James Phelps (January 12, 1822 – January 15, 1900) was a

U.S. Representative The United States House of Representatives, often referred to as the House of Representatives, the U.S. House, or simply the House, is the lower chamber of the United States Congress, with the Senate being the upper chamber. Together they c ...

from

Connecticut Connecticut () is the southernmost state in the New England region of the Northeastern United States. It is bordered by Rhode Island to the east, Massachusetts to the north, New York to the west, and Long Island Sound to the south. Its cap ...

, son of

Lancelot Phelps Lancelot Phelps (November 9, 1784 – September 1, 1866) was a United States representative from Connecticut. He was the father of James Phelps who was also a United States Representative from Connecticut. He was born in Windsor, Connecticut, b ...

Biography

Born in

Colebrook, Connecticut Colebrook is a town in Litchfield County, Connecticut, United States. The population was 1,361 at the 2020 census. Colebrook was named after Colebrooke in the English county of Devon; the reason is now unknown. Geography Colebrook is in northeas ...

, Phelps attended the public schools, the

Episcopal Academy The Episcopal Academy, founded in 1785, is a private, co-educational school for grades Pre-K through 12 based in Newtown Square, Pennsylvania. Prior to 2008, the main campus was located in Merion Station and the satellite campus was located in D ...

Cheshire, Connecticut Cheshire ( ), formerly known as New Cheshire Parish, is a town in New Haven County, Connecticut, United States. At the time of the 2020 United States Census, 2020 census, the population of Cheshire was 28,733. The center of population of Connecti ...

Trinity College Trinity College may refer to: Australia * Trinity Anglican College, an Anglican coeducational primary and secondary school in , New South Wales * Trinity Catholic College, Auburn, a coeducational school in the inner-western suburbs of Sydney, New ...

Hartford, Connecticut Hartford is the capital city of the U.S. state of Connecticut. It was the seat of Hartford County until Connecticut disbanded county government in 1960. It is the core city in the Greater Hartford metropolitan area. Census estimates since the ...

, and

Yale Law School Yale Law School (Yale Law or YLS) is the law school of Yale University, a Private university, private research university in New Haven, Connecticut. It was established in 1824 and has been ranked as the best law school in the United States by ''U ...

. Phelps completed his legal education in the offices of

Samuel Ingham Samuel Ingham (September 5, 1793 – November 10, 1881) was a two-term Congressman from Connecticut. He is not to be confused with the former Secretary of the Treasury Samuel D. Ingham. He was born in Hebron, Connecticut, Hebron on Septemb ...

and

Isaac Toucey Isaac Toucey (November 15, 1792July 30, 1869) was an American politician who served as a U.S. senator, U.S. Secretary of the Navy, U.S. Attorney General and the 33rd Governor of Connecticut. Biography Born in Newtown, Connecticut, Toucey pur ...

, was admitted to the bar in 1845 and commenced practice in

Essex, Connecticut Essex is a town in Middlesex County, Connecticut, United States. The population was 6,733 at the 2020 census. It is made up of three villages: Essex Village, Centerbrook, and Ivoryton. History The Great Attack Essex is one of the few Am ...

. In 1853, 1854 and 1856 Phelps served in the

Connecticut House of Representatives The Connecticut State House of Representatives is the lower house in the Connecticut General Assembly, the state legislature (United States), state legislature of the U.S. state of Connecticut. The house is composed of 151 members representing an ...

. He served in the

Connecticut State Senate The Connecticut State Senate is the upper house of the Connecticut General Assembly, the state legislature of the U.S. state of Connecticut. The state senate comprises 36 members, each representing a district with around 99,280 inhabitants. Sena ...

in 1858 and 1859. Phelps served as judge of the superior court of Connecticut from 1863 to 1873. He served as judge of Connecticut's supreme court of errors from 1873 until his resignation in 1875. Phelps was elected as a

Democrat Democrat, Democrats, or Democratic may refer to: Politics *A proponent of democracy, or democratic government; a form of government involving rule by the people. *A member of a Democratic Party: **Democratic Party (United States) (D) **Democratic ...

to the 44th and three succeeding Congresses (March 4, 1875 – March 3, 1883). He declined to be a candidate for renomination in 1882, and resumed the practice of law. He served again as judge of the superior court from 1885 to 1892. He resumed practicing law and was also active in banking. He served as a delegate to several Democratic state conventions.

Death and burial

Phelps died in Essex on January 15, 1900. He was interred at River View Cemetery in Essex.

Family

Phelps was married to Lydia Ingham, the daughter of

References

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Phelps, James 1822 births 1900 deaths People from Colebrook, Connecticut Justices of the Connecticut Supreme Court Democratic Party Connecticut state senators Democratic Party members of the United States House of Representatives from Connecticut 19th-century American politicians 19th-century American judges