Timothy Guy PHELPS, Congress, CA (1824-1899)

PHELPS, Timothy Guy, a Representative from California; born in Oxford, Chenango County, N.Y., December 20, 1824; completed preparatory studies; moved to New York City and engaged in mercantile pursuits; returned to Chenango County and began the study of law but discontinued it; moved to San Francisco, Calif., in December 1849; engaged in mining in Tuolumne County; returned to San Francisco and resumed mercantile pursuits; engaged in the real estate business in 1853; unsuccessful candidate for the State assembly in 1854; member of the State assembly from 1855 to 1857; served in the State senate 1858-1861; unsuccessful candidate for Governor in 1861; elected as a Republican to the Thirty-seventh Congress (March 4, 1861-March 3, 1863); was not a candidate for renomination in 1862; resumed the real estate business until 1870; collector of customs at the port of San Francisco 1870-1872 and 1890-1893; engaged in agricultural pursuits; unsuccessful Republican candidate for Governor in 1875; moved to San Mateo County; regent of the University of California at Berkeley from December 6, 1880, until his death; chairman of the board of regents of Lick Observatory for nineteen years; died near San Carlos, San Mateo County, Calif., June 11, 1899, following an accident in which he was struck by two boys on a tandem bicycle; interment in Cypress Lawn Memorial Park Cemetery, Lawndale, San Mateo County, Calif.

Source: Biographical Directory of the United States Congress, 1771-Present