Person:Joseph Phelps (10)

Biography

Joseph Phelps was born Windsor, Ct., 2 Aug 1667. He married three times:

1. Mary Collier, daughter of Joseph and Elizabeth (Sanford) Collier, she b. Hartford, d. Simsbury, 13th March, 1697.
2. Sarah Case, 9th Nov., 1699, daughter of John and Sarah (Spencer) Case, she b. Simsbury, 14th Aug., 1676, where she died 2nd May, 1704.
3. Mary Case, daughter of Richard and Elizabeth Case, she b. Simsbury, 1669, died there 10th Sept, 1757. She was a widow. Her will dated 13th Aug. 1751, gives to her daughter Keziah,

Two suits of my clothes, viz.: My silk crape gown and my drugget gown and the petticoats that I used to wear with them, if not I give them to her daughter that tended her in her sickness, viz., daughter Lucy, and I give to her, my said daughter Keziah, or to her daughter Lucy as above, my quilted coat. All the rest of my Estate I do give and devise to my son David, and to my daughter Elizabeth, to be equally divided between them.

Since Joseph Phelps does not refer to Keziah in his will, she was probably a daughter of his wife Mary by her former husband. Phelps settled in Simsbury and was one of its most influential citizens. He held the office of Justice of the Peace for many years and was elected to the General Assembly from 1709-1727, twenty-eight times; during this time the Legislature held two sessions each year.

Last Will & Testament

The following is a copy of Mr. Phelps' will from Hartford, Conn., Probate:

In the name of God, Amen!

I, Joseph Phelps, of ye Town of Simsbury & County of Hartford and Colony of Connecticut, by reason of my age and infirmities of body and calling to mind ye mortality of my body and knowing it is appointed unto all men once to dye, doe therefore see cause to make and ordain this my last Will and Testament--yt is to say: principally and first of all I giu and recommend my soul into ye hands of God ye gave it, and my body to ye earth to be buried at ye discretion of my executors--nothing doubting but at ye General Resurection I shall receive ye same again by ye might power of God. And as touching worldly goods wherewith it has pleased God to bless me withall, after my sick bed and funeral charges with all my other lawful debts shall be paid, I see cause to dispose of ye same in ye following manner:

I give unto my well beloved wife Mary one third part of my personal estate (except my negro man Tom) to be her own forever. Also I doe give unto my said wife ye use and improvement of all my buildings, and lands which I have under improvement, so long as she shall remain my widow--and also ye use of my negro mail Tom ye time ye she shall be my widow. Also I doe give her my great Bible, her own and at her own disposal.

Item.--As to my soil Joseph, to whom I have 'lately given by a Deed of Gift, three tracks or parcels of land with what I have already before given him, I doe now reckon to him for ye as his portion or part of my estate.

Item.--I give unto my soil Amos, to his heirs and assigns forever, my Meadow Lot with ye upland adjoining thereto. The said Meadow Iyeth joining to his own land. Also about seven acres of Land yt was laid out to me by ye Committy, bounding south of Farmington, lying on ye hill a little south side from his house. Also my lands in Farmington ye I bought of Daniel Andross and Joseph Woodford, lying a little south from his house.

Item.--I doe also give unto my son David & to his heirs & assigns forever, all ye lands that I have on ye east side of ye mountain, near to Stephen Goodwin's lying on ye east side of ye highway. Also my lands on ye mountain north of ye sideling way (as it is called) bounding northerly on ye highway. Also that land that I bought of Samuel Pettibone, lying on ye hill east from Weatogue houses, bounding northerly on ye highway. Also my land on ye hill east from my house, bounding southerly on ye highway and westerly on lands of Samuel Norton, north side on lands of Capt. Cornish and east on Benjamin Mills's land. Also my Dwelling house & barn and home lot, with all my pasture land & marsh land & meadow land as it lyeth joining one to another & to my home lot. Also, I give to my soil David my Lot lying in Farmington which I bought of my son Joseph--he airways allowing to my soil Amos & to his successors forever a convenient pass-way upon ye north end thereof for my son Amos to goe with cattle and cart Dec. to said Amos land as he or they shall have occasion.

Item.--I also give unto my daughter Damaris & to her own disposal ye sum of eighty pounds money worth of ye old tenor according to ye appraisement of men to be paid out of my estate by my executors.

Item.-I also give unto Samuel Humphreys, son of my daughter Hannah, deceased, ye sum of five pounds money of ye old tenor worth, to be paid by my executors out of my moveable estate by appraisement.

Item.--I also give unto my daughter Elizabeth & to her own disposal ye sum of eighty pounds money of ye old tenor worth, to be paid by my executors out of my moveable estate by appraisement.

Also I doe give unto my son David my negro man Tom, to come into his use and service after ye death of my wife, or if after my decease my wife shall marry, then my negro man Tom to come into ye service of my son David after my wife is married.

Further my will is to make, constitute and ordain my well beloved wife Mary, with my two younger sons Amos & David to be my executors of this my last will & Testament, & doe hereby utterly revoke, disalow & disanul all former wills before by me made, or executors before by me constituted, rattifying & confirming this & no other to be my last will & Testament. In witness where of I hereunto sett my hand & seal this twentyeth day of November Anno Dominii 1744.

Joseph Phelps.

In the presence of Andrew Robe, Jacob Case, Aaron Priest.

1. ↑ Windsor, Hartford, Connecticut, United States. Records of Births, Marriages, and Deaths, 1638-1925.

   "Joseph, son of Joseph Pehlps [sic] was born Aug 2nd 1667"

2. ↑ ^2.0 2.1 Ricker, Jacquelyn Ladd. The Ricker Compilation of Vital Records of Early Connecticut: Based on the Barbour Collection of Connecticut Town Vital Records and Other Statistical Sources. (Baltimore, Maryland: Baltimore: Genealogical Publishing Company)
   10038.