Ernie

Earnest Phillips, born October 23, 1874, [STB] in Prince Edward Island, Nova Scotia, and grew up in the Erie, Parrish, and Braden River, Florida areas. He purchased a motorized (steam power) barge and hauled fright, cars, and passengers, along with a few horses, up, down, and across the Braden River. Different family members have stated; he hauled the oyster shell used to pave Manatee Avenue in Manatee, Florida. Ernie docked his barge at the location now known as Palmetto Yacht Basin, Palmetto, FL. [STB] He had a small restaurant built on the barge after he stopped making runs across the river. Ernie died on his barge March 2, 1920 of pneumonia. He was a young 46 years old. He never married. He is interned in Braden River Cemetery, Manatee County, FL.
Unfortunately there is very little known about Ernie. All of Paul Phillips’ children were to young or not even born in time to know about him. At the time of this writing no other relatives have been found that can provide additional information.