Anson Greene Phelps, Merchant & Philanthropist
Anson Green Phelps was born in Simsbury, Connecticut March 24, 1781. He was descended from the early Colonial Governors Thomas Dudley, John Haynes and George Wyllys and from the Woodbridge, Lamb, Wolcott, Drake, and Griswold families. Anson G. Phelps's, mother died when he was 12 years old, and it is said that he was brought up in the house of the minister of Simsbury. In 1799, he made choice of Thomas Woodbridge Phelps as his guardian.
After settling in Hartford his first successful mercantile operation was in manufacturing a saddles and shipping them South. At this time horse-back riding was the general mode of travel there. This, his first enterprise, was a very successful and profitable one. He continued to be a successful manufacturer and merchant in Hartford. In 1812 Mr. Phelps removed to New York City and was associated in business with Elisha Peck under the firm name of Phelps, Peck & Co. They dealt in metals, iron and brass. The Peck firm was dissolved in 1828 and Anson became a co-founder of the mining company Phelps Dodge, which he founded in 1833 along with his son-in-law William E. Dodge. The "American Bible Society," the " American Board of Commissioners for Foreign Missions," the "American Home Missionary Society," the "Colonization Society," the "Blind Asylum " of New York City, all received his support, and of all of which he at one time was president. Many other societies and charitable institutions were largely aided by him during his life, and many of them generously remembered in his will. Among others his native town of Simsbury received $1000 for the poor.
The material in this piece is from the Phelps Family History website