Chris & Julie Petersen's Genealogy

Elizabeth Copley

Female Abt 1629 - 1712  (~ 83 years)


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  • Name Elizabeth Copley 
    Born Abt 14 Feb 1629  , , England Find all individuals with events at this location 
    Gender Female 
    Died 6 Dec 1712  Northampton, Hampshire, Massachusetts, United States Find all individuals with events at this location 
    Person ID I2085  Petersen-de Lanskoy
    Last Modified 27 May 2021 

    Family Nathaniel Phelps,   c. 6/06 Mar 1624/5, Crewkerne, Somerset, England Find all individuals with events at this location,   d. 27 May 1702, Northampton, Hampshire, Massachusetts, United States Find all individuals with events at this location  (Age ~ 77 years) 
    Married 17 Sep 1650  Windsor, Hartford, Connecticut, United States Find all individuals with events at this location 
    Last Modified 28 May 2021 
    Family ID F1250  Group Sheet  |  Family Chart

  • Notes 
    • RESEARCH_NOTES:
      1. The book "The Phelps Family of America and their English Ancestors," comp. by Oliver Seymour Phelps of Portland, Oregon and Andrew T. Servin of Lenox, Massachusetts, 1899, pp. 88-89:
      "Nathaniel Phelps, b. England, about 1627, emigrated to New England with his father, in ship Mary and John, settling with his father in Dorchester, removing to Windsor, Ct., in 1635-6, where he m. Elizabeth Copley, 17 Sep 1650. She was an English lady.
      Says the Hon. James H. Phelps of Townshend, Vt., a descendant of the family of Elizabeth Copley, in England was the celebrated artist, John Copley, father of Lord Lyndhurst, who on the 30th of April, 1827, became Lord Chancellor of England.' Lord Lyndhurst appears to have no knowledge of this connection, as may be seen from his letter herewith attached. As this connection must be traced back over 200 years, here is no reason to doubt the same. Mrs. Phelps died in Northampton, Mass., 6 Dec 1712, some ten years after her husband. Her will probated in Northampton, Vol. II, 1678-1716. Reference is made to her sons Nathaniel and William Phelps, who are to have the land her husband left her, to be divided equally between them. Her homestead also to be divided between them, Nathaniel to have the side he lives in, and William the other side. To Abigal 50 pounds; to the children of Matthew and Mary Closson 5 pound each; to her son-in-law, Matthew Closson, 10 shillings; to Thomas Copley 3 pounds; to Samuel and John Lankton 20 shillings each.
      Mr. Phelps resided on the Orton place opposite his father's homestead, which he purchased of his brother Samuel. Here he resided up to 1656-7, when he removed with part of his family to Northampton, Mass., one of his first settlers. Says Stiles: 'He was a pious man of good intellect, and of a sound, discriminating judgment - was one of the first deacons of the N. Church. His homestead was occupied by him for 43 years, and by his descendants until 1835.' His homestead comprised the land which was over fifty years ago occupied by Miss Margaret Dwight's school, and which at a later date was a College Institute of J.J. Dudley, Esq., and which is now Shady Lawn. The old homestead stood a few rods north of that edifice. (Clark's Northampton Antiquity).
      Although Mr. Phelps, removed to Northampton in 1656-7, we find him paying slip rent in Windsor 4 Jan 1659.
      8 Feb 1679, Dea. Nathaniel Phelps, with his sons Nathaniel Jr. and William, took the oath of allegiance before Worshipful Maj. Pynchon.
      11 May 1681, he was made a freeman by the General Court at Boston.
      He died in Northampton 27 May 1702, aged 75 years, honored and respected.
      His children were:
      I. Mary, b. Windsor, Ct., 21 Jun 1651, m. Matthew Closson.
      II. Nathaniel, b. Windsor, Ct., 2 Jun 1653, m. Grace Martin.
      III. Abigail, b. Windsor, Ct., 5 Apr 1655, d. aged 101 yrs., 4 mos., 11 days, m. John Alverd. No issue.
      IV. William, b. Northampton, Mass., 22 Jun 1657, m. Abigail Stebbins.
      V. Thomas, b. Northampton, Mass., 20 May 1661, d. unmarried.
      VI. Mercy, b. Northampton, Mass., 16 Mar 1662, d. 15 Jul 1662."

      2. From the book "Great Migration Begins: Immigrants to New England, 1620-33" under the heading of William Phelps' Children: "Nathaniel, bp. Crewkerne 6 March 1624[/5]; m. Windsor 17 September 1650 Elizabeth (____) Copley ["Matthew Grant Record, 1639-1681" 55]." This would seem to indicate that Elizabeth was married to a Copley.

      3. Henry R. Stiles, "The History and Genealogies of Ancient Windsor, Connecticut," 1892, v. 2, p. 565: "Nathaniel (Dea.) (son of William), m. 17 Sep 1650 (O.C.R.) Elizabeth Copley, 'an Englishwoman'; res. in Windsor on the Orton place near his father, but removed 1656 or '7 to Northampton, Mass.; was one of its founders; was regarded as a pious man, of good intellect, and of a sound discriminating judgment; was one of the first deacons of the N. Church. His homestead was occupied by him for 43 years and by his descendants until 1835; the last owner sold and removed to Ohio. This homestead 'comprised the land which was, over 50 years ago, occupied by Miss Margaret Dwight's school, and which at a later date was the College Instit. of J.H. Dudley, Esq., and what is now Shady Lawn. The old homestead stood a few rods N. of that edifice.' - 'Clark's Northampton Antiquities.'
      Dea. Nathaniel Phelps d. 27 May 1702; his widow d. 6 Dec 1712. It has been said that she descended from the same family as the celebrated artist John Coply, father of Lord Lyndhurst; but the statement lacks corroboration. Her will (N. Prob. Rec.) divides house and lands equally between her sons Nath'l and Wm.; to her dau. Abigail ₤50; to ch. of Matthew and Mary Closson, ₤5 each; to her son-in-law, Matthew Closson, 10s.; to Thomas Coply, ₤3; and to Samuel and John Lankton, 20s. each.
      8 Feb 1678, Dea. Nathaniel, with his sons Nathaniel and William, took the oath of allegiance before Worshipful Major Pynchon; 11 May 1681, he was made a freeman by Gen. Ct. at Boston. Children (the first 3 born at Windsor, the rest at Northampton):
      A. Mary, b. 21 Jun 1651 (O.C.R.); m. 12 Dec 1670 at N., Matthew Closson, an Irishman, servant of one of the early settlers of N.; had 10 ch., of whom but 4 lived to adult age; their eldest was b. in N.; they removed to Deerfield abt. 1672, where many of their descendants are now found among the most respectable families of D.
      B. Nathaniel (Dea.), b. 2 Apr 1653. - O.C.R.
      C. Abigail, b. 5 Apr 1655 (O.C.R); m. John Alvord.
      D. William, b. 22 Jun 1657, 'at Northampton' (O.C.R.); m. Abigail Stebbins.
      E. Thomas, b. 20 May 1661; d. young, unmd.
      F. Mercy, b. 16 May 1662; d. 15 Jul 1662."
      [Kerry's note: No Copley family biographies in same book.]

      4. "The American Genealogist," 68(Jul 1990):161-166, "The English Origin of William1 Phelps of Dorchester, Mass., and Windsor, Conn., with Notes on His Marriages," by Myrtle Stevens Hyde:
      "William1 Phelps of Dorchester, Mass., and Windsor, Conn....
      Children (Phelps) of William1, prob. by his apparent first wife Mary (___), bp. Crewkerne, co. Somerset...
      iv. Nathaniel bp. 6 March 1624[/5], d. Northampton, Mass., 27 May 1702 (James Edward Buckman, comp., "Northampton Deaths," in Forbes Library, Northampton, p. 13); m. Windsor 17 Sept. 1650 widow Elizabeth COPLEY (Windsor Early Recs. p. 55; see NEHGR 64[1910]:248 fn.). For his probate, see Hampshire Co., Mass., PR 3:93-94..."