The Colby and Phelps Families of Bow and Northfield, New Hampshire

Leonard & Rosella (Phelps) Colby of Northfield and Bow, New Hampshire, from a gem sized tintype.

It is remarkable how many families I find myself connected with in New Hampshire.  Here is yet another case where I purchased a lot of identified gem-sized tintypes on ebay, researched them, and found that they were related, albeit distantly, to me.  In this particular case. They are of Leonard & Rosella (Phelps) Colby of Bow, Merrimack County NH, and then about the same time I purchased an additional tin-type of her parents, David & Irena (Davis) Phelps of Northfield, NH.  Their genealogies, and additional photographs, are found directly below.

The Colby, Phelps, Davis and Yeaton families of Northfield New Hampshire are greatly connected.  Those families married and intermarried several times, weaving strong connections are you will discover below.

 —–GENEALOGY of the NORTHFIELD-BOW NH COLBY FAMILIES—–

Anthony Colby & Susanna Whittridge

Thomas Colby, b. 8 March 1650, d. 30 March 1691 in Salisbury MA; m. Hannah Rowell.

Thomas Colby, son of Thomas & Hannah (Rowell) Colby, b. 1 July 1675 in Amesbury MA, d. 4 June 1741 Amesbury MA; m. abt 1697 to Frances Willoughby. 12 children, including Abraham below.

Abraham Colby, son of Thomas & Frances (Willoughby) Colby, b Jan 1720 in Amesbury MA; d. 1809 Bow NH; m. 23 March 1742 to Elizabeth Blaisdell. She b. c1722, d. 8 Aug 1808.
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Children of Abraham & Elizabeth (Blaisdell) Colby:
1. Sarah Colby, b. 27 January 1739, d. bef 1759
2. Elijah Colby, b 16 July 1742
3 Willaby Colby, b. 28 February 1745, d. 30 Oct 1829 [grandfather of Lucinda Colby who marries Reuben Colby below]
4. Anna Colby b 17 August 1747
5. +John Colby, b. 28 Feb 1749
6. Hannah Colby, b. 3 Oct 1753, d. 1837
7. Thomas Colby, b. 24 June 1756, d. 25 Dec 1848
8. Eli Colby, b. 3 Dec 1758, d. 16 Aug 1777
9. Jonathan Colby, b. 13 Feb 1762, d. 8 July 1831

John Colby, son of Abraham & Elizabeth (Blaisdell) Colby, b. 28 Feb 1749 in Amesbury MA, and d. –. He m. abt 1771 to Hannah Simonds.
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Children of John & Hannah (Simonds) Colby:
1. +John Colby, b. 17 Feb 1772
2. Reuben Colby, b. 4 January 1774
3. Hannah Colby, b. 4 January 1776, d. 20 January 1847

John Colby, son of John & Hannah (Simonds) Colby, b 17 Feb 1772 in Bow NH, and d. 16 April 1836 in Bow NH. He m. Maria Davis. She b. 17 Feb 1776 in Hooksett NH and d. 12 Nov 1859 in Bow NH
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Children of John & Maria (Davis) Colby:
1. +Reuben Colby, b 21 Feb 1796 in Bow NH
2. Jesse Colby b 17 April 1798, d. 7 Oct 1887
3. Maria Colby, b. 13 May 1804, d. 1 Oct 1880
4. Nancy Colby, b. 20 Oct 1806, d. 25 May 1885
5. Esther Colby, b. 11 July 1809, d. 6 Sep 1873
6. Asenath Colby, b. 20 Aug 1811
7. John Colby, b. 2 Oct 1813
8. Leonard Colby, b. 13 Feb 1816, d. 12 Sep 1887
9. Hannah Colby, b. 3 March 1818, d. 7 Sep 1846
10. Cyrus Colby, b. 16 June 1822, d. 27 March 1900

Reuben Colby, son of John & Maria (Davis) Colby b. 21 Feb 1796 in Bow NH, and d. 30 May 1852 in Bow NH; m. 22 March 1821 in Bow NH to Lucinda Colby, dau of James & Susannah (Stewart) Colby. She b. 3 January 1802 in Bow NH, and d. 31 May 1852.
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Children of Reuben & Lucinda (Colby) Colby:
1. Lewis Colby, b. 10 October 1821
2. James Colby, b 8 Sep 1828
3. Susan Moriah Colby, b. 9 March 1834
4. +Leonard Colby, b. 3 Jan 1841 in Bow, Merrimack Co. NH

Leonard Colby of Northfield NH from a gem sized tintype (also see photograph at top of page).

Leonard Colby, [my 6th cousin 4x removed] son of Reuben & Lucinda (Colby) Colby, b 3 Jan 1841 in Bow NH, d. 25 March 1922 in Bow NH; m. 12 Dec 1861 in Northfield, Merrimack Co. NH to Rosella B. Phelps [see Phelps Genealogy below], daughter of David & Irena (Davis) Phelps. She was 17 at the time. She b. June 1846 in Northfield NH; d. 3 March 1922 in Bow NH. He was a farmer, residing in both Bow and Northfield NH.  [Note: Leonard and Rosella both died of strokes, 19 days apart.]

Mrs Rosella (Phelps) Colby from a gem-sized tintype photograph

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1880 US Census > NH > Merrimack > Bow
Leonard Colby self M 39 NH
Rosella B. Colby wife F 35 NH
Nettie M. Colby dau F 17 NH
Herbert C. Colby son M 10 NH
Perley Colby son M 4 NH
Lucinda M. Colby dau F 2 NH
Reuben J. Colby son M 15 NH
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1900 US Census > NH > Merrimack > Bow
Leonard Colby Head M 59 Feb 1841 Farmer NH NH NH
Rosella B. Colby Wife F 54 NH June 1846 7 ch 3 living NH NH NH
Rubean J. Colby son M 35 NH March 1865
Perley D. Colby son M 24 NH Oct 1876
Jessie G. Colby dau F 17 NH April 1883
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Children of Leonard & Rosella B. (Phelps) Colby:
1. Nettie M. Colby, b. abt 1863 NH; b abt 1864 Northfield NH; m. 18 Sep 1887 in NH to James A. Colby, son of George W. & Eunice P. (Heath) Colby. He b. Bow NH.
2. Reuben/Rueben/Rubean J. Colby b. March 1865 NH; d. 18 April 1936 in Manchester NH at Lucy Hastings Hospital
3. Clara Colby, b. Northfield NH [per Northfield town history]
4. Perley D. Colby, b 25 February 1875, d. 9 March 1957 in Boscawen, NH. Buried Alexander Cemetery, Bow NH. Bee Keeper
5. Orlando Herbert Clarence “Herbert C.” Colby, b 9 June 1870 in Bow NH, m. 16 March 1898 in NH to Grace M. Huff, dau of Malbourne F. & Susie M. (Adams) Huff. She b. in Lancaster PA.
6. Lucinda Marie Colby, b 18 June 1878 Bow NH; d. 24 Nov 1958 Hooksett NH; m. 31 Dec 1906 in Manchester NH to Eliphalet Thomas Smith, son of James M. & Eloisa (Clough) Smith and resided in Hooksett NH.
7. Male Colby, b. 27 April 1883 Bow NH
8. Evadell Colby, b March 2 1889, d. 24 Nov 1893 Bow NH of diphtheria
9. Jessie G. Colby, b. abt 1893 NH; m. 11 May 1918 in Lebanon, Grafton Co. NH to Cyrus C. Howe, son of Henry & Sarah (Colby) Howe.

 —–GENEALOGY of the NORTHFIELD-BOW NH PHELPS FAMILIES—–

Henry Phelps (1659-1655) & Eleanor Sharp (1595-1655)
Edward Phelps (1620-1689) & Elizabeth Adams (1641-1718)
Samuel Phelps (1651-1746) & Sarah Chandler (1661-1757)
Samuel Phelps (1684-1774) & Hannah Dane (1687-1746)
Francis Phelps (1719-1757) & Phebe Holt (1722-1779)

Joseph Phelps, son of Francis & Phebe (Holt) Phelps, was b. 19 June 1748 in Tewksbury MA and d. 22 May 1835 in Danvers, MA. He m. 7 March 1771 in Tewskbury MA to Ruth French. She b. 4 May 1747 in Tewksbury MA and d. 4 May 1789 in Tewksbury MA
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Children of Joseph & Ruth (French) Phelps:
1. +Elisha Phelps, b. 18 April 1784 Tewksbury MA

Photograph of Mary French Phelps from History of Northfield NH

Elisha Phelps, son of Joseph & Ruth (French) Phelps, b. 18 April 1784 in Tewksbury [or Billerica] MA, d. 19 Aug 1836 in Northfield Merrimack Co. NH; m. 7 Feb 1814 in Tewksbury MA to Mary French [see photo to the left]. She b. 1803 and d after 1870 [as she appears in the 1870 census with her son David]. According to the History of Northfield NH “he ame to Northfield (Oak Hill) and bought the farm now owned by John B. Yeaton. The original house tood across the road from the present one. They had eight children.”
[pic of Mary French Phelps, History of Northfield NH]
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Children of Elisha & Mary (French) Phelps:

Mrs. Moses (Irena Phelps) Winslow from a gem sized tintype photograph

1. Irena/Irene Phelps [see photograph], b. 18 Nov 1814 Northfield, Rockingham Co. NH; m. 19 May 1842 Moses Winslow. She d. 17 Aug 1890 in Tilton, New Hampshire. [see Winslow Genealogy]
2. + David French Phelps, b. 10 Aug 1816 Northfield NH
3. Francis Phelps, b. 8 May 1818 Northfield NH; d. 30 Sep 1887 in Tilton NH; watchman. He m. 29 July 1849 to Elizabeth Buswell of Northfield NH and removed to Danvers MA, later to Tilton NH. The town history states: “An unfortunate accident resulted in the loss of his left hand, yet he lived a busy and useful life. Mrs. Phelps was a devoted member of the Methodist Church, a teacher in its Sabbath School and a fine Bible scholar. She d. 12 Aug 1893. They had two children, Sarah and Frank. The former m. Walter Hoyt of Hopkinton and had four children, one of whom, a graduate of the New Hampshire Normal School, teachers there. The latter, Frank, is a member of the firm of Phelps & Dolley, grocers, Tilton. He m. Zilla Ladd of Derry and has one son.”
4. Mary Brown Phelps, b. 17 May 1820 Northfield NH; m. 26 June 1842 David Davis of Oak Hill, Northfield NH. According to the town history, “they were farmers on the banks of the Merrimack until his death Nov. 20, 1878. She d. at her daughter’s at Northfield 23 Feb 1901.” They had more than one child.  Their son, Charles H. Davis, was b. 15 Dec 1842 in Northfield NH; m. 6 April 1867 in Gilford NH to Martha E. Yeaton, dau of Alfred & Julia (?) Yeaton [see tintype photograph].
5. Joel F. Phelps, b. 4 May 1822, d. 16 Sep 1897 Northfield NH; widowed; shoemaker, buried Danvers MA; he m. 23 June 1844 in Danvers MA to Eliza Townsend. They resided in Danvers MA. They had four children: Ruth A., Morris, Jerome, and Homer.
6. Ruth Phelps, died at age 8 (per History of Northfield).
7. Susan Page Phelps, b. at Northfield NH 1826, d. 4 Sep 1865; m. 25 Nov 1847 Ebenezer Rollins of Sanbornton Bridge NH. He b. 1818, died 1 Oct 1894 in Lowell MA. He m2) 1 June 1867 Mary A. Dooley. Susan and Ebenezer had seven children.
8. Sabrina French Phelps, b. 28 June 1828, d. 19 March 1903 in Lowell MA. She m 11 Nov 1852 Henry French. He was b 18 June 1822 at Tewksbury MA, and d. 12 Jan 1892 in Lowell MA. They resided in Lowell Massachusetts. They had two daughters and a son Charles who died in infancy. The daughters were Abbie Ella, b. 20 Jan 1854, d. 14 May 1896; and Emma Grace b. 31 July 1859, d. 26 Sep 1885. The daughters were both graduates of Salem Normal School and were teachers in Lowell MA.
9. John Low Phelps, b. 2 Aug 1832; m. 15 Jan 1856 Julia A. Eaton of Manchester NH. He d. 11 Nov 1864 in Libby Prison during the Civil War (See Boys in BLue). They had a daughter, Estelle Mary Phelps, b. 2 March 1857 who married Fred Burnham of Epsm and had 3 children.

A gem sized tintype of David Phelps

David French Phelps, [see photograph], son of Elisha & Mary (French) Phelps, b. 10 August 1816 Northfield NH, d 24 September 1895 in Northfield NH; m. 5 March 1842 [per Northfield History] to Irena Davis [see photograph below], daughter of Jonathan & Marian (Bartlett) Davis. She b. abt 1822 NH, and died 18 Jan 1891 (per town history). They are buried in Northfield NH. Farmer. Accoring to the Northfield town history: “They had three daughters. They resided on the homestead and were hard-working, quiet, Christian people.”
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Irena (Davis) Phelps from a gem sized tintype

1870 US Census > NH > Merrimack Co. > Northfield
David F. Phelps M 40 NH
Irene Phelps F 35 NH
Rosella B. Phelps F 15 NH
Hattie A. Phelps F 6 NH
Mary Phelps F 67 Mass.
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1880 US Census > NH > Merrimack NH > Northfield
David F. Phelps M 63 NH
Irene Phelps F 58 NH
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Children of David & Irena (Davis) Phelps:
1. Rosella Bailey Phelps, b. 3 January 1845 in Norfield NH. She m. Leonard Reuben Colby [SEE COLBY GENEALOGY ABOVE]
https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:FSNB-1LH [birth]
2. Estelle F. Phelps, b abt 1849, died 15 May 1857, aged 8 years

Hattie Phelps from a gem-sized tintype photograph

3. Hattie A. Phelps [see photograph], b. 26 Jan 1854 in Northfield NH, d. 1 January 1941 in Boscawen NH; m. 27 March 1872 in Franklin NH to John B. Yeaton, son of Oliver F. Yeaton of Alfred Maine. He was b. in Springvale Maine. [see Yeaton History]

***ADDITIONAL READING***

Online Book: Bygones. Some things not generally known in the history of Northfield, New Hampshire, by the Northfield & Tilton Womens Club, 1900

Online Book: History of Northfield, New Hampshire 1780-1905 in two parts, by Lucy R.H Cross, Concord NH, Rumford Printing Co., 1905