Sarah Ann Phelps was the oldest child of 10 children born to Samuel Phelps and Dorcas Campbell (not to be confused with Samuel Campbell and Dorcas Frisbee, they are a different couple!) in Delhi, Delaware, New York. The family migrated sometime in 1856-1857 to DeKalb County, Illinois.

Sarah Ann PHELPS married Nirum BLACK on 20 Nov 1859 in DeKalb County, Illinois. [NOTE: Sarah Ann Phelps is listed in the 1860 Census as a single, so I question the marriage record...were they really married in 1859, or would that be an intention to marry record and they actually got married sometime in 1860??]. They had 3 children:
Samuel Phelps BLACK
George J BLACK
Eva Belle BLACK Rosecrans

They lived in DeKalb County until they moved to Cowley County, Kansas sometime prior to 1910.

Sarah Ann died in 1921. Still trying to find her death record.


Her husband Nirum W BLACK served during the Civil War as part of Illinois Infantry. He inlisted in Company A, Illinois 105th Infantry Regiment on 2 Sep 1862. He was promoted to Full Corporal. He was mustered out on 7 Jun 1865 at Washington, D.C.

Widowed Sarah Ann recieved Civil War Pension in Kansas.

Unable to find out who his parents were.

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1850 US Federal Census, Greene, Chenango Co., NY:
Samuel PHELPS 32
Dorcas PHELPS 29
S A [Sarah Ann] PHELPS 11
J A [James A] PHELPS 8
C L [Cynthia L] PHELPS [I believe this is an ERROR- should have read M. L. [Mary Lavina]. There is just no way it can be Cynthia if she died in 1848! It would have to be Mary L. She lived past 1850.]

1855 NY State Census, Greene, Chenango Co., NY:
Samuel Phelps 37 b. Greene Co.(NOT Greene, Chenango Co.)
Dorcas Phelps 32 b. Delaware Co.
Sarah Ann Phelps 15 b. Delaware Co.
James Phelps 14 b. Delaware Co.
Mary L Phelps 6 b. Chenango Co.
Phoebe D[A] Phelps 4 b. Chenango Co.
Caroline Phelps 0 b. Chenango Co.
Moses Davis 18

1860 US Census, Pampas, DeKalb, IL:
Samuel Phelps 42, b. NY, farmer
Dorcas Phelps 38, b. NY
Sarah A Phelps 20 b. NY - still a Single.
James A Phelps 18 b. NY
Mary Phelps 11 b. NY
Phebe Phelps 8 b. NY
Caroline Phelps 5 b. NY
Emma L Phelps 3 b. IL
Clarinda Phelps 5/12 mos. b. IL

1870 US Census, Mayfield, DeKalb, IL:
Niram Black 36, b. NY
Sarah A Black 30, b. NY
Samuel P Black 10, b. IL
George H Black 2, b. IL

1880 US Census, Mayfield, DeKalb, IL:
Nirum Black 45, b. NY, his parents were. b. in Maine.
Sarah Black 40, b. NY, her parents were b. in NY
Samuel Black 19, b. IL
George Black 12, b. IL
Eva Belle Black 8, b. IL

1900 US Census, Sycamore, DeKalb, IL:
Nirum Black 65, his parents were b. in Maine, NY
Sarah Black 60, had 3 children in all, all surviving. Were married for 40 years.
Sam Black 39, Divorced
George Black 32, Single

1910 US Census, Arkansas City, Cowley, KS:
Sarah Black 70 wid
Samuel Black 49 wid
George J Black 42 Single

1920 US Census, Arkansas City, Cowley, KS:
Sarah Black 80
Samuel P Black 69