Elijah Phillips

Elijah Phillips (April 11, 1809 – June 18, 1832) was an early Illinois settler who was killed during the 1832 Black Hawk War, a conflict between Euro-American settlers and elements of the Sauk and Meskwaki nations under Sauk leader Black Hawk. Phillips was born in New Hampshire and settled near Dover, Illinois around 1830. During the war he, along with other settlers, fled their settlements in fear of Native American raids. In June 1832 Phillips returned to his cabin with six other men to retrieve some belongings. The group was attacked early one morning and Phillips was killed.

Early life Elijah Phillips was born in Fitzwilliam, New Hampshire on April 11, 1809, son, and one of ten total children of Elijah Phillips.

In Illinois Elijah Phillips settled a site near Berlin and Dover Townships, in present-day Bureau County, Illinois. The area was first settled by John L. Ament and his brother Justin, shortly after the pair settled, Justin sold his land to Phillips.

The next morning, either June 17 or June 18, the band of about 30 Native Americans returned to their hidden positions of the day before and awaited the settlers. Phillips' date of death is recorded as June 18, 1832 in the 1888 book The History of Fitzwilliam, New Hampshire, from 1752-1887.