Paul Phillips Sr. was the third son of John Phillips and Mary Duering (or Dearing). His father had migrated to Fredericksburg from Louisiana, his mother appears to have been of German descent (although census records indicate her parents were born in Texas). After being a herder in his youth, Paul Sr. developed an understanding of animal well-being that would support him and his family for the rest of his life. He studied for a few semesters and returned to Fredericksburg to be the veterinarian of the area. Paul Sr. spoke fluent German — very likely due to his upbringing with a German-speaking mother. There are many stories in the community about Paul Phillips Sr. providing his services to Germans who were unaware of his language skills. Over the years, he surprised many customers... Cora Phillips, Paul's wife, is also said to have spoken some German. It is due to her intervention that the black community church of Fredericksburg, the Christian Methodist Episcopal Church, was restored in the 1970s. A bust of her and her husband can be found outside the structure on main street.

Listen to their grandson, Paul Phillips III, reminisce about his grandfather, Paul Phillips Sr.