Noah Phelps

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• Reference Number: 10

Notes:

<http://family.phelpsinc.com/phelpsfam/d0012/f0000027.html> <http://family.phelpsinc.com/phelpsfam/d0012/f0000027.html>Maj. Gen. Noah Phelps <http://family.phelpsinc.com/phelpsfam/d0012/f0000027.html>(1) (born January 22, 1740, descended from the immigrant William Phelps) settled in Simsbury, Connecticut., where he was an active and influential man. He was a Yale graduate, a justice of the Peace, judge of Probate for twenty years, and was a Delegate to the Convention of 1787 to ratify the Federal Constitution. Early in the breaking out of the Revolutionary War he was chosen as a member of "Committee of War for the expedition against Ticonderoga and Crown Point."
The committee considered the advisability of taking Fort Ticonderoga, then occupied by the British, and in which there was stored a large amount of heavy artillery and other war implements. Capt. Phelps, Barnard Romance, Ephraim Buell, and Capt. Edward Mott, with others, composed this committee, Capt. Mott acting as chairman. £300 was raised from the Public Treasury though guaranteed by several patriotic gentlemen. This fund was placed in the hands of Capt. Phelps and Barnard Romance, with the request that they should go north and press forward this project. This resulted in the great and bloodless victory - the taking of Fort Ticonderoga.
It may be interesting to his descendants to know the part Capt. Phelps acted as a spy. At the southern part of Lake Champlain, Capt. Phelps was sent out to reconnoiter. He stopped over night at a farm house some little distance from Fort Ticonderoga. Some British soldiers occupied rooms adjoining Capt. Phelps, where they were having a dinner party. Capt. Phelps heard them discuss the condition of the fort, and the position taken by the rebels, as they styled the people. Early the next morning Capt. Phelps visited the fort disguised as a peddler.
"Pretending that his object was to get shaved, he avoided suspicion, and had an opportunity to ascertain the construction, strength, and force of the garrison. And he had the good fortune to elude detection, though as it afterwards appeared, his presence had began [sic] to excite mistrust before he left the garrison."
While returning through the fort, the commander accompanied him talking with him about the rebels, their object and movements. Capt. Phelps seeing a portion of the wall in a dilapidated condition, remarked that it would afford a feeble defence against the rebels, if they should attack in that quarter. The commander replied, " Yes, but that is not our greatest misfortune. All our powder is damaged, and before we can use it, we are obliged to dry and sift it."
The Phelps Homestead Erected by Captain Elisha Phelps in 1776, who with his brother, General Noah Phelps, and others, was actively engaged in the capture of Ft. Ticonderoga. After the death of Captain Phelps, this old homestead was purchased by his nephew, Colonel Noah Amherst Phelps. (1) It was operated by three sucessive generations of Phelps tavernkeepers as a tavern and inn from 1786 to 1849. The Simsbury Historical Society <../geo/simsbury.htm> now owns and operates the Phelps Tavern Museum and Homestead located on two-plus acres in the center of Simsbury, Connecticut.
Capt. Phelps soon after left the fort, employing a boatman to take him down the lake in a small boat. He entered the boat in full view and under the guns of the fort. He requested the boatman to exert himself and terminate the journey as soon as possible, The boatman then requested him to take an oar and assist, This the Capt. declined to do, being in full sight of the fort, by saying he was no boatman. After rounding a point that intercepted a view from the fort, the Capt. proposed taking an oar, which he did, and being a strong active man as well as a good oarsman, he excited the suspicion of the oarsman by his efficient work, who remarked with an oath, 'You have seen an oar before now, sir.' This excited the suspicion of the boatman at the time that he was not a good and loyal citizen, but fear of superior strength prevented an attempt to carry him back to the fort. This he confessed to Capt. Phelps after the surrender of the fort. Capt. Phelps returned safely to his command, reported the information he had gained [to General Ethan Allen], resulting in the great and glorious victory before referred to." (2)
About this time Mr. Phelps raised a company mostly at his own expense, and was appointed Captain. He served under Col. Ward, was at Fort Lee, joined Washington's army, and was at the battles of Trenton and Princeton. Later he acted as commissary, and after the war was chosen Maj. Gen. of Militia.
Noah Phelps was clearly a leader within the Simsbury community. He chaired the town meeting that passed the articles of confederation in January 1778, and in November of 1787, the meeting picked him and Daniel Humphrey Esq., as delegates for the Convention of the State of Connecticut, set to convene in Hartford in January and vote on whether or not to adopt the federal constitution. They were directed to oppose it, but "one of the delegates though voting as instructed by the town, took occasion to state that his personal convictions led him to favor the proposed constitution."(3) This might or might not have been Phelps. He held a variety of important positions, including Surveyor of lands in 1772 and 1783, Justice of the Peace for Hartford County in 1782, Judge of Probate in 1787, and Major-General of the Militia, 1796-1799.
He died in Simsbury 4 Nov., 1809, honored and respected. On his tombstone is inscribed: "A Patriot of 1776. To such we are indebted for our Independence."

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• Reference Number: 3560
• Birth: 1710, Connecticut, USA

David married Abigail Pettibone on 25 Apr 1731 in Simsbury, Hartford, Connecticut, USA. Abigail was born on 22 Apr 1706 in Canton, Hartford, Connecticut, USA; died on 17 Oct 1787 in Simsbury, Hartford, Connecticut, USA. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

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• Reference Number: 3586
• Birth: 1706, Connecticut, USA

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• Reference Number: 3555
• Birth: 1667, Connecticut, USA
• Birth: 1667, Connecticut, USA
• Birth: 20 Aug 1667, Windsor, Hartford, Connecticut, USA
• Death: 20 Jan 1750, Windsor, Hartford, Connecticut, USA

Joseph married Mary Case on 9 Nov 1699 in Simsbury, Hartford, Connecticut, USA. Mary was born in 1669 in East Hartford, Hartford, Connecticut, USA; died on 10 Sep 1757 in Simsbury, Hartford, Connecticut, USA. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

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• Reference Number: 3651
• Birth: 1669, Connecticut, USA

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• Reference Number: 2288

Notes:

A Digest of the Early Connecticut Probate Records: Hartford district, 1635-1700
Vol 1, Page 347-48
Phelps, Joseph, Simsbury. Invt. £84-09-06. Taken 5 March, 1683- 4, by John Terry, Joshua Holcomb & John Case. The children: Joseph 17 years of age, Hannah 15, William 13 years, Sarah 11 years, and Timo- thy 4 years of age.
Court Record, Page 87-6 March, 1684: An Invt. of the Estate of Joseph Phelps was exhibited in Court, proven & ordered to be recorded. And this Court grants Adms, to the Widow, £6 of the Personal Estate& 1-3 of the Real Estate during her natural life, and to the Eldest son £22, and to the rest of the Children £11 apeice. And Timothy Phelps, Thomas Barber and John Terry are desired to be Overseers,
See File: The Petition of Mary Phelps, Relict to Joseph Phelps, of Symsbury, To the Honourable County Court now sitting at Hartford, Humbly showeth: That your poor Petitioner, when shee married to Joseph Phelps, was a widow, And was left by her former husband hi some- what a comfortable Condition. And after shee was married to this man, carried a considerable Estate with her to the value of £40 or £50, but since his decease is left in a very helpless Condition; having but £6 allowed In Moveable estate, with the third of the Land for life, which will not yield above 20 Shillings per Annum, which is but a very small matter to maintain me, having a young child left By Joseph Phelps, my deceased husband, to be brought up out of it. Having therefore heard of the Readyness of this Court to hear the cry & to help the fatherless and the Widow, made me Bold humbly to move your honours that some more of the Estate may be settled upon me for the Bringing up of the Child. How-ever, if the matter be difficult, that at least you would be pleased to order that I might have that mare and Cow that is left and was part of my own Estate which I carried with me when I married my late husband. Hop- ing your honours will take the matter into serious Consideration, I shal not farther enlarge, but, begging Gods presence with you, rest your hum- ble Petitioner.
Northapt, 28 August, 1684. mary phelps.


Birth:
baptism date--twin

Joseph married Hannah Newton on 20 Sep 1660 in Windsor, Hartford, Connecticut, USA. Hannah was born in 1629 in Windsor, Hartford, Connecticut, USA; died in 1675 in Simsbury, Hartford, Connecticut, USA. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

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• Name: Hannah Nuton
• Reference Number: 50
• Death: 1671, Simsbury, Hartford, Connecticut, USA