Representative Dayton Edward Phillips

Dayton Edward Phillips (March 29, 1910 – October 23, 1980) was an American lawyer, jurist, and Republican politician who represented Tennessee’s 1st congressional district in the United States House of Representatives from 1947 to 1951. Over the course of two terms in Congress, he contributed to the legislative process during a significant period in American history, participating in the democratic process and representing the interests of his East Tennessee constituents.

Phillips was born Dayton Edward Phillips on March 29, 1910, at Shell Creek in Carter County, Tennessee. He was raised on a farm and attended local country schools before enrolling at Cloudland High School in Roan Mountain, Tennessee. Reflecting the educational aspirations common to many rural Tennesseans of his generation, he continued his studies at Milligan College in Tennessee from 1929 to 1931. Even while pursuing higher education, he remained closely tied to his community, teaching school in Carter County in 1931 and 1932.

After his early teaching experience, Phillips turned to the study of law. He attended the University of Tennessee at Knoxville, where he completed a Bachelor of Laws degree in 1934. He was admitted to the bar in 1935 and commenced the practice of law in Elizabethton, Tennessee. Seeking further legal training while beginning his professional career, he attended National University Law School in Washington, D.C., earning a Juris Doctor degree in 1936. His combination of local practice and advanced legal education positioned him for a prominent role in public service within his home region.

Phillips quickly moved into public legal office. He served as attorney for Carter County from 1938 to 1942, a role in which he handled the county’s legal affairs and gained experience in public administration. In 1942 he was elected district attorney general of the first judicial circuit of Tennessee, serving in that capacity until 1947. His tenure as district attorney general coincided with World War II, during which he also served his country in uniform. From 1943 to 1945, he was an enlisted man in the United States Army, with overseas service in the European Theater of Operations, balancing his responsibilities as a public prosecutor with military service during a global conflict.

Building on his legal and military record, Phillips entered national politics as a member of the Republican Party. He was elected as a Republican to the Eightieth and Eighty-first Congresses, representing Tennessee’s 1st congressional district in the U.S. House of Representatives. His service in Congress extended from January 3, 1947, to January 3, 1951, encompassing the immediate post–World War II era and the early years of the Cold War. During these two terms in office, he participated in the legislative deliberations of a Congress that addressed issues of postwar reconstruction, veterans’ affairs, and the evolving international role of the United States. Although he sought to continue his service, he was not a successful candidate for renomination in 1950.

After leaving Congress, Phillips returned to Elizabethton and resumed the practice of law. He continued his public service in the judiciary as chancellor of the First Chancery Court of Tennessee, presiding over equity and chancery matters in the region. In this capacity he drew on his extensive experience as a lawyer, prosecutor, and legislator, remaining an influential figure in the legal and civic life of East Tennessee. He maintained his residence in Elizabethton throughout his later career, reflecting his enduring connection to the community in which he had begun his professional life.

Dayton Edward Phillips died on October 23, 1980, in Kingsport, Tennessee. He was interred at Happy Valley Memorial Park in Elizabethton, Tennessee, closing a life marked by service as an educator, attorney, soldier, prosecutor, congressman, and judge on behalf of his state and country.