Grandfather Joseph Phillips - The Director

This group of pictures will give you an idea of how much my grandfather wanted to be a Movie Director rather than a Treasury Agent. He was the proprietor of the very first movie theater in the small community of Tazewell, Tennessee showing film by candlelight. He later, with a group of businessmen formed a power company and ran power to the theater located on the streets of Tazewell. He brought a movie production company from California to film such events as the Barren Creek Flood and the only remaining footage filmed in about 1918 of a May Day Event between the two Churches, the Baptist and the Methodist. Probably celebrating the 10th year of the Methodist building. I believe he actually completed at least one production but I am unable to locate it at present. I had earlier mistaken the group of pictures in the center as having been taken at Tobes Motel and Motor Lodge in Oneida but I can't find any pictures of Tobes ever having been a two story structure. I believe that the picture of the individual is William Q. Phillips who died in 1944. The older gentleman and the older lady are still unidentified. The others I believe that I know where they were made and have made notation with the pictures. Please email me if you have ideas as to the identity of the older gentleman and lady.

After he retried he bought the Senator John Toomey house in Huntsville. When it burned he stayed between our house in Tazewell and back at Tobe's Belle Meade Tourist Court or Motel ( 2001 picture) Tobe's is mentioned in this New York Times article regarding Oil exploration in Scott County in 1970. Tobe's is where he was found dead in 1959. He was welcome at the house that my father built in 1955 and 1956 but traveled between Brownsville, Texas, Knoxville and the Avent family and Tazewell to stay with us.

In his will he left each of his minor grandchildren $10,000 each to be kept in a Trust until they reached college age. The Will was contested and the law suit that followed, resulted in most of that money going for lawyer fees and to the courts, not allowing anything for the grandchildren.

I think this is probably in the 1930's on the one fork of the Cumberland River in Scott County.

The only person I knew in Florida, which this appears to be is Herbert Meigs Toomey, the nephew of my grandfather Joseph Phillips. Possibly Herb but I doubt it.

In Florida fishing.

I think this is my father's Studebaker that he drove between 1952 and 1955 and I think it is in Scott County.

Grandfather Phillips after his retirement in Oneida at Walter and Alley's.

Grandfather Phillips looking more like a Hollywood Director than a U.S. Treasury Agent

I have a picture of William Q. Phillips made in 1941 as recorded on the back of the picture. Since this looks so much like Joseph's brother William I am thinking it is him about 3 1941.   If not it could possibly Fred Phillips also.   Fred was born 1882.   I am pretty sure it is of one of his brothers though.  I have found information that Fred died January 10,1973 in Doyle, White Co, Tennessee.

Possibilities to who this is. His oldest brother James Churndasher PHILLIPS, born in 1870, and Lucy CLARK. James (Churndasher) died in 1927 in Scott Co., Tn. Lucy died in 1938 in Scott Co., Tn. Only 5 years older than my grandfather. I I doubt this is correct as the picture was made later than 1927. I am still leaning towards it being an older Phillips family member. I have a picture of at least two of Grandad's sisters below and I can see this lady in none of them.

I can see at least two of grandfather Phillips sister's in this picture. Aunt Victora NORROD and Aunt Lydia (Lide) PHILLIPS who married a CHAPMAN. I am thnking that the others could be Aunt Martha who married John R. Goad but I am positive that Elizabeth Phillips who married John Toomey is not in the picture as she died in 1910. Any help?

Tobes Motel in the 1930's.

Tobes in the 1930's.

	Home		1 of 1