Encyclopedia of Connecticut biography, genealogical-memorial ...

farming, as his father had clone. He was
a Whig in politics, and both he and his
family were members of the Methodist
Episcopal church. He was an upright
citizen and a consistent follower of his
religious faith. He died May 8, 1848, and
is buried in the town of East Granby.
On January 1, 1805, he married Rebecca
Hamilton, who was born in Tolland,
Connecticut, December 7, 1777, and died
April 13, 1858, surviving him by nearly
ten years. They were the parents of four
children.
Canfield Phelps, the second child, was
born July 7, 181 1, in the town of Suffield.
He studied civil engineering and became
very well educated. When a young man
he traveled all through the south in the
interests of a clock company in Connecti-
cut, and later went west, locating for a
time in Sarahsville, Noble county, Ohio.
Here he followed civil engineering, and
also did more or less real estate and stock
business. For a considerable time he
was extensively engaged in the lumber
business, continuing after his removal to
Edgerton, Williams county, Ohio. There
he became a very prominent citizen and
held numerous public offices. He died in
that place, November 5, 1871. He was a
staunch supporter of the Republican
party. He married (second) Mary Hol-
ley, and they were the parents of four
children, of whom three grew to maturity :
Almon B., of whom further ; Drayton, a
resident of Williams county, Ohio; and
Lucy R., the wife of Edwin Store.
Almon Blake Phelps was born in Sarahsville,
Ohio, November 26, 1866. He
was only a child when his father died.
He attended the public schools of his
native town, studying assiduously, as he
realized that in a large measure he had
his own way to make in the world. When
he was sixteen he came to Connecticut,
and from that time until he was twenty-
ENCYCLOPEDIA OF BIOGRAPHY
110
one worked on farms of his relatives,
giving good, honest labor in return for
the assistance they gave him. He lived
at Copper Hill, East Granby, for many
years, following farming. He won the
confidence and respect of all who em-
ployed him, and the good-will of his fel-
low-workers. By economy and industry
he won his way to a competence, and
bought his present home in 1912. This
is the historic old farm where the first
keeper of Newgate Prison, Captain John
Viets, lived. Mr. Phelps grows about
seven acres of tobacco, and twelve acres
of corn. At times he has as many as
seventy-five head of cattle on the place.
He deals extensively in live stock, and
sells about one hundred quarts of milk
per day, sending it to Hartford. He is
one of the practical, progressive business
men of the town, interested in public affairs,
always willing to serve in any
capacity where he can advance the public
welfare, but not an office seeker. He is
Republican in political affiliations, has
served for twenty years as assessor, has
also been selectman, and represented the
town at the Legislature in 1899, when he
was on the excise committee. Socially
Mr. Phelps is much sought. He is a
director of the Old Newgate Coon Club,
a well known hunting organization, which
has become widely famous for its din-
ners. He has owned the prison property
for about fifteen years, and until a year
ago catered to parties of tourists who
came to visit the old landmark. He is a
member of the Old Newgate Lodge,
Knights of Pythias.
Mr. Phelps married (first) Florence
Mary, daughter of Julius G. Viets, of
Granby. They had two children: 1.
Nellie Esther, who married Alfred Mad-
igan, of Hartford, and has two children:
Florence Phelps and Almon Russell. 2.
Mary Viets, employed with the Trav-