2. Judge Charles Bartlett Phelps (Elisha ) was born on 31 May 1788 in Chatham, Middlesex, Connecticut, USA. He died on 21 Dec 1858 in Roxbury, Litchfield, Connecticut, USA. He was buried in South Cemetery, Woodbury, Litchfield, Connecticut, USA.
The Bench and Bar of Litchfield County, Connecticut 1709 - 1909. Biographical Sketches of Members History and Catalogue of the Litchfield Law School Historical Notes; Dwight C. Kilbourn.; Litchfield, Conn., 1909
Charles B. PHELPS, b. in Chatham, now Portland, CT, 1788; studied with Judge REEVE & Noah B. BENEDICT, Esq., admitted to the bar Sept 1809; practiced in Woodbury until his death 21 Dec 1858. Judge of Probate for nearly 30 yrs; member of the House of Representatives in 1831, 1837 & 1852, elected Speaker in 1852. In 1843 he was elected to the Senate & was its President pro tem; in 1850, elected Judge of the County Court, holding the office three years.HON. CHARLES BARTLETT PHELPS.
Quite a full account of the life of Judge Phelps, appears on page 394. Since that date he has deceased, and a more extended account, written by his son-in-law, Rev. Alonzo Norton Lewis, of New Haven, Conn., is introduced here. Mr. Lewis studied law in the office of Judge Phelps, and was admitted to the Litchfield County bar ; but on account of failing health he was obliged to go South. On recovering it, he studied theology, and was admitted priest. Since then he has acted as Rector in Bethlehem, Conn., Dexter, Maine, and Marblehead, Mass. He resides now at New Haven, Conn. : —
" Charles Bartlett Phelps was born at Chatham, now Portland, Conn., May 31st, 1788. He was the eldest son of Dr. ElishaPhelps, a physician of some repute. He entered the Litchfield Law School, when he was only eighteen years of age, where he had as fellow-student John C. Calhoun, John M. Clayton, and others, who have since become illustrious as lawyers, jurists, and statesmen.
So assiduously did he apply himself to his studies, in order to
keep pace with his fellow-students, most of whom had the ad-
vantage of age and a superior education, that his health failed. In
his Diary may be read frequent entries like the following : — " Stud-
ied eighteen hours this day." At last, being threatened with
pulmonary disease, he left Litchfield for Woodbury, where he en-
tered his name as a student with Hon. Noah B. Benedict. Here
he became an inmate of the house which he occupied until his
death — since known as the " Judge Phelps Place," but more re-
cently as the " Parker Academy."In 1809 he married Elsie, youngest daughter of the Rev. John
Rutgers MarshnU, first Rector of St. Paul's Church, Woodbury.
The following are his children by this marriage. George Butler
Phelps, of Pittsburgh, Pa., Charles Elisha,* Edward Marshall,
Judge of the Ohio District Court, St. Mary's, O., John Rutgers,
Paolo, 111., Susan Moseley, wife of Daniel Judson, Esq., Ogdens-
burgh, N. Y., and Elisha.He married, 2d, Amanda, daughter of Dr. Joseph Parker, of
South Farms, now Morris. Children by this marraige, Elsie
Amanda, and Sarah Maria, wife of the Rev. Alonzo Norton Lewis,* Deceased.
1446 HISTORY OF ANCIENT WOODBURY.
a clergyman of the Protestant Episcopal Church, now of New
Haven, Conn.After the usual course of study, he was called to the Bar, and
was a trusted and honored counsellor and advocate, to the day of
his death. He was Judge of Probate for the District comprising
Woodbury, Bethlehem, Southbury, and Roxbury, 1 from 1823 to
1834; and was re-appointed in '35, '36, '37, '42, '43, and '46; and
again from 1849 to 1858, when his age rendered him ineligible.
During the twenty-five years that he held this most responsible
office, he never had a decision reversed by the higher courts. He
was elected most of the time " by favor," the Probate Distrct be-
ing largely against him in politics.He was a member of the Connecticut House of Representatives
in 1831, '37, and '52. The latter year he was chosen Speaker. In
1843 he was a member of the Senate and President of that body.
He was Postmaster of Woodbury from 1831 to 1841. In 1850 he
was appointed Judge of the County Court for the County of
Litchfield, and was re-appointed in 1852. He wasadmitted to the
Bar of the Supreme Court of New York.On the 21st of Dec, 1859, he was present at a meeting of the
Committee appointed by the Connecticut Legislature to superin-
tend the erection of a monument to Col. Seth Warner, an officer of
the Revolution. The Committee, (of which Judge Phelps was
chairman,) met in Roxbury, at the house of Nathan Smith, Esq.
Gov. Buckingham and other distinguished citizens were present.
He was addressing the Committee and other gentlemen, upon the
subject under discussion, when he suddenly paused, as if hesita-
ting for a word, put his hand to his forehead, sank back into his
chair, and expired without a struggle, aged seventy years, six
months and twenty-one days.No one ever saw Judge Phelps without being struck with his
genial face, portly form, and dignity of manner. No one ever
knew him intimately, without becoming deeply attached to hinr
For more than two years, the writer of this sketch was most con-
fidentially and intimately associated with him, and he has' no hes-
itation in affirming that " he was a man, take him all in all, we
shall not look upon his like again! " Born soon after the Revo-
lution, and familiarly acquainted with many of the actors in that
great drama, he was a connecting link between the generation of
'76 and the present. In his tastes and habits, a " gentleman of the1 Since erected into a District.
HISTORY OF ANCIENT WOODBURY. 1447
old school ; " with a high-toned sense of honor too rarely found
in these modern times ; his mind unusually stored with that knowl-
edge which only habits of observation can inspire; a never-failing
flow of wit, and anecdote, and keenest irony, if the occasion de-
manded ; of great power as a public speaker and an advocate ;
full of " wise saws and modern instances," and quaint sayings and
comparisons, which convulsed the listener with merriment ; a kind
and unselfish neighbor; an ever faithful and sympathizing friend;
strong in his likes and dislikes; a man who read character at a
glance ; hospitable, charitable, and generous to a fault," As many a beggar and impostor knew ;"
though a lawyer a peace-maker • (his proudest boast being that he
" had settled more cases than he had tried) ; " to those who knew
him in the sanctity of his home, (whatever he may have seeined
to the world), a man of deep religious feelings and yearnings ; in
the language of another," Not, like too many, worser than he seemed,
But always better than himself had deemed ; 1Charles B. Phelps, "the old Judge," will never be forgotten, so
long as there is one who knew him left to cherish his memory !" The upright judge, the wit, the mind intent,
With the large heart, that always with it went,
Passing his years among us, softened, sage,
Almost the feature of another age . —
• In one dread moment sent to that far shore,Where praise nor blame shall ever reach him more " 3
On learning of the death of Judge Phelps, a large public meet,
ing was held at the Town Hall, to express in an appropriate man-
ner the sentiments of the people, at their sudden and great loss.Rev. Wm. T. Bacon ofiered some very laudatory resolutions in
relation to the character of the deceased, accompanied by some
eloquent and feeling remarks. The author responded as follows,
after which the resolutions were unanimously passed : —Mr. Chairman : — I cheerfully and heartily second the resolu-
tions just ofiered by my Rev. friend, Mr. Bacon. There are times1 Rev. W. Thompson Bacon's Woodbury Centeniel Poem, July 4th, 1859. a Ibid.
1448 HISTORY OF ANCIENT WOODBURY.
when a whole community is brought to a sudden pause, by some
unexpected calamity. If a thunder-bolt should fall out of a clear,
sunny and serene sky, all would be shocked, startled, electrified.
In such a manner as this, fell the intelligence of the decease of our
honored fellow-townsman, Hon. Charles B. Phelps — suddenly and
unexpectedly, while he was in the act of disaharging a public and
patriotic duty, upon our affrighted ears, two short evenings ago.
The deceased had gone to Roxbury, on Tuesday morning, to meet
the Committee on the Warner Monument. He had left his house
in a very cheerful state of mind, and at the moment the grim mes-
senger of death approached, he was addressing the Committee on
the subject wHch had called them together. Raising his hand in
his accustomed manner, when about addressing a pointed remark,
he faltered, fell back, and his hand remained raised in the rigidity
of death. Thus suddenly was he called to meet his God. Truly
did he "die with the harness on." And beautiful is it to die thus,
if we are prepared to hear the dread summons to another world.
It seems more like translation than death.Although, my friends, I feel as the senior surviving attorney of
this town and vicinity, though young in years, there is a peculiar
fitness in my responding to these resolutions, and the more espe-
cially as my relations of friendship and professional courtesy with
the deceased, were of the most intimate and pleasant character,yet since the mournful news met me at the cars on yesterday noon,
having been engaged in such offices of kindness to the bereaved
family, as my deep sympathy with their great affliction dictated,
I have not had a moment to make fit preparation to direct your
thoughts or collect my oion. #It gives me much satisfaction to speak of our pleasant professional relations. Our departed friend was, in every sense of the
word, an honorable practitioner. He' was particularly urbane in
his practice. During the last thirteen years, being for the greater
part of the time the only lawyers in this town, he and I have been
almost constantly on opposite sides in the trial of cases, and yet I
speak it to his unusual praise, that he has not called me three times
before the Court, to decide any of the preliminary questions which
arise previous to the trial of cases ; nor have I had occasion to
call him three times before the Court, for a like purpose. We al-
ways agreed on such points, and it was very pleasant to do so.
He was kind-hearted and genial in his disposition — emphatically
so. He possessed a keen knowledge of the character and motivesHISTORY »F ANCIENT WOODBURY. 1449
of men, and often have I seen him, when asperities arose in a case,
as they will, and must sometimes arise, by the dexterous use of his
never-failing fund of wit and humor, turn that into a hearty laugh
"all round," which might otherwise have turned into an exchange
of blows. The same ti'ait of character enabled him to learn the
secrets of the camp of his antagonist, and to interpose at the op-
portune moment, to arrest the progress of litigation, and settle
contested cases. He always avoided a trial, if possible. He often
said to me that he intended to so live, that one thing of truth could
be said of him, when he was dead ; and that was, that he " had
settled more lawsuits than any other lawyer in his part of the
State." And this can be truly said of him. He would allow
causes to go on a while in Court, but he generally found the favor-
able moment to settle them without trial.A man of superior intellect, such as the deceased certainly had,
cannot reside as he did, for fifty years, in a community, without
becoming identified with every fibre of its institutions. It is no
matter that you may be opposed to him and his views in politics,
in religion, in everything. He will have a hold upon you —an
abiding influence in the community. The death of such a man is
a public loss. It is a removing of the " ancient landmarks." We
do well, then, to meet in this public manner to commune of our
public loss.This is an occasion, the full import of which should sink deep
into our hearts. As we gather thus mournfully together, and
gaze into the open grave of our departed friend, it becomes us to
consider " what shadows we are, and what shadows we pursue."
Here we may take an effecting view of the follies and vanities of
life. Here we may consider how much sorrow and misery w T e
cause each other, and how heartlessly we often destoy each other's
happiness and our own. It is well to pause on the brink of the
grave, and learn useful lessons for our future lives. May we here
pledge each other to imitate the virtues of the deceased, avoid
his errors, and labor earnestly for the happiness of our race, while
life remains. All animosities, if any existed, in noble minds, end
here. There are no contests in the grave. But I will not detain
you longer. I know full well your own thoughts outrun my
words, and more eloquently express your feelings.
Charles married Elsie Rutgers Marshall, daughter of John Rutgers Marshall and Sarah Bryan, in 1809 in Woodbury, Litchfield, Connecticut, USA. Elsie was born on 28 Jun 1784 in Woodbury, Litchfield, Connecticut, USA. She died on 21 Dec 1825 in Woodbury, Litchfield, Connecticut, USA. She was buried in South Cemetery, Woodbury, Litchfield, Connecticut, USA.
The middle name Rutgers comes from Nancy S. McBride, Phelps-Marshall Kinship (McClure Press) unknown cd.
They had the following children.
+ 9 M i George Bartlett Phelps was born on 11 Feb 1810. He died on 1 Nov 1896. 10 M ii Charles Elisha Phelps was born on 27 Oct 1811 in Woodbury, Litchfield, Connecticut, USA. He died on 18 Dec 1832 in Woodbury, Litchfield, Connecticut, USA. He was buried in South Cemetery, Woodbury, Litchfield, Connecticut, USA. + 11 M iii Judge Edward Marshall Phelps was born on 13 Nov 1813. He died on 19 Jul 1883. + 12 M iv John Rutgers Phelps was born on 20 May 1816. He died on 15 Feb 1882. + 13 F v Susan Mosley Phelps was born on 23 Mar 1818. She died on 31 Jan 1886. + 14 M vi Elisha A. Phelps was born on 5 Sep 1821. He died on 16 Oct 1861.
Charles also married Amanda Parker, daughter of Dr. Joseph Parker, on 28 Jan 1827 in Litchfield, Litchfield, Connecticut, USA. Amanda was born on 28 Sep 1793 in Morris, Litchfield, Connecticut, USA. She died on 12 Jan 1865 in Woodbury, Litchfield, Connecticut, USA. She was buried in South Cemetery, Woodbury, Litchfield, Connecticut, USA.
They had the following children.
15 F vii Elsie Amanda Phelps was born on 29 Nov 1829 in Woodbury, Litchfield, Connecticut, USA. She died on 2 Mar 1895 in , , Connecticut, USA. + 16 F viii Sarah Maria Phelps was born on 23 Aug 1835. She died after 1910.
4. Gen. Francis Eastman Phelps (Elisha ) was born on 16 Oct 1798 in Peacham, Caledonia, Vermont, USA. He died on 16 Oct 1874 in St. Louis, St. Louis, Missouri, USA.
Francis married Sarah Spooner Forbes, daughter of Abner Forbes and Sarah Spooner.
Francis also married Frances Bellows Stone "Fanny", daughter of David Stone and Hannah Bellows, on 21 Feb 1826 in Walpole, , New Hampshire, USA. Fanny was born on 29 May 1806 in Walpole, , New Hampshire, USA. She died in 1863 in Detroit, , Michigan, USA.
They had the following children.
5. Susannah Maria Phelps (Elisha ) was born on 27 Feb 1800 in Peacham, Windsor, Vermont, USA. She died on 11 Jun 1829 in Montreal, Quebec, Canada.
Susannah married Abijah Bigelow on 13 May 1824. Abijah was born in 1792 in Waltham, Middlesex, Massachusetts, USA. He died in 1854 in Cincinatti, Hamilton, Ohio, USA.
They had the following children.
20 M i Edward Bigelow. 21 F ii Amelia Bigelow.
6. Laura Amelia Phelps (Elisha ) was born in 1801 in Peacham, Caledonia, Vermont, USA. She died on 22 Jun 1852 in Woodbury, Litchfield, Connecticut, USA.
Laura married Rufus Emerson 1, son of Elihu Emerson and Thankful Grant, on 9 Dec 1826 in Windsor, , Vermont, USA. Rufus was born on 27 Oct 1800 in Norwich, Windsor, Vermont. He died on 4 Oct 1849.
They had the following children.
+ 22 F i Laura Phelps Emerson was born on 8 Sep 1829.
7. Edward Elisha Phelps (Elisha ) was born on 24 Apr 1803 in Peacham, Caledonia, Vermont, USA. He died on 20 Nov 1880 in Windsor, Windsor, Vermont, USA.
We learn that Dr. Edward E. Phelps of Windsor has been appointed Brigade Surgeon to Gen. Brook's brigade, which is composed of the Vermont 2nd, 3d, 4th, 5th and 6th Regiments. This is an excellent appointment, and it was procured upon the representations of the Governor, and at the earnest solicitation of our Congressional delegation.
Vermont Phoenix, January 2, 1862.
Dr. Edward Elisha Phelps was in Virginia with Gen. William T. H. Brooks, serving as Brigade Surgeon in the Peninsula during the spring and summer of 1862, when this photograph was taken in detail by George Harper Houghton. Dr. Edward E. Phelps was later appointed Surgeon in Charge at the Military Camp and the United States General Hospital in Brattleboro.
Edward married Phebe F.. Phebe was born in 1810 in , , Massachusetts, USA.
They had the following children.