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  • Family Home
    • Surname Index
      • (--?--) — to — Franks
      • Franz — to — Neave
      • Neff — to — Willard
      • Willcockson — to — Zuern
    • Persons Index
      • (--?--)—to—William Delray Alley
      • James Allinder—to—James Beall
      • James Beall—to—Claudia June Bremser
      • Clive John Bremser—to—Daniel Bushnell
      • Ebenezer Bushnell—to—Baby Claggett
      • Benjamin Franklin Claggett—to—James K Crofut
      • Asa Cromeans—to—Levi Jerome Dustin
      • Lydia Althea (Althia) Dustin—to—Bildad Fowler
      • Catherine Fowler—to—Frederick Eugene Gross I
      • Frederick Eugene Gross II—to—Nathan Alexander Hoover
      • Philip Richard Hoover—to—Thomas Kilbourne
      • Dora Kilby—to—Anson Cassim Loveland
      • Asa Loveland—to—Edward Christian McNett
      • Edward Clinton McNett—to—Shawn Newland
      • Judy Carol Newsom—to—(--?--) Phelps
      • (--?--) Phelps—to—John Phelps
      • John Phelps—to—Timothy Phelps
      • Timothy Phelps—to—(Widow) Ridgley
      • Johann Jakob Rieger—to—Betha of Savoy
      • Thomas I Count Savoy—to—Alice Spencer
      • Ann Spencer—to—John Thompson
      • John Thompson—to—Anne Webster
      • Annis Webster—to—Johann Jakob Zuern
    • Four Generations Tree
  • History of the Phelps Surname
    • Possible Origins of the Family in Germany and Italy
    • Spelling and Origin of the Name
    • Welf and Guelph, Possible Ancestors to the Phelps
    • House of Welf vs. the House of Hohenstaufen
    • Origins in Wales
  • William Phelps 1630 Origins
    • William Phelps First Generations
    • William Phelps of Crewkerne, England
    • William Phelps of Tewkesbury, England
    • William Phelps of Dorchester, Colony of Massachusetts
    • William Phelps 1672 Will
  • George Phelps 1634 Origins
    • George Phelps First Generations
    • The Identity of George Parkhurst
    • George Phelps in New England 1634
    • George Phelps 1687 Will
  • Richard Phelps 1633 Origins
  • James Phelps 1786 Origins
  • Phelps Origins in Europe
    • Phelps Origins in Nether Tyne, Checkley, England
    • Decendants of James Phelps of Nether Tyne, England
    • Decendants of James Phelps of Tewkesbury, England
  • Phelps Towns & Villages
    • Tewkesbury, England
    • Crewkerne, England
    • Checkley, England
    • Simsbury, Connecticut
    • Windsor, Connecticut
    • Phelps Tavern of Litchfield, Connecticut
  • Colonial Voyages to Connecticut
    • Researching the Mary and John
    • Warrent and Order Detaining Phelps' Ships
    • About the Ship Mary and John
    • Voyage of the Mary and John 1630
    • Voyage of the Mary and John in 1633/34
    • Voyage of the Hercules in 1633/34
    • Voyage of the Recovery in 1633/34
  • Phelps Arrival in America
    • Nathaniel Phelps of Dorchester, Connecticut
    • William Phelps of Northampton, Massachusetts
    • Elnathian Phelps b. c1734
    • First Phelps Family Ancestors
    • The Great Migration to the Colonies
      • King Charles Persecutes Puritans
      • John Phelps Regicide to Charles I
      • Phelps Entries in the Great Migration Begins
  • Phelps of Simsbury and Windsor
    • William Phelps and the First Local Government
    • Founders of Ancient Windsor, Connecticut
    • Estimated Population of American Colonies 1620 to 1780
    • Crime and Punishment in Simsbury
    • Organization of the Church in Windsor
    • The Phelps Homestead in Simsbury
  • Phelps Family Letters
    • Isaac Ensign and Cornelia Phelps
    • Ensign Letters from Simsbury to Forsyth
    • Correspondance of Oliver Roswell Phelps and Georgia Phelps
    • Ensign Family Letters
  • Phelps from New York to Illinois
    • Nehemiah West Leads the Settlers West
    • Hoosiers vs. Yankees: A Slave State or Not?
    • The (Ill-fated) Boat Party
    • Pioneer Architecture: From Log Cabins to Homes
    • Galesburg Grows Amidst the Jackson Panic
    • Founding of the Knox Manual Labor College
    • Household Skills in Pioneer Galesberg
    • Commerce is Established With Colton's Store
    • Food and Clothing in Early Galesburg
  • Family Origins in Illinois
    • Noble Phelps Moves West to Illinois
    • Knox County Pioneer Noble Phelps
    • Noble Phelps' Prize Farm
    • Premium for Phelps Best Farm
    • Seraphina Princess Phelps and George Avery
    • Ronald Aaron Noble Phelps 1881 Bio
    • Avery Company History
  • Phelps Family in California
    • Bart Phelps, Navy Telegrapher Radioman
    • Bart Phelps, Yerba Buena 1916 Radio Operations
    • Bart Phelps, Wailupe 1921 Radio Operations
    • Bart Phelps, Alaska 1924 Radio Operations
    • Annabeth Beasley Phelps
    • Harold Bartle "Bud" Phelps III
    • A Generation Passes
  • Bartle Family
    • Bartle Family Genealogy
    • The Daily Journal of Births and Deaths
    • Bartle First American Ancestors
    • Henry Hart Bartle Obituary
    • Henry Hart Bartle 1858-1929 Biograpahy
    • Nathanial Sanburn 1723, Kingston New Hampshire
    • Francis G. Sanburn 1899, of Knoxville, Illinois
    • William Toy Bartle Ministry
    • Nathanial Sanborn, 1814, of Canandaigua, New York
  • Beasley Family
    • Beasley Family Genealogy
    • First Known American Ancestors
    • The Price of Slaves 1850
    • Luther S. Beasley 1925 Obituary
    • John T. Beasley 1883-1950
    • John Beasley and Lizzie Bremser Marriage
    • John T. Beasley 1950 Obituary
    • Jane Beasley Raph Professional Life
    • Jane Beasley Raph 2001 Obituary
    • Annabeth Beasley Phelps, Mother and Provider
    • Annabeth Beasley Phelps 2001 Obituary
    • Brandy Station in the Civil War
    • T/5 Myron K. Ricketts, WWII Veteran
    • A Hero in Our Midst—Mac Butler's "Battlin' Blue Bastards"
    • Ephraim Beazley 1797 Deeds and Records
    • William Beazley 1824 Court Records and Will
  • Bremser Family
    • Bremser Family Genealogy
    • Finding Heinrich Gottlieb Bremser
    • The Family History
    • Coming to America
    • The Search for Henry Bremser
    • Henry Bremser 1864-1848 Bio
    • Henry Bremser 1864-1948 Obituary
    • Elizabeth Bremser 1888-1952 Biograhy
    • Elizabeth Bremser Marriage Letter Home
    • Bremsers Origins in Germany
    • Bremser-Familiengeschichte (Deutch)
  • Christy Family
    • Guy Christy Horseshoes Collection
    • Christy Family First American Ancestors
    • Guy H Christy, Kentucky to California
    • 27th Illinois Infantry Regimental History
    • The Mystery of Harry Haskell
      • The Civil War Medal
      • A Short Biography
      • Harry's Gettysburg Report
      • 125th New York Volunteers Regimental History
      • Harry's Enlistment Record
      • Harry Haskell Obituaries
      • Mystery Revealed
  • Claggett Family
    • Claggett Family Genealogy
    • Claggett First Ancestors in America
    • Robert Clagget 1490 in England
    • Edward Clagett 1670 Emigration to America
    • Thomas Claggett 1703 of London and Maryland
    • Thomas Clagett 1732 Will
    • Samuel Claggett 1821, Revolutionary War Surgeon
    • Samuel Claggett 1846 of Virginia
    • Samuel Claggett and Julia F. Sanford Marriage Contract
    • Bernard Johnson Claggett 1919 Bio
    • The Price of Slaves 1850
    • Julia {Sanford} Claggett 1876 Civil War Claims
      • Deposition of Columbia Claggett
      • Commision Standard Interrogitories
      • Deposition of Sgt. Ereastus Weaver
      • Deposition of Lt.Frank Foot
      • Deposition of Julia Claggett
      • Deposition of Thomas Claggett
      • Testimony of Craven King
      • Testimony of William Francis
      • Testimony of Erastus Weaver
      • Map of Clagget Farm
      • Claim Exhibits
      • Battle of Bull Run
      • Battle of Brandy Station
      • 121st NY Volunteers
      • Complete Commission Transcript
    • Claggett Family Move to Illinois from Virginia
    • Sanford Ramey Claggett 1895 Obituary
    • Ann Claggett Beasley 1898 Obituary
    • Rev. Thomas John Claggett 1816, First American Episcopal Bishop
    • Thomas J. Claggett 1901 Obituary
    • Columbia Claggett 1904 Obituary
    • Brice Clagett, Family Genealogist
    • Claggett Coat of Arms
  • Diuguid Family
    • Diuguid Family Genealogy
    • George Christian Diuguid of Kentucky
    • The English Royal Connection
    • Harriet Diuguid's Letter About Her Ancestry
    • Diuguid Origins in America
    • Origin of the Diuguid Name
  • Klein Family
    • Klein Family Genealogy
    • Klein Origins in Germany
    • Klein Visit to 1922 Germany
  • Morgan Family
    • Morgan Family Genealogy
    • Utah Pioneer John Morgan
  • Loveland Family
    • Loveland Family Since 1556
  • Notable Family Members
    • 1600-1699
      • John Phelps, Court Clerk at the Trial of King Charles I
      • Anson Green Phelps, Merchant and Philanthropist
    • 1700-1799
      • Richard Phelps, Bell-founder for English Churches
      • Dr. Francis Phelps, Representative and Senator
      • Judge John Phelps, Publisher, Judge, Merchant, and Entrepreneur
      • Noah Phelps, A Spy at Ticonderoga, A Patriot of 1776
      • Oliver Phelps, Land Speculator, Judge, Congressman
      • William Wines Phelps, Judge, Mormon Publisher and Writer
      • William Wines Phelps Letters to Wife
      • William Wines Phelps Revelation Given
      • William Wines Phelps in Church History
      • William Wines Phelps Letter from Liberty Jail 1834
      • Samuel Shethar Phelps, Jurist, Congressman, and Senator
      • Nathanial Sanborn, Pioneer Settler of Canandaigua, New York
    • 1800-1849 A-M
      • Alfred Aaron Phelps, Wild West Show Rider
      • Austin Phelps, Congregational Minister, Educator
      • Charles Edward Phelps, Congressman, Judge, Author
      • Delos Porter Phelps, Lawyer, U.S. Assistant Treasurer
      • Edward John Phelps, American Lawyer, Diplomat
      • George M. Phelps, Master Telegraph Instrument Maker, Inventor
      • Dr. Guy Rowland Phelps, Founder, Connecticut Mutual Life Insurance Company
      • Judge James Phelps, Judge, Congressman
      • Judge John Jay Phelps, Publisher, Judge, Merchant, Entrepreneur
      • John Smith Phelps, Lawyer, Legislator
      • John Wolcott Phelps, Brigadier General, United States Volunteers
      • Mary Phelps Rich, Pioneer Saint in Tazewell County, Illinois
      • Francis G. Sanburn, Pioneer Resident of Knoxville, Illinois
    • 1800-1849 N-Z
      • Mary Anne Phelps Rich, Mormon Pioneer
      • Rev. Philip Phelps, Founder, First President, Western Theological Seminary
      • John Wesley Phelps, Deputy Sheriff of Hartford County, Connecticut
      • Stephen Sumner Phelps, Illinois Pioneer
      • Thomas Stowell Phelps, Civil War Naval Officer
      • William Walter Phelps, Congressman, Ambassador, Judge
    • 1850-1899
      • Mary Phelps Jacob, Inventor, Publisher
      • William Lyon Phelps, Educator, Literary Critic, Author
    • 1900-2020
      • Chance Russel Phelps, Private, USMC
  • Phelps Family Arms & Crest
    • About Coats of Arms
    • Arms of the Tewkesbury Phelps
    • Arms of Henry Phelps of London
    • Arms of the American Phelps
    • Arms of the Irish Phelps
    • Heraldic Glossary
  • Selected Family Wills
    • Thomas and Katherine Phylypp Wills 1556, Over Teyne, Checkeley, England
    • William Phelps 1672 Will, Windsor, Connecticut
    • Anthony Phillipps 1648 Will, Nether Teane, England
    • Francis Phylyppe 1648 Will, Checkley, England
    • Thomas Phylypp 1556 Will, Over Teyne, England
    • George Phelps 1687 Will, Westfield, Massachusetts
    • Timothy Phelps 1639 Will, Windsor, Connecticut
    • Natnaniel Phelps 1702 Will, Northampton, Massachusetts
    • Thomas Clagett 1708 Will, Calvert, Maryland
    • Thomas Clagett 1732 Will, Prince Georges, Maryland
    • Julia F Sanford 1727 Marriage Indenture
    • Ephraim Beazley 1797 Wills & Deeds, Spotsylvania, Virginia
    • Ephraim Beasley 1797 Deed Spotsylvania, Virginia
    • Ephraim Beasley 1798 to Elizabeth Beazley
    • Ephraim Beasley 1798 Will, Spotsylvania County, Virginia
    • Henry Beazley 1804 Indenture, Spotsylvania, Virginia
    • William Beazley 1828 Will, Culpeper, Virginia
    • William Beazley 1824 Court Records and Will
    • William Beazley 1852 Will, Culpeper, Virginia
    • Cornelius Beazley 1834 Will
    • Ephraim Beazley 1833 Mortgage
    • John Loveland 1649 Will
    • Ephraim Beazley 1798 Henry Beazley 1815 Indenture
    • James Phelps of North Caroline 1786 Estate
    • Robert Valentine Phelps 1905 Australia
  • About this Site
    • What's New in 2021
    • Contact Us
    • Why This Site
    • Kissing Cousins and Other Inbreeding
    • Major Contributors
    • Most Common Surnames
    • Legal Disclaimer
  • Order "Phelps Family in America" Genealogy
    • Updated Index to "Phelps Family in America" Book
    • Excerpts from the Book—European History
      • Spelling and Origin of the Phelps Name
      • James Phelps of Nether Tyne
      • Descendants of Francis Phylyppe
      • Reverend Elnathan Phelps and Eleanor Bridgman
      • John Phelps, Court Clerk at the Trial of King Charles I
    • Excerpts from the Book—American History
      • Introduction to the American Genealogy
      • William Phelps, First Local Government in America
      • Willaim Phelps, Magistrate in Simsbury
      • Organization of the Church in Windsor
      • Early Massacoh (later Simsbury), Connecticut
      • Early Dorchester (later Windsor), Connecticut
      • Oliver Seymour Phelps, Genealogist and Author
      • Noah Phelps, Spy at Ticonderoga, A Patriot of 1776
      • Maps of Ancient Windsor, Connecticut
    • Excerpts from the Book—American Family Histories
      • Introduction to the American Genealogy
      • William Phelps First Generations in New England
      • Descendants of George Phelps and Phillury Randall
      • Deacon Nathaniel Phelps
      • Will or Settlement Deed of William Phelps
      • Last Will and Testament of Timothy Phelps of Windsor, Connecticut
      • The Will of Immigrant George Phelps of Westfield, Massachusetts
Phelps & Servin Phelps Family in America reprints now available
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About the Updated Family History Index

Places, Maiden Names Add 250 Pages to Index

Well-known to many Phelps family researchers is the two-volume book, The Phelps Family of America and Their English Ancestors. An updated index of over 250 pages, featuring thousands of geographic place names and the maiden names of spouses, is available below for Phelps family historians for download.

Updated Index Adds Value to Original Books

Margaret Phelps Swanson has developed an updated index and other comments to the 1899 book. While the book was published with an index standard for its time, the index is largely restricted to male surnames and is of limited use to many researchers. Phelps Connections researchers Margaret Phelps Swanson and Nancy J. Pennington took it upon themselves to reindex the two volumes totalling 1869 pages. This publication, over 250 pages of new index entries, is the result of their work.

About the New Index

The new place index is complete and adds counties to the index. The primary sources used for these additions are:

  • E. K. Kirkham, A Genealogical and Historical Atlas of the United States of America. Logan, Utah: The Everton Publishers, Inc. 1976. This atlas used the 1880 census as the basis for listing every county, town, village and post office in the United States.
  • Gilbert S. Bahn American Place Names: A Republication of the Index to Cram's Unrivaled Atlas of the World as Based on the Census of 1890. Baltimore, Maryland: Genealogical Publishing Company, Inc. 1998.

Many Birthplaces Are Incorrect

A note of caution. Many of the birthplaces in this genealogy are incorrect. Frequently the listed birthplace was a place of residence at a later date, but the birth occurred at a prior home of the parents. For example the birthplace of the children of Timothy and Persis (Baxter) Phelps is given as Pompey, Onondaga County, New York; however, these children were born from 10 to 20 years before Timothy moved to Pompey.

The 1855 New York State Census lists the birthplace of their daughter, Rebeckah as Saratoga County, New York—but she was born in 1783 while Saratoga County was not created from Albany County until 1791. The 1855 census information is valuable in that it helps confirm that the Timothy Phelps in Cambridge Town, Albany County 1790 was her father, and the family had moved westward to Charlton Town, Saratoga County by the time of the 1800 census.

About William Phelps Allegedly of Tewksbury

Pages 1 to 72 describe the purported Tewksbury origin of on the family of William Phelps. This has been disproved. For the latest information on the origins of William Phelps, see:

  • Robert Charles Anderson, The Great Migration Begins. Boston: New England Historic Genealogical Society. 1995. 3: 1444-1446.
  • Myrtle Steven Hyde, F.A.S.G. "The English Origin of William Phelps of Dorchester, Mass., and Windsor, Conn. with Notes on His Marriages," TAG 65:161-166.

For information about these two articles, see Margaret Swanson's article from the Phelps Connections newsletters Phelps Entries in "The Great Migration Begins.

For more information about William Phelps's origins and family, see:

  • William Phelps of Crewkerne
  • William Phelps of Dorchester
  • Phelps First Generation in New England

Pages 72 to 1,257 of The Phelps Family of America are devoted to the descendants of William Phelps, one of the founders of Windsor, Connecticut.

About George Phelps Allegedly of T ,mnkhy7ulewksbury

Pages 1259 to 1557 identify some of the descendants of George Phelps. More recent research, including DNA testing of the descendants of William and George, has proven that George is not the brother of William. He also does not appear to have come on the Mary and John, but is believed to have come later, about 1635. For more information, see:

  • John Plummer "Identifying George P__?__ of the Recovery, 1633 [1634]," NGS Quarterly Vol. 77, No. 4 (Dec. 1989): 249-255.

A very few pages mention a James Phelps who came to Georgia about 1765 and another James who came in 1854.

Descenants of George Phelps and the Salem Phelps were much more numerous than this genealogy indicates. For various reasons they seemed to have been drawn to the frontier where fewer records were kept.

For more information, see:

  • The Origins of George Phelps
  • Descendants of George Phelps of Windsor, Connecticut.

About Henry and Edward Phelps, the "Fifth Family"

Pages 1569 to 1692 identify descendants of the so-called "Fifth Family" who came to Salem, Massachusetts from London in 1634. The Phelps in this section are descendants of two supposed brothers, Henry and Edward. Edward remained in Massachusetts and had four children, two sons and two daughters who left issue. The majority of the Phelps found in eastern Massachusetts, New Hampshire and Maine are descendants of this fifth family. Their religion is predominantly Baptist. Henry's son John has the only descendants of Henry that are carried forward in the Phelps Family of America.

Henry's Quaker wife held meetings in her home. After several fines by the Salem Court for nonattendance at meetings, Henry moved to North Carolina about 1666 and settled in Perquamins County. In North Carolina Henry had children by a second marriage to Hannah (Baskell) Phelps who had previously been the wife of his brother, Nicholas. See:

  • Gwen Boyer Bjorkmann "Hannah (Baskell) Phelps Phelps Hill: A Quaker Woman and Her Offspring," NGS Quarterly Dec. 1987.

About Cuthbert (Cudbeard) Phelps

Most Quaker Phelps descendants are descended from this family or that of another Quaker, Cuthbert Phelps who also settled in Perquamins County. Cuthbert also called Cudbeard first came to Talbot County, Virginia in 1654.

Other Early Phelps Immigrants

Another overlooked family of early Phelps who emigrated to the South in the seventeenth century was that of Walter Phelps (ca. 1658-1719) of All Hallows Parish [Anglican], Ann Arundel County, Maryland. Walter was a rebel and was transported with his family and servants.

For the latest information on descendants of this branch of Phelps, see:

  • Robert Barnes Colonial Families of Ann Arundel County, Maryland.

Not unexpectedly a look at the occupations reported in the Phelps genealogy shows the individual entries heavily skewed to the more prosperous and educated—merchants, lawyers, doctors, clergy, prosperous farmers, elected officials and to warriors who served in either the Revolutionary War or Civil War.

A very few pages mention a James Phelps who came to Georgia about 1765 and another James who came in 1854.

Symbols Used in the Index

  • + An individual identified as a child who has an additional entry as an adult. An indented + on the next line indicates a named spouse
  • x A temporary indication that the entry in the genealogy has not been checked and details entered into the revised index.
  • [m2x], [m3x] is a temporary note indicating additional marriages but the spouses were not named on the first page.

Birth or death dates in brackets are dates added by me. These dates are not given it the genealogy.

Corrections or additions made by Oliver Seymour Phelps or Andrew T. Servin are identified by strikethrough of the incorrect information and references to citations on pages 1693-1759.

If birth and death dates are not available a birthplace or residence is given. Wives are often identified by the name of their spouse rather than their birthplace. This is especially true for the parents of wives of Phelps surnamed men. If the given names of women are the same the women are listed in alphabetical order of the husband's surname. Married women are cross indexed under maiden and married surnames. Subsequent surnames are entered in brackets.

  • † This symbol identifies a person mentioned in the appendix. Sources have not been added at this point for most of the known corrections and additions.Notes in the appendix are coded as follows:
  • (A) Additional information
  • (C) Corrections
  • (D) Discrepancies: i.e. conflicting information in Phelps
  • (Q) Questionable statements in The Phelps Family of America: i.e. when two children in a family have the same given name and the eldest child of that forename has a death date and spouse, and the second child has nothing but the later birthdate. While it is possible to have two living children with the same name it is rare and it seems more probable that the eldest child died young and the death date and spouse really belong to the younger child of that name.

Since O. S. Phelps renumbered each branch of the family in the genealogy with numbers beginning with 1. A letter distinguishing the branch of the family has been added to the three main groups.

  • [5th 5] Samuel Phelps, son of the immigrant Henry Phelps
  • [G9] Nathaniel Phelps son of the immigrant George Phelps
  • [W22] Nathaniel Phelps, son of the immigrant William Phelps

Many of the additions and corrections have been contributed by Nancy J. Pennington, 6204 S. Halifax Avenue, Edina, MN 55424-1914. These are identified by her initials (njp). We have worked closely together on the Phelps families for the past thirteen years. She has concentrated on Midwestern Phelps particularly those who settled in Wisconsin and Minnesota; the descendants of George Phelps (immigrant) and the Phelps of Berkshire County, Massachusetts.

Phelps Connections Newsletters Available in Libraries

The Phelps Connections served as the hub for Phelps family members across the United States. Members published research and were the source of many discoveries and new information. Copies of the Phelps Connections newsletters for the now closed family association have been deposited in the following libraries:

  • Allen County, Indiana Public Library
  • Atlanta, Georgia Public Library
  • Dallas Public Library
  • Denver Public Library
  • Family History Library, Salt Lake City
  • Los Angeles Public Library
  • National Genealogical Society
  • New England Historic Genealogical Society
  • New York City Public Library
  • Seattle, Washington Public Library,
  • California State Library Sutro Branch (San Francisco).

Phelps Connections newsletter has been microfilmed by the Minnesota Historical Society and the Family History Library in Salt Lake City.

Download the Index

New Index to The Phelps Family in America and their English Ancestors 271 pages, 3 MB

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