This material is provided by Debbie Roberts
The McKinley-Phillips Cemetery is located on the present-day David Haire farm on Nunn Switch Road. I'm not sure how many miles out that road it is, but he was kind enough to allow me entry to his farm to visit the graves of my long-ago relatives. I can tell you that it is very hard to get too, I had to go through several large fields before coming to it. It is located out in the middle of a large field in a grove of trees, exactly in the center of the field. I am not sure David Haire would want people trying to get to it, because of rutting up his fields before or during crop time. He did tell me and my family that we could go there anytime we wanted too, but we were very careful to not get into his crops which were being planted at the time. I believe it was in 1994 when I went there and copied down these names. The John Phillips listed 3-20-1767 was my Gr.Gr.Gr.Gr.Gr. Grandfather. He was born on the voyage across the Atlantic Ocean while coming to America. His parents were John George Robert Phillips and wife, Jane Edgar Phillips. They remained in North Carolina, but John arrived in Crittenden County in the March 1806. He was the first Phillips in my line to arrive in Crittenden County. The cemetery started out being called just Mckinley Cemetery, but since mostly Phillips are buried there, the name was revised to include both familes, it is now called McKinley-Phillips Cemetery. Here are the list of graves located there: J.W. Phillips 2-12-1818- (this is only date on stone, but this was John Walker Phillips my Gr. Gr. Grandfather, and I know by research that he died 1-7-1900.) Catherine S. Phillips daughter of William C. and M. A. Phillips. no dates left on stone. M.A. Phillips 3-17-1817-2-18-1866 Almeda Phillips 9-28-1857 daughter of Wm. C. and Mary Phillips (only date on stone, apparently still-born) Mary B. Brantley wife of W.B.Brantley 7-19-1844 John R. McKinley Jan. 1881-Jan. 1931 Robert McKinley 8-7-1914-Jan. 1919 W.C.Phillips (this is William) 4-28-1822-7-30-1857 Margaret Phillips wife of D.A. Flannery, daughter of Thomas Stewart Phillips and Mary Phillips. no dates we could read. Thomas Stewart Phillips 10-6-1793 - 9-22-1854 son of John and Mary Stewart Phillips. Jane Phillips 10-26-1774-3-26-1854, wife of John Phillips. John Phillips 3-20-1767-12-15-1851 R.B.Phillips (Robert Black Phillips) 12-04-1809 - 12-23-1864 son of John and Jane Phillips. Jane Phillips, wife of Robert Black Phillips, 8-22-1814 - 8-17-1862 S.B. Phillips 1856 no other dates on stone. Martha Finch Phillips-born April 1, 1820 died March 12, 1864. (She was the first wife of John Walker Phillips, and also daughter of Joshua Finch and Lucy Brown Finch.) Elizabeth S. Phenix Phillips-born June 19, 1836 died July 7, 1876. (She was the wife of Robert E. Phillips, who was the son of John Tate Phillips and Nancy Walker.) I do not have her parents names as of yet. Mary Imogene Vinson: 1930-1930 This concludes the graves found in McKinley-Phillips Cemetery. I thought it might help someone doing research on the Phillips family, especially considering the location of the cemetery, it would be very hard to get to it most of the year. It is a very peaceful looking place, although weed are grown up around some stones. It was serene there. It sits, as I told you before, in the center of the field, totally surrounded by an oval-shaped grove of trees. I hope someday soon to return there and make pictures. Ê A little history on John Phillips. He arrived here with his 6 children in 1806 from North Carolina. His first wife Mary Stewart Phillips, had died there. It was to Crittenden County he brought his children and re-married to Jane Morrow Black early in 1809. John and Jane lived there on the farm that now holds the cemetery where they rest. His sons remained there on the farm for many years after he passed away. John was dis-inherited by his father John George Robert Phillips because he married Mary Stewart, his first wife, against his father's wishes. When Mary died, he left Mecklenburgh,North Carolina, and moved here to start a new life for himself and his children. He spent most of his life cut-off from his father, simply because he married the woman he loved, Mary Stewart. History states that John George Robert Phillips was a man of great wealth, and came from a wealthy family, but he chose to turn his back on his own son for not "abiding by his wishes." What a selfish man he must have been! I don't know but I've always believed John Phillips must have had a lonely life considering the circumstances. How tragic it was this happened. I want to thank you for allowing me this opportunity to share with others who might be searching for these Phillips, the location of their final resting place. I know I am always thrilled to locate the graves of my long-forgotten ancestors, and I'm sure this will help someone out there. Thanks again! Debbie Phillips-Roberts