Emigrating from Germany in 1759, Phillips worked off his passage as an indentured servant in Charleston, South Carolina. He moved to the North in 1759, becoming a merchant in New York City and then moving to Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
Phillips' decision to emigrate from Germany in 1759 led him to work off his passage as an indentured servant in Charleston, South Carolina. His subsequent move north resulted in him establishing himself as a merchant in New York City and eventually settling in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.