Name Samuel Phelps Resigned March 3, 1851 | Children Edward John Phelps | |
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Preceded by Benjamin SwiftWilliam Upham Succeeded by Solomon FootLawrence Brainerd Born May 13, 1793Litchfield, Connecticut, U.S. ( 1793-05-13 ) Spouse(s) Frances Shurtleff Phelpsand Electa Satterlee Phelps Profession Politician, Lawyer, Judge Died March 25, 1855, Middlebury, Vermont, United States | ||
Previous office Senator (VT) 1839–1851 | ||
Samuel Shethar Phelps (May 13, 1793 – March 25, 1855) was an American lawyer and politician. He was a United States Senator from Vermont, and a member of the Whig Party.
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Biography
Phelps was born in Litchfield, Connecticut, to John Phelps, an American Revolutionary War soldier. Phelps graduated from Yale University in 1811. He studied law at Litchfield Law School and in the office of Horatio Seymour, and was admitted to the bar. 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 State House 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. He was a member of the Vermont Senate from 1838 to 1839. 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 that the General Assembly had not acted to fill the vacancy at its subsequent session, as required by law.
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. Phelps' son Edward John Phelps was also a politician and lawyer, as well as a diplomat.
Death
Phelps died on March 25, 1855 in Middlebury, and is interred at West Cemetery in Middlebury.