Philip Damph, an early resident of Morgan County, Mo., was born in Prussia, and in 1841, when quite young, came with his parents, John and Theresa Damph, to America. They located in Cole County, Mo., where the father was engaged in farming, and here Philip was reared. He learned the details of farm work, and also acquired an excellent knowledge of blacksmithing, after attaining his nineteenth year working in Jefferson City. He then spent two years working at his trade in Osage County, and on April 18, 1860, located in Versailles, where he worked as a journeyman blacksmith one year, then opened a shop of his own, and conducted the same until 1880, when he opened a general hardware store, and keeps an excellent line of farming implements, wagons, carriages, etc., and is doing a very profitable business, having by his honesty and obliging disposition won the confidence and liking of all with whom he comes in contact. His establishment is the first of the kind ever opened in Versailles. In 1864 he was united in marriage to Miss Sarah Furguharrison, a native York State, by whom he has one daughter, Maggie May. Mr. Damph is a member of the Catholic Church, and his wife is a Baptist.
History of Cole, Moniteau, Morgan, Benton, Miller, Maries and Osage Counties, Missouri, Goodspeed Publishing Co., 1889.