06C Thomas Felps of Baltimore Co b ca 1678 And Related Lines- Overview

   Topics On This Page

• Ed Phelps research: sons of Aventon Felps

• Aventon and Thomas Abner now considered to be brothers: Three Options.

• A sample of submitted research

• An important summary table of the status of key STR and SNP tests for the Felps of Baltimore line  

• Application of yDNA testing to known genealogy 

  • Alternate Tree # 1

  • Alternate Tree # 2

As the reader reviews the alternatives presented here, please be aware of a table of SNP and STR results for these Phelps.  Found HERE

In the following overview comments, please refer to the index left to see details of the branches being described.

Ed Phelps reported the following which has beem often followed.

Thomas Felps, Baltimore Co:   

    son Avington/Aventon

         His sons:

• Thomas Abner Felps See 06C.1

• Aquilla Felps b. abt 1731 Balt. CO, Md to Orange Co, VA   See  06C.3 Aquilla Felps

• John Felps b 1748 Orange Co, VA  This is now questioned due to ydna issues and the intrepretation of previous research.

• William Felps b abt 1750 Johntson Co, NC  DEBATED

Aventon and Thomas Abner now considered to be brothers: Three Options.

7/2018  Part of the above is changed due to yDNA tests: Aventon is now considered to be a brother to Thomas Abner Phelps..

To arrive at reasonable conclusions using ydna so far tested, we should look hard at three options, including the lineage reported by kits 121475, 114440 and 270109.   In the three options below find the descendant tested. Note the ydna shown. Move up the tree to a common ancestor (triangulation).  That common ancestor’s ydna cannot have a mutated value UNLESS both branches show the same mutation.  Continue up the tree applying the same approach… taking one back to the earliest common ancestor. 

 Remember that SNP and STRs are inherited by sons. SNP mutate once forever.  STRs can mutate at any time or even back mutate.

Option 1:  This tree uses the lineage reported by 121475, 114440 and 270109, shown in grey.  It results in the unlikely conclusion that a snp and a str mutated in the same person

T Felps of Baltimore Has to be A10162 NEG & 34  

    Aventon Felps b abt 1711 MUST BE A10162 NEG &34

      1. Son Aquilla b 1731 A10162 NEG &34

               Son William b abt 1750 A10162 NEG & 34

                   Son David and Aquilla b abt 1772 Descendant testee= A10162 NEG &34  More testing needed.

(We add Thomas Abner as a son and his dna)

   1. Son Thomas Abner A10162 Pos & 35  BOTH HAD TO MUTATE WITH HIM.  RARE AT BEST

                All descendant testees=A10162 Pos & 35

Option 2  This tree was provided by a respected researcher Ed Phelps who did not agree with Option 1 (as best I can find).  He showed the below.  It also results in the unlikely conclusion that a snp and a str mutated in the same person.

T Felps of Baltimore Has to be A10162 NEG & 34  

Avington Felps b abt 1711 A10162 NEG & 34

          1.  Son William b abt 1750 A10162 NEG & 34

                      Sons David and Aquilla b abt 1772,Descendants 121475,114440, 270109 = A10162 NEG & 34

          1.  Son Thomas Abner  A10162 Pos & 35   BOTH HAD TO MUTATE WITH HIM.  RARE AT BEST

                              Descendants =A10162 Pos & 35 

 Option 3 results in the conclusion that a snp and a str mutated in different people person, much more acceptable.

This option –the only one that seems reasonably possible -  is suggested by “The Felps Family”, Minnie Twidwell has Aventon as Thomas Abner’s father. She speculated that Aventon and Aquilla were ‘probably brothers’ and writes that both had sons named Thomas   (Reported by Rosalind Ward)   But consider that only Aventon was named in T Felps' will (downloadable at page end).                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  

T Felps of Baltimore A10162 Neg & 34

 Son Aquilla Felps b 1731 Baltimore Co.  A10162 Neg & 34

             Son William b abt 1750 A10162 NEG & 34

                      Son David and Aquilla b abt 1772 Descendants 121475, 114440, 270109 = A10162 NEG &34

  Son Aventon Felps A10162 Pos & 34,   Mutated A10162 Pos

                 Son Thomas Abner  Descendants =A10162 Pos   & 35   Mutated 35

                 Unknown branch from Aventon to Samuel Phelps b. 1815 NC (594362) A10162 Pos   & 34  !!!

 This option causes a (hopefully) minor change in the reported lineage from 121475, 114440 and 270109.  It confirms their reported lineage back to Aquilla.

·Notice this option indicates 594362 there is another unreported branch off Aventon – OR a back mutation from 35 to 34.   The other two options were less acceptable – forcing a back mutation from 35 to 34

 Option 4.  Considering that option 3 shows only Aventon in his father's will,  another option is that Aquilla  immigrated to America and was related to this line by an earlier common ancestor.  Thus, the A10162 mutation could have occurred in T Felps of Baltimore (or before).  Actually this option may be more reasonable from a mutation point of view.

7/2018:   Questioning that John b Orange Co was a son of Aquilla - because of the unusual back mutation of those thought to be descendants.

A sample of submitted Research

 Doug Phelps:  Reviewing other material, at the Phelps Family Research Team  Blog HERE, we see posted there a part(?) of a paper by Ed Phelps.  Perhaps this is the source of John being a brother.  At that site,Scrolling down I see info about John Phelps  ( I assume the one said to be b. 1748 Orange Co.)  Portions copied below.  I could certainly see how John’s parents and birth could be deduced from this, but the ydna doesn’t suggest it.   And just to throw out some raw meat  J J  official documents show

John Phelps Sentenced on condition of transportation to the colonies for 7 years normally (alternate of 14), March 1745, Devon

John Phelps Sentenced on condition of transportation to the colonies for 7 years normally (alternate of 14) Dec 1756, Middlesex

From the Phelps Blog:

Shown in the St. George's Parish Register in Baltimore County,

Maryland is the marriage record of Avinton Felps and Rachel

McElroy dated April 23, 1730. Rachel was born Aug. 7, 1713 and

was the daughter of John and Francis McElroy.

On June 20, 1725 John McElroy was granted a survey for 100

acres that was named "Rachel's Delight" and this tract of land

was located on the head of a small draught being a draught of

the upper groom spring the west side of Deer creek. John had

conveyed 50 of the 100 acres of "Rachel's Delight" to his

daughter at the time she had married.

On Sept. 5, 1732 the father of Rachel, who referred to himself

as a planter in various deeds, had sold the last of his land

"John's Beginning" in Baltimore County, Maryland to John Long

of Cecil County, L50, 200 acres, John (x) Mackelroy. Wit:

Signed Avinton Felps and Stephen Onions.

One must assume now that the McElroy family, Avinton and

Rachel Felps, had began their Southwest movement on the trail

of "The Great Wagon Road" also known as "The Carolina Road".

It does appear that both families left Baltimore County

Maryland during the later part of 1732. The family of John and

Francis McElroy have disappeared into the wilderness from the

years of 1732 until 1742, about 10 years before surfacing in

the North Carolina frontiers. It appears from the following

land deed that Avinton and Rachel Felps, temporarily located

in Orange County Virginia.

ORANGE COUNTY VIRGINIA Formed from Spotsylvania County in 1734

Aug. 5, 1741 Avinton & Rachel Felps, Yeoman, of Orange County

Virginia to Henry Thomas, planter, of Baltimore County

Maryland, L10 paid by Isaac Webster, 50 acres...west side of

Deer creek, known as "Rachel's Delight" Signed Avinton Felps.

Wit: Isaac Webster and Richard Ruff.

Avinton and Rachel apparently returned to Baltimore County,

Maryland to sign the deed because his acknowledgement was

taken there, as well as Rachel's mark ( R ) on the release of

dower.

I omited a lot, but find John Phelps first named at page 7: On Oct. 10, 1765, presented to Rowan County as bounty claims

for woolfs, panthers and cats. The list of names included,

Quilla and John Felps.

Then… John Felps married Mary Williams 1766, Samuel Williams, bondsman.

Then..   Nov. 23, 1768 The names of Aquilla and John Felps were

included with 28 other names on the Regulators petition that

was signed by some inhabitants of Rowan and Orange Counties.

Rosalind Ward: 

Yes, Ed’s work definitely listed John as a child of Rachel and Aventon.  There are no birth records that I know of to verify that and I am confident that Ed did not have verification…only assumptions.  He sent this data to Robert Barnes who listed it in his newsletter along with several other ‘assumed’ children of Rachel and Aventon.  As in so many counties, I have read that the Orange Co. courthouse burned and I assume the records there all went up in flames, unfortunately.

A John ‘McElwrath’ (McElroy?) is written about in Robert Ramsey’s book, “Carolina Cradle” as having been ‘a man of means’,  Chester Co. tax lists in 1740 with nearly three thousand acres.  He apparently then ‘removed to the Irish settlement’. (pg. 122)   To add to the red ‘carbs’:   on pg 180 there is an indication that John McElwrath was sort of a rascal, being described as “a person of Lewd Life and Conversation and a Common Disturber of his Majestys Peace”….and that is all in capital letters!  Whoa   (The reason it may have been John McElroy is that there were other familiar families from Maryland and later connected with Phelps family members in North Carolina ... Todd Family and the Reed family, that entered the “Irish settlement from Chester Co."  John M was in court after opposing a road through his land.  

Rosalind Ward: I do have  a copy of Minnie Twidwell’s book.  Her research went back to Aventon in Rowan Co….nothing in Orange Co.  She had found “The Moravian Pioneers in North Carolina" and found Aquilla in 1753 on Reedy Creek as a miller and a farmer.  She speculated that Aventon and Aquilla were brothers.  She wrote that both had sons named Thomas.  (pg. 2)  The book then covers Thomas Abner m. to Jean Smith.  Really nothing more about either Aventon or Aquilla…and nothing about any other children that Rachel and Aventon may have had.

Rosalind Ward:    In former email, I did omit something from M. Twidwell’s book that I probably should have included.  On pg. 4, Minnie listed the children of Thomas [Abner Felps b. Balt Co.]  and Jane [Smith].  There had to be errors on this list, as she lists the John that married Mary Williams, 1766, as a son, with a second marriage to Mary Hague in 1817.  This has to be two different Johns, as the dates are not possible for the first marriage.  (And descendants of John, the son of Thomas and Jane have written that he was only married to Mary Caton…..in my notes somewhere)  BUT, it does indicate that Minnie did find a John that was married to Mary Williams somewhere in her research.  Minnie also has listed a William as a son that was married to Elizabeth Jones in 1768 and I don’t think this could be correct either, as date is not logical.  But these two early marriages could be unions of Thomas’ brothers….John and William.

From kit 114440   Elizabeth Jones who married William Phelps are the parents of Aquila Phelps d. 1853, Jasper County, GA.  He is believed to be son of Aventon?

Rosalind Ward:  In an effort to clarify my Minnie notes,  I mentioned that Minnie wrote William as having married in 1768, as well as listing William as a son of Thomas and Jane, one can surmise that both John and William, listed by Minnie as sons of Thomas and Jane, married about 20 years earlier than the other children of Thomas and Jane.  I concluded that these two men, William and John, were of the same generation as Thomas….perhaps erroneously, but it made more sense to me than to think the two were children of Thomas…but rather were Thomas’ brothers.  I am open to any other interpretation however.  I do think that Thomas and Jane did have sons named Thomas and William, but I think Minnie combined two generations here where William and John are concerned.  (Too many men with the same names!!)

The following report was submitted by kit 365080

The earliest verified Phelps ancestor in America was Thomas Felps, born in Baltimore County, Maryland in 1690.  Thomas was a landowner in Baltimore County and married Rose Anna Swift on May 28, 1710. He died in 1768.

 Thomas and Rose Anna had at least one son, Aventon Felps, who was born in Baltimore County in 1711.  Aventon married Rachel McElroy on April 23, 1730 in St. George's Parrish, Baltimore County.  In late 1732, Aventon, who was a blacksmith, began his southern migration along "The Great Wagon Road," also known as "The Carolina Road."  In 1741, Aventon and Rachel Felps are listed in land deeds in Orange County, Virginia.  By 1749, they were living in Johnston County, North Carolina, and in 1753 they are listed in land deeds for Rowan County, North Carolina.  Aventon was a Captain in the colonial militia during the French and Indian War and in 1759 he served in several expeditions to subdue the Cherokee Indians who were terrorizing settlements in that area of North Carolina.  Aventon died in Rowan County in 1790.

 Aventon and Rachel Felps had four sons:  Thomas, William, Aquilla, and John.  Of these, Aquilla Felps is the probable ancestor of the Wayne, West Virginia Phelps family.  Aquilla was born in Baltimore County in 1731 and migrated south with his parents in 1732.  In 1750, he married Sarah Jane "Sally" Jones in Rowan, North Carolina.  In contemporary records, he is listed as a landowner and a sawyer.  On Nov. 23, 1768, the names of Aquilla and John Felps were included with 28 others on the Regulators Petition that was signed by inhabitants of Rowan and Orange Counties.  This petition protested corruption among British colonial officials and unjust taxation.  The Regulators took up arms against the British but were defeated in the Battle of Alamance on May 16, 1771.  Some historians view the Battle of Alamance, where 300 Regulators lost their lives on the battlefield, as the first battle of the Revolutionary War.  After the battle, several leaders were hanged, but the governor of North Carolina agreed to pardon all other participants who would submit to the government and take an oath of allegiance to the King.  Many of the frontiersmen refused Governor Tryon's offer, became discouraged, and felt that it was best to go where they would not be so oppressed.  In 1771, more than 1500 families left the counties of Rowan, Orange and Anson of provincial North Carolinian.  Aquilla Felps was in this group and moved to St. Paul's Parish in Georgia.  By 1780, Aquilla had returned to Rowan County and he died there in 1788.

 Aquilla and “Sally” Felps had six sons:  Samuel, James, John, William, Aventon, and Thomas.  John Felps was born about 1750 in Rowan, North Carolina and married Mary May Williams in Rowan County on February 12, 1766.  John Felps’ name appears on the Regulators’ Petition, but it is unclear whether this John is Aquilla’s son or his brother, John (1734 – 1818.)  What is clear is that Aquilla’s son, John, moved to Georgia in 1771 when his father relocated.  He is listed as a Revolutionary War soldier of Georgia and records show him still living in Washington County, Georgia on June 26, 1784.  By 1790, John had returned to Rowan County, North Carolina where he died in 1811.

 John and Mary Felps had a least one son, Samuel Felps, who was born in Rowan County, North Carolina about 1767.  Samuel married Susannah Vines in Rowan County on February 13, 1782.  Sometime between 1810 and 1830, they moved to Russell, Virginia where Samuel is listed as a landowner.  Samuel died in Russell, Virginia in 1847.  It appears that the change in the spelling of the family name occurred during Samuel’s lifetime.  In his marriage license and in various land deeds, he is listed as Samuel Felps, but in his will, his name is recorded as Samuel Phelps.

 Samuel and Susannah Felps/Phelps had eight children including Martin Vines Phelps who was born in Rowan County, North Carolina in 1795.  Martin married Eda Countis in Washington County, Virginia on April 17, 1820.  He died on August 29, 1882 and was buried in the Phelps Cemetery on Hidden Valley Road in Washington County, Virginia.

 Martin and Eda Phelps had six children.  Hardy Phelps, the youngest, was born in 1835 in Washington County, Virginia.  Hardy moved to Wayne, Virginia (later to become Wayne, West Virginia) and married Susan L. Adkins on August 15, 1861.  On September 6, 1862, Hardy enlisted in Ferguson’s Battalion to fight for the Confederacy in the Civil War.  After his enlistment, Hardy disappeared from all historical records. 

Family oral tradition states that Hardy died of pneumonia in a prisoner of war camp during the Civil War.  However,  the Register of Confederate Soldiers and Sailors Who Died in Federal Prisons and Military Hospitals in the North compiled by the U. S. War Department after the war and published in 1912 contains no men surnamed Phelps who were from Virginia.

Ferguson’s Battalion was one of several loosely organized local West Virginia Confederate Battalions that made their way to Camp Zirkle, two miles outside of Salem, Virginia, in January, 1863.  There they trained and were merged to form the 16th and 17th Virginia Cavalry Battalions.  Most of the men from Ferguson’s Battalion went into the 16th Virginia Cavalry, Company E.  The rolls of the 16th Virginia Cavalry were finalized on January 15, 1863 and Hardy Phelps is not listed.  Some men from Ferguson’s Battalion went into the 17th Virginia Cavalry.  The rolls for that battalion were not finalized until January 28, 1863 but, again, Hardy Phelps is not listed.

Conditions at Camp Zirkle were rugged.  Of the 1600 men that mustered at Camp Zirkle, almost 50 died of typhoid, pneumonia, measles, malaria and other illnesses.  It is possible that the “prisoner of war” reference in family tradition was a misinterpretation of the original story and that he actually died in an army camp rather than in a POW camp. Given what little we know about Hardy, it is reasonable to conclude that he died of pneumonia at Camp Zirkle and is buried in an unmarked grave in that area of Virginia.

Hardy and Susan (Adkins) Phelps has one son, Martin Van Buren Phelps  who was born on August 13, 1863.  Martin was my grandfather.   He was married twice – first to Rosa Alice Adkins in 1884 and then to Mary Ann Sansom in 1895.  Martin’s second wife was my grandmother and I have detailed information on all of their decendants.

Click to see an important summary table of the of key STR and SNP tests of the Felps of Baltimore  

Application of yDNA testing to known genealogy

The below tree was an attempt to apply test results against understood genealogy. Because dna testing did not fully support the tree, it was revised in tree #2 below.

                                  Alternate Tree #1

 ALL other M44 Phelps are Z31503, dys576=16, dys449=34

   A6108  dys576=16, dys449=34    Albemarle Phelps

   Bxxxx  dys576=16, dys449=34  Caswell, Halifax and one Albemarle Phelps

   FGC67    Thomas Felps of Baltimore Co Triangulated FGC67854 dys576=16,dys449=34

    0.  Son *Aventon Felps Triangulated FGC67854 dys576=16,dys449=34

      1. John Felps b 1748 Orange Co, VA-(now question)   Triangulated FGC67854 dys576=16,dys449=34

      2. William Felps b abt 1750 Johntson Co, NC  Triangulated FGC67854 dys576=16,dys449=34

      3. * Aquilla Felps b. abt 1731 Balt. CO, Md to Orange Co, VA FGC67854 dys576=16,dys449=34 

                  121475, 114440,  270109 Thomas>Aventon>Aquilla b 1731 Balt Co > William b 1750  Seen HERE

                        331140 David W. Phelps b.1817 TN,  Seen HERE

               FGC67854 dys576=14 dys449=34     

                   407481 & 108474  Brit b. 1795 England Seen HERE

                   130478 & 365080  Thomas > Avington > Aquilla > John b 1748 Orange CO VA ?  > Samuel b 1760 Rowan co, nc

                   149734 John Phelps b 1780 VA  

      4. * Thomas Abner Felps  FGC67854 dys576=16,dys449=35 A10162 

                 116391, 822050, 108456, 133091(bad email address), 250539, 116497, 184430, 151601, 152580   Seen Below

      ??         594362  Samuel Phelps Sr. b. 1815, father born NC. 16   34   A10162 Seen HERE

*  Were Aventon and Aquilla brothers??  Rosalind Ward:  In her book, “The Felps Family”, Minnie Twidwell has Aventon as Thomas Abner’s father.  She speculated that Aventon and Aquilla were ‘probably brothers’ and writes that both had sons named Thomas…..has Thomas Abner born 1725-1730.  (pg 2)   (It is interesting to me that after Thomas Abner, on my line at least, the name Aquilla never appears again to this day.  Seems strange.)  I have always assumed that ‘Abner’ was a nickname for Aventon...  both [Aventon and Aquilla] in Rowan Co. NC at the same time is factual however. 

D. Phelps ydna projec admin:  594362 is throwing a monkey wrench into the above.   594362 is legitimately  tested at yseq.com to show A10162 AND DYS449=34, not 35 as expected.   A10162 puts him clearly with the branch of Thomas Abner, but ALL those tested of that branch are DYS449=35 (and A10162).   It is conceivable of a back mutation  but with ALL the other Phelps with 34 I doubt it.

The other non-A10162 branch is from Aquilla (brother to Thomas Abner) and it is DYS449=34, the 34 tells me the ancestors are also 34  (as are ALL of the Phelps even in Caswell and Albemarle co).    

So how can a descendant be A10162 AND also be DYS449=34 while using the provided lineages of the sons of Thomas Abner Phelps??  The implication is that mutations  A10162 and dys449=35 required an unreported generation after Thomas Abner .  OR that the reported branches off Aquilla are all wrong and that they should b A10162 also!

The below tree #2 is based on the comments above showing Aventon and Aquilla as brothers.  The yDNA inheritances make sense although the back mutation of DYS449 from 16 to 14 is unsettling.

                                           Alternate Tree #2

 ALL other M44 Phelps are Z31503, dys576=16, dys449=34

   A6108  dys576=16, dys449=34    Albemarle Phelps

   BY4136  dys576=16, dys449=34  Caswell, Halifax and one Albemarle Phelps

   FGC67854 0. Thomas Felps of Baltimore Co Triangulated FGC67854 dys576=16,dys449=34

     1.  Aventon "Abner"? Felps  b. ??  Triangulated FGC67854 dys576=16,dys449=34 A10162+ 

                     594362 Samuel Phelps Sr. b.1815, father born NC fgc67854 assumed, dyd576=16.dyd449=34,A10162+ Seen HERE

              Thomas Abner Felps  FGC67854 dys576=16,dys449=35 A10162+ 

                 116391, 822050, 108456, 133091(bad email address), 250539, 116497, 184430, 151601, 152580  Seen HERE

     2.   Aquilla Felps b. ???? Balt. CO, Md to Orange Co, VA FGC67854 dys576=16,dys449=34  A10162-

                  121475(?), 114440,  270109 Thomas>Aventon>Aquilla b 1731 Balt Co > William b 1750 Seen HERE 

                         331140 David W. Phelps b.1817 TN,  Seen HERE

              John Felps b 1748 Orange Co, VA -(now question) FGC67854 dys576=14 dys449=34 A10162-   Seen HERE

                   407481 & 108474  Brit b. 1795 England

                   130478 & 365080  Thomas > Avington > Aquilla > John b 1748 Orange CO VA ?  > Samuel b 1760 Rowan co, nc

                   149734 John Phelps b 1780 VA  

It is conceivable that Aquilla Felps (and possibly JOhn Felps) arrived in Rowan county from England and were not descendants of T Felps of Baltimore Co -  but were certainly related.

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