Philanthropist. Jane was born in Creston, Iowa, on August 8, 1877, to John and Matilda Gibson, the first of three children. Growing up in a socially prominent banking family, Miss Gibson eventually became acquainted with the town barber, Frank Phillips, an enterprising young businessman in this small rural community. A courtship followed and on February 18, 1897, Frank and Jane were married in Creston at the local Methodist Episcopal church. Soon after the marriage, Phillips sold his string of barber shops and started selling bonds for his father-in-law. By 1903, the banking business drew Phillips south to Indiana Territory and the town of Bartlesville. In time, Frank and his brother, L.E., coupled banking with oil. After numerous undertakings of promoting drilling ventures plus forming and selling small oil companies, they founded Phillips Petroleum Company. As they say, the rest is history. When the women of the Phillips Petroleum Company organized a sorority and named it in honor of Jane, she lost little time in becoming personally involved in the club, calling the members "her girls". Jane attended several National Conventions. With never failing generosity, Jane often picked up the tab for various events and sent flowers to members in attendance. During National Conventions, she warmly received all comers to her hotel suite, and if ever she tired or longed for quiet at these times, no on suspected. In 1988, the Jane Phillips Sorority would become known as the Jane Phillips Society. Some of Jane's favorite activities included playing bridge, reading, collecting books and working jigsaw puzzles. Jane had a son, John, and she and her husband Frank became legal guardians of two young girls, Francis and Sara Jane. Just one week shy of her 71st birthday, Jane passed.

(From the Jane Phillips Society)