Perquimans, NC, Descendants of Nicholas and Hannah Baskel Phelps

This Phelps line begins in England, goes to Massachusetts, then one line to Perquimans Co, NC in the mid 1600s An award-winning paper by Gwen Bjorkman, extensively researched, documents the names and movements and is available here. To see the ydna tested branches of this line, link here . The paper is an award winning 1987, Vol. 75 paper, available in the National Genealogical Society Quarterlies. Bjorkman agrees that Jonathan #3 below is the lone Phelps surname link to the present time. Complementary research can be found at "Descendants of Phelps and Eleanor Moutton" by Elizabeth (Betty) Herzfeld.

The following lineage was developed using Bjorkman's research paper and relying on her very detailed sources - plus some minor additional work, in red, by this team. Bjorkman has agreed that the only possible male survivor of the line was the "Jonathan #3 Phelps" below. Rather than document the sources here, we are relying on the footnotes found in Gwen Bjorkman's paper. It is an award-winning paper, extensively researched, documented and source, and is available here. Brenda Emery carefully reviewed the Perquimans sources in this paper and confirmed its accuracy.

To help understand a confusing set of events, here is an outline that may help:

2. Nicholas Phelps - b. bef. 1630 England, d. bef 1663 Salem, Essex, MA, m. c1650, Hannah Baskel in Salem, Essex, MA (After Nicholas death, Hannah married NIcholas' brother Henry and they moved - with Nicholas' son, Jonathan - to Perquimans co, NC. in the mid 1600s.)

3. Jonathan #1 Phelps - b. c1652 Salem, Essex, MA, d. 21 Feb 1688/9 Perquimans, NC, m. c1674, Hannah (______) in Perquimans, NC

4. Jonathan #2 Phelps [2nd Jonathan son] b. 13 Apr 1687 Perquimans, NC, d. Dec 1732/33 in Perquimans, NC, m. Elizabeth Toms who later married Z. NIxon Jr 1734
| 5. Henry Phelps - b 5 Mar 1724/25, d. 1752 Perquimans, NC m. Margaret Newby

                     |     |    6. Jonathan #3 Phelps - (in his grandmother's Perquimans will in 1769 ,willbook C, p85, (Elizabeth Toms Phelps NIxon) m. Mary Newby 1768 See note 1.
                     |    5. Elizabeth Phelps b 1728
                     |    5. Jonathan #4 Phelps - b. 28 Feb 1730/31, d. 1759 Perquimans, NC, m. Dorothy Jordan 1750

                     |     |     6. Benjamin Phelps d. ca1785-1789* , m. Sarah   (in his grandmother's Perquimans will in 1769, willbook C, p85, (Elizabeth Toms Phelps NIxon) . See note 2.
| | 7.   Dorothy   (Perq willbook C p293 1785; willbook C p353, 1787)
                     |     |          7. Margaret (Perq willbook C p293 1785; willbook C p353 1787)
                     |     |    7. Sarah (Perq willbook C p293 1785; willbook C p353 1787)
                     | |    7.    Mary (Perq willbook C p293)
                     | |     6. Dorothy Phelps (in grandmother's Perquimans will in 1769, willbook C, p85, (Elizabeth Toms Phelps NIxon)
            |    5. Mourning (daughter) b 10 Dec 1732
              4. Samuel Phelps - b. 6 Aug 1684 in Perquimans, NC.  d. Apr-July 1728 Perquimans, NC, m. Hannah __ ca 1705
                           5.  Samuel Phelps - b. 1 17 Nov 1706-7, died young Perquimans Co.

5. James Phelps – d. young, bef. 1750/8 Perquimans Co. Perq deedbook F:278 See note 3

Note 0. Will of Henry Phelps - 19 March 1752 July Court 1752l: "sick… to son Jonathan - my land & plantation where I dwell, 240 acres, walnut desk, gun etc. and (¼) part of negroes to be divided when he is 21. Also 1/3 part cattle and hogs, 20 lb. Virginia money & George FOX (ee?) Towihols(?)..... to wife Margaret Phelps - use of my house & plantation with 100 acres where I now dwell, during her life....to daughter Elizabeth - the other half of remaining part of my negroes, when her brother gets his."

Note 1. Bjorkman's paper mentions this Jonathan #3 Phelps in her notes on page 298, but does not list him in her genealogy. The additional support for him being Henry's son is the 26 Nov 1770 division of estate of Henry Phelps, naming Jonathan Phelps. Jonathan's marriage source: Encyclopedia of Quaker Genealogy, Volume 1: (North Carolina Yearly Meeting), 1768,1,6 Jonathan Phelps [Henry’s son] rmt reported married to Mary Newby.

Note 2. Bjorkman's paper mentions Benjamin in her notes on page 298 but does not list Benjamin in her genealogy. The additional support for him being Samuel's son is the 11 Sept 1760 division of estate of Jonathan Phelps, naming both children as "orphans". See his will of 1785, willbook C, p29e, naming wife and girls. Benjamin Phelps is noted in a 13 Feb 1789 Perquimans deed as "a nearby resident". DB I-J p.267 Perquimans deed abstracts 1785-1791

Note 3. This James may have been erroneously identified as the Caswell James Phelps d 1786 due to the identification of a Mary Bateman Phelps in Perquimans wills. Mary Bateman is often named as James' wife with no evidence reported. For a complete analysis includng the early deaths of James and Jonathan, see this report.

To assist those who are interested in Y-DNA testing, we have highlighted the men who may be living and whom we hope to contact. Further details about them or their descendants have been omitted for privacy reasons.

Based on the Bjorkman paper and our extensive research, it is extremely unlikely there were any other male Phelps who survived the Perquimans Phelps. We have concluded that this Jonathan moved to Randolph Co, NC in central NC by 1783. He bought property there[1] and was noted as a deed chain carrier a number of times through 1797[2]. Additional strong evidence of his move is found in two Perquimans deeds: In 1779 Jonathan is named as a resident of Guilford Co.[3] In 1790 he is named as a resident of Randolph County which was formed from Guilford Co. in that year.[4]

Quakers from his area had begun a westward movement with local memberships declining, including movements to the Back Creek Monthly Meeting in Randolph Co, NC [5]. As a Quaker in Perquimans,he was disowned in 1775[6] for attending cousin Benjamin’s wedding (who was also disowned) He begins to sell property in Perquimans Co. from 1774 through 1795. The next year, 1796, he is named in Randolph Co. Quaker minutes as being a Randolph Co resident, in the marriage of a daughter, Elizabeth.[7] His wife is not named, perhaps deceased.

The last recorded male Phelps in the Perquimans deed books of this period was Jonathan Phelps (#3) in 1795[8]. He is seen in the 1790 Randolph Co census as Jonathan Philps and as Jonathan Phelps in the 1800 Randolph Co census[9]. By 1800, the census records indicate he and his wife were born bef 1755 and had 3 sons and 4 daughters. (There is a Jonathan reported once in the Tyrrell censuses in 1790[10]. It is very unlikely this was our Jonathan, nor a relative to the Perquimans Phelps.)

By 1830, the records indicateJonathan #3 was deceased.

In 1830, the Mary, named as the widow of Jonathan #3, along with and the children Huldah, Sarah, Mark, and Samuel sold 72 acres to Hardy Winslow.[11] We find them moved to Randolph Co, Indiana as reported in an 1884 Henry Co, Indiana history naming Jonathan and Mary Phelps (of Randolph Co) as grandparents of children then living in Indiana[12]. Supporting this move is those on the 1830 Randolph Co. deed show up in the 1830 Randolph Co census ^[13] and the later Rush and Henry county (Indiana) censuses.

A time line of the related facts about Jonathan is available in the addendum found here.

[1] 1783 Sept 27 Jonathan buys 320 A. in Randolph Co (Randolph Co, NC Land Warrents 1778-1948.)

[2] 1783 Jonathan is noted as a deed chain carrier up through 1797 Randolph Co, NC Land Warrents 1778-1948.)

[3] 1779 , 10,1 Perquimans Deed book L, p 51, 240 A. (registered in 1795) Jonathan Phelps of Guilford Co (part of which became Randolph Co in that year) sells . New Hope T.S.

[4] 1790, Perquimans Deedbook I, p 953 Jonathan of Randolph Co, NC sells to Robert Newby

[5] Encyclopedia of American Genealogy. {Compiled by Thomas W. Marshall}by Hinshaw, William Wade, 1867-1947, Baltimore, Genealogical Pub. Co., c1969-<1977>

[6] 1775 9,6 Perquimans Quaker MM: Jonathan Phelps [Henry’s son] is Disowned for attending Benjamin’s wedding. Encyclopedia of American Genealogy

[7] 1796 9,28 Back Creek, Randolph Co, Quaker MM: Elizabeth Phelps dt daughter of Jonathan Phelps, Randolph Co, m. Gabriel Newby [Newby was a familiar name in the Perquimans area and had married into the Phelps families]

1796 9,28 Back Creek, Randolph Co, Quaker MM: Gabriel, son of William and Elizabeth Newby, Randolph Co, married Elizabeth Phelps

[8] Perquimans grantor deedbook index through 1819. only Margaret, Mary and Elizabeth are named after 1795.

[9] 1790 Randolph co census : 1 male 16 or over, one male under 16, two females.

1800; Census Place: Hillsboro, Randolph, North Carolina; .Roll 32; Page: 334: 2 males 0-9, 1 male 10-15 and one male over 45. 4 females 0-9, 1 female 16-25 and one female over 45.

[10] Year 1790 Tyrrell Co.Census: one male over 16 [b. bef 1774], one under 16 [b bet 1774-1790], two females over 16 [b bef 1774].

[11] 1830 Randolph Co Deed Book 20, page 504. Mary Phelps, widow of Jonathan Phelps#3, decd., Samuel Phelps, Sarah Phelps, Huldah Phelps and Mark Phelps, heirs at law of Jonathan Phelps, all of Randolph County, NC, to Hardy Winslow, dated 10 Sept 1830. Land located on the waters of Back Creek. Henly's corner. Containing 72 acres. Winslow paid $100.00 Mary Phelps made her mark, it appears as if Samuel, Sarah, Huldah and Mark all signed. Witnesses were Nathan and Jesse Winslow. Registered February Term, 1837.

[12] Ancestry.com. History of Henry County, Indiana : together with sketches of its cities, villages and towns, educational, religious, civil, mil [database on-line]. Provo, UT: The Generations Network, Inc., 2005. Original data: History of Henry County, Indiana : together with sketches of its cities, villages and towns, educational, religious, civil, military, and political history, portraits of prominent persons, and biographies of representative citizens : also a condensed history of Indiana, embodying accounts of pre-historic races, aborigines, Winnebago and Black Hawk wars, and a brief review of its civil and political history.. Chicago: Inter-State Pub. Co., 1884.

[13]Souce Citation: Year: 1830; Census Place: Regiment 1, Randolph, North Carolina; Roll 125 Mark Phelps - 1 male 0-4, 1 male 20-29 and 1 female 20-29

The Family of Jonathan #3 Phelps of Perquimans and Randolph Co, NC

1. JONATHAN #3⁵ PHELPS (HENRY⁴, JONATHAN #2³, JONATHAN #1², NICHOLAS¹) He married (1) MARY PREVO. He married (2) MARY NEWBY 06 Jan 1768 in Perquimans co..

Children of JONATHAN PHELPS and MARY PREVO are:

i. MARK⁶ PHELPS, b. North Carolina; d. Abt. 1833, Rush County, Indiana; m. SARAH LEWIS, Aug 1825, Randolph County, North Carolina; b. North Carolina; d. 10 Nov 1874, Rush County, Indiana.

ii. JONATHAN PHELPS, b. 04 Jan 1801, Randolph County, NC; d. 17 Jan 1876, Rush County, Indiana; m. (1) MARY HENLEY; b. 23 Oct 1804, North Carolina; d. 10 Oct 1893, Rush County, Indiana; m. (2) SUSANNAH

Children of JONATHAN PHELPS and MARY NEWBY are:

iii. ELIZABETH⁶ PHELPS, m. GABRIEL NEWBY.

iv. SAMUEL PHELPS, b. Bet. 1790 - 1800, Randolph Co; d. Sep 1847, Henry Co, Indiana; m. SARAH NEWBY, Randolph County, North Carolina; d. Sep 1855, Henry County, Indiana.

The move to Indiana from Randolph Co is described in two books The History of Henry County, Indiana, copyrighted 1884; and The History of Rush Co, Indiana copyrighted 1888. (Rush Co. is located below Henry Co) . Both Samuel and Mark (sons of Jonathan #3) moved in 1830/1831. The two books describe several of the families with origins in Randolph Co. including some of the then-living children. Key pages from those books can be seen in the links below:

A key 1830 deed in Randolph County describes the family selling the property before their move to Indiana.: 1830 Randolph Co Deed Book 20, page 504. Mary Phelps, widow of Jonathan Phelps, decd., Samuel Phelps, Sarah Phelps, Huldah Phelps and Mark Phelps, heirs at law of Jonathan Phelps, all of Randolph County, NC, to Hardy Winslow, dated 10 Sept 1830. Land located on the waters of Back Creek. Henly's corner. Containing 72 acres. Winslow paid $100.00 Mary Phelps made her mark, it appears as if Samuel, Sarah, Huldah and Mark all signed. Witnesses were Nathan and Jesse Winslow. Registered February Term, 1837.

Extensive research by Cathy Roberts into the families in Indiana and their descendants is supported by additional extensive source evidence. To view that information, refer to the individual family reports for each child of Jonathan #3.

Mark and his son Henry moved to Indiana in 1830. An article on the family in Rush County, Indiana is found in The History of Rush County, Indiana and is found here.

Our research indicates that the last living male in this line was Elisha Phelps b: 1852 He could not be found in 1870, nor after 1888. In 1860, he's living with his Hill grandparents.,

Samuel moved to Henry County, Indiana in 1842. An extensive article about him is found In The History of Henry County, Indiana, copyrighted 1884, and is viewable at Samuel Phelps, son of Jonathan #3 and Mary Phelps in Henry County An article about Samuel's son Ezekiel and grandson Charles A. Phelps (son of Frederick is found here. An article about Samuel's son Elias is found here. The sources used to support the following lineage is found at this page

1768,1,6 Perquimans Quaker MM: Jonathan Phelps [Henry’s son] is reported to be married to Mary Newby

1775 9,6 Perquimans Quaker MM: Jonathan Phelps [Henry’s son] is Disowned for attending Benjamin’s wedding

1775, Perquimans Deedbook H, p 392, 400 A. Jonathan sells land granted to his grandfather Jonathan Phelps in 1698

1779 , 10,1 Perquimans Deed book L, p 51, 240 A. Jonathan Phelps of Guilford Co (part of which became Randolph Co in that year) sells . New Hope T.S.

1783 Jonathan is noted as a deed chain carrier up through 1797 Randolph Co, NC Land Warrents 1778-1948.)

1783 Sept 27 Jonathan buys 320 A. in Randolph Co (Randolph Co, NC Land Warrents 1778-1948.) 329 (259). Jonathan Phelps 320 ac; warrant #161 issued Mar. 23, 1780 by William Cole to William Freeman for 320 ac on Little R, joins claim of William Williams, William Cole's entry, begins on Long Br a dividing line between said Freeman & William Williams, runs down Long Br, across Little R, N, & includes his own improvement and John Marin's; [on back of warrant] warrant sold Sept. 27, 1783 by William "Freeman" to Jonathan Phelps (signed) William Freeman (no witness); 320 ac surveyed Sept. 18, 1783 [Quaker style date] by Saml Millikan Zachariah Nicholson & Daniel Pressnell, chain carriers; grant #286 issued Sept. 21, 1785.

1785 Jonathan sells to Thomas WInslow Randolph Co DB 2, 152 No acerage stated Johnathan Phelps of Randolph County to Thomas Winslow of same, dated 19th day 6th month, 1785, signed by Jonathan Phelps (there's a seal, no mark). Land located in Randolph County, along the banks of the Little River, bordering William Clark. Acreage not given. Paid 30 pounds, 16 shillings, 8 pence. Witnesses were Joseph Wade, James McDaniel and another name.

1787 Jonathan sells135 a. Randolph Co DB 3, 126 Johnathan Phelps of Randolph County to John Baily of same, dated 12th day, 3rd month, 1787. Land located along the Little River, meeting land owned by Winslow and Presnel, 135 acres, more or less. Paid 50 pounds. Signed by Johnathan Phelps. Registered 20 Sept 1787. Witness was John Underhill.

1787 Jonathan sells 104 a. Randolph Co DB 3, 129 Johnathan Phelps of Randolph County to Daniel Presnel of same. Dated 12 March 1787. Land located along Little River, bounded by land of John Baily. 104 acres. Paid 50 pounds. Signed by Johnathan Phelps. Registered 29 Sept 1787. Witness was John Underhill.

1789 Feb 12 Jonathan is a bondsman in wedding of a Margaret Phelps to Edward Fentriss "Marriages through 1820, Randolph Co"

1790, Perquimans Deedbook I, p 953 Jonathan of Randolph Co, NC sells to Robert Newby

1796 9,28 Back Creek, Randolph Co, Quaker MM: Elizabeth Phelps dt daughter of Jonathan Phelps, Randolph Co, m. Gabriel Newby [Newby was a familiar name in the Perquimans area and had married into the Phelps families]

1796 9,28 Back Creek, Randolph Co, Quaker MM: Gabriel, son of William and Elizabeth Newby, Randolph Co, married Elizabeth Phelps

1797 1,7 Perquimans Quaker MM: Mary Newby requested a transfer of membership to Back Creek Friends meeting [Randolph Co]

1809 7,29 Christianna Phelps "recrq" received into membership by request, rather than by transfer of membership from another Meeting.

1830 Randolph Co. Deed Book 20, page 504. Mary Phelps, widow of Jonathan Phelps, decd., Samuel Phelps, Sarah Phelps, Huldah Phelps and Mark Phelps, heirs at law of Jonathan Phelps, all of Randolph County, NC, to Hardy Winslow, dated 10 Sept 1830. Land located on the waters of Back Creek. Henly's corner. Containing 72 acres. Winslow paid $100.00 Mary Phelps made her mark, it appears as if Samuel, Sarah, Huldah and Mark all signed. Witnesses were Nathan and Jesse Winslow. Registered February Term, 1837.