Timothy Guy Phelps

Timothy G. Phelps
Phelps c. 1892
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from California's at-large district
In office March 4, 1861 – March 3, 1863
Preceded by	John Chilton Burch
Succeeded by	Cornelius Cole
Member of the California Senate from the 5th district
In office January 2, 1860 – January 7, 1861
Preceded by	Multi-member district
Succeeded by	Multi-member district
In office January 4, 1858 – January 3, 1859
Preceded by	Multi-member district
Succeeded by	Multi-member district
Member of the California State Assembly
In office January 7, 1895 – January 4, 1897
Preceded by	James Thomas O'Keefe
Succeeded by	S. G. Goodhue
Constituency	52nd district
In office January 5, 1857 – January 4, 1858
Preceded by	Multi-member district
Succeeded by	Multi-member district
Constituency	5th district
Personal details
Born	Timothy Guy Phelps (1824-12-20)December 20, 1824 Oxford, New York, U.S.
Died	June 11, 1899(1899-06-11) (aged 74) Near San Carlos, California, U.S.
Resting place	Cypress Lawn Memorial Park
Party	Republican
Spouse(s)	Sophronia J. Jewell ​ ​ (m. 1853; died 1869)​ Josephine A. McLean ​ (m. 1870)​

Timothy Guy Phelps (December 20, 1824 – June 11, 1899) was an American politician, businessman, and government official. He was the first president of the Southern Pacific Railroad from 1865 until 1868 and saw the railroad build its first tracks south of San Francisco, California.

Phelps was born in Oxford, New York on December 20, 1824, and completed preparatory schooling there before moving to New York City in 1845. He worked in mercantile there for a short time, then returned to Chenango County to study law.[1][2]

As soon as word reached New York that gold was found in California in 1848, Phelps took a boat to the west coast.[1] He arrived in San Francisco, California via Panama on December 14, 1849[2] and moved to Tuolumne County, California, where he tried his hand at mining.[1] Failing to find a fortune in gold, he moved to San Francisco to resume a career in the mercantile,[1] starting a merchant house in August 1850.[2]

Phelps took substantial business losses in the great fire of 1851, but he rebuilt and soon recovered.[2] It was during this period of recovery that he purchased 3,500 acres (1,400 ha) of land in what is now San Mateo County, California.[citation needed] He used the land for farming and soon decided to make the area, now the city of San Carlos, his home.[3]

In 1851, while living in San Carlos, Phelps became involved in the local vigilance committee in an effort to uphold the law.[3]

Following a failed state assembly bid in 1854 (where he ran with Col. E. D. Baker)[2] Phelps was elected to the California State Assembly in 1855 and served until 1857[2] as the first Republican from San Francisco and San Mateo Counties.[1] During his term, he served on the first Grand Jury on August 1, 1856.[3] He introduced "An Act to reorganize and establish the County of San Mateo" in March 1857.[3]

He then served in the California State Senate from 1858 to 1861.[2] During the 1859 Republican California state convention, his name was advanced as a potential nominee for Governor of California, but he withdrew in favor of Leland Stanford.[2]

In the subsequent 1861 Republican state convention, he ran for the Republican nomination for governor, but was defeated by Stanford, 197 votes to 104.[2]

Following the 1861 convention, he was elected to the 37th United States Congress where he served from March 4, 1861, until March 3, 1863.[1] When the San Francisco and San Jose Railroad was built in the 1860s, the right of way from Redwood City to Belmont was granted from Phelps's land.[3]

His next job was in real estate until 1870 when he became the customs collector for the port of San Francisco (until 1872).[1] In 1875, he won the Republican nomination for governor, but he was defeated by the Democratic candidate William Irwin,[1] in part aided by disgruntled Republicans who ran John Bidwell as an independent candidate.[2] In 1888, Phelps ran for Congress again, but was defeated by the Democrat Thomas J. Clunie.[4] He was elected to the State Assembly again in 1894, serving one term.

Phelps also served as a regent of the University of California at Berkeley from 1878 until his death.[1][3]

Phelps married Sophronia J. Jewell (born Nov 13, 1824), of Guilford, New York, on September 13, 1853.[5] Sophronia died on September 12, 1869(1869-09-12) (aged 44)[6] and Phelps was remarried to Josephine A. McLean in 1870.[3]

Phelps died at age 74 on June 11, 1899, near San Carlos, after he was struck by two boys on a tandem bicycle.[1][2] The cyclists turned themselves in after learning of his death,[7][8] and charges against them were dropped on June 20, 1899, after they related their account of the crash.[9]

Phelps was buried at Cypress Lawn Memorial Park in Colma.

• Biographical Directory of the United States Congress, Phelps, Timothy Guy. Retrieved January 13, 2005.
• San Mateo County Biographies - Timothy Guy Phelps. Retrieved January 13, 2005.

• JoinCalifornia - Timothy G. Phelps