Descendants of William Phelps and
George Phelps of Crewkerne, England

Transcribed from The Phelps Family of America and Their English Ancestors, (Save $201 by ordering through us.) Two volumes. By Judge Oliver Seymour Phelps and Andrew T. Servin. (Eagle Publishing Company of Pittsfield, Mass., 1899)Original spelling and punctuation preserved.

The Church in Windsor, with which our ancestor, Mr. William Phelps, and his associates were connected, was, it would appear, organized by them and their associates in Plymonth, old England, early in 1630 as previously stated.

The call of these emigrants of their first pastors, the Rev. Mr. Warham and Rev. Mr. Mayerick, their acceptance of same, and their installment, by the Rev. John White, in the New Hospital, Plymouth, England, the Sunday before sailing; settling in Dorchester, Mass., and from there to Windsor, Connecticut, in 1635-6, all of which have been mentioned before.

This church held its 250th. anniversary in 1880. Many of the descendants of Mr. William Phelps still worship there. This church has had since its organization the following Pastors: Rev. John Warham, John Maverick, Ephraim Nathaniel Chauncey, Samuel Mather, Jonathan Marsh, William Russell, David S. Rowland, Benjamin Parsons, and Gowan C. Wilson--an average pastorate of about eighteen years.

"Roll back the curtain of the years and let our eyes behold the distant times, the ancient ways, the stirring men of old, across the stormy deeps they came, the forest wild they trod to find a name for liberty--a temple for their God."

Says Stiles⁽²⁾ History of Windsor: "Many of the prominent men of the colony dealt largely in real estate."

A Correct Map of Connecticut from actual Survey. Engraved by A. Doolittle Newhaven 1797. Published for Dr. Trumbull's History of Connecticut. The hand coloring was added later. Issued in vol 1 of the 1797 edition of Trumbell's history, opposite the title page. Larger image

The purchase of the Plymouth Company by the Windsor Company in 1637, of land originally purchased by them of the Indians, was the first land owned by the English in Windsor.

A map of Indian land purchases by the settlers of Windsor and Simsbury(1). Larger image

Some time in 1635 Mr. William Phelps purchased of Nassahegan, lands referred to in the above sale, who afterwards, not being able to prove full payment of the same, honestly bought it over again. This transaction is referred to in Stiles⁽²⁾ as folows: It is in a deed dated March 31st, 1665.

"These presents testify, whereas there was a parcel of land purchased formerly by Mr. William Phelps, Sen., living in Windsor about thirty years since, of Sehat, an Indian, a Paquanick Sachem, and I (Phelps) not being able to prove full payment of the said purchase in consideration ; I now engage to make up the full payment by paying to the said Sehat's kinsman, Nassahegan, Sachem, of Paquanick, 4 trucking coats, or what upon agreement shall satisfy them to the value thereof. The said Nassahegan engaging to make the said parcel of land free, as shall be expressed from any challenge or demands for future time of himself, his heirs or successors, or any other Indian or Indians whatsoever. And Coggerymosset, Sehat's son, and his sister, and the said Nassahegan's own sister, shall subscribe to the said premises. The said parcel of land is thus; bounded, as it takes in all the first meadow bounded by the. rivulet, the Indian name being Tauchag, and half of the second meadow according to the running of the river, the Indian name being Pabachimusk; the parcel of land bounds south by a little brook that falls into the river about 4o rods from my own dwelling house, and to extend in length from the river westward upon a line three miles, all the breadth of the said land from the south brook to the middle of the 2nd meadow; which said agreement is made and signed to by us whose names are underwritten, this year of the Lord 1665, March 31st-owned already, paid in two coats and 4o s. in wampum for a third coat, and six bushels of Indian corn, and fifteen shillings in wampum for the fourth coat, and fifteen shillings in wampum, is at six a penny.

Witnesses	Signed by
Samuel Phelps	Coggerynossett
Matthew Grant	Asuthew, Coggerynosset's sister
John Bartlett	Patackhouse, Nassahegan's sister
Timothy Buckland	Amannawer, Nassahegan's sister
Nassahegan

Says the record--In Feb., 1666, "whereas there are several men that have land within the limits of it (the purchase aforesaid) both meadow and up-land, besides Mr. Phelps and his sons, it was therefore concluded that each man according to his proportion of land, capable of plowing or mowing, shall pay 12 pence per acre to Mr. Phelps; and each man paying to Mr. Phelps should afterwards have a clear title to their several shares of land."

Note--Says Trumbull's⁽³⁾History of Connecticut: "In these early days the title of Mister or Mr. was only given to elderly persons of distinction, while all military titles were always used." William Phelps received this distinguished title of Mr.

Mr. William Phelps's residence in Windsor, in 1636, was on the road running northerly, and later continued to Poquonoc, and a short distance north of the mill in Mill-river Valley, and was in line with, 1st, Rev. Mr. Warham, Joseph Newbury, John Dorchester, then Mr. William Phelps. He with some of his neighbors were drowned out in the great flood of 1639.

This annual flood which succeeds the breaking up of the ice in the Connecticut river, commenced this year March 5th, and continued by stormy wind and heavy rainfalls to the 18th, when the waters were at the highest; by the 22nd, at night, they were well fallen, yet it was as high then as ever known by the Indians. Many were drowned out and great numbers of cattle were drowned.

This lot was sold with a house, in 1642, to Benjamin Newbury, but a transfer in 1662 does not mention a house.

Soon after the flood Mr. Phelps removed farther north and settled south on the Highlands of what is known on the map as Phelps meadows, on a road running east and west, and on the east side of a road running to Poquonock.

On land purchased by him of the Indians, his son William resided a short distance east of him. Marks of the cellar of this old house may yet be seen.

In regard to deed or pawn of his property, it is recorded in the land office after his death--

Record of Possession.

"Whereas it is testified by Nathaniel Gillett, Sen., and Timothy Phelps, that William Phelps in his life time stood possessed in his own right of that orchard land, that lies on the southerly side of the street before his dwelling house, as it is now fenced in, for the space of twenty years at least, without trouble from any person prosecuting his claim in due form of law.

The said land is therefore, according to law, entered upon Public Records, to belong to the grantee of the said William Phelps, Sen., his heirs and assigns forever.

Henry Wolcott, Register and Selectman.
Benjamin Newbury, Commissoner."

Many records of purchase and sale of land by Mr. William Phelps are recorded in the land records of Windsor.

Says Dr. Stiles⁽²⁾, "He was one of the most prominent and highly respected men in the colony. An excellent, pious, and upright man in his public and private life, and was truly a pillar in Church and State." And he might have added, one of the fathers and founders of this now ocean-bound Republic.

Mr. Phelps married for his second wife Mary Dover, in 1638. She was an English lady, and one of the passengers of the ship, Mary and John, and was a member of the Dorchester and Windsor Church. By her he had two children.

After a residence of forty-two years in New England, thirty-six of which were spent in Windsor, he died there July 14th, and was buried July 15th, 1672, in his 93rd year, honored and respected by all. His wife died there November 27th, 1675.

Here is the last Will and Testament of Mr. William Phelps, or properly speaking, his Settlement Deed. From Windsor Records.

Mr. Phelps' children by first were:

⁽¹⁾ From The Phelps Family of America and Their English Ancestors, (Save $201 by ordering through us.) Two volumes. By Judge Oliver Seymour Phelps and Andrew T. Servin. (Eagle Publishing Company of Pittsfield, Mass., 1899)Original spelling and punctuation preserved.) pp 77-89

⁽²⁾ Henry R. Stiles, A.M., M.D., History of Ancient Windsor, 2 Vols. (Picton Press, Camden, Maine). 1891, 1892.

⁽³⁾Trumbull, B. Complete History of Connecticut, Civil and Ecclesiastical. 2 vols. New London,1898.