Benjamin Kinsman Phelps (September 16, 1832 – December 30, 1880 in

New York City New York, often called New York City (NYC), is the most populous city in the United States, located at the southern tip of New York State on one of the world's largest natural harbors. The city comprises five boroughs, each coextensive w ...

) was an American lawyer and

district attorney In the United States, a district attorney (DA), county attorney, county prosecutor, state attorney, state's attorney, prosecuting attorney, commonwealth's attorney, or solicitor is the chief prosecutor or chief law enforcement officer represen ...

New York New York most commonly refers to: * New York (state), a state in the northeastern United States * New York City, the most populous city in the United States, located in the state of New York New York may also refer to: Places United Kingdom * ...

Early life

Phelps was born in Haverhill,

Essex County, Massachusetts Essex County is a County (United States), county in the northeastern part of the U.S. state of Massachusetts. At the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, the total population was 809,829, making it the third-most populous county in the stat ...

on September 16, 1832. He was the only child of the Rev. Dudley Phelps (1797–1849), a

Congregational Congregationalism (also Congregational Churches or Congregationalist Churches) is a Reformed Christianity, Reformed Christian (Calvinist) tradition of Protestant Christianity in which churches practice Congregationalist polity, congregational ...

clergyman, and Ann (

née The birth name is the name of the person given upon their birth. The term may be applied to the surname, the given name or to the entire name. Where births are required to be officially registered, the entire name entered onto a births registe ...

Kinsman) Phelps (1808–1834). He attended

Andover Theological Seminary Andover Theological Seminary (1807–1965) was a Congregationalist seminary founded in 1807 and originally located in Andover, Massachusetts on the campus of Phillips Academy. From 1908 to 1931, it was located at Harvard University in Cambrid ...

, and graduated from

Yale College Yale College is the undergraduate college of Yale University. Founded in 1701, it is the original school of the university. Although other Yale schools were founded as early as 1810, all of Yale was officially known as Yale College until 1887, ...

in 1853.

Career

After graduation from Yale, he studied law in

Hillsborough County, New Hampshire Hillsborough County is the most populous County (United States), county in the U.S. state of New Hampshire. As of the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, the population was 422,937, almost one-third the population of the entire state. Its c ...

and

Westchester County, New York Westchester County is a County (United States), county located in the southeastern portion of the U.S. state of New York (state), New York, bordering the Long Island Sound and the Byram River to its east and the Hudson River on its west. The c ...

, and was admitted to the bar in 1855 in

Poughkeepsie, New York Poughkeepsie ( ) is a city within the Poughkeepsie (town), New York, Town of Poughkeepsie, New York (state), New York. It is the county seat of Dutchess County, New York, Dutchess County, with a 2020 census population of 31,577. Poughkeepsie i ...

. In 1856, he removed to

and practiced law there in partnership with his Yale classmate Sherman W. Knevals. From 1866 to 1870, Phelps was an Assistant

United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York The United States attorney for the Southern District of New York is the United States Attorney, chief federal law enforcement officer in eight contiguous New York counties: the counties (coextensive boroughs of New York City) of New York County, ...

. In 1869, he was sent to

North Carolina North Carolina ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the Southeastern United States, Southeastern region of the United States. It is bordered by Virginia to the north, the Atlantic Ocean to the east, South Carolina to the south, Georgia (U.S. stat ...

to take charge of the proceedings against the officers of the USS Hornet, charged with a violation of the Neutrality laws. In 1872, he formed a new law firm "Arthur, Phelps, Knevals & Ransom" with

Chester A. Arthur Chester Alan Arthur (October 5, 1829 – November 18, 1886) was the 21st president of the United States, serving from 1881 to 1885. He was a Republican from New York who previously served as the 20th vice president under President James A. ...

, his old partner Knevals, and Rastus S. Ransom, who served as Surrogate of New York from 1887 to 1893. In November 1872, Phelps was elected on the Republican ticket

New York County District Attorney The New York County District Attorney, also known as the Manhattan District Attorney, is the elected district attorney for New York County, New York. The office is responsible for the prosecution of violations of New York state laws (federal l ...

, and remained in office until his death, being re-elected in 1875 and 1878. In 1875, Carlotta Frances Shotwell testified before the Assembly Committee on Crime in New York City about the legal abuses in her 1874 trial. It came out in these proceedings that District Attorney Phelps was tied to the

Tammany Hall Tammany Hall, also known as the Society of St. Tammany, the Sons of St. Tammany, or the Columbian Order, was an American political organization founded in 1786 and incorporated on May 12, 1789, as the Tammany Society. It became the main local ...

political machine under which many prominent defendants were not pursued vigorously by the District Attorney.
A General Betrayal
'; 2016; BIG BYTE BOOKS

Personal life

In October 1857, Phelps married Hannah Maria Catlin (1831–1880), a daughter of Mary (née Fisher) Catlin and Lt. Gov.

Julius Catlin Julius Catlin (December 14, 1798 – April 23, 1888) was an American politician who was the 49th Lieutenant Governor of Connecticut from 1858 to 1861. His estate was valued at $726,000 at his death in 1888, and was made a Colonel before entering ...

, and they had three children, including: * Mary Cutler Phelps (b. 1858) * Dudley Farley Phelps (1861–1952), an attorney who married Margaret G. Burnet. * Anna Kinsman Phelps (b. 1865), who married William Hutchinson Merrill (1860–1913) in 1901. In October 1880, Phelps became ill, and never fully recovered. His wife died on December 21, and Phelps himself died nine days later of "

internal hemorrhage Internal bleeding (also called internal haemorrhage) is a loss of blood from a blood vessel that collects inside the body, and is not usually visible from the outside. It can be a serious medical emergency but the extent of severity depends on b ...

" at his residence at 101 West 47th Street. Phelps was buried at

Woodlawn Cemetery (Bronx, New York) Woodlawn Cemetery is one of the largest cemeteries in New York City and a designated National Historic Landmark. Located south of Woodlawn Heights, Bronx, New York City, it has the character of a rural cemetery. Woodlawn Cemetery opened durin ...

References

External links

*
Hannah Maria Catlin Phelps papers
at

Yale University Yale University is a Private university, private Ivy League research university in New Haven, Connecticut, United States. Founded in 1701, Yale is the List of Colonial Colleges, third-oldest institution of higher education in the United Stat ...

{{DEFAULTSORT:Phelps, Benjamin Kinsman 1832 births 1880 deaths New York County district attorneys Politicians from Haverhill, Massachusetts People from Hillsborough County, New Hampshire People from Westchester County, New York Politicians from Poughkeepsie, New York Yale College alumni Chester A. Arthur Burials at Woodlawn Cemetery (Bronx, New York) New York (state) Republicans