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Samuel Shethar Phelps (May 13, 1793March 25, 1855) was an American lawyer and politician. He was a
Phelps was born in
Biographical Directory of the United States Congress
*
govtrack.usPhelps Family History in America
{{DEFAULTSORT:Phelps, Samuel S. 1793 births 1855 deaths Politicians from Litchfield, Connecticut American people of English descent Whig Party United States senators from Vermont Vermont Whigs Members of the Vermont House of Representatives Justices of the Vermont Supreme Court People from Middlebury, Vermont Vermont lawyers Yale University alumni Litchfield Law School alumni United States Army personnel of the War of 1812 United States Army paymasters Burials in Vermont 19th-century American judges 19th-century American lawyers
United States senator
The United States Senate is the upper chamber of the United States Congress, with the House of Representatives being the lower chamber. Together they compose the national bicameral legislature of the United States.
The composition and powe ...
from Vermont
Vermont () is a state in the northeast New England region of the United States. Vermont is bordered by the states of Massachusetts to the south, New Hampshire to the east, and New York to the west, and the Canadian province of Quebec to ...
, and a member of the Whig Party.
Biography
Phelps was born in Litchfield, Connecticut
Litchfield is a town in and former county seat of Litchfield County, Connecticut, United States. The population was 8,192 at the 2020 census. The boroughs of Bantam and Litchfield are located within the town. There are also three unincorpora ...
, to John Phelps (1756–1833), an American Revolutionary War
The American Revolutionary War (April 19, 1775 – September 3, 1783), also known as the Revolutionary War or American War of Independence, was a major war of the American Revolution. Widely considered as the war that secured the independence of t ...
soldier and great-great-grandson of William Phelps. Samuel S. Phelps graduated from Yale University
Yale University is a Private university, private research university in New Haven, Connecticut. Established in 1701 as the Collegiate School, it is the List of Colonial Colleges, third-oldest institution of higher education in the United Sta ...
in 1811. He studied law at Litchfield Law School
The Litchfield Law School of Litchfield, Connecticut, was the first independent law school established in America for reading law. Founded and led by lawyer Tapping Reeve, the proprietary school was unaffiliated with any college or university. (Wh ...
and in the office of Horatio Seymour
Horatio Seymour (May 31, 1810February 12, 1886) was an American politician. He served as Governor of New York from 1853 to 1854 and from 1863 to 1864. He was the Democratic Party nominee for president in the 1868 United States presidential elec ...
, and was admitted to the bar
An admission to practice law is acquired when a lawyer receives a license to practice law. In jurisdictions with two types of lawyer, as with barristers and solicitors, barristers must gain admission to the bar whereas for solicitors there are dist ...
. He served as a military paymaster during the War of 1812. Following the war, he settled in Middlebury, Vermont, and began the practice of law.
Phelps began his political career serving in the Vermont House of Representatives from 1821 to 1832. He was a judge on the Vermont Supreme Court from 1832 to 1838, succeeding to the position left vacant by the death of John C. Thompson. In 1839 he was elected as a Whig to the United States Senate, and he served until 1851. He chaired several committees while serving in the Senate, including the Committee on the Militia, Committee on Revolutionary Claims, Committee on Pensions, Committee on Patents and the Patent Office and the Committee on Territories.
Phelps returned to the United States Senate on January 17, 1853, having been appointed to fill the unexpired term of Senator William Upham, who had died. He served until March 16, 1854, when the Senate resolved that he was not entitled to the seat on the grounds that he had been legally appointed by the Governor of Vermont when the Vermont General Assembly was not in session, but once the legislature was in session, it was incumbent on legislators to choose a successor.
Family life
Phelps was married to Frances Shurtleff Phelps and they had three children together, Edward John Phelps, James Shether Phelps and Charles Henry Phelps. Phelps later married Electa Satterlee Phelps. Edward John Phelps was prominent politician, lawyer, and diplomat.Death
Phelps died on March 25, 1855, in Middlebury, and is interred at West Cemetery in Middlebury.Published works
*''"Mr. Phelps’ Appeal to the People of Vermont"'' by Samuel S. Phelps, published in the ''American Whig Review 12 (July 1850): 93-98'', Middlebury, VT, 1846. *''"Mr. Phelps' Rejoinder to Mr. Slade's "Reply."", printed by J. & G.S. Gideon, Washington, ''D.C., no date, but ca 1846.References
Further reading
*''"Vermont Supreme Court Justices: Wheelock G. Veazey, Samuel S. Phelps, Hiland Hall, Henry R. Start, James Stuart Holden, Harrie B. Chase"'' published by General Books, 2010.External links
Biographical Directory of the United States Congress
*
govtrack.us
{{DEFAULTSORT:Phelps, Samuel S. 1793 births 1855 deaths Politicians from Litchfield, Connecticut American people of English descent Whig Party United States senators from Vermont Vermont Whigs Members of the Vermont House of Representatives Justices of the Vermont Supreme Court People from Middlebury, Vermont Vermont lawyers Yale University alumni Litchfield Law School alumni United States Army personnel of the War of 1812 United States Army paymasters Burials in Vermont 19th-century American judges 19th-century American lawyers