Carthage Historic Preservation, Inc.
Mailing Address: P.O. Box 375 | Carthage, MO 64836
Phelps House: 1146 Grand Avenue, Carthage, MO
417.358.1776
PHELPS HOUSE
The Phelps House at 1146 Grand Avenue evokes an era of opulence, representing a distinctive chapter in Carthage, Missouri’s history. This historic home stands as a remarkable example of late 19th-century Victorian-era residential architecture.
HISTORY
Left vacant and slowly deteriorating, the Phelps House was purchased by Carthage Historic Preservation in 1988. Through dedicated fundraising efforts and extensive restoration work, volunteers meticulously restored the home to its original splendor.
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Today, the Phelps House is open for public tours by appointment and serves as a charming venue for a variety of events, including weddings, bridal and baby showers, anniversaries, birthdays, family reunions, luncheons, dinners, business meetings, and holiday gatherings.
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For more information on renting the Phelps House for your event, call 417-358-1776 or email:
WILLIAM H. PHELPS
Colonel William H. Phelps (1845–1916) was born and raised in Hinsdale, New York. He studied law under Hon. M. B. Chaplain and completed his legal education at Albany Law School, graduating in 1867. That same year, he ventured westward, arriving in Carthage in search of greater opportunities to practice law. Arriving with little means, Colonel Phelps would go on to become one of the wealthiest and most respected figures in southwest Missouri, prominent in state politics and deeply involved in Carthage’s industrial growth.
As the principal attorney for the Missouri-Pacific Railroad, he played a crucial role in securing the White River branch of the railroad for Carthage. He served three terms in the Missouri General Assembly as a State Representative. His influence was instrumental in the decision to use Carthage stone for the construction of the State Capitol Building in Jefferson City, Missouri. A well-known Democratic political figure, Colonel Phelps wielded considerable power in Missouri’s government, and the Phelps House regularly hosted important political figures of the time.
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Beyond politics and industry, Colonel Phelps was known for his generosity. He privately assisted many individuals, helping struggling farmers and widows, funding the education of young men, investing in early Carthage businesses, and supporting churches of various denominations.
Upon his passing, the flag at the Jasper County Courthouse was flown at half-mast in honor of his significant contributions to Carthage, Jasper County, and the state of Missouri.​
PHELPS FAMILY
In 1868, Colonel Phelps married Lois Jane Wilson of Northfield, Illinois.
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In 1894, Mrs. Phelps tragically died at the age of 48 in St. Louis as the result of a runaway carriage accident, having never lived in the Phelps House.
William and Lois had three children: two daughters, Helene and Florence, and a son, William. Helene passed away at the age of 29 from tuberculosis, then commonly known as consumption. Both Florence and William lost their hearing due to childhood illnesses. While attending Gallaudet College for the Deaf in Washington, D.C., they met their spouses.
Florence, Colonel Phelps, Helene
William in front
Florence married Waldo H. Rothert, and together they had three sons. One of their sons, Harlow Phelps Rothert, was a two-time Olympian in shot put. At the 1932 Los Angeles Games, he won a silver medal and later served as a torchbearer at the 1976 Atlanta Games. A three-time inductee into the Stanford Sports Hall of Fame, Rothert was named in 1978 as one of the five greatest athletes in Stanford University history.
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Florence and her family lived for several years in Omaha, Nebraska, where Waldo taught at the Nebraska Institute for the Deaf. They later moved to Los Angeles, California, where Florence passed away in 1962.
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William married Laura Alice Bigley and returned to Carthage, where they lived in a country home northeast of town. The home was built in a style similar to the Phelps House by Colonel Phelps. William was a successful farmer for several years. He and Laura had four children: William, Josephine, Howe, and Helen. Eventually, the family moved to Los Angeles, where William found success in the real estate business.
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In 1905, Colonel Phelps married for a second time to Bridgey O’Leary who had emigrated from Ireland at the age of 18. Bridgey worked for several years as a housekeeper for the Phelps family but later attended business college. According to an October 16, 1905 Carthage Press article reporting the marriage, “the wife of one of Missouri’s best-known men and leading Democratic politicians, is a comely young lady of about 35 years. She has been in the Phelps household for many years and for the last five or six years has been the colonel’s stenographer and secretary having a more intimate knowledge of his private affairs than any other person. She is an unusually bright and cultured lady.” When asked about his father’s marriage, son William responded: “If father marries I would rather he marry Miss O’Leary than anyone else. She has been in the family so long she seems like one of us and is pure gold.”
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​​​​​​Bridgey and William had two sons, Cyrus and George. Tragically, Cyrus was struck by a car and killed just before his eighth birthday while riding his bicycle in front of their home. George followed in his father's footsteps, becoming a Carthage attorney and serving in the Missouri Legislature. He married Elizabeth O'Keefe, and they had two sons, George and John "Pat."
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George had a successful 35-year career with IBM in Dallas, while Pat attended Harvard and, like his father and grandfather, became an attorney. Pat and his wife, Carolyn, resided in Carthage and were actively involved with the Phelps House restoration until their passing.
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Colonel Phelps passed away in 1916 at the age of 71. Bridgey continued living in the Phelps House until 1959, when she sold it to St. Ann’s Catholic Church Parish. The house was then used as a residence for the nuns teaching at St. Ann’s School. Several rooms across all three floors, as well as the basement, were repurposed as classrooms and the school library.
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After selling the house, Bridgey moved to the Drake Hotel, where she lived until her passing in 1962 at the age of 91.
