Jacob and Lucy Phelps were my 4th great grandparents. Their daughter, Lucy Phelps, b. 1807, married Benjamin F. Nay.

This family was primarily of Welsh origin, went to England, and from that place emigrated to America, and settled at Dorchester, Mass., in 1630. Two brothers came, William and George, and this family descended from William. He had six children, five sons and one daughter. He removed to Windsor, Conn., in 1635, and died there at an advanced age. There are six generations intervening between the first William and the present William Phelps. All of the family lived either in Massachusetts or Connecticut till about 1788, when the grandfather, Elnathan Phelps, a Baptist minister, settled in Orwell, VT. He was the first settled minister of that place. He was born in 1734, and died in Pownal, VT., in 1813. He had twelve children, nine of who lived to be men and women grown, of which Jacob was the youngest son. Jacob was born in Pittsfield, Mass, July 12, 1780. When but eight years old he removed with his father to Orwell, VT., He married Miss Lucy Webster, of Orville (sic), Vt. May 1, 1803. She is the daughter of Elder Samuel Webster, and was born Nov. 11, 1784, and removed to Orwell when but fourteen years of age. Her father was a Baptist minister, and took the place of Elder Elnathan Phelps. He died at the age of sixty-five, in Middlebury, New York.

Mr. And Mrs. Jacob Phelps have had seven children, all born in Orwell, VT. Five of them lived to be men and women, namely: Alanson W., William S., Lucy W., Lucinda M., and Edwin O. Mr. Phelps was a farmer, came to Hopkinton and settled on the farm now owned by his son William S., in 1821, and upon which his widow now resides. In polities a stanch Whig and Republican; held various offices to trust and honor in his town, was greatly esteemed by his neighbors, reared his family to industry, set them an example for honesty and frugality, left a record worthily of imitation for his posterity, and died April 2, 1864. His widow, now ninety-three, is hale and hearty, memory good, and is the smartest old lady of her years we ever saw. She recounts the scenes of the past with interest, has still motherly care for her children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren. She has living three children, thirty-six grandchildren, and a large number of great-grandchildren. Mr. Phelps and wife were in their younger days members of the Baptist church at Orville (sic), VT.

Jacob and Lucy Phelps' Home
in Hopkinton, St. Lawrence Co., New York
(click on Photo for larger view)

Thank you Marie Schroeder for finding this article and the photos.