Christopher H. Phillips

Christopher Hallowell Phillips (December 6, 1920 – January 10, 2008) was an American diplomat and politician who served as United States Ambassador to Brunei and was a member of the Massachusetts Senate.

Phillips was born on December 6, 1920 to William and Caroline (Drayton) Phillips at the American Legation in The Hague. Phillips father twice served as United States Under Secretary of State and was the U.S. ambassador to Italy, Belgium, and Canada. Phillips was a member of the Boston Brahmin family and his ancestors included the first Mayor of Boston John Phillips, abolitionist Wendell Phillips, and Phillips Academy and Phillips Exeter Academy founders Samuel Phillips, Jr., and John Phillips.

Phillips attended a number of schools during his youth, including Avon Old Farms. In 1939, he enrolled in Harvard College. He left the school after his freshman year to attend Montana State University and work on a ranch as a cowboy. While there he met Mabel Olsen, whom he married in 1943. Phillips then served four years in the United States Army Air Corps. During the Allied Occupation of Japan, Phillips established food distribution policies.

In 1946, Phillips returned to Harvard. He graduated with the class of 1948 and wanted to go into politics, however, he took a job as a City Hall reporter the Beverly Evening Times instead to support his wife and 2-year-old daughter.

In 1948, Beverly Mayor Daniel E. McLean convinced Phillips to run for a seat in the Massachusetts Senate. Phillips defeated incumbent J. Elmer Callahan in the Republican primary and was reelected twice.

During the 1952 presidential election, Phillips served on the Massachusetts Eisenhower for President Committee. In October 1953, Phillips resigned his Senate seat to serve as the deputy to the Assistant Secretary of State for United Nations Affairs. On October 15, 1954, Phillips was appointed Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for International Affairs. Phillips left the State Department in 1957 following his appointment to the United States Civil Service Commission. He returned to the State Department the following year as the United States Representative to the United Nations Economic and Social Council.

From 1969 to 1973, Phillips was the deputy US representative on the United Nations Security Council.

In 1989, president Ronald Reagan appointed Phillips to serve as the United States Ambassador to Brunei. He remained in this position until October 31, 1991.

Mabel Phillips died in 1995. Phillips married Sydney (Watkins) Osborne in 1998.

Phillips died on January 10, 2008 at the Addison Gilbert Hospital in Gloucester, Massachusetts due to complications from a stomach ulcer. At the time of his death, Phillips was living in Ipswich, Massachusetts.