Biographical Sketch of Col. John E. Phelps, Greene County, Missouri,
Springfield

>From "History of Greene County, Missouri," St. Louis: Western
Historical Company, 1883.

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This gentleman, who was an active participant on the Union side during
the civil war, is a native of Greene County, born April 6, 1839.  He
was the first born of five children of Gov. John S. Phelps, whose biog-
raphy is given at length in this volume.  There were two sons and three
daughters of these children, of whom John E., and Mrs. Mary Montgomery,
of Portland, Oregon, still survive.  Those deceased were, Thomas H. B.,
Lucy Jane, and a second Lucy Jane, born after the death of the first of
that name, and christened in honor of her memory.  Col. John E. Phelps
was educated partly at Fayetteville, Arkansas, completing his course at
the private school of Charles Carleton at Springfield.  He began busi-
ness for himself at the early age of 13, when he made quite a specula-
tion on a cattle trade, selling his purchase to Indian Agent A. J. Dorn
at a profit of $1,500.  He continued in the cattle trade, and driving
mules to the Southern market till 1859, when, in partnership with A. J.
Dorn and J. L. French, he went into the wholesale grocery business, and
was the first commercial traveler "drummer" that represented a Spring-
field house and he carried his samples in his saddle bags, his mode of
locomotion being on horseback.  This business he continued till cleaned
up by the Confederates after the battle of Wilson's Creek.  He then 
proceded to Rolla, and did scouting duty for Gen. Curtis, furnishing 
his own horse, and receiving no compensation.  At the battle of Pea
Ridge, he was a volunteer Aid on the staff of Gen. E. A. Carr.  Subse-
quently, he received an appointment as second lieutenant in the regular
army, and went to Helena, Arkansas, and reported to Gen. Carr as Aid on
his staff.  He served eighteen months of that staff partly in St. Louis
and partly on the campaign in he rear of Vicksburg.  He was then order-
ed home on account of physical disability, and arrived there July 4,
1864.  The very next day he began organizing a volunteer regiment, 
which was mustered in March 18, 1864, as the second Arkansas Cavalry,
and was ordered to Memphis, Tenn., which place they reached by an over-
land march of forty-two days, reaching there January 25, 1865.  There
the regiment did duty till May, when it was ordered to Lagrange on out
post duty.  There Col. Phelps was mustered out at his own request, his
rank then being Brevet Brigadier General of volunteers; and the board 
of examiners pronounced him physically incompetent.  He requested to be
sent on frontier duty at Fort Laramie, but instead of having his re-
quest granted, he was ordered to his regiment at Little Rock.  This was
the 3rd regiment U. S. regulars, in which Phelps held the rank of first
lieutenant, and brevet captain, major and lieutenant colonel.  He was
then at home, sick and disgusted with scenes of war, and so closed his
military career by tendering his resignation, which was accepted in
September, 1865.  Since then, he has lived in private life, except be-
ing for a time receiver of the U. S. land office, under President John-
son.  At this writing he is traveling for the machine house of D. M. 
Osburn & Co., Auburn, N. Y.  Col. Phelps was married July 21, 1864, to
Margaret J., daughter of William White, of Greene County.  They have 
two daughters and one son, who are at school in Springfield.  Politi-
cally, Col. Phelps is a Democrat, and during the war fought to save
the Union...not to free the negro.  Few men have done more public ser-
vice for a less compensation than Col. John E. Phelps.

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