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Rediscovering Lucy Phelps
Lucy Phelps, daughter of James Phelps d.1786, Caswell County, North Carolina, married Willis Buckingham Smith in Caswell County on November 11th, 1794. The Phelps and Smith families were adjoining neighbors in the Richmond District of Caswell County, where the Town of Milton lies today. Sometime after their marriage Willis Buckingham Smith became Willis Buckingham having dropped the Smith from his name, therefore later records of his family would be under the surname Buckingham and not Smith. I suppose Willis inherited this trait as his family had used different names before him. For more on this see the" Last Will of Anne Smith, Grandmother of Milton, N.C. article
http://www.rootsweb.com/~nccaswel/families/smith-anne.htm
So now Lucy Phelps, through no fault of her own, became Lucy Buckingham instead of Lucy Smith in Caswell County records. Likewise all Willis and Lucy's children took on the name Buckingham as well. This Smith family offers a real challenge to historians who are researching the descendants, because of their propensity to change their last name, seemingly at will, with no explanation that I have discovered as yet. The Smith family began in Caswell County with the matriarch of the family, Anne Smith, a widow who received a land grant from Lord Granville on August 2nd, 1760, seventeen years before Caswell County was formed and was then Orange County. Although I have not obtained a copy of the deed referred to below it shows an even earlier presence of Anne Smith in present day Caswell County.
Quoted from Caswell County Historical Association Newsletter VOL.XXVI, Number 2 Pg. 2 April 2003
Benjamin Merritt, whose descendants in Person County (cut off from Caswell in 1792) reported in the HERITAGE OF PERSON COUNTY I. "He came down from New York" and secured a Granville Grant of many acres on both sides of the Dan River in two colonies. Benjamin built a mill which he sold to Mrs. Anne Smith ca.1757 with acreage over 50 in the tract, more than enough to start a flourishing frontier town.
Anne Smith's Grandson, Mason Smith, named in her Will, was later seen as Amasa Stokes, Mace Stokes, Amasa Smith, Mace Smith. There are two marriages listed for "Mace Smith" in Caswell County and they are the second oldest Smith marriages in the County.
Mace Smith Constant Brown 12 Aug 1782
Mace Smith Margaret Coleston 18 Nov 1780
In 1793 James McGinnis deeded 100 acres of land to Amasa Stokes, on both sides of Merritt's Mill Creek adjacent George Connally, Widow Phelps(wife of James Phelps d.1786), the Virginia Line. Janes McGinnis was a brother of Alsey McGinnis Pass, wife of Nathaniel Pass Sr. Nathaniel and Alsey Pass's daughter Mary, married Lucy Phelps "Buckingham"'s brother Thomas Phelps. James and Alsey McGinnis were children of William McGinnis of Halifax County, Virginia.
James McGinnis married Elizabeth Williams, 15 Jan 1790 in Caswell County, probably the granddaughter "Elizabeth Williams" named in Anne Smith's Will.
In 1795 Willis Buckingham Smith deeded 50 acres to Amasa Stokes, on the East side of Merritt's Mill Creek adjacent Charles Connally, Widow Phelps
Amasa/Mason Smith/Stokes was the Executor of Anne Smith's will along with Archibald Murphey. Mason Smith alias "Amasa Stokes" was charge with the care and well being of Willis Buckingham Smith per Anne Smith's Will, "Also I desire that Willis Buckingham Smith may be put with Mason Smith with all that he has till he comes of age and the said Mason Smith to keep him and all I have left to the said Willis Buckingham Smith till then"
Lucy Phelps Buckingham/Smith, wife of Wills Buckingham Smith, left a Will In Caswell County in 1843.
Caswell County, North Carolina
October Court 1843
Will Book P-page 21
Lucy Buckingham's Will
In the name of God amen I, Lucy Buckingham of the County of Caswell, State of North Carolina, being weak in body but of perfect mind, do hereby this day make ordain and constitute this my last Will and Testament in manner and form as follows (Viz)
First- I give to my son, Byrd W. Buckingham, a gray Horse Colt.
Secondly- I give to my son, George B. Buckingham, one Feather bed and Furniture and one Sow and Pigs.
Thirdly- I give to my daughter, Lidia M. Bennett, one Feather bed and Furniture.
Fourthly- I give to my daughter, Martha B. Buckingham, one Cow and Calf, one Sow and Pigs and all the balance of my household and kitchen furniture.
Fifthly- I appoint and wish my son, George B. Buckingham, to act as Executor to this my last Will and Testament
In Testimony of which I have this day made this, my last Will and Testament and signed my name, this the 2nd day of August in the year of our Lord, One Thousand Eight Hundred and Forty Three.
Lucy Buckingham--{Seal}
Signed Sealed and Delivered in the presence of :
Josiah Blair
Barzillai Graves
Edward H. Moore
TRANSCRIBED BY: Latham Mark Phelps 2008
There were at least four other children of Willis Buckingham Smith and Lucy Phelps not mentioned in the Will:
John Thomas Buckingham:
married Susan Merritt (according to Buckingham Family website excerpt below, probably a descendant of Benjamin Merritt mentioned earlier)
Caswell County Deed Book FF page 532, July 5th 1842. John Buckingham to Byrd Buckingham and George Buckingham
" all interest in my Father, Willis Buckingham's estate, deceased"
Patsy Buckingham:
married Unknown:
Caswell County Deed Book FF page 625, October 1842. Patsy Buckingham to Byrd Buckingham and George Buckingham
"tract of land formerly the property of my Father, Willis Buckingham, dead.
Keziah Buckingham:
married John Nichols:
Caswell County Deed Book GG page 687. Goerge Buckingham to Byrd Buckingham
"land on which John Nichols now lives and resides"--"to the support, benefit and maintenance of our loving Sister and mutual friend, Keziah Nichols, wife of John Nichols and the lawful heirs and children of her body"
James Buckingham married Mary Basdell, 16 Nov 1819 in Caswell Co.
As to the named children in Lucy Buckingham's Will, There marriages in Caswell County were:
Bird Buckingham Frances Elam 24 Mar 1834
George Buckingham Joicy Tallaw 26 Nov 1833
Elizabeth Buckingham Richard Bennatt 15 Jan 1830
Martha Buckingham James A Taylor 11 Dec 1845
The James Buckingham who married Mary Basdell was probably the "male child born around 1880(should be 1800) noted on a website that I have listed an excerpt from on the Buckingham Family below:
http://www.angelfire.com/co3/jillymac/buckingham.html
This is the line of Buckingham's I am from. If you have and additions or corrections, please let me know.
Willis Buckingham was born around 1775 in Caswell County, North Carolina and died in 1842 in Caswell County, North Carolina. He married Lucy?. They had the following children, all born in Caswell County, North Carolina:
A male child born around 1880,
John Thomas, born around 1802. He married Susan MERRITT.
Patsy, born around 1804,
Elizabeth (Lydia), born around 1806. She married Richard BENNETT on January 15, 1830.
Byrd W. and George B. (twins) born around 1813. Byrd married first Francis ELAM on March 24, 1834 and second Mary ALLEN on August 10, 1866. George married Joicy TALLOW on November 26, 1833.
Martha, born around 1815. She married James TAYLOR on December 11, 1845.
John Thomas Buckingham married Susan Mary MARRETT. Susan was born around 1802 in North Carolina and died after 1870. They had the following children:
Francis Thompson, born around 1826 in Milton, Caswell County, North Carolina. She married Thomas James MCGEE on December 14, 1843.
Eliza Ann, born on March 6, 1827 in Milton, Caswell County, NC and died on April 16, 1906. She married James Madison MCGEE on January 2, 1845.
Franklin, born around 1830,
John Thomas, born around 1832. He married Louisa Clark COLLIER.
Mary Jane, born on May 19, 1834 in Caswell County, NC and died on January 4, 1894. She married George Henry MCGEE on September 30, 1853.
Sidney, born around 1836 in Caswell County, NC. He married Mary E. RAZZELL around 1860 in Kentucky. They had at least 10 children.
Curry, born around 1838 in Caswell County, NC.
Marmaduke, born aroudn 1840 in Caswell County, NC. He married Emily around 1860.
Lilly Mary, born around 1842 in William County, TN. She married first John COLLINS on November 25, 1857 and second, Robert E. BOYD.
Sarah Holland, born on November 9, 1844 in Lafayette, Christian County, KY and died on July 14, 1928. She died in Provo, Utah and is buried in the Provo City Cemetery. She married Francis Ashbury MORTON.
Thus I have now "Rediscovered" Lucy Phelps, daughter of James Phelps d.1786, wife of Willis Buckingham Smith, living as Lucy Buckingham in the records of Caswell County till her death in 1843 and so have uncovered the names of her children as well. I hope this will help any Phelps,Smith or Buckingham family researchers to untangle these families in the future.
Latham Mark Phelps---February 2008
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