Defining the two Thomas Phelps of Caswell County, NC in the 1800s

By Mark Phelps, Snow Camp, NC

The existence of two Thomas Phelps in Caswell County has created a lot of frustration and wrong assumptions by many Phelps researchers. After years of bleary eyed review of all the available data, a dedicated team of researchers including my father Wilford Latham Phelps, my cousin Douglas Kemper Phelps, and myself Latham Mark Phelps, concluded that “our” Thomas Phelps was the son of James Phelps not the “older” Thomas Phelps. The two Thomas’ resided in different areas in Caswell County, “ours” was in the Richmond District in the Milton area adjoining the Virginia Line, as the “older” was in the Gloucester District in the Leasburg area. From review of Census Records the “older” was always listed with female children and no sons, as “ours” was listed with several sons as well as daughters.

Only one record has been found of any relationship or contact with the Older Thomas with James Phelps. The Caswell Co marriage records shows that Reuben Phelps, now known to be one of James' sons, was the security for the marriage of George Roan and Delphia Phelps 29 Mar. 1788.  Delphia was one of the daughters of the older Thomas Phelps.

A key record showing the birth of the "older" Thomas is in Abstracts of Vital Records from Raleigh Newspapers Vol II , p 553 – “Raleigh Register”, he died in 1823 at age 96.  Therefore he was born in 1727.

A table of Phelps in early Caswell County with key dated records applied to the proper person is available HERE     Scroll down to the two key Thomas Phelps (the "older" Thomas and the Thomas Jr) entries to see how these records can be applied to identify the proper Thomas.

Additional details are available by contacting either Douglas Phelps or Mark Phelps.