Timothy Guy Phelps (December 20 1824 – June 11 1899) was the first president of the Southern Pacific Railroad from 1865 until 1868 when the railroad was purchased by members of The Big Four. Phelps saw the railroad build its first tracks south of San Francisco and became a prominent landowner in the area.

Early life and migration

Phelps was born December 20 1824 in Oxford, New York. He completed his elementary schooling and then moved to New York City in 1845 where he worked in mercantile for a short time, then took time to study law. As soon as word of the gold discoveries in California reached New York, Phelps was on the boat to the west. He arrived in California, via the Panama Canal, in December 1849 and he moved to Tuolumne County, California where he tried his hand at mining. Failing to find a fortune in gold, he moved to San Francisco to resume a career in the mercantile.

His business losses were substantial in the great fire of 1851, but Phelps rebuilt and soon recovered his loss. It was during this period of recovery that he purchased 3,500 acres (14 km²) of land in what is now San Mateo County. He used the land for farming and soon decided to make the area, now the city of San Carlos, his home.

Political career and first marriage

Living in San Carlos, in 1851 Phelps became involved in the local Vigilance Committee in an effort to uphold the law. He met and married Sophronia J. Jewell, of Guilford, New York in 1853.

Following a failed state assembly bid in 1854, Phelps was elected as the first Republican from San Francisco and San Mateo Counties the following year and served until 1857. During his term, he served on the first Grand Jury in America on August 1 1856. He then went on in 1858 to serve in the state senate until 1861 when he ran for Governor of California. Instead of that post, he was elected US Senator for California. His US Senate term lasted from March 4 1861 to March 3 1863.

Phelps chose not to run for reelection in 1862, instead he returned to California. His next job was in real estate until 1870 when he became the customs collector for the port of San Francisco (until 1872). In 1875 he again ran for Governor of California, and he was again defeated.

Timothy Guy Phelps died June 11 1899, at the age of 75, near San Carlos, California after he was involved in an accident where he was hit by two boys on a tandem bicycle.

References

• 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.