Philip Kirby was a Union Soldier in Company A 11 Minnesota Infantry during the Civil war and also fought in the bloody Sioux Indian war.

He was the husband of Sarah M. (Back) Kirby (1836-1897).

Biography of Philip's son Philip R. Kirby

It is with special pleasure that we are enabled to review the career of Mr. Kirby, both because he has done commendable work in developing the reservation country and also because he is one of the pioneers of the northwest and crimes from one of the pioneer families.

Philip R. Kirby was born in Brown County, Minnesota, on September 8, 1866, being the son of Philip and Sarah M. (Back) Kirby. The father was born in Ohio on February 11, 1830, and his parents were born in Middletown, Connecticut, and for six or more generations back, the Kirby's were a staunch and prominent family there, having taken part in the arduous labors of opening the land for the early colonies. They also furnished many brave soldiers for the wars of the Revolution and of 1812, while also many noted officers came from this family in these and the Indian wars. The father of our subject came to Michigan when a small boy and he has been on the frontier all his life. He now lives in Vineland, near Lewiston. The mother of our subject was born in Vermont and died on January 13, 1896, aged fifty-nine. Her demise occurred near Wilbur, Washington. She came from an old and prominent New England family.

In 1872, our subject came with his father to the land where Spokane now stands. The father built the third log cabin on the site of that now flourishing city and was identified with the opening of the country and in building it up. He was well known about Spokane and his labors did very much to assist in starting the thriving city that is now the pride of the northwest. He took land on what is known as Moran prairie, hauled the first fruit trees from Colfax and planted the first orchard in the whole section, thus benefitting in an untold manner the whole country by introducing fruit growing. Philip R. drove the second milk wagon that ever started in Spokane, and he attended the first school taught in the village. Mr. Havermale, a well known Methodist preacher now living in Spokane, taught the school. Thus has Mr. Kirby and his father been connected with the inception of civilization's salutary institutions in the most notable Sections of the northwest and he is today still in the chariot of progress and his labors in the reservation portion of Nez Perces County are worthy and skillful.

When he was twenty-two, he went into partnership with his father and brother and they embarked in the stock business in what is known as the Big Bend country. There, also, they did much to open up the country. Twice, on account of hard winters, they were swept clean of all stock, but they stuck to the enterprise and finally made a success of it. In 1898, our subject removed to the reservation and bought a relinquishment, which he sold later and made a tour of northwestern Canada in quest of land, but finding nothing suitable, he returned to the reservation country and bought his present place, one and one-half miles northwest from Dublin. He has a good ranch and raises oats and timothy principally. Mr. Kirby has one brother, Eugene, a farmer near Ilo. He has five sisters, Isabel, wife of Thomas Newlan, a fruit raiser, five miles southeast from Spokane: Blanch, wife of William Hilby. a farmer eight miles southeast from Spokane: Sarah, wife of P. T. Lewis, a farmer at Ferdinand, Idaho County; Mary, wife of George Capps, a farmer near Reardan, Washington; Abigil, single and living near Spokane.

Mr. Kirby has never seen fit to relinquish the pleasant retreat and quiet joys of the bachelor for the seas of matrimony.

By way of reminiscence we remark that his father was in the Civil War, serving in the eleventh Minnesota Volunteers, and also fought in the bloody Sioux Indian war.

Source: An Illustrated History of Northern Idaho, Embracing Nez Perce, Idaho, Latah, Kootenai and Shoshone Counties, Western Historical Publishing Company, 1903

Phillip Kirby's grave stone shows his birth year as 1832. His pension records lists his birth date as February 11th, 1830
Bio updated by direct line family member, Larry Leach

Brown County and the Sioux Massacre First word of the Sioux Uprising and Massacre reached the frontier village of New Ulm sometime between 11 and 12 o'clock noon on Monday, August 18, 1862, when survivors of an attack made their way back to the settlement. They were the remainder of a happy group that had left the town two hours previously. Traveling in three wagons, the small party had set out to enlist recruits for the Civil War. They had been given a rousing send-off by fellow townsmen as their band played enthusiastically. The children's eyes were sparkling with excitement as the last wagon disappeared over the rise of ground. Heading out into Milford Township, a rural area bordering New Ulm on the east and the Sioux Reservation on the west, the spirits of the men like the bright August morning were light and gay, their enthusiasm great for a patriotic cause. For six miles they were to remain in this care-free mood and then suddenly to be attacked by the Sioux while crossing a bridge over a ravine. Three were killed outright, several seriously wounded. About the time these survivors began arriving back in New Ulm, other refugees had begun to pour into the village. On the previous day the first indication of an outbreak had come with the killing of five people at Acton by a small group of Indians. Early the next morning the massacre began at the Lower Agency of the reservation, which on the southeast was but sixteen miles from the settlement of New Ulm. From the agency the attackers had fanned out into the surrounding countryside. Coming down the Milford road towards New Ulm roving bands of Indians killed surprised victims who had no forewarning of their danger. Fortunatly no direct attack was made on the village that day. It finally came late Tuesday afternoon, August 19th. Though hastily drawn civilian volunteers had been placed in company groups for defense, the inadequacy of the weapons was appalling. Of a list of 110 men assembled, 32 had rifles and 15 had other guns. The remaining defenders were without arms of any kind. This first attack was continued for about two hours and then a providential rainfall caused the Indians to withdraw. For three days no further attack was made on the settlement. During this time the Sioux bands roamed the countryside killing, looting and laying siege to Fort Ridgely eighteen miles up the Minnesota River from New Ulm. The second attack came on the town early Saturday morning, August 23rd. By now outside assistance had arrived to help with defense. This had come from the down-river valley towns as well as the surrounding area. Notable help came from St. Peter, Mankato, LeSueur and Nicollet. Charles Flandreau had been placed in command. Pickets had been set up, barricades and entrenchments strengthened and a lookout post established. But the defenders were still woefully short of firearms, scarcely 250 guns and these were mostly immigrant muzzle-loaders with very little ammunition. This second attack was made by an Indian force twice as great as that of the defenders. Continuing all day without let-up, the main Sioux body withdrew at nightfall but individuals continued to harass the town during the long night. On Sunday morning, August 24th, the Indians made a half-hearted attempt to resume the attack but the ferocity of the previous day was missing. Finally they seemed to become discouraged and drifted away. In New Ulm the besieged people had no way of knowing their fate nor when outside military forces would rescue them. A decision was made to evacuate the town. The inhabitants were barricaded in a small area in the center of the settlement. Supplies and ammunition were critical, sanitary conditions serious. Two thousand men, women and children with eighty wounded and one hundred fifty-three wagons made up the exodus. They left their possession, many knew not the fate of loved ones, some had seen relatives and friends brutally murdered, many were sick and wounded. This sad procession reached Mankato late that night. Later many were taken on to St. Peter. For another month, the rebellious Indians continued to attack settlers and engage in hostilities with military forces. On September 28th the Battle of Wood Lake took place. This engagement became the turning point in events, from then on the Indians were pursued and on the defensive. The aroused state had by now gathered sufficient forces to quell the marauders. For punishment the four Minnesota Sioux tribes were banished from their homes in the state. Some fled north and west to escape punishment. Three hundred and three were tried and convicted for their part in the uprising. Sentenced to be hanged, the death penalty was reduced to forty by order of President Lincoln. Eventually thirty-eight of these were hanged at Mankato on December 26th, 1862. This mass execution, delayed once for the lack of rope, was done simultaneously for all on a single scaffold--the largest execution in the history of our country. The remaining convicted prisoners remained in prison for the winter and in the spring were transferred to Rock Island near Davenport, Iowa. Here they were imprisoned for almost four years. By the time of their release, one third had died of disease. The released prisoners were sent to join their families in Nebraska, where about 1600 captives had been placed in 1863. The Minnesota Sioux, except for a scattered few, were gone from their beloved Minnesota valley. The Uprising had killed almost five hundred known dead in western Minnesota. In Brown county over one hundred and forty lost their lies and the destruction of property was tremendous. The fact that Fort Ridgely and New Ulm had been able to withstand the assaults had prevented raids on towns further down the valley. In the Civil War six hundred and thirty-five Minnesotans were killed. In a little over forty days, two-thirds this number were killed in the Sioux Uprising. Many markers and monuments in Brown County are dedicated to the gallant settlers and defenders whose sacrifice was so over-shadowed by the great national tragedy taking place at the time. The above excerpt was taken from a document (origin unknown) provided by the Brown County Historical Museum. It should be noted here that the uprising was not without provocation. The Sioux had been promised money and food from the United States government by a previous treaty and little money or food had been delivered to the Indians. Many Indians were starving. Many documents, books and historical documents are available at local museums and libraries on the Great Sioux Uprising.