Philip Ketcham is first of record 25 Apr.1701 when at the age of 16 he was a whitness to the will of Jonathan Jarvis of Huntington.  His father John Ketcham deeded him property 16 January 1715/6, the whitness being  John Rogers ans thomas Ketcham.   He had then beeen married but for a short time.

       He was elected collector on 1 May 1716 at Huntington, Suffolk Co., New York. On 18 Dec.1716 he reported 38 pounds, 18s 8d to the Treasurer at New York City, and foreswore further responsibility of this task.  Nevertheless the town of Huntington  chose him as assesssor at its meeting of 2 may 1721 and renewed his appointment 5 may 1724  when he was also chosen as town surveyor.  He was apparently capable in these assignments, for he held these two offices consecutively until 7 may 1733  when he was not rechosen.  He was elected trustee 4 may 1731 and again the next year and on 1 may 1733 was president of the trustees for the year following.  Then for eleven years he dissappears from civic life completely; one suspectsthat political factions were responsible, as therewas quite a turnover in the town offices. 

       The “Account Books of HHenry Lloyd show that on 27 Jan.1730/1 he paid the account of his mother Elizaneth Ketcham; and in further transactions under his account he paid for materials bought by Keziah Smith and Tabitha Chichester of Huntington.  The wife of Philip Ketcham (Phoebe) paid also on the account of Keziaah Smith.  These transactions took place during 1731., [“Colonial Families of Long Island, NY and CT” by Herbert Ferman Seversmith, p.1692:]

       He was elected collector on 3 May 1726 Huntington, Suffolk Co., New York. [Hunt. Tn. Rec. p.356]

       He witnessed the death of Phoebe SMITH on 10 Feb 1737/38.

       He signed the oath of loyalty in 1778.  He was listed in census, 1 freeholder, 2 males, 6 females in 1790.

       See bio: “Ancestors of Jacob Shaffer and his wife Cordelia Hunt”

       Page 251.--"Know all men by these Presents that I, PHILIP KETCHAM, of Hunttington, in Suffolk County, being this 21 day of April, 1769, pretty well in health."  My executors are to pay all debts before any general division.  I leave to my wife Elizabeth the use of my west dwelling house, with the cellar and chambers and kitchen, while she remains my widow, and no longer.  I also leave her one good chair horse and a riding chair that I now use; Also a bed and furniture, a negro girl, 4 sheep, and 1/2 of household goods, and two cows.  I leave to my sons, Solomon and Isaac, all my wearing apparell. I leave to my son Solomon my negro boy "Cesar," and to my son Isaac my negro man Jack.  I leave to my wife all provisions of meat and bread corn, and two swine. I leave to my daughter, Phebe Youngs, the remainder of movable estate, and if she dies before me, then to her three children [not named]; To my two sons all farming utensils. I leave to my son Solomon the homestead where I now live, and all the Hill lots which I bought of Jonathan Titus and Philip Titus, 

and for which I have already given him deeds; "Also the land which I have lying to the south side of Stephen Ketchams old field, so called, and from thence running south by Hempsted Old road, and by the east side of Philip and Cornelius Conklins land to the most westerly piece of their land to the first plowing field where the old fence stood, and so east to Nathaniel Ketchams and Stephen Ketchams land, be the same more or less"; Also my land, both cleared and wood land, lying on the north side of the road that leads to George Youngs mills, and which I formerly bought of Richard Davis; Also 1/2 of all my lands lying towards or near Ichabod Smiths; Also my lot of land at South where my house stands, being about 49 rods wide, and which I bought of my brother, John Ketcham; "Also all my upland and meadow lying southward of a certain ditch that runs on the north side of an Island called the Walnut Island, westerly to Lattens [Lattings] neck creek, which land and meadow is bounded east by Col. Conkling and by a ditch called Long Ditch, south by the Bay, west by a creek between West Neck and Lattens Neck creek, north by said ditch north of Walnut Island, and running east to Col. Conklings land"; Also 1/2 of all my undivided lands in West neck; Also a field of land I had of Joseph Whitman, joining a field that did belong to Cornelius Conkling; Also 1/2 of my rights of Commonage in Hunttington and the Baiting Place Purchase; "Also the south part of the tract of land called Perks Lot, from the partition fence, and running to Hubbard Conklings lot, and so joining to Nathaniel Williams land." I leave to my son Isaac the north part of Perks Lot, and the south field I had of Joseph Whitman, joining Thomas Conkling, And all my Plains fields and wood land lying west between the Plains fields and Hempsted road, and south of Cornelius Conklings, all lying in one tract; Also 1/2 of all my land lying near Jehiel Smiths, deceased; Also a lot on West Neck at South, And the land and meadow I bought of John Conkling at the east end of said lot; Also a piece of land and meadow I bought of Israel Conkling, bounded south by a ditch, east by a highway; Also 1/2 of my Commonage.  I make my loving friends, Jeremiah Wood and Joshua Wood, executors. Witnesses, Nathaniel Willis, Israel Ketcham, Henry Scudder, Samuel Willis. Proved, February 5, 1770.