Philippus was born on February 2nd, 1904 in Rouxville and his baptism took place there on April 17th, 1904. Philippus' father was Hendrik Hermanus Steyn and his mother was Anna Cecilia Olivier. He had three brothers and a sister, named Hendrik, Johannes, Joshua and Dorothy. He was the youngest of the five children. He died at the age of 46 on June 18th, 1950 in Brakpan.