John Wolcott Phelps (1813 - 1885)

Born 13 Nov 1813 in Guilford, Windham, Vermont, United States

Ancestors

Husband of Anna Bardwell (Mattoon) Phelps — married 30 Apr 1883 (to 1938) in Brattleboro, Windham, Vermont, United States

Died 2 Feb 1885 at age 71 in Guilford, Windham, Vermont, United States

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Biography

John Phelps is Notable.

John Wolcott Phelps, the 4th of 10 children born to John Phelps and Lucy Lovell, was born in 1813 in Guilford, Vermont. He was a life-long military man who married late in life to the widow Anna Bardwell Mattoon. The couple had one son: John Phelps. John farmed in his home state of Vermont after his military service.

John Wolcott Phelps was a Civil War Union Brigadier General who graduated from the USMA in 1836, placing 24th out of 49 (his classmates included future Union Generals Montgomery Meigs, Daniel Woodbury and Henry H. Lockwood, as well as future Confederate Generals Joseph R. Anderson and Lloyd Tilghman). He served in the 1836-1837 Seminole Wars, and in the Mexican War, where he received, and turned down, the brevet of Captain. He served against the Indians on the Frontier until his resignation in 1859 to take up the dual causes of ending slavery and ending the Masonic Order. When the Civil War began, he was commissioned Colonel and commander of the 1st Vermont Volunteer Infantry. On August 9, 1861 he was promoted to Brigadier General, US Volunteers and commanded forces that participated in the capture of Newport News, Virginia. In early 1862, while garrison commander, he undertook the first recruitment of African-American troops by Union forces. This move was quickly squelched by the US Government, and caused him to be branded an outlaw and insurrection leader by the Confederate Government. He resigned his commission in August 21, 1862 in disgusted protest. He continued his causes until his death, and ran for President in 1880 in the Anti-Mason ticket.

Marriage

John Wolcott Phelps and Anna Bardwell Mattoon were married 30 April 1883 in West Brattleboro, Brattleboro, Windham, Vermont. It was the first marriage for 69-year-old John PHelps and the 2nd marriage for 31-year-old Anna.^[1]

Military

U.S. Civil War

John Wolcott Phelps

Residence Brattleboro VT; 47 years old.

Enlisted on 4/26/1861 as a Colonel.

On 4/26/1861 he was commissioned into Field & Staff VT 1st Infantry

He was discharged for promotion on 5/17/1861

On 5/17/1861 he was commissioned into US Volunteers General Staff

• He Resigned on 8/21/1862

Promotions:

• Brig-General 5/17/1861

See also: civilwardata

Death

General John Wolcott Phelps, age 71, retired officer, died in Guilford, Vermont, on 2 February 1885. He was found dead in bed.^[2]

Timeline

1813 - birth in Vermont

1836 - graduate U.S. military academy West Point

1836 - Florida War

1836-39 - various wars

1850 - promoted to captain

1859 - resigned from the service

1860 - farmer in 1860 Vermont census

1861 - Colonel, 1st Vt infantry

1862 - resigned

1865 - Admitted to fraternity Delta Upsilon

1880 - American ticket for president

1880 - Gardener in 1880 Vermont census

1883 - marriage in Vermont

1885 - death in Vermont

Sources

1. ↑ "Vermont, Town Clerk, Vital and Town Records, 1732-2005", , FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:QPQG-TKMS : Sat Mar 09 00:57:10 UTC 2024), Entry for John Wolcott Phelps and Anna Bardwell Mattoon Davis, 30 April 1883.
2. ↑ "Vermont Vital Records, 1760-1954", , FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:XF3J-MQP : Sun Mar 10 08:54:32 UTC 2024), Entry for Danl. John Wolcott Phelps and John Phelps, 02 Feb 1885.

• Wikipedia
• Find a Grave, database and images (https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/22672/john_wolcott-phelps: accessed April 2, 2024), memorial page for John Wolcott Phelps (13 Nov 1813–2 Feb 1885), Find a Grave Memorial ID 22672, citing Christ Church Cemetery, Guilford, Windham County, Vermont, USA; Maintained by Find a Grave.

See also:

• Official history of Guilford, Vermont, 1678-1961. With genealogies and biographical sketches by National Grange. Vermont State Grange. Broad Brook Grange No. 151, Guilford. History of Guilford