The Phelps Family of Greene County, Missouri

HON. JOHN S. PHELPS.

The prominence, both State and national, of this most distinguished citizen of Greene county, may well serve as a reason why this sketch is given at greater length than that of other citizens mentioned; however, even this is but the merest outline of a life whose long public service makes up a history which would require a volume in itself, if given in a manner anything like that merited by the distinguished subject. John S. Phelps is the son of Elisha Phelps, and was born in

Simsbury, Hartford county, Connecticut, December 22, 1814. The father, Elisha, was a lawyer of great prominence in that State, who served his fellow-citizens in the Legislature, in State offices, and three terms in the national Congress. Noah Phelps, father of Elisha and grandfather of John S., was a captain in the Revolution and a most successful scout and spy. He was one of the " committee of safety" that placed the capture of Ticonderoga. Like his son and grandson, he, too, served the people in legislative and other capacities of public trust. Mr. Phelps was reared in his birthplace, receiving his education in the public schools and in Washington (now Trinity) college at Hartford, completing his course there in 1832. Subsequently, he studied law under his father for three years, and was admitted to the bar on the twenty-first anniversary of his birth. After two years of practice in Hartford, he determined to come West and seek a better and wider field for an ambitious young lawyer. Acting with that wisdom and foresight which has ever characterized him in both public and private life, he those the newly admitted State of Missouri, and in 1837, set foot upon her soil. It was necessary to be re-examined, before being enrolled as a member of the Missouri bar, and young Phelps went to Boonville, where Judge Tompkins of the Supreme Court had agreed to meet and examine him; the judge, however, failed to come, and Mr. Phelps mounted a horse and proceeded to Jefferson City, where the judge resided. Here again was a disappointment, for he of the gown and peruke was some distance in the country at a saw mill where the seeker finally found him; but " all is well that ends well," and there, sitting on a log in the woods of Cole county, Missouri's future Governor Avas examined and licensed to practice in all courts of record, the license being written on a leaf torn from an old blue ledger, that being the only paper in the mill camp. Armed with this document, with his heart full of enthusiasm, this youth of twenty-three started for the great Southwest, locating at Springfield, then a mere hamlet, but rapidly becoming the trade center of a vast scope of country. He at once entered upon a lucrative practice, and rapidly rose to the head of the profession, practicing over a district of country extending from Warsaw on the north to Forsythe on the south, and from Waynesville on the east to Neosho on the west. He was soon recognized as the leading member of the bar in that section, for young as he was, his great legal attainments enabled him to cope successfully with the most experienced lawyers; and during the whole course of his professional career, never once did he violate the courtesies that should always exist between members of the legal fraternity. His public life began at an early age. In 1840 he was chosen to represent Greene county in the General Assembly of Missouri, and but little of his life has been spent in retirement since then. In 1844, he was elected to Congress, that being the last election under the then existing system of a general ticket; and for eighteen consecutive years, served in the same high position of public trust. Any attempt at a full statement of his acts comprised in those years, his many valuable services, would far transcend the limits of this work; but the bare fact, that for twelve years he was a member of the committee on ways and means, always the most important committee of a legislative body, and part of the time its chairman, is, in itself, the best evidence of the esteem and confidence reposed in him on the part of his co-workers in Congress. A brief summary may here be given of some of the great questions of public interest then agitating the country, in each of which Mr. Phelps actively participated, always guided by those principles of unswerving Democracy which had been his from early boyhood: The Oregon Question; Establishment of an Independent Treasury System; Revenue Tariff Question; Mexican War, and territorial acquisition consequent thereon; Admission of California; Postage Reduction; Establishment of an Overland Mail Route (by coach) to California; Land Grants to Missouri for RailRoad Purposes; Kansas-Nebraska Bill; The Civil War, and a long series of other questions of greater or less interest, those enumerated being the most important. Only the briefest outline can here be given of Mr. Phelps' position on the weightiest of these grave questions; but those desiring to post themselves more fully are referred to the Congressional Record extending over those periods of time. The acquisition of California and other territory west of the Rio Grande, led to an active discussion of the slavery question, when the proposition to admit California and establish territorial governments in other districts came up in Congress. Mr. Phelps favored the admission of California, for which Congress had provided no territorial government, and which had so rapidly filled up after the discovery of gold there in 1848. The thousands of people who flocked to that Eldorado, finding themselves without any law for protection, and having the spirit of self-government strong within them, proceeded to organize as a State government, adopting a constitution and sending Gwinn and Fremont as Senators. Her admission was strongly resisted in Congress, but Mr. Phelps made a powerful speech in favor thereof, and with the able assistance of others who favored it, succeeded in passing the bill admitting California. When the slavery phase of the question was broached, he urged the non-intervention policy, preferring to leave it to the people themselves to speak their will in this regard. He advocated postage reduction, and voted for the bill reducing it to three cents on prepaid and five cents on unpaid letters. Any further reduction he thinks unwise, as the system is now on a good, self-sustaining basis. Mr. Phelps believed in a tariff for revenue only, and voted for the tariff of 1846, a measure denounced by the protectionists as one fraught with destruction to the manufacturing interests of the country. In about ten years thereafter, when a further reduction of duties was advocated and carried, the leading manufacturers of the country besought Congress not to interfere with the rates of duties established in 1846. Mr. Phelps favored the measure granting county lands to soldiers and extending pre-emption privileges to actual settlers. He also favored the granting of lands by the general government to Missouri to aid in building a railroad from Hannibal to St. Joseph, and from" St. Louis to the southwest corner of the State. In 1853, when Congress was discussing the building of a trans-continental railway, Mr. Phelps favored the construction of a road on or near the thirty-fifth parallel of north latitude, through the Indian country via Albuquerque to San Francisco, on which route the Atlantic and Pacific is now in part constructed. He was always opposed to national banks, and lost no opportunity to fight any and all measures favoring those vampire-like institutions. During his last term in Congress, which was in Mr. Lincoln's first administration, he was part of the time in the field, the war being then in progress; and he was appointed on the committee of ways and means before he had been sworn in as a member, a compliment never before tendered to any other citizen. While he advocated measures raising men and money to prosecute the war, he opposed the. confiscation act as unconstitutional, and strongly opposed the practice of military arrests of private citizens and confining them without due process of law. He Avas still a member of Congress, as we have seen, when the war came on, and was opposed, both on principle and policy, to secession, and did all in his power under the constitution, to aid in suppressing the rebellion. In 1861, he raised a regiment, known as the " Phelps Regiment," which did valiant service for six months, and was commanded by Col. Phelps in person at the memorable engagement at

Pea Ridge, in which it suffered such heavy loss. Without solicitation on his part, Col. Phelps was appointed military governor of Arkansas, in 1862, which he accepted at the earnest request of his friends. Ill health, however, soon necessitated his return to St, Louis. In 1864 he resumed the law practice at Springfield, his congressional career having closed in 1863. His party, the great Missouri Democracy, nominated him as their candidate, in 1868, for the office of Governor. Having been a Union soldier, he could the more safely make the canvass as the Democratic candidate. He went into the campaign claiming his constitutional right to discuss any and all political questions, and he fearlessly did so. But the hated “Drake Constitution,” to which Phelps was always opposed, had disfranchised so many citizens of the State that the Democrats, though greatly in the majority, failed to elect their man; and a Governor, whom only a minority of the people favored, was declared elected. The Phelps canvass, however, had an inspiring and salutary effect on the party, and eight years afterwards he was nominated and elected Governor of Missouri by a larger majority than any preceding Governor had ever received. He was the centennial (1876) candidate, and was the first to warm the gubernatorial chair under the long term — four years — provision of the new constitution of 1875. No man has ever done greater honor to that highest State office than John S. Phelps, and no lady has ever done the honors of the Governor's mansion with more becoming grace than did his daughter, Mrs. Mary Montgomery. Had not the constitution fixed the one term limit on the Governor's office, there is no manner of question but that Gov. Phelps (had he been willing) would have again been called to that great civil trust. In the convention of 1876, no less a person than the Hon. George G. Vest — Missouri's greatest Senator since the days of Benton — was defeated by Goveraor Phelps for the Democratic nomination. It may here be said of Gov. Phelps, that notwithstanding the many positions of official trust he has filled, yet, aside from the military, he has never held any office except by the votes of the people. Since the expiration of his gubernatorial term. Gov. Phelps has lived in greater retirement than for years previous, only occasionally giving legal advice in some very important cases. He has spent considerable time in travel, and in 1882, made a trip for pleasure and recreation to New Mexico, Arizona, and Chihuahua, Mexico. He also gave much of his time and attention to his invalid sister, Mrs. Eno, who never recovered from the illness with which she was taken down soon after her return from

Europe. Few men have greater conversational powers, or enjoy more keenly the social intercourse of friends, than does Missouri's ex- Governor, when in company of some of those that constitute his large circle of distinguished acquaintances from various parts of this broad land. Great, genial, magnanimous, as easy of approach as a child, and yet dignified withal, Gov. Phelps is just that style of a man that a whole people would love while they revere him, following his lead with that implicit confidence which is the surest criti'on in pronouncing him a noble man as well as a great statesman.

As printed in the source¹. Wording is the original; obvious scanning errors have been corrected, and a few may remain.

Mrs. Phelps was born in Portland, Maine, in the year 1813. Her maiden name was Whitney, her father being a sea captain. While she was yet young he lost his life at sea during a storm, and shortly afterward the death of her mother left her an orphan in the full sense of the word. In 1837 she was married to John S. Phelps, who had but recently been admitted to the bar, and in the fall of the same year they concluded to cast their lot in the then far West. After arriving at St. Louis, and profiting by the advice of friends in that city, they determined upon Springfield as their future home, and from that year until the day of her death, with the exception of occasional visits to relatives, she was prominently identified, in a woman's sphere, with all that went to make up the history of our city.

Mrs. Phelps possessed characteristics which pre-eminently fitted her for the arduous duties which devolved upon the wives of Southwest Missouri in those early days. Added to a cultured mind, which served to temper the asperities of frontier life, she brought a will that never failed in the accomplishment of the many prominent undertakings in which she engaged. Hundreds of instances corrobating her womanly enterprise are upon the lips of those of our older citizens whose intimate acquaintance with the deceased dated back forty years, but one will serve to illustrate the hearty spirit with which she entered upon the new life into which she had been ushered. It occurred about a year after their arrival in Springfield. Her husband was then a struggling practitioner, and from his scant fees had saved sufficient to purchase a lot at the corner of what is now St. Louis street and Benton avenue. The circuit at that time embraced as much territory as is now contained in two or three Congressional districts, and in his arduous practice he was frequently absent from home for months at a time. They were then boarding with " Uncle Joel " Haden, and it was after one of those long jaunts over the circuit, that returning to his boarding house in the evening, Mr. Phelps missed his wife, and upon inquiry the landlord called his attention to a newly erected log cabin upon his lot, with the remark that he guessed she would be found over there. He at once proceeded to the place indicated and was welcomed by his young wife to the first home he ever owned. During his absence she had the cabin built, and had furnished it in accordance with the demands of those primitive times, having conceived and executed the plan as a pleasant surprise for her husband.

During the civil war the active and philanthopic efforts of Mrs. Phelps will ever remain inseparable with the history of the sad strife in the Southwest. Like her husband she espoused the Union cause, and labored unremittingly in support of her convictions. When friends and neighbors had fled, terror-stricken, from the country which was almost a constant scene of strife, she remained at her post nursing and caring for the sick and wounded soldiers. The day before the battle of Pea Ridge, in which both her husband and son were engaged, she left the city for the camp, with several wagons laden with provisions, lint, bandages, etc. Arriving on the ground just as the second day's fight began she inspired *he troops with courage by the fearlessness and enthusiasm with which she entered into the work of caring for the wounded of her husband's regiment. During the entire day she was exposed on the field of battle attending in person to the removal of those who required attention, and many a wounded soldier on that hard won day, had reason to bless Mary Phelps for her thoughtfulness and patriotism in providing comforts which otherwise would have been unattainable.

At the battle of Wilson's creek, when the panic-stricken Federal troops abandoned the field and their leader — the brave Lyon — to the triumphant enemy, Mrs. Phelps secured the body of the dead chieftain, removed it to the homestead, and had it properly cared for. At the close of the war, Congress, in recognition of the services which she had rendered during the war, placed at her disposal a large appropriation, for the purpose of establishing a soldiers' orphan's home. A building was erected near the city, in which were gathered a number of these "wards of the nation," who were cared for until they were claimed by relatives, or found homes.

Although advanced in years she was physically vigorous until she contracted a severe cold which caused typhoid pneumonia and resulted in her death on Friday morning, January loth, 1878. Her mental faculties remained unclouded to the last, and she crossed the "dark river " with a full consciousness of all that was going oti around, giving directions to her attendants with that firmness and decision which had characterized her entire life. The funeral services were held on Sunday afternoon, at two o'clock, at Christ (Episcopal) church, Eev. Thomas F. James ofBciating. The very large attendance proved the high esteem in which the deceased was held in this community. The church was densely packed, and hundreds were gathered around the entrance, unable to gain admission, half an hour before the arrival of the corpse. The chief mourners were Gov. Phelps, Mrs. Montgomery, his daughter, and Col. John E. Phelps and wife. The pall bearers were C. B. McAfee, J. T. Morton, C. B. Holland, R. J. McElhany, L. A. D. Crenshaw, Mr. Epperson, Capt. Julian and.John S. "Waddill, being from among our oldest citizens, who, for more than a quarter of a century, had been intimate friends of the family. The exercises at the church were brief, consisting of a burial chant, rendered by the choir, the reading of the burial service, and the singing of the hymn, " Rock of Ages," by the choir and congregation. A large concourse followed the remains to their final resting place, in the Hazelwood cemetery.

In the death of Mrs. Mary Phelps an active and useful life was suddenly brought to a close. The poor, and those cast down by misfortune, lost a large hearted and sympathizing friend, whose place was not easily filled, and citizens in every station will, for many years, miss one whose busy life reflected such earnest, practical Christianity, inasmuch as she "visited the sick," " comforted the weak hearted," " raised up those who were cast down," and, as far as in her power lay, went about " doing good unto all men." Such a life is not without its reward.

As printed in the source¹. Wording is the original; obvious scanning errors have been corrected, and a few may remain.

COL. JOHN E. PHELPS.

This gentleman, who was an active participant on the Union side during the civil war, is a native of Greene county, born April 6, 1839. He was the first born of five children of Gov. John S. Phelps, whose biography is given at length in this volume. There were two sons and three daughters of these children, of whom John E., and Mrs. Mary Montgomery, of Portland, Oregon, still survive. Those deceased were, Thomas H. B., Lucy Jane, and a second Lucy Jane, born after the death of the first of that name, and christened in honor of her memory. Col. John E. Phelps was educated partly at Payetteville, Arkansas, completing his course at the private school of Charles Carleton at Springfield. He began business for himself at the early age of 13, when he made quite a speculation on a cattle trade, selling his purchase to Indian Agent A. J. Dorn, at a profit of $1,500. He continued in the cattle trade, and driving mules to the Southern market till 1859, when, in partnership with A. J.

Dorn and J. L. French, he went into the wholesale grocery business, and was the first commercial traveler (" drummer ") that represented a Springfield house and he carried his samples in his saddle bags, his mode of locomotion being on horseback. This business he continued till cleaned up by the Confederates after the battle of Wilson's Creek. He then proceeded to Rolla, and did scouting duty for Gen. Curtis, furnishing his own horse, and receiving no compensation. At the battle of Pea Kidge, he was a volunteer Aid on the staff of Gen. E. A. Carr. Subsequently, he received an appointment as second lieutenant in the regular army, and went to Helena, Arkansas, and reported to Gen. Carr as Aid on his staff. He served eighteen months of that staff, partly in St. Louis and partly on the campaign in the rear ofVicksburg. He was then ordered home on account of physical disability, and arrived there July 4, 1864. The very next day he began organizing a volunteer regiment, which was mustered in March 18, 1864, as the second Arkansas Cavalry, and was ordered to Memphis, Tennessee, which place they reached by an overland march of forty-two days, reaching there January 25, 1865. There the regiment did duty till May, when it was ordered to Lagrange on out-post duty. There Col. P. was mustered out at his own request, his rank then being Brevet Brigadier General of volunteers; and the board of examiners pronounced him physically incompetent. He requested to be sent on frontier duty at Port Laramie, but instead of having his request granted, he was ordered to his regiment at Little Rock. This was the 3d regiment U. S. regulars, in which Phelps held the rank of first lieutenant, and brevet captain, major, and lieutenant colonel. He was then at home, sick and disgusted with scenes of war, and so closed his military career by tendering his resignation, which was accepted in September, 1865. Since then, he has lived in private life, except being for a time receiver of the U. S. land office, under President Johnson. At this writing he is traveling for the machine house of D. M. Osburn & Co., Auburn, N. Y. Col. Phelps was married July 21, 1864, to Margaret J., daughter of William White, of Greene county. They have two daughters and one son, who are at school in Springfield. Politically, Col. Phelps is a Democrat, and during the war fought to save the Union — not to free the negro. Few men have done more public service for a less compensation than Col. John E. Phelps.

As printed in the source¹. Wording is the original; obvious scanning errors have been corrected, and a few may remain.