Family History

For the past couple of years I have been interested in looking a little more closely at my family history. I was intrigued by some of the names in the family tree. The first one that I noted was Captain David Phelps, who is my 6th great grandfather on my mother’s side, who fought in the Revolutionary War!

Name Capt. David Phelps Gender Male Birth 26 MAR 1733 Turkey Hill or Simsbury, Conn Marriage 7 APR 1753 to Abigail Griswold Death 17 APR 1811

Captain Phelps settled in Turkey hills in Simsbury, Conn. He was a soldier in the Revolutionary War. His name is found many times in manuscript volumes in the state archives. He appears in state record of "Connecticut Men in the Revolution"in 1776 Woodward's Brigade as Lt. in 2nd Company, also as Lt. in pay roll in Danbury Alarm, and also in the New haven Alarm in Capt. Noah Phelps's Company in 1779. He served under his brother Noah, at the capture of Ticonderoga, 1775. He was lieutenant at the Battle of Long Island, where he was taken prisoner, and was Captain when Tryon invaded the Colony. PBP pp9 

May 10, 1775, less than one month after the American Revolutionary War was ignited with the battles of Lexington and Concord, the British garrison of 48 soldiers was surprised by a small force of Green Mountain Boys, along with militia volunteers from Massachusetts and Connecticut, led by Ethan Allen and Benedict Arnold. With the capture of the fort, the Patriot forces obtained a large supply of cannons and other armaments, much of which Henry Knox transported to Boston during the winter of 1775–1776. Ticonderoga's cannons were instrumental in ending the Siege of Boston when they were used to fortify Dorchester Heights.

How I am related to this patriot:

David PHELPS Capt (1733 - 1811) is your 6th great grandfather

Abigail PHELPS ( - 1831) daughter of David PHELPS Capt

Samuel Merrill (1780 - 1878) son of Abigail PHELPS

Polly Matilda Merrill (1817 - 1891) daughter of Samuel Merrill

Sterling Driggs Colton (1851 - 1933) son of Polly Matilda Merrill

Charles H Colton (1884 - 1966) son of Sterling Driggs Colton

Lawrence Junius Colton (1912 - 1986) son of Charles H Colton

Pamela Colton (1942 – ) daughter of Lawrence Junius Colton

Shelli A Schubert- You are the daughter of Pamela Colton

For my female family members, I have been looking into membership to DAR (Daughters of the American Revolution) and have found that in the DAR geneology (Ancestor #: A090041) database our family has been linked back to this patriot through the following from the DAR site (this would be an application that was done through one of our Great Aunts- Lorna, Miriam, Edna, or Bernice) :

  Descendants List

Member: -- Name Restricted -- Nat'l #: 688642 Ancestor #: A090041

1.-- Generation Restricted --

2.-- Generation Restricted --

3. The Said -- Name Restricted -- was the child of Charles Henry Colton born on 18 - Dec - 1884 at Vernal UT  died at Provo UT on 25 - Jun - 1966 and his ( 1st ) wife Nellie Hacking born on 26 - Feb - 1886 at Vernal UT died at Provo UT on 3 - May - 1967 married on 28 - Jun - 1906  married at Salt Lake C UT

4. The Said Charles Henry Colton was the child of Sterling Driggs Colton born on 22 - Mar - 1851 at Provo UT  died at Salt Lake City UT on 22 - Oct - 1933 and his ( 1st ) wife Nancy Adeline Wilkins born on 14 - Jul - 1853 at Provo UT died at Salt Lake City UT on 28 - Mar - 1934 married on 21 - Mar - 1870  married at Salt Lake C UT

Short Form

The lineage enter for this line was submitted using a DAR Short Form application and did not record the full line back to the ancestor. The line connects to national number 652863.

  Associated Ancestor (Revolutionary) Record

PHELPS, DAVID

Ancestor #: A090041

Service: CONNECTICUT    Rank: CAPTAIN

Birth: 26 Mar 1734    SIMSBURY HARTFORD CO CONNECTICUT

Death: 7 Apr 1811    SIMSBURY HARTFORD CO CONNECTICUT

Service Source: JOHNSTON, CT MEN IN THE REV, P 547

Service Description: 1) NEW HAVEN ALARM 1779, COL NOAH PHELPS

If any of my cousins are interested in knowing more information about joining DAR drop me a line. I haven’t gone through the whole process because of my job situation (that being none) but have been in touch with my areas representative. Isn’t history an amazing thing!