• General Notes

  [20;1754.FTW]
  
  [Brøderbund WFT Vol. 20, Ed. 1, Tree #1754, Date of Import: Jan 22, 2000]
  
     William Phelps settled in Dorchester, Massachutts in 1630 and was prominent there.    Removed with Rev. John Wareham's group of Puritans and Dissenters to Windsor, Connecticut, where he was a magistrate and Deputy.[phelps.FTW]
  
  [Brøderbund WFT Vol. 1, Ed. 1, Tree #0988, Date of Import: Oct 22, 1998]
  
  William Phelps (1599)
  William, George and Richard Phelps, brothers, were born in Tewksbury,
  Gloucester, England, where descendants of the family still reside.  William
  removed from Tewksbury,(date unknown,) to Somerset or Dorsetshire, where he
  married Elizabeth-------, by whom he had five children.  After her death,
  of which we can find no record, he married for his second wife Mary Dover,
  by whom he had two children.  She is said to have been a fellow passenger
  in the "Mary & John."
  The following is taken from old family records and letters:    "Auld
  William Phyllypps came to America in the ship 'Mary & John,' Captain  John
  Squeb, which sailed from Plymouth, England, on Mar. 20th, 1630 (Old
  Style).  It was a ship of 400 tons burthen and brought over 140 passengers
  from  the Southern Counties of England, who landed at Dorchester, on the
  Coast of  Massachusetts on the 30th day of May, 1630."
  The following is taken from "Stiles' History of Windsor, CN.
  "Auld William Phyllypps was one of the first settlers and grantees of land
  at Dorchester.  He applied for Freemanship October 30th, 1634, and came to
  Windsor in the spring of 1636, whither his brother George is understood to
  have  preceded him.  He came to Dorchester in 1630, with the Rev. Mr.
  Warham, of  whose church he, with his wife Elizabeth, were members. The
  superfluous letters  in the name were dropped during the reign of Edward
  the VI."  He was a  gentleman of opulence, leaving a large estate in
  Staffordshire, England, which,  of course, reverted to the British Crown.
  In the fall of 1635, with others, they removed to the founding of the
  town  of Windsor, in the beautiful valley of the Connecticut.      Here
  William became one of the most prominent and highly respected men of  the
  colony.  He was a member of the first court held in Connecticut in 1636;
  also of the court of 1637, which declared war with the Pequots; a Magistra-
  te  (Senator) from 1638 until the close of 1642.      He served twenty
  sessions in all as a Magistrate.  He lived about thirty- seven years in
  Windsor, and died there on July 14th, 1672, aged 73 years.
  Sources:
  Family of George Phelps edited by A.H.Phelps (1897)  FHL 929.273 P511pa.
  For other sources consult the Church Record Archive sheets on the Phelps
  family.
  [3117.ftw]
  
  [Brøderbund WFT Vol. 1, Ed. 1, Tree #3117, Date of Import: Oct 25, 1998]
  
  William, his wife, six children, and his brother George came to America on the ship "Mary and John" which landed at Nantasket, (noe Hull, Mass) on May 30, 1630.  They were part of the 140 passengers which were formed into a church before leaving England and included Elder John Strong and his family.
  
  He was very active in helping to sette the new world.  The following are some examples taken from a two volume set of books entitled "The Phelps in Europe" n The Phelps in America." 
  
  1630 Helped form first town government in Nantasket.
  1630 Foreman of the first jury in New England.  They found Austin     Brotcher no guilt of Manslaughter.
  1631 Became th first Constable of Mass.
  1634 On of 3 men ho laid out bounds between Boston and Roxbury.
  1935 Moved with 60 others and founded Windsor, Connecticut.  One of   this city's first comissioners.
  1637 Presiding Judge of a court that declared war on the Pequots      indians.
  1638 Helped draw up the first constitution for the state of Connecticut.
  
  William was one of seven magistrates of the Connecticut government and held the position for 14 years. During this time he and his associates passed some interesting laws which included:
  
  It was a capitol crime to:
  
  Worship any other but the true God.
  Adultery or a crime against nature.
  Rape, blaspheme, witchcraft, to to steal a person.
  For children to curse or smite or be stubborn, or rebellious toward ther parents.
  
  Other punishments for lesser crime included: fines, standing in the pillory on lecture day with a paper sign pinned o them telling of their wrong doing, stocks, publc whippings and branding.  . The culprit was usually made to pay back the vctim four times the amount taken and as often banded on the cheek or hand and whipped.
  
  The following is an example of the type of individual he was: 
  Sometime in 1635 he bought a piece of land from an indian.  30 years later in 1665 he was unable to prove to the indian's family that he paid for the land so he purchased it for full price the second time from the indians.  The price:  2 trucking coats, 56s in wampum and six bushels of corn.
  
  William is describedby historians as "One of the most prominent and highly respected men in the Colonies."
  [3991.ftw]
  
  [Brøderbund WFT Vol. 1, Ed. 1, Tree #3991, Date of Import: Oct 25, 1998]
  
  William Phelps, Jr. (1599-1672) came from Tewksbury, Gloucestershire, England in the 'Mary and John' in 1630 to Dorchester, Mass. He was a freeman in 1631, a representative to the first General Court of Mass in 1634, a selectman in 1634 and 1635.  He moved to Windsor, Conn in 1636, was one of eight commissioners appointed by the colony of Mass Bay to govern the colony of Conn in 1636, and was the governor's assistant from 1636 to 1642 and again from 1658 to 1662.  He was a representative to the General Court from 1645 to 1657, and a member of the council in 1637.
  [phelps.FTW]
  
  [Brøderbund WFT Vol. 1, Ed. 1, Tree #3991, Date of Import: Oct 25, 1998]
  
  William Phelps, Jr. (1599-1672) came from Tewksbury, Gloucestershire, England in the 'Mary and John' in 1630 to Dorchester, Mass. He was a freeman in 1631, a representative to the first General Court of Mass in 1634, a selectman in 1634 and 1635.  He moved to Windsor, Conn in 1636, was one of eight commissioners appointed by the colony of Mass Bay to govern the colony of Conn in 1636, and was the governor's assistant from 1636 to 1642 and again from 1658 to 1662.  He was a representative to the General Court from 1645 to 1657, and a member of the council in 1637.
  [phelps.FTW]
  
  [3132.ftw]
  
  [Brøderbund WFT Vol. 3, Ed. 1, Tree #3132, Date of Import: Nov 5, 1998]
  
  Traveled to the colonies on the Mary and John under Capt. Squeb.  Sailed on 20 Mar 1630 and arrived in Hull Ma on 30 May1630.  He settled in Dorchester Ma, as one of the founders of this town.  The Mary and John sailed from Plymouth England.
  [3104.ftw]
  
  [Brøderbund WFT Vol. 22, Ed. 1, Tree #3104, Date of Import: Dec 9, 1998]
  
  !Of his wife and date of marriage we find no record. Mr Phelps, his wife and 6
  children emigrated to New England in the ship Mary and John. In 1635 his wife
  died and in the fall of 1635, the Rev. Mr Warham with 60 of his Church in
  Dorchester rem. to Windsor, he d.14 Jul 1672 in his 73rd year.  Commissioner
  app.by MA to Gov.CT 1636, Assistant CT Col1636-1642. Deputy from Windsor to
  Conn. Leg 1645-1657; Assistant Cont.Col.1658-1662. War Committee for Windsor
  1653-54. House in Windsor one of those involved in very deep Flood of 1638/9.
  Sold to Benj. Newberry 1642 and he rem. to High Ground above first Meadow which
  he bought from Indians ab. 1635. Homestead fell to Timothy.
    Prob.came in "Mary & John" 1630 to Dorchester.  Signed pact 15 May 1637 with
  Plymouth Co. for Windsor. Active dealer in land. 1675 had family, horse, 2
  oxen.  Land situated Puquonnoc District, Windsor, bought some time in 1635, but
  as tittle not clear.  Repurchased it 31 Mar 1665.
    On 11 Apr 1639 came the 1st General Meeting of the Freeman under the
  constitution, for the election of Magistrates, when John Haynes, who had been
  Gov. In the Mass.Bay in 1635, was now chosen the 1st Gov of the Conn.Colony. Mr
  Rogers Ludlowe of Windsor was chosen deputy Governor.  The Magistrates were Mr
  George Wyllys, Mr Edward Hopkins, Mr Thomas Wells, Mr John Webster, Mr William
  Phelps.
  ref:Hartford Co 1633-1884 by Trumbull 1886, vol.I
  Hist of Ancient Windsor, p.4

Details of William's family with Elizabeth Marshall

Details of William's family with Mary Ann Dover