Recently FOUND Burlington Newspaper article... regarding Antoine Phillips Sr.

November 11, 1865

Peter Phelps, a colored man, who has lived in St. Albans for nearly a half century, died recently at the advanced age of 111 years.

According to the 1850 St. Albans, Franklin County, Vermont Federal Population Census, Peter Phelps was 70 years of age, thereby making his estimated birth year as ca. 1780.

We know that his children William Phelps Sr. (who married Rosanna Prince) and Lewis Phelps (who married Frances Caroline Parkis) were identified throughout their lives as persons of color (Black, Mulatto, Negro, etc). 

Antoine Philips Sr. himself was identified as B for Black in the 1850 Highgate, Franklin County, Vermont Federal Population Census as well. Married to a French Quebec woman (Catherine Emery dite Coderre of Ste. Hyacinthe Parish) their children were identified in that same household as being 'Mulatto'. 

Phelps - Phillips Time Line

Interestingly enough, looking at Peter Phelps Death Record per Nov. 1865 in St. Albans Town Records:

 

Peter Phelps was not identified as Black or White or even any ethnicity whatsoever, interestingly enough. Even more interesting is this Death Record does not imply any age at the time of his death.

But the Burlington Sentinel Newspaper does ... as do other Vermont and outlying newspapers do as well ... as see in this posts first image of such Death Announcement.

And how do we KNOW that this Peter Phelps is the father of Antoine Philips / Phillips Sr. (?)

Surprisingly, the answer is within the Vermont Eugenics SURVEY records for this Phillips family in the 20 Page SUMMARY.

Now, you may be already asking yourselves, what does this have to do with Abenakis? Well it has a lot to do with Vermont's so-called "Abenakis" and the process of Recognition by the State of Vermont, as well as Frederick M. Wiseman Ph.D. as well as a Phillips descendant, Donald Warren Stevens Jr. of the "Nulhegan" group up in Orleans County, Vermont.

Following up on the Phelps and Phillips Time Line research that's been done, recently I ran into this Burlington newspaper article:

September 11, 1885

Antoine Phillips, (colored) who died last week in this town, was undoubtedly the oldest man in this neighborhood. As near as can be ascertained his age was, at the time of his death, 100 years. He has been a resident of this town for about sixteen or seventeen years.

Obviously, doing the research, we have found that very likely, Antoine (Phelps) Philips / Phillips Sr. was born ca. 1812-1814.

Doing Y-DNA research with two direct-male-descendants of this Antoine Phillips Sr. we have ascertained the confirmed Haplo-group of B-M181 ... through both Family Tree DNA (FTDNA).

Haplo-group Y-DNA B-M181 originates from and of AFRICA. After the dynamics of slavery of African People's to the West Indies into Connecticut (etc) within the United States of America, we see that this Haplo-group is found in descendants of those enslaved. 

So how is it that Donald Warren Stevens Jr. of this "Nulhegan" group in Orleans County, Vermont can sit there and claim as he has about his ancestors, the Phillips family of Franklin and Chittenden County, Vermont, being "Abenakis" when in FACT, both socially, historically, genealogically and genetically, it is PROVEN beyond any shadow of a doubt, that his Phillips ancestors were paternally African and maternally French?!

How can Mr. Don Stevens sit there in the Wabanaki Confederacy Meetings claiming he is "Abenaki" ... when he's not? Same dynamics for that Italian and French descendant Mr. Tomo Wounded-Bear / Thomas Snizek

Apparently the State of Vermont is so thoroughly complicit in creating and maintaining this FRAUD (which is against the Abenaki Peoples, both ancestrally and the contemporary Abenaki Communities of Odanak and Wôlinak whose people are living throughout the United States today), that the likes of Don Stevens Jr. can put on his bastardization and appropriate the Abenaki persona and no one bats an eyelash or questions the basis or foundation of his claims and merits, not even the Wabanaki Confederacy?! 

Recently, Vicki Garrison, in the SevenDays Article spoke of "promoting ...the erasure of people of color within Vermont."

Ok, so what about the promotion of the erasure of Abenaki People and appropriation of Abenaki culture and language, dances and songs within Vermont etc. by those who are of color, who 'pass' as "Abenaki" such as Donald Warren Stevens Jr. and some of his Phillips family relatives? 

Recent Online Statement by the Nulhegan "Chief" Donald Warren Stevens Jr.

February 08, 2018
WAMC Northeast Public Radio
By Pat Bradley
City Councilors Consider Action on Controversial Downtown Mural
A 124-foot long mural near Burlington’s downtown shopping mall has become a controversial subject. At the most recent city council meeting, a resolution was put forward to remove the artwork, arguing it does not reflect the city’s diversity.

The “Everyone Loves a Parade” mural along the Marketplace Alley, which connects the shopping district to the parking garage, was painted in 2012 to showcase the history of Burlington and the state of Vermont.  The mural was vandalized in October and called racist, prompting communities of color in the city to urge its removal.
Ward 7 Democrat/Progressive Councilor Ali Dieng, the only individual of color on the council, proposed looking into the legal ramifications of its removal.  “I did not see the many New Americans as well as African Americans and people with disabilities represented. It is really important for us to take the mural down. But knowing that there are some legal ramifications I am asking for the city attorney to get back to the council by March 12, 2018.”
His efforts were supported during the public comment period by several individuals including Annie Lawson.  “This issue is about a mural that proposes to tell the story of our community. Folks who are Abenaki, disabled, Black, Latino, New American, immigrant, LGBTQ, other people of color are not shown on this mural.”
 “I’m Chief Stevens. I’m the Chief of the Nulhegan Abenaki tribe. I want to make it clear.  We are a sovereign nation. We are not victims. We would like to promote education and cultural opportunities which I think Burlington has a unique position to be able to afford that including the mural.  It’s problematic just from the fact that it doesn’t represent Abenaki people. But I want to find ways to work with you guys in promoting our culture in a positive manner.”
East District Councilor Democrat Richard Deane says the community needs time to work together to resolve the underlying issues the mural debate highlights.  “I don’t believe that the mural accurately or fully reflects who we are as a community or the history of all of us as immigrants to this place, because we are all immigrants other than the First Nations peoples. Taking the mural down without a robust process doesn’t support or motivate the opportunity for open dialog and deeper understanding.”
Mayor Miro Weinberger said the mural was a well-intentioned effort to upgrade the alleyway when it was envisioned in 2009 and 2010.  “There are issues of artist rights and public art values and issues of government overreach here.  It’s not even clear what the city owns and there’s a lot to be sorted through here. And I think we should support the idea that as a next step we get this counsel from the city attorney.  We can continue parallel to that having some additional communication about how we move forward.”
Clauses ordering the mural removed were deleted and councilors approved on a 7 to 5 vote a resolution asking the city attorney to report back to the council by March 12, 2018 on the legal ramifications of removal.

My thoughts: 

Here is a "Chief" who claims and implies that he is an Abenaki descendant, and yet ... (wait for it) no Abenaki ancestry can be detected in his ancestry. As for their group's "founding document" (the Philippe - Louie Métallic Land Deed of mid-1796) that's BS too. This group was created in 2003-2004 and is not "historical" whatsoever, other than the reality that 2004 is before 2018.

But how I digress ...

Donald Warren Stevens Jr. implies that his group, (The Nulhegan Abenaki Tribe was afforded State Recognition on April 22, 2011) is sovereign...

Apparently, this "Chief" is having delusions of grandeur, and his Highness has his BS backed up clear to his brain.

NOWHERE in S.222 nor in Act 107 does it imply or state that ANY GROUP within Vermont, (that claims fraudulently to be an "Abenaki" "Tribe"), that they are sovereign nations whatsoever!

Check for yourselves:
https://legislature.vermont.gov/assets/Documents/2010/Docs/ACTS/ACT107/ACT107%20As%20Enacted.pdf

If you look and evaluate closely, NONE of these groups were recognized officially as Abenaki Tribes whatsoever either. They were officially recognized at Native American Tribes, generically because the State needed to create a generic Native American "tribe" for minority status, so they could tap into Federal Monies, with these "new" "tribes" created since 2009. It's that simple.

The group that Don Stevens' is "Chief" of claiming to be connected with the afore-said Land Deed (Surrender) in ca. 1796 doesn't apply to him or his ancestors the Phillips Family of Vermont. Genealogically and Genetically this is proven over and over again. (Of course, he would deny that this is the reality, because he doesn't operate in reality apparently).

So, yeah, whatever floats their boats in Vermont, implying they are a sovereign nation. I am sure the Vermont Legislature and Governor's Office including the Attorney General's Office would politely conclude differently! Then again, Vermont's Legislature was gullible and naive more than once or twice with these self-declared /self - identifying "Abenakis" and their incorporation's-created, giving them an inch or two.

Now they want to claim they are sovereign nations in Vermont ... and take a mile ... or two ... or three.