George Phillip's Ran A First-Class Bakery

George Phillips was born in Wurttenburg, Germany in 1862.  As a young man he immigrated to the United States in 1889.  He later became a naturalized citizen of the U.S.  Phillips was a baker by trade.

On June 25, 1909 the Sylvan Valley News announced that George Philip (spellings of his surname vary in documents and articles), “a baker of long experience” was opening a “first-class bakery” in Brevard.

Phillip’s Bakery was located in the Jenkins store building on the southwest corner of Main and Caldwell streets.  The newspaper reported that the old oven at the Franklin Hotel was temporarily used to bake bread while the new business was being set-up.

Phillip's Bakery on West Jordan St., circa 1928

Around 1920 the bakery relocated to a new brick building on Jordan St. behind present day Bullwinkle’s.  The bakery continued to operate until the mid-1930s when Phillips’ health began to fail.  Apparently he lost his eyesight and was unable to continue working, then lost his business.

Phillips had never married and had little family in the United States.  A niece who lived in Colorado helped support him and offered to pay for his return to Germany.  The plan was for George to live with his brother and sister in Wurttenburg.  In September 1936 passage was booked on the steamship, Berlin.

In August 1939, Mrs. C.Y. Patton, the Welfare Superintendent for Transylvania County was notified that the German government considered Phillips a “pauper who was a burden on the State” and was sending him back to the U.S.  Mrs. Patton arranged for Phillips to once again make his home in Transylvania County through support from North Carolina’s State Blind Commission, the Transylvania Welfare department and local friends.

Phillips initially lived with the Ed Mackey family in Little River and later with the Herbert Bailey family.  He died on September 16, 1944 and is buried at the Cathey’s Creek Cemetery.

Photographs and information for this column are provided by the Rowell Bosse North Carolina Room, Transylvania County Library.  Visit the NC Room during regular library hours (Monday-Friday) to learn more about our history and see additional photographs.  For more information, comments or suggestions contact Marcy at marcy.thompson@transylvaniacounty.org or 828-884-3151 X242.