Floyd Boyce Phillips was one of millions of boys from the United States who were sent across the Atlantic to the Old Country to fight in the Great War. In this series of posts, we follow the 101st anniversary of Floyd’s journey and get glimpses of what was going on at home while he was over there.

Many thanks to Coralee for providing me with artifacts throughout the years and especially for the stack of WWI-era letters that were delivered to me on 31 May 2019. They have provided countless hours of family history entertainment.

– Denise

In response to a card from him, Grandma Amelia “Millie” Phillips wrote to Floyd. Addressing him sweetly as “My Own Dear Floyd Soldier,” she shared some news from home and looked forward to his return.

Oct 21 _ 1918

My own Dear Floyd Soldier

I received your card & I do not try to tell you how I love it because your hands sent it & to think we were thot of way over in France when you were so busy & had so many to send too. Yesterday your Father was up took dinner with us & took me over to the cemetry in afternoon to Earnest Eicabroad funeral died with the Spanish influenza it is very bad here no school no churches open no play houses all closed but the saloons. No gathering of clubs & no delivery of groceries or dry good only once a day & only one mail a day the first of Nov. on.

When your card came we were at Frank’s in Detroit we had a nice visit there the first week I was sick but got better so I had a nice time it’s a beautiful place. Erma’s husband is in the Hospital in England has been for a long time & I think she is quite worried about him. I got a card from him he is still there

Frank Lonsbury Phillips was the second of Millie’s seven sons and a brother to Floyd’s dad, Guy. Frank must have been living at Detroit in 1918. His daughter Irma Viola Phillips was married to Francis Montgomery Bernard. Francis was wounded in the war, hit by shrapnel, unconscious, contracted tetanus and was not expected to live. He remained in the hospital for four months at Dartford, Kent, England.

Floyd when you write again send me a flower or leaf just to have something from there. Clare & Edna were out last Sunday to Charlie’s he had a frightful cold have not heard from him since. Grandfather has a bad cough again. Your mother is not feeling very well I guess she took cold at the farmers club.

Clarence Arthur Phillips was the third of Millie’s seven sons and Charles Floyd Phillips was the fifth. Claire’s second wife was Edna B. Nelson. They had married a little less than a year before Millie wrote this letter.

She has a fine girl not afraid to work. I was so glad to see your father home from Canada it isn’t like home to have him away he & your mother was up a couple of times last week that – was good in my sight Ed Charl & Mayme was here Friday just a little while. Ed & Charlie are busy pressing the companys job its hard to get help. I guess I will have to put on Overalls & go & help them. If it was a few years back I could do it but at 74 I am afraid I would not be much help only at the table. Little Alice goes to school she tells the teacher she has a Brother in the war over in France. She means the Boy that worked for Faye when they tell her no she says I have 

Guy Phillips had returned from Canada. His brothers Edmund B. Phillips (the fourth of the seven brothers) and Charles were running a business. Millie joked about putting on overalls and helping. Millie told a story about her granddaughter Alice Faye Phillips, daughter of the youngest son, Faye Elmer Phillips. Alice was six-years old and proud, it seems, to know someone who was in France.

Lil is still working hard. I tell you Floyd Boy if you get back this winter we will go down & help your folks eat some of the corn she has canned & beans are good in the winter with some music on the Graphinola. I always think of last winter when I play it Margie was up for dinner Saturday. I am agoing to have soup for dinner to day come & have some. We both send love to you by bushel I am afraid this would be very interesting but the best I can do.

Lovingly Grandma Phillips

I would like to give you a good hug

Grandma Phillips looked forward to her reunion with Floyd!

Next…

Another Letter From Florence

Who is Who?

Guy and Gertrude Phillips Family

Floyd was the middle of the five sons of Gertrude Lovin Boyce and Guy Allison Phillips.

Tom and Millie Phillips Family

Albert Alvedo Phillips “Tom” and Amelia A. Brace “Millie” had seven sons.

Sources:

“Grandma Phillips” [Amelia A. (Brace) Phillips] (Illinois) to “Floyd” [Floyd Boyce Phillips], letter, 21 October 1918; privately held by Denise Krueger, Rochester, MN, 2019.

Ancestry.com. Illinois, Deaths and Stillbirths Index, 1916-1947 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2011. Name: Ernest M. Eygabroad, Birth Date: 21 Jan 1886, Birth Place: Sugar Grove, Ill, Death Date: 18 Oct 1918, Death Place: Aurora, Kane, Illinois, Burial Date: 20 Oct 1918, Death Age: 32, Occupation: Accountant, Race: White, Marital status: M, Gender: Male, Father Name: M. H. Eygabroad, Father Birth Place: New York, Mother Name: Jennie Hermana, Mother Birth Place: Aurora, Ill., FHL Film Number: 1544000.

The Phillips Family

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