^
 

THE OLD MERCHAJVTS
 

CHAPTER XXIX.

I have spoken of Phelps & Peck, large merchants
here, of which firm Anson G. Phelps was the senior.
There was another of the name, who was also a large
merchant in this city for many years. I think he was
born about 1790. His father was a farmer. Young
Thaddeus came to this city when only nine years of age,
and with but ten dollars in his pocket. He determined
to succeed, and he did. He procured employment in a
store, and worked himself up to be a clerk. While a
clerk he bought cotton. He got into the cotton trade,
went South, and when only twenty years old was taken
as a partner in the Southern firm of Howard & Phelps.

He came North in 1812, and went into business on
his own account. In the year 1816 he married Miss
Ellsworth. She descended from the family of Gov.
Ellsworth, of Connecticut. By this marriage he had
five daughters. They were all very handsome girls.
The eldest married Charles Anderson, then Secretary
of Legation to General Cass, who was at that time
i\linlst»r to France. Another daughter married Gov¬
ernor Mason, of Michigan. He died suddenly in the
early part of his career, and the widow afterward mar¬
ried one of the McVickers. The third Miss Phelps
married   Mr. Routh, of the  firm  of L. Routh & Sons.