Latham Phelps
Greensboro, N C

PS: 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 Robennia (Beanie) 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 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.

None of my living cousins were unaware of this information! Hopefully by the end of this summer, I can revisit the area. Also this summer, I will have a better selection of old family pictures for scanning to our FTM Program

WHOW! WHAT A PS.