William and John Phelps, sons of John of Halifax d.1794. Where did they go?
Revised 08/04/2012 by Douglas Phelps, New Bern, NC
To assist the reader of this report, please view the descendants of these men at this web page.
It has been suggested that either or both of these sons migrated to Pulaski Co, Kentucky, Henderson Co TN, or Henry Co, TN (new research is underway) . A number of similarly named Phelps did move there in the late 1700s to early 1800s from several Virginia Phelps lines. My particular interest was in the Jno Felps who is documented from census records to have been in Pulaski Co, KY (corrected from VA) with the sons of my James Phelps d 1785 Caswell Co, NC – Ambrose, Obediah and Larkin Phelps.
In Feb. 2006 I visited the Court Houses of Halifax and adjacent Pittsylvania counties in Virginia. They continue to have a storehouse of original records dating to the 1700s. After reviewing the large amount of records which clearly documented the continued presence of both John and William in these two counties until their documented deaths, I am convinced neither of these Phelps moved else where.
The identity of the Jno Felps/Phelps in Pulaski, Ky remains a mystery
There were NO estate or will records for William and it appears his descendant records are lost except for a William Jr. who was not seen again in VA..
The following material will document William and John separately. References to Terrible Creek are sprinkled throughout the property records. This is the same creek on which that John Phelps d 1794 is known to have owned property.
I found several new Phelps names that are not seen elsewhere. As you read this, keep in mind my primary purpose was to find the residence of these two Phelps in the 1800s until their death.
William Phelps, son of John Phelps d 1794 Halifax
The continued presence of this William Phelps in both
Halifax and Pulaski Pittsylvania counties strongly supports the conclusion that he did not move
away
William Phelps, the eldest son of John of Halifax d 1794, is named in his father’s will and inherited property which would have encouraged him to stay in Halifax[1]. He married Elizabeth McCraw in 1790[2]. Based on that marriage and no previous mention in public records, one might assume a birth of c1765. He died by 1827 as seen in a 9/24/1827 property record. William is described as the “late William of Pittslyvania where he lived” and Elizabeth is named. Pittsylvania Bk 29 p 226
A 1792 Halifax property purchase by brother John names John PHelps, William Phelps Sr. (adjacent to Elizabeth Phelps) and and a William Phelps. (DB 15, page 442) Was this a Jr? or is this yet another William Phelps. We might assume a Jr’s birth of ca 1792 (parents’ marriage and the 1820 Pittsylvania census). However it is strange that a child would be in the deed record. A William is found in the Pittsylvania VA census of 1820 as b bef 1775. A William Jr. is found in the same census b bet 1775-1794. A thorough search of Halifax and Pittsylvania showed no census other census records (althought the earlier VA census records are missing. Of many property records for William (Sr) between 1796 and 1826 in Halifax and Pittsylvania (see below), no mention of a Jr. was found or even implied.
William is named as a resident of Halifax in 1816 when he buys property on Birch Crk in Pittsylvania Co[3]. He becomes a resident of Pittsylvania by 1819 as documented in his property purchase there[4]. He was regularly involved with property records in Halifax and Pittsylvania beginning in 1796. Very often his wife, Elizabeth, was named on the records. A William Jr is never named, so we must assume these records apply to William Sr. His death is noted in a property record of 1827 where he is described as the “late William of Pittsylvania where he lived.”[5] There are NO records of any deed or estate settlement. Unfortunately we have no records for his children except for the single reference to a Jr.
The 1800
Va census records were
lost and only a tax record exists; no other early Pittsylvania or Halifax Phelps can be
found. However, as would be expected from the property records in Pittsylvania,
two William Phelps appear in the Pittsylvania census in 1820. William (Sr)
and his wife were born before 1775. They have 3 boys born 1800-1809, 1
boy born 1785-1804; 1 girl born 1805-1810; 3 girls born 1785-1804; 1 girl born
1766-1784. A William Wm Phelps Jr also appears
in that census. He is born 1775-1794. His wife was born 1795-1804.
(In 1830 there is a William in Buckingham (from Albemarle
co) and in 1840
there are three there.)
There are no other census records for William or his son in Virginia. Unfortunately, with no estate records in VA, there is no currently known way to link William to present day Phelps.
Based on the very extensive property records of William Phelps, Sr. in Halifax from 1796 until 1819 (see below), it seems very certain this William did not move to KY even though several William Phelps did go there – and some may not yet be fully identified. However at least Frances Phelps, daughter of William, appears to have moved to Henry Co, TN. see new information below.
Additional information 3/2008: From Maria schisel
mschisel@hotmail.com Theory is
that a Frances was a daughter. Her father's will was after Frances' death.
[Will spells it Francis. her death date and the will date are inconclusive]
Below is a reasonable scenario presented by Maria:
George Arnn Jr. is a son of George Arnn Sr. of Pittsylvania County. The elder
George sold off all his property in 1829 and moved to Henry Co., TN. George
Jr. stayed behind, but by 1840, he joined his father in Henry County TN.
George Jr. & Frances Phelps
[30 Sept
1833 Halifax co] had three children, but
Frances died
between 1841 and 1847 because George had remarried in Jan. 1848 in Henry Co.
TN.
Other than the marriage record, I don't have any information on this Frances
Phelps. But I can tell you, there are other Phelps/Phillips families living in
Henry Co., TN, around the same time George Jr. and his wife moved. From the
1840 census:
1840 Henry Co. TN census:
William L Phelps age 20-30, p. 439
Jesse Pehlps, p. 473
George Arnn Jr., p 459
Based on the 1840 census, I estimate Frances DOB to be about 1815. In the 1830
Halifax census, John Phelps Jr. does have a daughter born in that time period.
I found these Henry Co census records, implying that this William line did go to to Henry Co, TN.
Pittsylvania, VA property records of William Phelps
William was involved with property records from 1798 until 1826. Most often he seems to be a trustee and not the buyer or seller. His wife Elizabeth is named three times.
Pittsylvania Court Orders 1767-1904
Pittsylvania and Halifax Wills for William Phelps
None for William Phelps or his wife Elizabeth – nor any estate records.
Other Phelps wills in Pittsylvania:
Nathaniel Phelps 6/20/1892, wife Mahaly.
Mahaly Phelps 1918 naming grandchildren
William P Phelps 1924 , wife Labinda
HM Phelps 1924, wife and children named.
Pittsylvania Marriages 1806-1830
5 Feb 1819 WIlliam Phelps m. Rebeccah C. Davis p. 69 This may have been WIlliam Jr.
5/15/1828 Richard Phelps m. Bethaney E. Thurmond p.91
Pittsylvania Marriage Register 1781-1860
Only an index for 1781-1860 was available. It listed AP, Bruce, John and Molly Phelps in later years.
Halifax property records of William Phelps
In 1792 his brother John bought property in which are named William and William Jr. Bk 15, p442
Bought Property
· Bought in 1796, 1801, 04, 06, 08, 10, 12, 13. Much of it was in Terrible Crk and Runaway and Rich Point.
Sold property
· 10/25/1805 550 A. Terrible Crk to Samuel McCraw Bk 20 p 600. Named are wife Elizabeth, John C/P McCraw and wife Elizabeth, John Phelps.
· Elizabeth (McCraw m. William Phelps 1790) is named nine times between 1805 and 1819 on property with him. Property sold nearly always Runaway Crk, Terrible Crk or Rich Point. Once in Birch, once Cow Crk.
Major revision 7/8/2012: A recently discovered document in the NC Sec of State files documents that the John Phelps who witnessed the will of James was of "Halifax Co, Virginia". He actually was wrote the will as dictated by James. To many the evidence now links the James line to the Halifax Phelps, likely as brothers or father and son. See John Phelps who wrote James' will as directed by James Phelps (Caswell) Named as of Halifax Co, VA Abstracts of "Early Records of NC Vol 1 Probates, admn, inventories." Secretary of State file S108.263 provided by Mark Phelps. See the abstract of the recorded Oct 1786 paper - by Mark and Doug Phelps See the recorded Oct 1786 images sent to the Sec of State papers. Provided by Doug Phelps
The continued presence of this John in Halifax, VA strongly supports the conclusion that he remained in Halifax
John Phelps d 1846 Halifax, son of John d 1794 Halifax, was named in his father’s will. He would have been encouraged to remain there because of the inheritance[6]. His first property record is in 1792 as John Jr. Because of his marriage to Lucy Walthall in 1789 he was likely born c1765.
The 1800 VA census records were lost and only a tax record exists; no Pittsylvania or Halifax Phelps can be found. He is not named in 1810 or 1820. In 1813, he was named as surety for the marriage of his daughter Nancy to Kester Tune. He appeared in the 1830 and 1840 censuses. In 1830 he and his wife are born 1761-1770. He has a son born 1801-1810; 2 girls born 1801-1820, 1 girl born 1811-1815. The 1840 census confirmed the 1761-1770 births of himself.. His wife is not listed and he has one girl remaining, born 1801-1810 (confirming the 1830 census)
He married Lucy Walthall in 1789 and Mary T Chappell in 1836[7]. His will was in 1846, and named wife Mary T, children Nancy, William, Martha, Henry, Ailcey, children of Francis and Jane Phelps.
Although John was not seen on census records until 1830 and 1840, he was regularly named on property records from 1792 to 1828 (see below).
The continued presence of this John in Halifax strongly supports the conclusion that he remained in Halifax. Indeed, in the 1810 census, there was a Jno Felps in Pulaski with wife born before 1765 which could fit John of Halifax but that John (Pulaski) died in 1823 (estate inventory). In the 1820 Pulaski< TN census, a Jno Phelps remains with wife born 1776-1795 (son of the older Jno?) with a son and daughter born 1811-1819. This Jno is too young for the John of Halifax. Moreover, John of Halifax is regularly seen in Halifax property records during this time.
Involved in property records from 1792 through 1826. He sold from 1810 through 1828. His will/death was 1846, Halifax. The following do not necessarily mean that John bought or sold the property.
Bought property:
· 1792 100 A. from Alman Gwinn names William & Elizabeth Phelps, William Phelps Jr, John Phelps Jr (named as buyer – John Sr d. 1794) Bk 15 p 442
Sold Property:
Halifax Phelps Wills
Pittsylvania Marriages 1806-1830
27 Dec 1825 - John W. Phelps m. Dicy Brightwell
Pittsylvania property records of John Phelps
Pittsylvania Court Orders 1767-1904
[1] - the land and plantation whereon I now live, and 1 Negro girl named Hanner, and 1 cow and calf and sow and pigs
[2] Halifax Co Reg of Deeds Marriages, page 1, item 20.
[3] Pittsylvania Reg of Deeds, Bk 19, p 418
[4] 12/20/1819 William is named as a resident of Pittsylvania Co. Pittsylvania DB 23 p 41
[5] Pittsylvania Deed book Bk 29 p 226
[6]
the land and plantation whereon he now lives, and
1 Negro boy named Stephen. If John does not get a deed to the land
that was James McCRAW's, he is to have 40 pounds
out of the balance of my estate. If he gets a deed to the above land,
he is to have 10 pounds.
[7] Halifax Reg of Deeds records page 1, item 15 and page 154.