Joseph Philp was born around 1795 in England. He married a woman named Ellen, and they had at least three children: Joseph, born around 1843; Ellen, born around 1847; and Maria, born around 1849. They immigrated to America around 1844 and settled in West Troy, New York. Philp worked as a surveyor there. They moved to Tyrone, New York, in the 1850s, and by 1860, he owned $125 of real estate and $175 of personal property. He died sometime after 1863.