Descendants of William Phelps and
George Phelps of Crewkerne, England

William Phelps / Marie

INDEX

[320] Mr. Phelps, his wife, six children, and brother[?] George, then unmarried, emigrated to New England in the ship Mary and John, of four hundred tons burden, commanded by Captain Squeb, with one hundred and forty passengers. This company had been organized into a church and selected their ministers the day before sailing. They sailed from Plymouth, England, March 20th, 1630, arriving and landing at Nantasket, now Hull, Mass., May 30th, 1630. This company settled Dorchester, Mass., the first settlers and founders of that place. Mr. Phelps took an active position in town matters, and during the first six months was made a freeman.

From "The Great Migration Begins: Immigrants to New England, 1620-33:"

William Phelps
ORIGIN: Crewkerne, Somersetshire

MIGRATION: 1630 on Mary & John

FIRST RESIDENCE: Dorchester

REMOVES: Windsor 1635

CHURCH MEMBERSHIP: Second on the list of men who came from Dorchester church to Windsor with Mr. Warham [Grant 10].

FREEMAN: Requested 19 October 1630 and admitted 18 May 1631 (as "Will[ia]m Felpes") [MBCR 1:79, 366]. In list of Windsor freemen, 11 October 1669 (as "Mr. Will[iam] Phelps Sen.") [CCCR 2:519].

OFFICES: Deputy for Dorchester to Massachusetts Bay General Court, 9 May 1632, 6 May 1635 [MBCR 1:95, 145]. Committee on boundary between Boston and Roxbury, 4 March 1633/4 [MBCR 1:113]. Committee to survey Mount Wollaston, 14 May 1634 [MBCR 1:119, 139]. Committee on boundary between Wessaguscus and Barecove, 8 July 1635 [MBCR 1:149, 161]. Jury on death of Austin Bratcher, 9 November 1630 [MBCR 1:81].

Dorchester constable, 27 September 1631 [MBCR 1:91]. Dorchester selectman, 8 October 1633, 28 October 1634, November 1635 (six months) [DTR 3, 7, 13]. Committee to set the rate, 3 November 1633 [DTR 4]. Lot layer, 3 November 1633 [DTR 4]. Fence~viewer in East Field, 10 February 1634/5 [DTR 10].

Appointed by Massachusetts Bay one of the commissioners for the new towns on the Connecticut River, 3 March 1635/6 [MBCR 1:170-71].

Assistant, April 1636, September 1636, March 1637, May 1637, November 1637, March 1638, April 1638 - April 1642, May 1658 - May 1662 [CT Civil List 43]. Deputy for Windsor to Connecticut General Court, April 1645, September 1645, April 1646, October 1646, May 1647, September 1647, May 1648, September 1648, May 1649, September 1649, September 1650, May 1651, September 1651, May 1652, September 1652, May 1653, October 1653, May 1654, September 1654, May 1655, February 1657, May 1657, October 1657 [CT Civil List 43]. Committee to organize expedition against Pequots, 26 August 1639 [CCCR 1:32]. War Committee (Windsor), May 1653, October 1654 [CT Civil List 43].

ESTATE: On 3 April 1633 he was ordered to maintain forty feet of fencing for two cows at Dorchester [DTR 2]. On 5 July 1635 he was granted two and a half acres [DTR 12]. In the meadow beyond Naponset "W. Philps" drew lot #40 containing six acres [DTR 321].

In the Windsor land inventory of 23 February 1640, William Phelps the elder "hath granted from the plantation one homelot with its additions, nine acres more or less" (annotated "sold to Mr. Wareham"); "also one great lot fifty acres ... with meadow adjoining, seventeen acres"; "over the great river in breadth thirty-four rods, in length three miles" (annotated "given to Sam[uel] & Nathan[iel] Phelps"); "by the little meadow in upland two acres and half more or less, in breadth six rods, in length sixty-seven rods" (annotated "purchased by Daniell Clark & Bray Rossiter"); "in meadow adjoining two acres & half in breadth four rods & half more or less" (annotated "purchased by Rich[ard] Vere"); "also purchased of John Brookes a parcel of land in the upper end of the meadow by his dwelling house containing two acres of meadow with the swamp adjoining"; "also given from the town forty acres of woodland" [WiLR 1:78]. On 27 June 1664 swamp land measured out for Mr. Phelps totalled something over three acres [WiLR 1:78].

Son William Phelps's inventory showed that he "had by deed of gift from his father William Phelps the elder" one acre of meadow and four and a half acres of upland [WiLR 1:84]. By February 1650[/1] William Phelps purchased of his father William Phelps a parcel of swampland [WiLR 82].

On 10 March 1663/4 the Connecticut Court granted to "Mr. Phelps, 200 acres of upland and twenty of meadow, where he can find it; provided it prejudice not former grants and plantations set up and to set up" [CCCR 1:419].

BIRTH: By about 1593 based on estimated date of marriage.

DEATH: Windsor 14 July 1672 ("Old Mr. William Phelps died" [CTVR 27]).

MARRIAGE: (1) By 1618 Mary _____, who was buried at Crewkerne 13 August 1626.

(2) Crewkerne 14 November 1626 Anne Dover. "Mistress Phelps" was the first on the list of women members of the church at Dorchester who came with Mr. Warham to Windsor [Grant 9]. She died Windsor 30 August 1689 ("Mrs. An Phelps died") [CTVR 57]).

(All citations in brackets [] are source attributions.)

[472] BIOGRAPHY: Emigrated to America with his father, arrving in Massachusetts Bay 30th May, 1630, settled in Dorchester with his father, removing from there to the settling of Windsor, with Rev. Mr. Warham's church, in 1635, where he m. Isable Wilson. William was a freeman at Hartford 1669.

[474] NATHANIEL PHELPS, b. England about 1627, emigrated to New England with his father, settling in Dorchester, Mass., wikth his father, removing to Windsor, Ct., in 1635-6, where he m. Elizabeth Copley, 17th Sept., 1650 She was an English lady.

Says the Hon. James H. Phelps of Townshend, Vt., a descendant of this family: "A descendant of the family of Elizabeth Copley, in England was the celebrated artist, John Cop ley, father of Lord Lyndhurst, who on the 30th of April, 1827: became Lord Chancellor of England." Lord Lyndhurst appears to have no knowledge of this connection, as may be seen from his letter herewith attached. As this connection must be traced back over two hundred years, there is no reason to doubt the same. Mrs. Phelps died in Northampton, Mass., 6th Dec., 1712, some ten years after her husband. Her will probated in Northampton, Vol. 11, 1678-1716. Reference is made to her sons Nathaniel and William Phelps, who are to have the land her husband left her, to be divided equally between them. Her homestead also to be divided between them, Nathaniel to have the side he lives in, and William the other side. To Abigal 50 pounds; to the children of Matthew and Mary Closson 5 pound each; to her son-in-law, Matthew Closson, 10 shillings; to Thomas Copley 3 pounds; to Samuel and John Lankton 20 shillings each.

Mr. Phelps resided on the Orton place opposite his father's homestead, which he purchased of his brother Samuel. Here he resided up to 1656-7, when he removed with part of his family to Northampton, Mass., one of its first settlers. Says Stiles: " He was a pious man of good intellect, and of a sound, discriminating judgment-was one of the first deacons of the N. Church. His homestead was occupied by him for 43 years, and by his descendants until 1835. " His homestead comprised the land which was over fifty years ago occupied by Miss Margaret Dwight's school, and which at a later date was the College Institute of J. J. Dudley, Esq., and which is now Shady Lawn. The old homestead stood a few rods north of that edifice. (Clark's Northampton Antiquity) -

Although Mr. Phelps, removed to Northampton in 1656-7, we find him paying slip rent in Windsor 4th Jan., 1659.

Feb. 8th, 1679, Dea. Nathaniel Phelps, with his sons Nathaniel Jr. and William, took the oath of allegiance before Worshipful Maj. Pynchon.

May 11th, 1681, he was made a freeman by the General Court at Boston.

He died in Norhtamption May 27th, 1702, aged 75 years, honored and respected.

NATHANIEL PHELPS, bp. 6 March 1624/5 at Crewkerne, d. 27 May 1702 at Northampton, Mass.;[1] m. on 17 September 1650 at Windsor ELIZABETH COPLEY,[2] widow, d. 6 December 1719 at Northampton.[3]

Nathaniel Phelps was one of the original settlers of Northampton and on 18 March 1657/58 was one of signatories on a petition to the General Court requesting (1) a settled minister, and (2) help in reducing drunkenness.[4] On 6 January 1658/9 he gave three acres of land for the use of the ministry[5] and on 18 April 1661 signed the covenant of the church[6] and was one of the first deacons.[7] In 1663 he was listed as owner of Home Lot 4, Meadowland 29.[8]

On 27 March 1676 the "wife of Nathaniel Phelps" was among 23 persons presented at the court in Northampton for "wearing silk in a flaunting manner and for long hair and other extravagance contrary to honest and sober order, and demeanor not becoming a wilderness state, at least the profession for Christianity and religion."[9] On 9 February 1679 Deacon Nathaniel, with sons Nathaniel and William, took the oath of allegiance before Worshipful Major Pynchon.[10] On 11 February 1679/80 he was sworn in as tithing-man.[11] On 11 May 1681 he was sworn in as freeman by the General Court in Boston.[12] On the 21 May 1688 there was a town resolution "to Rectifie and Record that Highway that Goeth up to Mr. Stoddard's house: Between Deacon Phelps & goodman miller lots."[13] In the town record he is listed as having donated five pounds of flax for the support of Harvard College.[14]

Elizabeth (Copley) Phelps's will, according to Stiles, divided "house and lands equally between her sons Nathaniel and William; to her dau. Abigail £30; to children of Matthew and Mary Clossen £5 each, to her son-in-law, Matthew Closson, 10s; to Thomas Copley £3, to Samuel and John Lankton 30s each."[15]

1 Myrtle Stevens Hyde, "The English Origin of William Phelps," citing James Buckman, comp., "Northampton Deaths," in Forbes Library, Northampton, 13. For William see PHELPS I in these Notes.

2 Henry R. Stiles, The History and Genealogies of Ancient Windsor … (Hartford, Conn.: Press of the Case, Lockwood and Brainard, 1892), 565; Register 64 (1910), 248 and fn. [no.??] only note so far as I know; in those days they did not use fotnotes for references , referring to Thomas Copley, son, and daughter of Elizabeth Copley.

3 Stiles, Windsor, 565.

4 James Russell Trumbull, History of Northampton from Its Settlement in 1654 (Northampton, Mass.,1898), 58--9.

5 Ibid.

6 Trumbull, History of Northampton, 106--7.

7 Stiles, Windsor, 565.

8 Trumbull, History of Northampton, 144--5.

9 Ibid., 290--1.

10 Stiles, Windsor, 565.

11 Trumbull, History of Northampton, 274.

12 Stiles, Windsor, 565.

13 Trumbull, History of Northampton, 391.

14 Ibid., 501.

15 Stiles, Windsor, 565.

(Courtesy Peter H. Judd)

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  [467] Cited in an article by Margaret P. Swanson for the Phelps Connections newsletter.

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  [504] Reference to Volume III of The Great Migration Begins: Immigrants to New England.

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Charlemagne Emperor of The Holy Roman Empire / Regina (Reginopychra)

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[3164] Charlemagne, Emperor Of The Holy Roman Empire, King of the Franks was king of the Franks from AD 768 to 814 and 'Emperor of the Romans' from 800 to 814. He became a key figure in the development of western Europe's medieval civilization. By his almost constant military campaigns, Charlemagne created a vast empire in the West which included much of the western part of the old Roman Empire as well as some new territory. He was the first Germanic ruler to assume the title of emperor, and the 'empire' he revived lasted in one form or another for a thousand years. Culturally and politically, he left his mark on the newly rising civilization of the West. Probably no ruler of the early Middle Ages better deserved the title of 'The Great.'

Charlemagne was the son of Pepin the Short, and the grandson of Charles Martel. From 768 to 771, Charlemagne shared Pepin's kingdom with his brother, Carloman. When Carloman died, Charlemagne became sole ruler. He took up with energy the work begun by his father and grandfather. His first step was to repress his hostile neighbors. Charlemagne gained wide acclaim for his outstanding military ability, persistence, and success. He waged more than 50 campaigns against neighboring Germanic peoples on all sides, and against the Avars, Slavs, Byzantines, and Moors.

Charlemagne's first great war was against the Lombards, a Germanic people who had invaded Italy in the late 500's. They had been a source of trouble to the popes ever since. In conquering them, Charlemagne followed Pepin's policy of friendship and cooperation with the Roman Catholic Church. This also served Charlemagne's own interests, because he became ruler of the Lombard kingdom in Italy.

The long Saxon war was the most important of Charlemagne's military ventures. The Saxons, who held the whole northwestern part of Germany, were pagans. Their defeat after 30 years of war prepared the way for the religious conversion and civilization of Germany.

By means of other wars, Charlemagne put down a rebellion in Aquitaine, added Bavaria to his kingdom, and established several border states to protect his outlying conquests. In eastern Europe, he defeated the Slavs and Avars and made possible eastward migration by the Germans.

Charlemagne had built a vast and sprawling state that shared borders with such different peoples as the Slavs, Byzantines, and Moslems. He defended the Roman Catholic Church and constantly extended its power. He was far more powerful than the imperial successors of Constantine, the first Christian emperor in the West, and he ruled a much more extensive area. Because of his great holdings, he decided to revive the Roman Empire, but as a new empire that was European and Christian in Character. The relations of the popes with the Byzantine, or Eastern Roman, emperors in Canstantinople had been breaking down since the middle 700's. An alliance between the Roman Catholic Church and the Franks, accomplished by proclaiming Charlemagne emperor, made good sense. Pope Leo III placed the imperial crown on Charlemagne's head on Christmas Day, 800. The most important effect of this act was that it revived the idea of empire in the West, an idea which caused both harm and good in succeeding centuries.

Einhard, Charlemagne's secretary and friend, described the emperor as large and strong of body, fond of active exercise, genial but dignified, and sensible and moderate in his way of life. Charlemagne clearly recognized his duties and responsibilities, and was a tireless worker. He could not reverse the long trend toward decentralized government. But he could and did control the power of the nobles and maintain a considerable degree of law and order in a troubled age. His administrative methods helped raise the standard of living.

Charlemagne's greatest contribution was his work as a patron of culture and extender of civilization. The Palace School, set up at his capital in Aachen under the leadership of the English scholar Alcuin (735-804), stimulated interest in education, philosophy, and literature. Most of the leading scholars were churchman, so this vast cultural activity greatly strengthened the church and had far-reaching and lasting results. In this way, Charlemagne, by means of his power and eminence, gave western Europe a unified culture so strong that it survived the terrible invasions and disorders of the next 200 years.

Source: 'The World Book Encyclopedia', 1968, C291-292. 'Ancestral Roots of Certain American Colonists ...', Frederick Lewis Weis, 1993, p cvi.

[8948] Concubine No. 3 of Charlemagne.

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Reuben H. Backhaus / Clara Amanda Barth

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