A 2001 photo of the 1928 birth place of Latham Phelps of Greensboro. Latham is related to our line via his great grandfather Thomas H. Phelps (1813-1880) who was a brother of our Ambrose Phelps (1805-1850). The cabin is in southwestern Person County. It was used by Latham's parents until they had a place of their own.

Across the road from this cabin was where the home place of Thomas H. Phelps stood. Latham's son, Mark, has copies of the property transactions from Thomas H.'s purchase to the present. Originally there were 129 acres. No doubt that our Ambrose, brother to Thomas H, visited there. Also across the road, a short distance down a private road is a small fenced Phelps cemetery.

Based on property and census records, the father of Ambrose and Thomas H (Thomas Phelps Sr) moved from somewhere in Caswell County to Person County where he bought property in 1826 on Double Creek, several miles north of the cabin site.

Latham helps wrote the following about the original home place [Thomas H Phelps] and cemetery: "I was born in Person County. N C in the Bushy Fork Community at the homeplace, no longer standing but the Phelps Family cemetery, enclosed several years ago by descendants, sitting in cow pasture and with about 13 graves. My GG Grandfather, Thomas Haywood Phelps is buried there, but no marker and my Grandfather, Wyatt Edward Phelps and his two wives (Robenia "Beannie" Blackwell and my grandmother, Susan (Mollie) Fitzgerald. The homeplace was "T" shaped with top of the "T" being the front section, surrounded large orchard, "T" section was two stories with four rooms, pump type organ, crank phone on wall but not working, siding was white pine and painted white and roof was tin, porch supported by large columns wrapped around right side into the "I" part to the other-side where it continued, but screened in back to the smoke house and with a nearby outdoor well. The interior of the "I" section consisted of large kitchen, dining room with a hand pumped water pump at the sink, and with a large cooking and heating of water wood stove. The other side of this section was screened in joining a storage room. The back section was over a full basement. In the summer time , a large block of ice was kept in the ice box on the side porch. The "jonnie" was outside and always tuned to the existing climate.

There was also sitting on the property a very old pine (logs appeared to be two foot tall, scaled, and pegged), kitchen in back and an enclosed area in the rafters.

Here is some oral history: Several of my living cousins recall from their young days being told that our family (two brothers, one of which had red hair, came from PA; my younger brother remembers being told they came from VA; and Doug [Phelps] remembers it was three brothers with one settling in the eastern part of NC.

My Dad, Lewis Elmo Phelps attended church all his life in a community church call ''Wheelers Primitive Church', believed it was established in 1760. While attend church, estimated to be when I was around 16, and by a member with a last name of Snipes saying his wife was a Phelps family member and he had in his possession old deed showing that the Phelps farm at one time had more 5 K acres. Last year I visited the area, off HW # 49 North toward Roxboro, N C and turning left just before the now developed area at an intersection on the left at a brick store just to drive through the area…"

To get to this site use the following map and follow these directions: Out of Hillsborough, NC go north on Hwy 86. Go until you see a marker named Gordonton. Turn right on Hwy 49. Turn right on Wheeler's Church Road. Turn right at the church onto SR 1100. Looking at the map go to the second right. At this point, in 2001, the road turns to gravel. On the right at this second right should be the old cabin. On the left is the site of the old Phelps homeplace. About 100 feet down a private road (on the left) is a small fenced Phelps cemetery - the one described by Latham.