Edward Phelps

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EDWARD PHELPS (say 1621/2–1689), son of Eleanor Batter

ELIZABETH ADAMS (c. 1626–1718), daughter of Robert Adams and Eleanor Unknown

Eleanor Treslar of Salem made her will on 5 February 1654; it was proved on 26: 4: 1655. She left her farm to her sons Henry and Nicholas and her ground at town to her son Edward. She also mentioned two unnamed daughters, Her grandson John Phelps, her granddaughter Elizabeth, her son Nicholas's two children and her grandchildren Samuel and Elizabeth. The inventory of her estate was taken on 13 March 1654/5 by Robert Moulton and George Gardner and amounted to £131-03-06 with debts of £26-19-00. One of the debts listed by Moulton and Gardner was ten pounds due to [their] "brother" Edward Phelps. [4, 1: 396–7] Goodrich interprets the legacies to be due to Eleanor's sons Henry, Nicholas and Edward Phelps—not Treslar. The grandchildren are Elizabeth, Samuel, Edward, and John—the children of Edward Phelps. Grandchild Edward, born before 1654, is not recorded but fills the gap between Samuel and John. He notes that Eleanor married second Thomas Treslar, and apparently had no children with him. [8]

Williams [9] says that Eleanor was the sister of Edmund Batter and Jane (Batter) Antrum, wife of Thomas Antrum, of Salisbury, Wiltshire, who came to New England on the James in 1635. She married first ___ Phelps. She had children:

i. Henry Phelps was born say 1617/8. He married Hannah (Baskel) Phelps, his brother's widow. [9]

ii. Nicholas Phelps was born say 1620. He married Hannah Baskel. [9]

Henry and Nicholas became Quakers. [9]

iii. Edward Phelps was born say 1621/2.

Edward Phelps was born say 1621/2. He died on 3 October 1689 in Andover. [1] He married Elizabeth, the daughter of Robert Adams, say 1646. [2]

Elizabeth was born about 1626. She died on 4 May 1718, age about 91, in Andover. [1]

Robert Andrews of Newbury left his daughter Elizabeth, the wife of Edward Phelps, a cow in his will of 7 March 1680 (reviewed 27 June 1682). [3]

The November 1651 quarterly court in Ipswich heard that Lydia Foredum accused Robert Collins of being the father of her unborn child. She was fined 40 shillings and her master Henry Archer promised to pay. Edward Phelps acted as surety. [4, 1: 243] At the November 1652 quarterly court in Salem, Edward acknowledged judgment of 40 shillings for a servant he bought from Henry Archer. [4, 1: 273]

Edward Phelps of Andover was presented for drunkenness at the September 1680 quarterly court in Ipswich. [4, 8: 23]

The widow Elizabeth Phelps explained to the court that her husband had died to suddenly of sickness to make a will, but that she and her children had reached an unanimous agreement. The agreement, dated 31 January 1689/90, was signed by Elizabeth, Edward's sons Samuel and Edward Phelps's, and his son-in-laws Joseph Ballard and William Chandler. Edward's inventory, amounting to £261-10-00, was presented to the court and administration was granted to Samuel and Edward Phelps, with Captain Thomas Chandler a surety, on 31 March 1691. [5]

Children of Edward Phelps and Elizabeth Adams: All born in Newbury [6]

i. Elizabeth Phelps was born about 1646. She died on 27 July 1692 in Andover. She married Joseph Ballard.

ii. Samuel Phelps was born about 1650. He died on 26 January 1745/6, age 95, in Andover. [2] He married Sarah Chandler on 29 May 1682 in Andover. [1][2][4, 9: 428][6] Sarah, the daughter of Thomas Chandler, was born on 20 December 1661 in Andover and died there on 5 April 1757, age 95. [2]

iii. Edward Phelps was born before 1654 and died young.

iv. John Phelps was born on 13 or 15 December 1657 in Newbury. [6][7] He was killed by Indians at Black Point on 29 June 1677. [1][6]

v. Edward Phelps was born in 1663. [6] He married Ruth Andrews on 9 March 1682/3 in Andover. [6][4, 9: 428][2]

vi. Eleanor Phelps was born in 1660. [6] She married William Chandler on 21 April 1687 in Andover. [1][6] William, the son of Thomas Chandler, was born on 28 May 1659 in Andover and died between 18 September 1697 and 1 January 1699/1700. [2]

Endnotes:

1. Vital Records of Andover, Massachusetts to the End of the Year 1849, vol. 1, vol. 2 (Topsfield: Topsfield Historical Society, 1912).

PHELPS
2: 271 Elenor, and William Chandler, Apr. 21, 1687.
2: 272 Samuell, and Sarah Chandler, May 29, 1682.
2: 524 Edward [sr. CT. R.], Oct. 3, 1689.
2: 524 Elizabeth, wid., May 4, 1718, a. abt. 91 y.
2: 524 John, s. Edward and Elizabeth, "killed by ye Indians at Black Point," June 29, 1677.

2. Alicia Crane Williams, "Early New England Families, 1641–1700," database with images, AmericanAncestors.org > Edward Phelps (m. 1646).

3. "Abstract of the Will of Robert Adams of Newbury," New England Historical and Genealogical Register 9 (1855): 126.

4. George Francis Dow, ed., and Harriet S. Tapley, trans., Records and Files of the Quarterly Courts of Essex County, 9 vols., digitized books, Salem Witch Trials: Documentary Archive and Transcription Project (http://salem.lib.virginia.edu).

5. "Essex County, MA: Probate File Papers, 1638–1881," database with images, AmericanAncestors.org, case 21639.

6. Oliver Seymour Phelps, The Phelps Family of America and Their English Ancestors (Pittsfield, MA: Eagle Pub. Co., 1899). available on Ancestry.

7. Vital Records of Newbury, Massachusetts to the End of the Year 1849, vol. 1, vol. 2 (Salem: Essex Institute, 1911).

PHELPS 1: 401
John, s. Edward, Dec. 13, 1657. [Dec. 15. S. dup.].

8. Merton Taylor Goodrich, "The Children of Eleanor Tresler," The American Genealogist 10 (1993): 15–16.

9. Alicia Crane Williams, "Early New England Families, 1641–1700," database with images, AmericanAncestors.org > Eleanor (Batter) (Phelps) Trusler.

16-Nov-2023 6:15 PM