The following is from Davine

James Felps, Chowan County, Will signed in 1768 (Also see misc Chowan Phelps info below)

Chowan was formed in 1670 as a precinct in Albemarle County. See this information

Comment by Doug Phelps, YDNA Project Manager: The names and spelling for this will were confirmed in the abstracts of wills in the book Chowan Will Abstracts 1707-1850 by Pansy Elliott pub Oct 1976. Chowan willbook B1 index 30. However the date in the abstract lists March 1773 and is under the name James Phelps. Update: Doug Phelps visited the NC Archives and viewed the original actual will. All surnames were Felps, not Phelps.

The following is from Davine Roberts, a Phelps researcher. Davine R AT aol.com

There are three references for Phelps/Felps in NC, and they are:
James Felps, Chowan County024, Will signed in 1768
Jonathan Felps, Tyrrell County096, Will signed in 1795
Thomas Felps, Rowan County085, Will signed in 1794

I do not have an original copy, but I do have this info which was sent to me
by Eleanor Colson.

Moses Phelps was listed as the son of James Phelps [Felps] in his will found
in Chowan County, NC. Written 15 Apr 1768 James born 1717

Son Thomas Felps - my Great pot after his Mothers Death or marrage to him his heirs or assigns
Son Thomas Felps - one English Doller after my Decease
Dau Ann Felps - one bead and furniture one pot next bigest and four pewter
plates after my Decease
Son Aaron Felps - my gun and one Doller after my Decease
Son Moses Felps - one pot which he has in his possession after my Decease
Son William Felps - one bead tick and one barrel of Feathers after my Decease
Son William Felps - my plantation where I formerly lived after my Decease to
him his heirs and assigns forever
Sons Abraham Felps and Noah Felps - one Doller apece after my Decease
To my Well beloved Wife Mary Felps - use of all my Estate not all ready given
during her natural Life or Widowhood then my will is that the Rest and Revdue
of the Estate be equally divided among all my children

Exs: my loving wife Mary Felps and my Son Thomas Felps
Test: David Rice, Jurat; Hardy Morgen; William Hinton
James Norfleet cc

Other notes on Moses: served in the NC line during the War
Married to a Miriam Davis, the daughter of John Davis and Rachel Redding

Chowan Co, NC Deed Book H, no 137 See "History of Perquimans County", the abstract of the deed is on page 223 of this book, but the actual deed is for Perquimans County deed book H, No.137. 01 Oct 1770. Moses PHELPS, & Miriam his wife, of Chowan Co _ 14
pounds pd by Joshua Small, of Perq. sold 1/5 part of 56 acres in Perq. "pt. of
888 acres granted in Virginia to John Harris & John Larcum, 01 Apr 1695. Which
decended Rachel Redding who married John Davis (Who sold sd land to sd Small)
Miriam wife of sd Phelps dau of sd John Davis, & his wife Rachel," land adj
Marmaduke Davis, John Gordon & Jacob Powell, along the desert. Test Marmaduke
Davis, John Davis, Ann Davis.

Marriages of Chowan Co The original marriage bonds of Chowan County N.C. are in the archives of the NC Historical Commission , Raleigh, NC. They are filed alphabetically by the groom, and may be consulted by the public. The originals of these abstracts are housed in, and shared by, the Shepard-Pruden Library, Edenton, Chowan Co., NC. The act which authorized the marriage Bonds was passed in 1741 and remained the law until 1868 when the present form of marriage license was authorized.

Grooms:

PHELPS, Leonard & Jane KAIL 1/14/1851 Bondsman/Witness: J.W. Hathaway, Wm. Skinner

PHELPS, William & Eliza LUTON 11/14/1838 Bondsman/Witness: James Phelps, T.T. Hathaway This James was after the death of James in the will.

PHELPS, William & Hester CANNADY 10/31/1850 Bondsman/Witness: James Wilson, Wm. Skinner

Brides:

PHELP, Hannah BURDICK, Isaiah 5/19/1788 Bondsman/Witness: William Sumers and Jos. Blount

PHELPHS, Mary POWELL, Stephen 4/14/1787 Bondsman/Witness: Michael McKeel, James Sutton

PHELPS, Anne SPEIGHT, William 8/18/1772 Bondsman/Witness: Jno..Horniblow, Alexr. Gallatly

PHELPS, Charlotte GILES, Jerimiah 3/7/1825 Bondsman/Witness: Joseph M. Haughton and Henry Wills

PHELPS, Julia Ann GONSALES, Josef 8/28/1820 Bondsman/Witness: Thomas J. Charlton and Henry Wills

PHELPS, Mary Ann SPRUILL, Joseph4/10/1847 Bondsman/Witness: James H. Spruill

Review of Chowan Co, NC courthouse records (6/2008 by Doug Phelps)

I happened to be in Edenton NC recently and visited the courthouse looking briefly at the records. Chowan Co borders Perquimans Co where earlier known Phelps lived. It is near Gates Co where another line of PHelps lived. It is across a large sound from Tyrell Co, where a large number of Phelps lived. (There are google groups for both the Tyrell and the Chowan Co. lines.)

I reviewed the old material there, although I was in a hurry. Perhaps you can use this information... or use it to inspire research further.

I found the original handwritten 1768 will of James Felps/Phelps. The books there get confusing since some times Felps is used and sometimes Phelps is used... Nothing new here - except one location for his will is dated March 1773.

I reviewed all the old property records. The Phelps/Felps listed in the indexes were the below. Unfortunately nothing about Noah, Abraham, Thomas, Aaron, or Moses. BUT some interesting new and earlier names: Charles, Walter, Edward. I expect a review of the property records might give helpful clues.

Grantees: Indicating settling in???

Walter Phelps 1734 1741 1747 1748
David 1762
Edward 1708 1715 1716 1722
James 1745 1768 1770

Grantors: Perhaps indicating a move away?

Charles 1705 twice Who was he???? the patriarch??
Edward 3 times 1715 And who was he??? another patriach
James 1773 1781 How could this late date be for the James who died earlier?
William 1771

There were no will records for those above except for James. Perhaps the others moved away?

I did not research the court records.

Doug Phelps