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Page 1
I Morris Phelps am a son
of
Spencer, who was the son of Spencer,
and a citizen of the Town of Chesterfield
Massechusetts he was a decendant of one
of the
^ Puritan families that emigrated to
America that formed What is called
the Plimoth Colony.
My Father Spencer was born in
Chesterfield May 24th 1782 the last
I heard from him he was still living
in the North East corner corner
Kirtland Township Ohio.
and three Daughters
He had six sons ^ of whom I am the
oldes Paulina was born July 12 1809
in Concord Lake Co. Ohio she never
embrased the gospel her husband
Edwin Reynolds was baptized in
Kirtland but never confirmed they now
live in Pleasantville Marion Co. Iowa
Orrin was born May 17th 1811 in
Concord Lake Co. Ohio
2
He was baptized an
confirmed in
Farwest Caldwell Co. Mo. _
but never received the Priest Hood
While at Farwest he Married
Eliza Ann. Lyon from york State
were
at they ^ Driven with the Saints
from Mos they now live in
Kirtland I have never herd of them
Denying the trouth of the gospel
They had a son (Abraham) born in
Mo._ during the percecution
Born July 22 1813 a good woman
Eliza ^ Maried John Reynolds
And lives on the Little Mountain
A little east of Kirtland
Christopher born Jan.3 and
died the 8, 1815
Alexander born May 23 1817
In Concord Lake Co, Ohio
Married Mary Ann Reynolds
And lives in Kirtland
Spencer A. was born Oct 30 18{page torn}
In Concord Died Sept 27 1820
3
Martin L. was born April
23 1822
In Concord he Married a Miss Prouty
and lives in Mentor Lake Co Ohio
and has the cane of Father.
Mary Ann, was born sept 13 1824
In Concord. Married Albert
Pinney he died and she married
a gain I will here say that
I have Preached the Gospell to
all the family faithfully acord-
ing to the best of my knowledge
and I never heard a railing acquisat
tion from one of the family they always
treated me well and other elders
that have visited them viz. Charles
C. Rich E.H. Groves, Wm, O Clark
and others they acknowledged the
reasonableness of the doctrin.
they never joined any church
but rather believed in a universal
-vation of all men (?)
4
the family has always
maintained
a Moral good Character
My Mother said to me I do believe
Preach
the Gospel you ^ but I have not not
got fortitude and moral courriage
to endure the percicution that will
come upon me if I am baptized
Mary
My Mother ^ was a daughter of
Christopher Keneipp and Maribah
Miller and born in Northhampton
Hamphear Co, Massechusetts Dec 13
1784 she died in Kirtland Aprile
the 22 1851
My Grand Father Christopher
Keneipp was born in Germany in
bout 1758 or 59 he was as I understand
an only son and well educated in the
German language I think in the be-
ginning of 1777 he was pressed in to
the English servis and brought
to America as a soldier in the
Revolutionary war
5
not long after landing in
America he was taken prisioner
near Boston was taken back in
the country (Northampton) and
sold to the highest bidder
under the old blew law for a period
term of three years to a Mr.
Miller and before the expiration
of the time he married Mr. Millers
Daughter Maribah who was my
Grand Mother
Christopher Keneipp raised
a large family many of his descend-
ents now live in the south of the
state of Ill. on the Wabash River
Christopher Keneipp Died in Law
-rence Co. Ill. in Jan 1826
6
I Morris Phelps was born
December 20 1805 in NorthHamp
-ton Hampsheare Co. Massachusetts
When I was near two years old
my Parrents and Grand Father
Keneipp moved to Painesville
Lake Co. Ohio they were amongst
the verry first settlers the Pioneers
of the Country, they had much to
contend with the heavy groth of
timber to remove before they could
cultivate the earth and raise their
Bread to protect themselves from
the scalping knife of the Indian
and to fight the battles in the war
1812 and 14 with English all combin-
ned made it verry hard to live
The people settled in a scattered con-
dition which destroyed school priv-
eliges in 1815 my Parents sent me
to Menter Lake Co Ohio six months
in all I got fifteen months schooling
17
She wrote concerning a new
Book
Called the Book of Mormon that
it was translated from writings
on the plates – Said to be done by
the
^gift and power of the Holy Ghost
and the plates were of pure gold
found by the direction of an angel
in york State several families
had mooved on to captain Morles
farm – and had comensed a new
chirch + this was all don under
the directions of a Prophet
and women
verry respectable men^had joined
their Chirch such as Isaac Mor-
ley and Edward Patridge and they
common
have all things ^ amongst them
several of their preachers will
soon leave fro the west perhaps
see
you may^some of them
On reading of this new Church
and a Prophet created such a
18
Curiosity
^and anxiety mingled with
Joy that I could not refrain
from weping
The next day I read concer-
ning the new Book to Charles
C. Rich he also was anxious
to learn more concerning the
new Book, Church and Prophet.
Several years after he told me
spoke of a peculiar sensation of
feeling that penetrated his
whole sistim that made his
spirit bouient and full of Joy
but he knew not what it ment
But now – said he:I know that it
was the spirit of God testifying
to me of the truth of the Prophet
and Book of Mormon
I also read the letter to Mr. Porter
who also was enthusiasticly
overjoyed: I having ben acu-
ainted with Isaac Morley and
19
Edward Patridge from a boy
must
write to them for further inform-
ation of the Book and Prophet
I returned home erly in July
and faithful to my promis went to
writing on finishing my letter of
enquiry I saw two men passing
through the field on foot in travel-
ing costume knapsack and valiece
on their back. About the same
instant a man on a horse appeard
and wrode up to the house who I read-
to be
ily recognized^as James Emmit
After passing the costemmary com-
plements of the day he enquired
whether I had ever seen what was
called
^ the Book of Mormon no sir only
heard of it by letter taking a
Book from his pocket and gave it to
me and said this is the Book and
further said them two travelers
are Mormon Preachers
20
may they preach at your
house
certainly they were invited in and
I was introdised to Lyman Wight
and John Carroll my neighbors
were invited in when all told about
twenty soles they preached in the
1
eavning and next morning at ^Oclock
in the afternoon Baptized Wm Emmit
and ordained him an elder
day
the next^all were about to leave
I gave Wight a letter of introduction
to Sanford Porter when he
took the letter he said we shall
baptize Mr Porter and ordain him
and Elder and he will Come here
four weeks from today and will
Preach here and will Baptize all
four of you. (meaning myself and
wife + John Cooper and wife the
tow women were sisters)
I was truly interested during the
stay of the new mishionaryes
{Pg. 21}
{In someone else’s
handwriting.}
Some pages missing
{Returns to original
handwriting.}
Morris Phelps was born in
North Hampton Hampshere
Co. Mass. Dec 20 1805
Christopher Keneipp
was born in Germany in 1759
Marabah Miller the wife of
Christopher Keneipp was born
in North Hampton Mss.
abouth the year 1758
Sons of Cristopher Keneipp
Charles Keneipp Died in
Geauga Co. Ohio in 1817
John Keneip was drown in Connect
River about the year 1800
Elizah Keneipp was murdered in
was born in North Hampton
{In second persons
handwriting.}
(Some of his dates from
memory were
inaccurate.)
206 N. Fraser Dr W
(Maxine Phelps Lines of^Mesa Ariz
has a much more complete account
of the keneipp ancestors than is given here.)
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