Oliver Phelps (1749-1809)
U.S. Congressman & Member of the Massachusetts State Senate etc.
He was born at Canton, Hartford County, Connecticut, and began work age-7 to help support his family. He opened a store in Granville, Massachusetts, and on the outbreak of Revolution joined the Continental Army, seeing action at the Battle of Lexington. In 1777, he was placed in charge of buying army supplies for Massachusetts and was then appointed a Deputy Commissary of the Continental Army.
Introduced to Robert Morris, he received a commendation from General George Washington for his efforts. By 1778, he was elected to the Massachusetts House of Representatives and after the war he served in the Massachusetts State Senate and on the Governor’s Council. In 1787, he moved to New York and paid $1-million for 4.9-million acres in Genesee County, which at that point made him one of the largest landowners in the country. He bought another million acres along the Mississippi River and co-founded the Connecticut Land Company but by 1796 had overstretched himself and faced debtor's prison. He retired to the home he bought in 1794, the Phelps-Hatheway House at Suffield, and in 1803 was elected to the U.S. Congress for New York, but failed in his bid to become Lieutenant-Governor of New York. He was the first Judge of Ontario County; the founder of the Hartford National Bank & Trust Company; and co-founded the Hamilton Oneida Academy. He married Mary, daughter Zachariah Seymour and they had two children. Their son, Oliver, married a grand-daughter of U.S. Founding Father Roger Sherman.
Introduced to Robert Morris, he received a commendation from General George Washington for his efforts. By 1778, he was elected to the Massachusetts House of Representatives and after the war he served in the Massachusetts State Senate and on the Governor’s Council. In 1787, he moved to New York and paid $1-million for 4.9-million acres in Genesee County, which at that point made him one of the largest landowners in the country. He bought another million acres along the Mississippi River and co-founded the Connecticut Land Company but by 1796 had overstretched himself and faced debtor's prison. He retired to the home he bought in 1794, the Phelps-Hatheway House at Suffield, and in 1803 was elected to the U.S. Congress for New York, but failed in his bid to become Lieutenant-Governor of New York. He was the first Judge of Ontario County; the founder of the Hartford National Bank & Trust Company; and co-founded the Hamilton Oneida Academy. He married Mary, daughter Zachariah Seymour and they had two children. Their son, Oliver, married a grand-daughter of U.S. Founding Father Roger Sherman.
