11. Herman Morris Phelps

Herman M. Phelps in North Carolina

5/2018: The owner of the tested FTDNA member 796778 agreed to the display of this page.

Jan, 2018: The Phelps descendant of this line tested at FTDNA, kit 796778, and was found to have no ydna relation to any known tested Phelps. His ydna haplogroup is J; no tested Phelps is J, thus no possibility of any genealogical time relationship. However there are indication of Jewish implications presented at FTDNA His reported origin of Prussia/Germany fits with the earlier email discussions.

8/2014 UPDATE: The following post at 2000 largely negates the Phelps surname historical ancestry:

http://genforum.genealogy.com/phelps/messages/1279.html

Hi: I am trying to find information on the parents of Herman Morris Phelps and Harry Moses Phelps. I am not sure if they were twins, but their mother was from Tewksbury, England and their father was from Prussia. His name was something similar to LeBrunscheck (I have seen various spellings of his name). Their mother gave them her maiden name (Phelps) after divorcing LeBrunscheck. Harry would be my gr-gr-grandfather, I believe. Any help would be appreciated! Thanks, Suzanne Phelps

6/2015 update: email from Suzanne Phelps above:

The "LeBrunscheck" story comes from a letter that I believe my grandfather, Albert Carroll Phelps, Sr. wrote to a genealogy group. We received a copy of it along with his prayer book and other items after he died. It's been so long now (somewhere between 1999-2000, I was living at home going to graduate school at the time) that I don't remember anything more than what I had written on the genealogy page.

Here's the caveat: I think he was quite old at the time and was probably just writing "verbal history" that he had been told. Whether it's true or not, I don't know. I also don't know anything about the mother, which is quite frustrating!

Comment: so could the two sons have been fathered by a Phelps of Tewksbury

The information below is a list of information regarding a Herman M. Phelps in North Carolina in the mid 1800s in Statesville, NC which is not far from a branch of Phelps whose line goes back to Maryland to Thomas Felps. Recent dna research on this Phelps line shows a haplogroup of e1a1 which contains a majority of ydna tested Ashkenazi Jews. Most of them are from central Europe as was Herman Phelps. Therefore an effort was made to find a male descendent to dna test. None was found alive except for a father and son, Albert Carroll Phelps Jr and James Douglas Phelps. We are searching for these men to offer a ydna test.

Contributors noted. Compiled and general comments by Doug Phelps 2013. Viewers: If copied please give proper credit

01/06/2018

Descendants of Herman Morris Phelps Genealogy researched by Doug Phelps

1 Herman Morris Phelps b: 1825 in Germany (Prussia), maybe Poland d: Nov 1870 in Charlotte, NC

. +Theodosia Isabell Suares b: 1841 in South Carolina d: 1929

..... 2 Aaron Cohen Phelps b: Abt. 1863 in Shelby, NC d: 1929 in Sumpter, SC

......... +Rosalie Virginia Moses b: 17 Sep 1872

............. 3 Albert Carroll Phelps b: 1903 d: 1987 in Sumpter, sc jewish cemetery

................ +Polly Grumble Iseman

............. 3 Perry Moses Phelps b: 1909 d: 1945

.................... 4 Charlotte Virginia Phelps b: 1932 d: 1935

..... *2nd Wife of Aaron Cohen Phelps:

......... +Elizabeth G.

..... *3rd Wife of Aaron Cohen Phelps:

......... +Arabella Solomon

............. 3 Hugh Alvin Phelps b: 06 Feb 1885 in South Carolina d: 07 Jan 1941 in Beaufort Co, Washington , NC

................ +Elizabeth Simmons

.................... 4 Hugh Alvin Phelps, Jr. b: 1921 in Washington, NC d: Abt. 1943 in Missing in action WWII Phillippines

.................... 4 Albert Simmons Phelps b: 29 Dec 1928 in Washington, NC d: 21 Jan 2013 in Greensboro, NC

........................ +Laura Bryan Woodward Pharr m: 1985

.................... 4 Betsy/Elizabeth? Phelps

..... 2 Victor H. Phelps b: in Shelby, NC d: 1933

......... +Golda/Guilda/Goldie B.

............. 3 Herman Morris Phelps b: Abt. 1898 in Sumpter, SC d: 13 Mar 1968 in Dallas, Texas

................ +Francis J.

............. *2nd Wife of Herman Morris Phelps:

................ +Belma

.................... 4 Harrold Joseph Phelps b: 1918 in Sumpter, SC d: Jan 1988 in Indiana ?

........................ +Phoebe Geneviere Harold m: 1947 in Wood, West Virginia

............. 3 Julius Israel Phelps b: 19 Jan 1894 in Sumpter, SC d: 13 May 1974 in Florida

................ +Geniviere

............. 3 Archie Phelps b: 1901 in Sumpter, SC d: 30 Sep 1935 in Sumpter, SC

............. 3 Bertie brown Phelps b: 1896

............. 3 Pauline T. Phelps b: 1898

............. 3 Marion V. Phelps b: 1904 d: 19 Jan 1983 in Florida

............. 3 Anna Phelps b: 1905

............. 3 Golda Phelps b: 1908 d: 1993

..... 2 Carie Phelps

..... 2 Isabel Phelps

1. HERMAN MORRIS¹ PHELPS was born 1825 in Germany (Prussia), maybe Poland, and died Nov 1870 in Charlotte, NC. He married THEODOSIA ISABELL SUARES. She was born 1841 in South Carolina, and died 1929.

Notes for HERMAN MORRIS PHELPS:

All the facts for this line were found in the source records at ancestry.com Also see http://www.jhssc.org/Temple_SinaiCemetery.html Only two male descendants were found potentially alive. One died in Greensboro Jan 2013.

Reported by son Aaron to be from Poland in the 1880 census. Reported by Aaron to be fro Germany in the 1900 census.

Burried in and is one of the founders of the Charlotte Hebrew Cemetery.

His sons were born in Sumpter, SC.

His grandson Archie is burried in the Jewish Cemetery in Sumpter SC

The first Jewish citizens of the Sumter community came from Charleston about 1815. These early settlers were of Sephardic background and many had fled persecution in Spain. As oppression spread in Germany, Poland, and then Russia, immigrants from these countries also settled in South Carolina and the Sumter Community.

Two early organizations preceded the formation of the Jewish congregation in Sumter: The Hebrew Cemetery Society was formed about the time that land for the Jewish Cemetery was purchased in 1874. The Sumter Hebrew Benevolent Society was organized before April, 1881, according to its recorded minutes. These minutes named twenty-four men as being present and reflect the formation of a committee to unite these two societies. At a meeting two weeks later, the two groups agreed to merge. Thirty-one dues-paying members were recorded by name in these later minutes.

In April, 1895, the official merger occurred between The Sumter Hebrew Benevolent Society and The Hebrew Cemetery Society, with the surviving organization becoming The Sumter Society of Israelites, the official name of present-day Congregation Sinai. By 1895, the Jewish Congregation had become well organized. Regular meetings were being held and a Sunday School was operating. Charitable projects were undertaken and the cemetery was organized and in use. Rabbi E.S. Levy from Augusta, Georgia and Rabbi David Levy from Charleston served the Congregation at regular intervals. A first confirmation class had been trained and was confirmed in Charleston in June, 1891. The support of these two rabbis helped mold and strengthen the Sumter Jewish community into a congregation.

Rabbi Jacob Klein came to Sumter about 1904 and served as the first resident rabbi. The first Synagogue was a wooden structure, built on the site of the present building. It was replaced by a brick building, dedicated in the spring of 1913. Several major additions to the Synagogue were made over the years. A substantial remodeling of the sanctuary was celebrated in a rededication service in 1969. In addition to regular services and the Sunday School, the Congregation has been well served by both an active Sisterhood and a Men's Club.

In 2007, Temple Sinai donated all of their archives to the College of Charleston Jewish Heritage Collection. This act ensures the archives will be preserved for all to research. On May 4, 2008 the Jewish Historical Society of South Carolina held their Spring Meeting in Sumter to acknowledge the receipt of the archives and to announce that an Historical Marker will be erected in front of the sanctuary.een donated to the Jewish Heritage Collection at the College of Charleston.[5

Children of HERMAN PHELPS and THEODOSIA SUARES are:

2. i. AARON COHEN² PHELPS, b. Abt. 1863, Sumpter, SC; d. 1929.

3. ii. VICTOR H. PHELPS, b. Shelby, NC; d. 1933.

iii. CARIE PHELPS.

iv. ISABEL PHELPS.

2. AARON COHEN² PHELPS (HERMAN MORRIS¹) was born Abt. 1863 in Sumpter, SC, and died 1929. He married (1) ROSALIE V.. He married (2) ELIZABETH G.. He married (3) ARABELLA SOLOMON.

Child of AARON PHELPS and ARABELLA SOLOMON is:

4. i. HUGH ALVIN³ PHELPS, b. 06 Feb 1885, South Carolina; d. 07 Jan 1941, Beaufort Co, Washington , NC.

3. VICTOR H.² PHELPS (HERMAN MORRIS¹) was born in Shelby, NC, and died 1933. He married GOLDA/GUILDA/GOLDIE B..

Children of VICTOR PHELPS and GOLDA/GUILDA/GOLDIE B. are:

5. i. HERMAN MORRIS³ PHELPS, b. Abt. 1898, Sumpter, SC; d. 13 Mar 1968, Dallas, Texas.

ii. JULIUS ISRAEL PHELPS, b. 19 Jan 1894, Sumpter, SC; d. 13 May 1974, Florida; m. GENIVIERE.

Notes for JULIUS ISRAEL PHELPS:

found no children

iii. ARCHIE PHELPS, b. 1901, Sumpter, SC; d. 30 Sep 1935, Sumpter, SC.

Notes for ARCHIE PHELPS:

Burried Sumpter, SC Jewish Cemetery. Found no marriage or children

iv. BERTIE BROWN PHELPS, b. 1896.

v. PAULINE T. PHELPS, b. 1898.

vi. MARION V. PHELPS, b. 1904; d. 19 Jan 1983, Florida.

Notes for MARION V. PHELPS:

1930 Shelby, Ohio census, age 26, Wife Cleo, no children

1940 Miami Fla Census: age 36, born SC Living with his mother Golda, age 71 and her daughter Goldie V Mullins, 31, and HER son Otis T. age 10

Died in Dade County, Fla 1/19/1983

Could not find any children.

vii. ANNA PHELPS, b. 1905.

viii. GOLDA PHELPS, b. 1908; d. 1993.

4. HUGH ALVIN³ PHELPS (AARON COHEN², HERMAN MORRIS¹) was born 06 Feb 1885 in South Carolina, and died 07 Jan 1941 in Beaufort Co, Washington , NC. He married ELIZABETH SIMMONS.

Notes for HUGH ALVIN PHELPS:

1920 Washington census: living with mother in law Elizabeth S Simmons in Washington.

Children of HUGH PHELPS and ELIZABETH SIMMONS are:

i. HUGH ALVIN⁴ PHELPS, JR., b. 1921, Washington, NC; d. Abt. 1943, Missing in action WWII Phillippines.

ii. ALBERT SIMMONS PHELPS, b. 29 Dec 1928, Washington, NC; d. 21 Jan 2013, Greensboro, NC; m. LAURA BRYAN WOODWARD PHARR, 1985.

Notes for ALBERT SIMMONS PHELPS:

In Memory of

Albert Phelps

December 29, 1928 - January 21, 2013

Obituary

Greensboro - Albert (Al) Simmons Phelps, age 84, died January 20, 2013, in Greensboro, N.C. in his sleep, of natural causes.

Al was born to Elizabeth Grist Simmons and Hugh Alvin Phelps in Washington, NC on December 8, 1928. He graduated from Washington High School. He was an exceptional student, graduating with an academic college scholarship. He also was a standout athlete in three sports, football, basketball, and baseball (his favorite), being elected co-captain for all three for the class of '47. In Al's late years in life he was elected to the Washington High School sports "Walk of Fame" for his performance in athletics while in high school. After high school graduation he entered the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. While at the University he was a brother of Phi Gamma Delta Fraternity. After his college days Al briefly became a sports writer for The Washington Daily News, before enlisting in the US Army. While in the Army he was chosen to attend OCS and graduated a Second Lt.. He served from 1951 to 1953 at Fort Knox, Kentucky as an armored-cavalry officer.

During his career years, Al began in airline customer service, eventually becoming manager of the VIP Center at Dulles Airport in Washington, D.C. From there he changed fields and went into the hotel industry in Washington, D.C. rising to hotel general management. After almost twenty years he retired and moved to Charlotte, N.C. becoming a consultant to the travel industry.

During his retirement he married Laura Bryan Woodward Pharr. They spent nineteen happy years together in Charlotte before her death on August 24, 2004 after a courageous fight with cancer.

Al was also preceded in death by his mother and father and older brother Hugh Alvin Phelps, Jr. and older sister Elizabeth Phelps Wheatley Irby.

He is survived by nephews, Rex Hunter Wheatley, Jr. and Walter Scott Irby, III, and Laura's nieces, Maura Smith Collins, Penny Smith May, and Mary Bryan Griswold Smith. Laura's nieces were also Al's loving caretakers until his death.

In memory of Al, contributions may be made to any junior or high school athletic programs of the donor's choice.

From Dick Yeomans: 2013 Greensboro, NC obituary shows that he died without children,

The obituary I found shows that Albert Simmons Phelps was the son of Hugh Alvin Phelps and Elizabeth Grist Simmons. He was predeceased by his parents, his brother Hugh Alvin Phelps Jr. and his older sister Elizabeth Phelps Wheatley Irby. It also states that he married Laura Bryan Woodward Pharr in 1985, a little late for him to have children (though not impossible!!).

An address In Greensboro was seen in 12/2013

iii. BETSY/ELIZABETH? PHELPS.

5. HERMAN MORRIS³ PHELPS (VICTOR H.², HERMAN MORRIS¹) was born Abt. 1898 in Sumpter, SC, and died 13 Mar 1968 in Dallas, Texas. He married (1) FRANCIS J.. He married (2) BELMA.

Child of HERMAN PHELPS and BELMA is:

i. HARROLD JOSEPH⁴ PHELPS, b. 1918, Sumpter, SC; d. Jan 1988, Indiana ?; m. PHOEBE GENEVIERE HAROLD, 1947, Wood, West Virginia.

Notes for HARROLD JOSEPH PHELPS:

No children found.

Other Research

Found by Kathy Mann: Statesville Record and Landmark. March 1, 1894. Page 7 as found on Newspapers.com : “Mr. I.M. Overcash informs The Landmark that the statement made in this newspaper two weeks ago upon “information and belief” that Messrs. Isaac Wallace and Louis Elias, who began their business here in 1859, were the first Hebrew merchants in Statesville, is in error. Mr. Overcash says Kupman & Phelps, Hebrews, did business here in 1857, two years before Messrs. Wallace and Elias – in the building occupied by Messrs. Stimson and Anderson’s drug store.” Notice the “did” business in 1857, indicating not in 1894.

I think maybe the Phelps in the article is Hermann Morris Phelps born aprx 1820s died 1870. He is buried in the HEBREW Cemetery and was one of the founders of the cemetery. Kupman is also a Jewish name. Also see Koopman for alt spelling. Kathie

From Doug Phelps:

The Phelps who descended from James d. 1786, Thomas of Albemarle Co, VA, and Thomas Felps of Maryland are of haplogroup E1a1 (a term indicating anthropological origins) We now know there are Jewish men or men with Jewish origins who are also e1a1 and who either now live or had origins in eastern Europe

1860 NC Census: Iredell co: Elizabeth Phelps age 60 Union Grove PO widow birth NC

1860 NC Census: Davie co: H. Phelps age 62 born in MA.

1860 NC Census: Mecklenburg Co - Charlotte: H.M. Phelps age 35 born in PRUS (Prussia) Worth quite bit. Dry goods merchant. (ooks like Herman Morris Phelps that kathy pointed out. With wife Theodonia born South Carolina With him 3 clerks, one from NC, one from NY, one from ????