Phillip Hardin Lybrook was born in 1868 in Patrick County, Virginia, to Judge Andrew Murray Lybrook and Mary Josephine Reynolds Lybrook. Phillip was the oldest child of at least eight children. His mother, Mary Josephine Reynolds Lybrook, was the sister of Richard Joshua Reynolds.
Phillip was a member of North Carolina Governor Russell’s staff as paymaster general. He was afforded the rank of colonel.
About 1897, Colonel Lybrook was appointed postmaster for Winston. He followed former postmaster Wilson who retired.
When the post offices of Winston and Salem were consolidated in 1898, Colonel Lybrook was reappointed as postmaster for four years, thus becoming the first postmaster for Winston-Salem. During his term the carrier system was extended and improved.
Colonel Lybrook boarded at Jones House on Main Street. Other lodgers in the same facility in 1900 were his uncle Richard J. Reynolds, Robert L. Williamson (tobacco manufacturer; Brown & Williamson), James S. Dunn (real estate agent who became the brother-in-law of Richard J. Reynolds), and Joseph D. Lee (mail carrier). Lybrook was a member of Home Moravian Church.
In the fall of 1900, Colonel Lybrook sought treatment at a hospital in Philadelphia for an undisclosed illness. Faced with Lybrook’s lingering absence because of ill health, it became necessary to make arrangements in early January to replace Lybrook with Lieutenant Governor C. A. Reynolds. Lybrook died in the Philadelphia hospital on January 3, 1901. The death of this young and capable man was mourned throughout the city. It was said of him, Lybrook was “a most acceptable official, kind, courteous, and efficient in every way.” He was buried in Stuart, Virginia.
Photo courtesy of Forsyth County Public Library Photograph Collection.
