Archive:NEHGR, Volume 36

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"Societies and Their Proceedings", NEHGR, vol. XXXVI (1882), pp. 197-202.

[p. 200]

New Haven Colony Historical Society.
Officers for 1882.

President - Rev. E. Edwards Bearsdley, D.D.

Vice-President - Thomas R. Trowbridge, Esq.

Treasurer - Nathan Peck, Esq.

Secretary - Thomas R. Trowbridge, Jr.

Directors - Profs. Simeon E. Baldwin, James M. Hoppin, Johnson T. Platt, E. H. Leffingwell, Henry Trowbridge, Esq., Henry L. Hotchkiss, Charles Henry Townsend, Esq., Charles Dickerman, Charles L. English, J. Attwater Barnes, James G. English, George Petrie, F. E. Hotchkiss, Charles Peterson, Joseph B. Sargent, E. H. Bishop, Eli Whitney.

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Tarbox, Increase N., D.D., Historiographer of the Society, "Necrology of Historic, Genealogical Society", NEHGR, vol. XXXVI (1882), pp. 202-209, pp. 413-420.

[p. 206]

Stephen Whitney Phoenix, Esq., a corresponding member, admitted Aug. 15, 1867, was born in the city of New York May 25, 1839, and died at his residence in the same city, Nov. 3, 1881.

The father of Mr. Phoenix was the Hon. Jonas Phillips Phoenix, who was born in Middletown, N. J., Jan. 14, 1788. His mother was Mary (Whitney) Phoenix, daughter of Stephen and Harriet (Suydam) Whitney, who was born in the city of New York, April 5, 1810.

The subject of this sketch was graduated at Columbia College in 1859. From the same institution he received the degree of A.M. in 1862, and of LL.B. in 1863. Since that time he has resided in New York, having had his summer residence (Harbor View) some years at Newport, R. I.

Mr. Phoenix was descended from Alexander Phoenix, who was his first American ancestor upon these shores, and who settled in New York in 1640. The line of descent from Alexander¹ was successively through Jacob², Alexander³, Alexander⁴, Daniel⁵, and Jonas Phillips⁶, already named. He was therefore of the seventh generation from his earliest American ancestor.

On his mother's side he was descended from Henry Whitney, who was an early inhabitant of Norwalk, Conn., and who was interested in some of the ancient settlements on Long Island, especially about Southold.

Mr. Phoenix has interested himself to a very large degree in preserving the records both of his father's and mother's families. The three large and costly volumes devoted to the Whitney family of Connecticut are among our richest specimens of genealogical lore. Blessed with wealth, he has taken delight in doing honor to his forefathers, and spending his money freely in preserving their memorials. He has been alike industrious in gathering up the facts pertaining to the Phoenix name and development on these western shores.

Hardly any one in the country had made a larger collection of genealogical books and helps to genealogical study. For anything curious or valuable in this line he was ready to bestow almost any amount of money to possess himself of it. His large collection of books and manuscripts in this line he bequeathed, with $15,000 in money, to the New York Historical Society, of which he was a life member. Bequests were also made to Columbia College, the American Museum of Natural History, and the Metropolitan Museum of Art in the city of New York. Columbia College receives the general books of his library, and probably half a million of dollars.

Mr. Phoenix was a life member of the New York Genealogical and Biographical Society, trustee of the Metropolitan Museum of Art, and corresponding member of several other societies.

[p. 417]

Rev. Henry Whitney Bellows, D.D., was born in Boston, June 11, 1814, and died in the city of New York, Jan. 30, 1882, aged 67 years, seven mnths and nineteen days.

He was the son of John Bellows, of Boston, who rose to be the head of a large importing house, Bellows, Corlis & Co. John Bellows died Feb. 10, 1840, at the age of seventy-two. He retired from th business of his firm many years before, with an ample estate, and for ten years afterwards was actively employed in the public business of the town of Boston.

This John⁵ Bellows was the son of Joseph⁴ and Lois (Whitney) Bellows, --and Joseph⁴ was the son of Col. Benjamin³ and Abigail (Stearns) Bellows. This Col. Benjamin³ was born May 26, 1712, and became, about the middle of the last century, the founder of the town of Walpole, N. H. Tracing the line still farther back, this Col. Benjamin³ of Walpole was the son of Benjamin² and Dorcas (Willard, a widow, whose maiden name was Cutter), and this last named Benjamin² was the son of John¹ and Mary (Wood) Bellows. We have now reached the American founder of the family. This John¹ came to this country in 1635. By this genealogy, which is compiled mainly from Aldrich's History of the Town of Walpole, N. H., Dr. Bellows was of the sixth generation from John the early American ancestor. [snip]

With reference to Dr. Bellows' domestic life, we quote the following paragraph from the Boston Journal:

"Dr. Bellows was married Aug. 18, 1839, to Eliza, daughter of Mr. Elihu Townsend, a merchant of New York. Several children were born of this union, of whom a son, Russell N. Bellows, of New York, and a daughter survive. Dr. Bellows was left a widower a number of years ago, and in 1874 contracted a second marriage, taking as his wife Miss Annie Peabody, of Cambridge, a daughter of his friend the late Rev. Ephraim Peabody, D.D., formerly pastor of the King's Chapel Society in this city. There was considerable disparity in the ages of the couple, but the union was a very happy one, and several children were born of it. Mrs. Bellows and her children survive."

He was admitted a corresponding member of our society, July 12, 1859.

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