Surname: Phelps, Newby, Hall, Shaffer, Camplin, Reece Compendium of Biography Of Henry County, Indiana B. F. Bowen 1920 ELIAS PHELPS Elias Phelps, one of Henry county’s oldest and most venerated citizens and at one time custodian of a very important public trust, is a native of Randolph County, North Carolina, where he first saw the light of day on the 3oth day of August, 1819. His father and grandfather were also natives of the same county and state, the family settling there many years ago, as early perhaps as the colonial period. Mr. Phelps remained near the place of his birth until 1830, in the fall of which year, in company with his parents, Samuel and Sarah (Newby) Phelps, he migrated to Henry County, Indiana, settling about three miles south of his present place of residence. Samuel Phelps was a man of limited means and his journey to the new Indiana Country was made in a wagon, which, beside his own few household effects, carried the goods of a neighboring family that came with him. He first bought forty-six acres of land, for which he went in debt and after working hard finally reduced the greater part to cultivation, although hardly able to do manual labor on account of a severe physical affliction. By good management he succeeded in adding to his possessions until he had a comfortable home, but his bodily infirmity continued to increase the meanwhile, finally reaching a stage where he became so helpless that he could not take food without assistance. Notwithstanding this deplorable condition, he exercised his indomitable will and while lying abed, almost unable to move, managed his business affairs and frequently negotiated trades with neighbors greatly to his own advantage. Samuel and Sarah Phelps were the parents of ten children: Henry, James, Elias, Elenor, Jonathan, Frederick, Ezekiel, Mary, Joseph and Jabez, all deceased but Elias of this review, and Jonathan, who lives in Los Angeles, California. When a boy Elias had few opportunities for acquiring an education, but in such schools, as he was able to attend he obtained a limited knowledge of the fundamentals, spelling, reading and arithmetic, with the ability to write a fair, legible hand. He worked on the home farm until nineteen years old when he began earning money for himself at such labor as he could find to do, working by the day, month or job as the case might be. On the 2nd day of December 1847, he chose a life companion, the lady of his choice being Miss Anna Hill, of Rush County, Indiana, whose parents were natives of North Carolina and early settlers near the town of Carthage. Mr. and Mrs. Phelps began their wedded life with but little of this world’s goods in their possession and no very flattering prospects for the future. Becoming the possessor of a tract of woodland in Howard County, entered from the government, he worked upon it until it was paid for, after which he returned to Henry County and for some years cultivated his mother’s farm on the shares. Subsequently he disposed of his Howard County real estate for twelve hundred dollars in cash and with this sum purchased eighty acres of his present farm in Harrison Township, Henry County. Moving to his new home, he began with renewed energy the work of its development and in due time his labors were rewarded with abundant success, the original purchase gradually increasing in area until it now contains a quarter section of as fertile land as the township can boast. Mr. Phelps early became a very prosperous farmer and successful businessman as is attested by the comfortable fortune, which he has accumulated. In addition to the fine farm and other valuable property in his possession he has assisted his children to obtain good starts in life, giving to each a thousand dollars in money besides helping them in many ways. He and his good wife have heartily cooperated in all of their work and the success now theirs was mutually earned. Mr. Phelps has worked hard and experienced many of the vicissitudes of life. His way has not always led through pleasant places, but on the whole he has enjoyed many of the world’s best blessings, among which are good health and the confidence and esteem of his neighbors, without which life would indeed be a cheerless and discouraging experience. To him and his wife have been given five children, the oldest of whom, Thomas C., was born September 30, 1848; this son is a well-educated man and a prosperous farmer of this county; his wife was formerly Miss Mary E. Shaffer. Sarah J., whose birth occurred on the 29th of September 1850, was educated in Spiceland Academy and for a number of years taught in the public schools of Henry County, also clerked for some time in a mercantile establishment; she married R. O. Camplin and a few years ago exchanged the robes of flesh for garments of immortality. John M. born on the 30th day of August 1856 married Mary E. Newby, of this county; Martha A., deceased, was born November 11, 1858, and became the wife of Albert Reece. Mr. Phelps and all of his family are members of the Society of Friends and are classed with the most highly respected people in the communities where they live. They were reared in this rather strict faith and their Christian characters have never been darkened by the shadow of any thing disreputable. Originally Mr. Phelps was a Whig and cast his first presidential ballot for Gen. William Henry Harrison. As long as that old party lasted he continued faithful in his allegiance thereto, but when in the course of time its mission was ended he cast his lot with its legitimate successor and has remained a prominent Republican to the present day. He has voted for every national nominee of the party from Fremont to Mc Kinley and for many years his influence has been felt in the political affairs of Henry County. In 1860 he was elected a member of the board of county commissioners and it was during his incumbency that the present courthouse and jail were erected. He discharged his duties faithfully and well, earned the reputation of a safe and reliable official and three years after the expiration of his first term was again elected to the same position, in all he served nine years in this most important office within the gift of the county and made a record of faithfulness and efficiency of which he has every reason to feel proud. As a citizen no man in Harrison Township stands higher than Mr. Phelps. His public and private life are alike above reproach and few men in the county are as widely and favorably known. He and his good wife hare been traveling life’s pathway together for a period of fifty-five years and now as the evening draws nigh and the journey nears its end, the blessings and benedictions of their many friends attend them on the way. Their lives, like heaven’s gentle dew, have cheered the world and made humanity better, their influence, always for good, will be a perpetual memorial after their bodies have crumbled to dust, and the future whither they are tending contains nothing they need fear. Mr. Phelps has in his possession an old parchment deed executed under the administration of President Martin Van Buren.