Locating Three John Phelps Lines of Central VA & Others Who Remained

REVISION, map revised 11/3/06)

(Map is revised) Double click on the map for an enlargement.
 

Information for this article was supplied by Mary Galgan and JC Rogers for the VA Phelps; and Mark Phelps of Snow Camp, NC and Doug Phelps for comments on the Caswell, NC and Halifax Co, VA Phelps. Please send corrections to Doug Phelps.

The early John Phelps lines in central VA were: John Phelps d. 1772 Bedford; John Phelps d. 1794 Halifax; John Phelps d 1747 Goochland. Another major Phelps line was Thomas Phelps d 1751 Albemarle.

As JC commented, "The easiest way to distinguish the Johns is to use land records." As you look at the VA map showing the approximate locations of these lines, you may want to see the VA county formation maps over the years clicking this http://www.myvirginiagenealogy.com/va_maps/va_cf.htm

John of Goochland (d. 1747) was first found in Henrico Co. but by the 1730s he moved to the area that is present day Cumberland & Pohatan counties. His lands and patents are centralized in that area. One can follow his sons William and Samuel into the Lunenburg records.

The John of Bedford d. 1772 first appears in Henrico records (present Buckingham Co.) patenting in 1725. In 1736 he sold to Thomas Sr. He sold the balance of his lands in that area to the Babers. He can be proven to be the same John as we refer to as John of Bedford due to his wife's mark on land transactions from Goochland records as well as Brunswick. His area of Bedford was first Brunswick Co. at his arrival and then became Lunenburg from 1746-1754. It is possible that this John was either the father, cousin or brother of Thomas of Albemarle. This John had a son, John, d. 1801.

The John of Halifax d. 1794 had sons John and William who lived in Halifax and Pittsylvania counties.

Also, to the knowledge of JC - confirmed by others - no documentation exists to date to show that any of these different lines even knew the other people existed except for records concerning the John of Bedford and Thomas lines.

Further, even though the James Phelps line of Caswell, NC  d. 1786 lived rather close to the John Phelps line of Halifax, no records found to date show any relationship between the two lines. Yet the will of James included a mysterious witness, John Phelps.