Little did I know how much Irene Sobodoske Baker's words meant at a memorial service my brother George "Eddie" had arranged after my mothers death in "January 1999" when she said "If you ever loose your brother Eddie your family has lost what holds it together." meant.  My brother, Eddie passed on in August 2000 and now those words coming from a part of my grandfather Joe Phillips side of the family could have meant a lot had I not known how distant the Scott County family members kept from my mother Betty Phillips and her sister Jo Phillips. My grandfather, Joseph Phillips, although a great man in his time with the United States Treasury Department, found upon returning to Scott County, Tennessee that he was not quite as popular among the local residence and politicians. Especially after the long court battle that took place in Scott County to settle his Will. (Click on pictures of his appointment to the U.S. Marshal's Office and U.S. Treasury Department)

The Baker and Carson families had become prominent and very little is known of Joseph Phillips there except that he was supposed to have had an illegitimate son, which was something never proven in the long court case over his Will to his daughters and their children. He died in obscurity from what was deemed Malaria at Tobe Phillips Motel (OBELEE PHILLIPS - BURIED IN CARSON MEMORIAL PARK MAUSOLEUM) and was buried on a cold day in 1959 in the Irish Memorial Cemetery in Tazewell. Obelee Phillips was a first cousin twice removed, to my grandfather Joseph Phillips.

Mrs. Baker's husband James Toomey Baker was a nephew of my grandfather Joseph Phillips and it is my understanding that the Toomey and the Baker family never truly accepted my grandfather as part of their extended family in Scott County. This all came to light during a long and expensive lawsuit in Scott County Court during the 1960's.

My grandfather, although not wealthy, was able to leave each of his eight minor grandchildren $10,000 in his Will for their education, from the sale of 360 acres of his and my father's property in Hale County, Texas. Although this Will should not have been allowed to be contested by any of the three daughters of Joseph and Birdie Stone Phillips it was by Ruth Phillips Avent and her husband Jack. This case lead to parts or all of the $80,000 that had been rendered by the sale of the 360 acres in Texas, owned by my grandfather and father and left to his heirs going to the Scott County Court and the lawyers involved. Former Ambassador Howard Baker, Jr., then a young ambitious lawyer in Scott County, appointed my and my sister Betsy's guardian ad liteum. Then after years of arguing was, I fell, handled poorly by the Courts and lawyers. Guy Curtis Jeffers was appointed as guardian ad liteum for my Aunt Jo's two children, Evelyn and Jimmy. Arzo or Alfonzo Carson, another young ambitious lawyer in Scott County to later become director of the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation was hired by my aunt, Ruth Phillips Avent. Carson is known to have blasted Honey Alexander back during Senator Lamar Alexanders campaign in 2002. He has criticized the TBI for who he worked and former Vice President Albert Gore for improprieties when dealing with Drug Dealers.(Click on picture to Right for More)

My parents made a very unwise decision by hiring Larwence Hughes, a decision that haunts me to this day. Lawrence was the son of a respected Claiborne County Lawyer H. Y. Hughes. I would imagine that the Avents stayed close to Carson during his political career. Both Avent sons married into "money" in Knox County and continued to "haunt" my family through the years. One son, Jeff, during my sister's college career at the University of Tennessee made obsene phone calls to her while she lived at an apartment complex close to school. He admitted it to her before he died. Most recently the other son Jackie called me to meet him on top Clinch Mountain and confessed to me his abuse of my nieces while they were young and I suspect that he also abused my sister but he did not mention that. This shows the Avent arogance that they came to laude after successful careers in Knox County. Both sons worked with the Tennessee Valley Authority and were always politically connected in Knoxville. I know during the early 1980's when I was Tree Farming on my parents 145 acre farm I contacted the TBI to report a stolen Grand Prix Pontiac with Hancock County Volunteer Fireman tags and was visited by a TBI Agent. Even though I reported that I had caught two men taking the engine from the car and had taken one to court for assault the friendly TBI thought my testimony and attempt to help someone recover their car was not worth their time. Have you noticed that Volunteer Firefighters usually get the bad end of the stick anyway. I even called Doug Tripp and the TBI in on new car parts winding up on the river bank along Point 31 floating down from Grissom Island, Grainger County and would have thought I deserved some sort of recognition but did I get any, NO!

p> I tried to stay in touch with Senator Baker but a conflict in our judgement impeded that in 1983. I am happy that he found his way though with the U.S. State Department, I never did.

Had I not have trusted Irene Sobodoske Baker with valuable material sent to her through my brother Eddie while on a visit during 1998 and for some reason her inability to return it, I would not feel as obligated as I do to see that some of what I know about the Scott County part of the Phillips family and their feelings toward Joseph Phillips and his daughters be told. It took me years to find what I had found while a volunteer at the Family History Center, Latter Day Saints in Knoxville and contained hand written documents from the Church of England in North Franham Parish Virginia records from the 1600's and her refusal to return it to me has perplexed me to no end.

I questioned my brother repeatedly about the papers and he swore to me that he had taken them as I had asked and that Irene had promised to return them. I have asked her several times and she refuses to say she ever got them. Now with my brother gone I can only put what I know online and hope that someone will see what mean and spiteful people these people are.