The History of Hendricks County (Chicago: Interstate Publishing, 1885)--Clay Township, pages 556-557
Eli Phillips, deceased, was one of the first settlers of Clay Township. He was born in Stokes County, N.C., in 1805. He was reared in his native county and there married Peggy Cosner, who was born in 1814, a daughter of John and Abigail Cosner, who came from North Carolina in 1832 and settled in Clay Township, Hendricks County, Ind., where the father died in 1849 and the mother Jan. 1, 1861. In 1833 Mr. Phillips moved to Indiana and settled on a tract of wild land on sections 33 and 34, Clay Township, on which he lived till 1867, when he moved to Amo, where he died Jan. 1, 1881. To Mr. and Mrs. Phillips were born twelve children, all in Clay Township; six are living--William; Pamelia, wife of Bennet Osborn; Phoebe, wife of William Beason; Abigail, wife of William Demoss, of Kansas; Jane, wife of John Walls, of Stilesville, and Arcada, wife of Dr. H.C. Summers. Mrs. Phillips makes her home with her daughter, Mrs. Summers. She has one brother and four sisters living older than she. The eldest, Mrs. Mary Vass, was born Jan. 1, 1795.