1628 - 1684

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• Birth	13 Nov 1628	Crewkerne, Somerset, England
  Gender	Male
  Died	1684	Simsbury, Hartford, Connecticut, USA
  Person ID	I92577	Brainard (Brainerd) / Foster / Fish
  Last Modified	03 Jun 2005 00:00:00
  Father	William PHELPS, b. 28 Feb 1598/1599, Crewkerne, Gloucestershire, England
  Mother	Mary Ann DOVER, b. Abt 1597, Crewkerne, Gloucestershire, England
  Family ID	F35920	Group Sheet
  Family	Hannah NEWTON
  Married	20 Sep 1660	Simbury, Hartford, Connecticut, USA
  Children	> 1. Sarah PHELPS, b. May 1672, Simsbury, Hartford, Connecticut, USA
  Family ID	F40282	Group Sheet

• Notes

  The first land grant in Massacoh, later Simsbury, was in 1667. One of the thirty who had grants in the Weatouge district was Joseph Phelps, son of William Phelps, the immigrant. On March 13, 1676, it was ordered by the General Court that the people of Simsbury remove to the neighboring settlements or plantations with their cattle and valuables. Soon after their buildings were burned by the Indians. This took place Saturday, March 26, 1676. Jospeh Phelps, stated, "The ruin was complete. Nothing but desolation remained. During all the Indian wars before and since this event, no destruction of all English settlements in New England has taken place, in which the ruin was more extensive or more general than this conflagration." A neighboring mountain overlooking Simsbury was then called, "Phelps Mountain", because Joseph Phelps owned lands on it. King Philip was encamped there and overlooked and gloated in the destruction he had caused. It is called the Metacmet Ridge today. Early in 1676, the danger being over, most of the settlers returned. On May 4, 1677, Joseph Phelps, with nine others, petitioned the General Assembly for assistance in taxing, on account of loss caused by the Indians, which was partially granted.