Samuel Philippe was born in Paris, France, about 1848 (with, possibly, the given name of Simon). By 1881 he had settled in Leadville at 115 West 6th Street and was operating a saloon at 128 West Chestnut Street. The next year the business address is given as 126 West Chestnut-perhaps an error or maybe a sign of the future. During 1883 the saloon was functioning at 104 Harrison Avenue and in 1885 at 200 Harrison Avenue. The pub was stable for a year, but Samuel's residence had changed to 135 East 4th Street by 1886. 1887 saw changes in both locations as Samuel was now in the wholesale liquor business at 224 East 6th Street and a new home at 400 West 4th Street which he shared with his brother Arthur. 1888 was an important year for Samuel and his wife Rose (born to the Swartz family in Hungary about 1850) as their son, Theodore, was delivered to them at, oddly, the new business address of 308 East 6th Street on May 15 . Oddly, because the city directories show that the family lived at 221 East 10th Street until 1891. Likewise, the business location was unchanged until the record ends in 1891.
Arthur Philippe is cited in the census of 1885 as being a native of Germany born about 1846. He was a widower living at 104 Harrison Avenue and working as a saloon keeper-possibly in conjunction with his brother for whom he clerked in 1887.