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File contributed to the Fulton County ILGenWeb Project
Copyright 2008, all rights reserved.

These electronic pages cannot be reproduced in any format 
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Source: Atlas Map of Fulton County, Illinois, 
Andreas, Lyter, and Co., Davenport, Iowa. 1871
(page 39)

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Capt. Wm. Phelps, the subject of this sketch, was born in Palmyra. Ontario county, New York, November 1st, 1808. Emigrated with his father, Stephen Phelps, to Sangamon county, Illinois, in the fall of 1821, traveling all the way by land. Drove a team from Palmyra to Springfield, Illinois. They settled on what was known as "Fancy Creek," situated eight miles north of Springfield. Then, in the fall of 1824, came with his father to Lewistown, Fulton county, Illinois. 
    
The captain worked during the spring and summer months upon a farm, and in the winter months his father would put him on the Illinois river trading with the Pottawattamie Indians, and continued until the spring of 1830. Capt. Phelps married Caroline Kelsey, the daughter of S. Kelsey, a native of New York state, on the 2d day of March, 1830. The marriage ceremony was performed by Daniel McNeil, one the first justices of the peace of Lewistown. 
    
Captain then went west of the Mississippi river, to what was then termed as the "Indian Country," established a trading post on the Des Moines river, where what is now known as Van Buren county, Iowa. His family accompanied him, and stayed all the time with him. Capt. Phelps was one of the best posted men of the country, at that time, with the Indians. He spent from 1833 to 1843, a term of ten years, in the American fur company, on the Des Moines river, buying furs. He then went south of the Missouri river on what is now known as the Kansas river, continuing in the fur trade up to 1846; then sold out his interest to the company, and returned to Lewistown in the fall of 1846. The captain was interested in a line of boats plying between St. Louis, Mo., and St. Paul, during the season from 1835 to 1841. The captain is one of the old settlers of Fulton county, and today is city marshal of Lewistown, a man respected for his many good qualities. The captain lost his wife on the 21st day of October, 1861. They had born to them five children. His son Charles resides at Ipavia, in this county. Emma, the wife of Gen. C. J. Dillworth, resides in Lincoln, Nebraska. Julia Ett is married to J Q. Musgrove, and resides near Lewistown.