From the book History of Walworth County Wisconsin, by Albert Clayton Beckwith, 
publ. 1912 - Page 547
 
SAMUEL FAULKNER PHOENIX, son of John and wife Martha MARTIN, was born December 
23, 1798, probably in Washington county, New York.  His father died about two 
years later and his mother was married to Joshua BARTLETT.  It is conjectured 
that the family removed to Chenango county before reaching the town of 
Dansville, in the northwestern corner of Steuben county, where the boys learned 
the process and the business of tanning.  Samuel married October 24, 1822, at 
Sherburne, Chenango county, Sarah Ann, daughter of Samuel KELSEY and Elizabeth 
CARVER.  She was born in that county September 3, 1799, and died at Delavan, 
May 9, 1894.  The brothers had gone, about 1816, to Perry (then in Genesee 
county), and in the next few years built a prosperous business as tanners and 
added general stores at Perry and Franklinville to their enterprise.  In 1827 
Samuel became colonel of the Twenty-seventh New York Infantry, and at or about 
the same time joined the Baptist church.  In 1830 the brothers spilled their 
stock of alcoholic liquors and devoted themselves to the cause of total 
abstinence.  In 1835 Samuel was a delegate to the Utica convention, which 
formed the State Anti-Slavery Society.  This was the meeting which was mobbed 
at Utica and was entertained by Gerrit SMITH at Peterboro.  In 1836 he came to 
Spring Prairie, and set out in quest of a site for his ideal village, which he 
named, and concurred with BAKER, DWINNELL and others in naming the county as 
worthily.  Colonel PHOENIX died September 6, 1842, from bilious colic.  He had 
brought to Delavan, with his military title, his business shrewdness, his 
endless activity, his zeal for religious and moral reform, and his interest in 
public education.  He preached at Delavan, Spring Prairie and at other 
settlements.  He was a moving spirit in early conventions of temperance men and 
of slavery-haters.
 
The story of his early life is imperfectly and not quite consistently told.  It 
is not quite certain that his father was not William, as Mr. DWINNELL's papers 
tell it; though it is probably that as to this Mr. CUTLER was correctly 
informed at Delavan in 1881.  Colonel PHOENIX was at his coming westward a 
relatively wealthy man, and must have made himself so between his eighteenth 
and thirty-sixth years.  He did not live to see the early failure of his 
purpose to build a city as well on moral ideas as on commoner principles of 
business; but the good seed he sowed was not all wasted, though tares took root 
there, too.  His only child, Franklin Kelsey, was born at Perry, March 3, 1825; 
married Mary E., daughter of Thomas TOPPING, of Darien, December 2, 1850; died 
February 3, 1911.  His children were Samuel T., A. Melville, Fred S., May (Mrs. 
CAMERON), Frank, Carrie (Mrs. Edward F. WILLIAMS), John Jay (married Eva, 
daughter of W. Wallace BRADLEY).

Submitted By:  Carol
(carolann612@charter.net)