at West Cemetery in the Paint Rock community.