25th Generation

149. Isabel Maria WATROUS⁹³ was born on 4 January 1839 in Byron Township, Genesee County, NY.^{6,29,33,36,45,60,81,90} (Her given name is sometimes spelled "Isabelle," but she spelled it "Isabel" in 1879 in the autograph book of her niece, Carrie Griswold.)

(This is a picture of her, her husband, and their children.)

. She appeared in the census in 1840 in Byron Township, Genesee County, NY.³⁴ She appeared in the census in 1850 in Byron Township, Fond du Lac County, WI.⁹⁴ She was living in the household of Austin and Sophrina Graves, relationship unknown. It is assumed that the reason that she was not living with her mother was because her father had died and her mother had to send some of the children to live with other families.

. Isabel appeared in the census in 1860 in Byron Township, Fond du Lac County, WI.⁸⁸ She appeared in the census in 1870 in Byron Township, Fond du Lac County, WI.^81,89

On October 19, 1879, she wrote in the autograph book of her niece, Carrie Griswold, "Remember me when this you see, and I will do the same by thee."

. She appeared in the census in 1880 in Byron Township, Fond du Lac County, WI.²⁸ Isabel appeared in the census in 1900 in Oakfield Township, Fond du Lac County, WI.⁹⁰ She appeared in the census in 1910 in Oakfield Township, Fond du Lac County, WI.²⁷ Her household consisted of herself and her daughter, Elsie, age 21. The census indicated that she had 7 children, of whom 6 were still living. In the 1900 Census, it listed Elsie as a granddaughter, so Isabelle may have adopted her after Elsie's mother died. She died on 8 June 1912 at the age of 73 in Oakfield Township, Fond du Lac County, WI.^6,36,95,96 (She died of tuberculosis of her stomach and lungs.)

Obituary Notes: "Daily Commonwealth, June 10, 1912. Isabel M. Phelps Dies At Oakfield; Came to Fond du Lac County at Age of Seven (sic) Years.

Isabel M. Phelps, widow of Nathaniel Phelps and a pioneer resident of Fond du Lac county, died at her home in Oakfield at 10 o'clock Saturday morning, after an illness of several months. Isabel Maria Watrous was born in the town of Byron, Genessee county, N.Y., Jan. 4, 1839. In 1846, when she was seven years of age, the family came to Wisconsin residing in the town of Byron, in the vicinity of Genessee. She was married in 1855 to Nathaniel Phelps, whose death occurred ten years ago.

The greater part of their life, with the exception of four years which were passed in Fond du Lac, was spent on their farm in Byron, until they went to Oakfield to reside about fifteen years ago. Both became members of the Wesleyan Methodist church during their early married life, to which faith they remained constant until the end.

Six children remain to survive their loss. Four daughters, Mrs. C.B. Culver, Mrs. Geo. H. Taylor, Mrs. E.W. McKnight, and Elsie, two sons, Elmer and Fred, all of Oakfield. Four sisters, Mrs. Martha Griswold, of Tomah, Wis., Mrs. Mary J. Allen, Oshkosh, Mrs. Juliette Crofoot, Rhinelander, and Mrs. Estella Abbey, Fond du Lac. One daughter, Mrs. Cora Olds, passed away three years ago.

The funeral will be held Tuesday morning at 10:30 o'clock at the residence and at 11 o'clock at the M.E. church, Rev. Sabin Halsey officiating, with interment at Avoca cemetery."
Isabel was buried on 11 June 1912 in Fond du Lac County, WI.^60,97 in the Avoca Cemetery. (The spelling of her given name may have been "Isabelle.")

Isabel Maria WATROUS and Nathaniel PHELPS IX were married on 20 July 1854 in Byron Township, Fond du Lac County, WI.^6,29,36,88 From The History of Fond du Lac County, Wisconsin in 1837, found in the Fond du Lac, Wisconsin Public Library and compiled by the Western Historical Company, p. 1022:

"Nathaniel Phelps, farmer; Secs. 20 and 29; P.O. Byron; owns 1031 acres; probable value, $65 per acre. Born in Goshen, Mass., in 1826; son of Nathaniel and Sarah Phelps; his father was by occupation a farmer; the subject of this sketch was educated in the common schools of his native place, and was brought up on a farm; he came to Wisconsin in 1852, and located in Byron, where he has remained ever since. He was married, in July, 1854, to Isabel, daughter of Louisa and Russell Watrous, the latter a carpenter and joiner living in Oakfield; they have had six children—Ellen M. (now married), Juliet B., Elmer N., Cora L., Flora E. and Fred R. They are members of the Wesleyan Methodist Church; politically, Mr. Phelps is a Greenbacker."

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Nathaniel PHELPS IX, son of Nathaniel PHELPS and Sarah MAYHEW, was born on 12 March 1827 in Goshen, Hampshire County, MA.^{6,28,36,90,98} (According to the Thwing Family History, his birth date was 12 Mar 1826.)

(According to the 1900 Census, his parents were both born in Massachusetts.) (The 1880 Census for Byron Township lists an Augustus Phelps, age 60 so born in 1820, and a Mary Phelps Bush, age 57 so born in 1823; both were born in Massachusetts, with parents born there as well. They were probably a brother and sister of Nathaniel.) He appeared in the census in 1860 in Byron Township, Fond du Lac County, WI.⁸⁸ His household consisted of Nathaniel, age 32; his wife Isabel, age 22; their daughter Ellen, age 3; their daughter Julia, age 1; and Henry McClain, a 16-year-old "laborer." He appeared in the census in 1870 in Byron Township, Fond du Lac County, WI.⁸⁹ His household consisted of Nathaniel, his wife Isabel, and their children Ellen, Julia, Elmer, Cora and Flora. Nathaniel appeared in the census in 1880 in Byron Township, Fond du Lac County, WI.²⁸ His household consisted of Nathaniel, his wife Isabel, and their children Julia, Elmer, Cora, Flora and Frederick. He appeared in the census in 1900 in Oakfield Township, Fond du Lac County, WI.⁹⁰ His household consisted of Nathaniel, his wife Isabel, and their children Cora and Fred and their granddaughter Elsie. It indicates that they had been married for 44 years and had 6 children, of which all 6 were still living. He died on 10 February 1902 at the age of 74 in Oakfield Township, Fond du Lac County, WI.^6,36 He died of "hepatic carcinoma." Nathaniel was buried in Avoca, Iowa County, WI.^36,99 in the Avoca Cemetery.

Isabel Maria WATROUS and Nathaniel PHELPS IX had the following children: