In the well-known 1899 book The Phelps Family in America, the authors stated that William and George Phelps from Tewkesbury, England arrived in Dorchester aboard the Mary and John in 1630. These facts were later proven to be wrong.
The book The Phelps Family of America and Their English Ancestors by Phelps & Servin erroneously concluded based on nothing more than an approximate birth date for William that both he and George Phelps were from Tewkesbury, England. William and George Phelps are not brothers and are from Crewkene. For details, see Origins of William and George Phelps of Dorchester.
In 1982, genealogist Myrtle Steven Hyde documented in an article In The American Genealogist, Vol. 58 Oct. 1982) that the emigrants William and George Phelps, came from Tewkesbury.
Genealogist Margaret P. Swanson, former co-founder of the Phelps Connections newsletter, described the evidence proving that William and George are from Crewkerne, not Tewkesbury, and are not related, in an article here.
William Phelps of Crewkerne arrived aboard the Mary & John in 1630, probably with his second wife and the children from their current and his previous marriage. Learn more here.
George Phelps from Crewkerne probably came aboard the Recovery in 1634. He was single and later married in Windsor. Learn more here.
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