Elisha Phelps (November 16, 1779 – April 6, 1847) was a

United States representative The United States House of Representatives is a chamber of the Bicameralism, bicameral United States Congress; it is the lower house, with the U.S. Senate being the upper house. Together, the House and Senate have the authority under Artic ...

from

Connecticut Connecticut ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the New England region of the Northeastern United States. It borders Rhode Island to the east, Massachusetts to the north, New York (state), New York to the west, and Long Island Sound to the south. ...

. He was the son of

Noah Phelps Major General Noah Phelps (January 22, 1740 – November 4, 1809) served with the rebels (Americans) during the Revolutionary War and afterward was selected as a major general. He also served as justice of the Peace, and judge of Probate for t ...

and father of John Smith Phelps who was a United States Representative from

Missouri Missouri (''see #Etymology and pronunciation, pronunciation'') is a U.S. state, state in the Midwestern United States, Midwestern region of the United States. Ranking List of U.S. states and territories by area, 21st in land area, it border ...

. He was born in

Simsbury, Connecticut Simsbury is a town in Hartford County, Connecticut, United States, incorporated as Connecticut's 21st town in May 1670. The town is part of the Capitol Planning Region. The population was 24,517 in the 2020 census. History Early history At ...

. In 1800, he was 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, ...

and from

Litchfield Law School The Litchfield Law School was a law school in Litchfield, Connecticut, that operated from 1774 to 1833. Litchfield was the first independent law school established in America for reading law. Founded and led by lawyer Tapping Reeve, the proprietar ...

. He was admitted to the bar in 1803 and began practice in Simsbury. Phelps was member of the

Connecticut House of Representatives The Connecticut House of Representatives is the lower house in the Connecticut General Assembly, the state legislature of the U.S. state of Connecticut. The house is composed of 151 members representing an equal number of districts, with each ...

in 1807, 1812, and 1814-1818. He was elected as a Toleration Republican to the Sixteenth Congress (March 4, 1819 – March 3, 1821). He was again a member of the Connecticut House of Representatives in 1821 and served as speaker. He served in the

Connecticut Senate The Connecticut State Senate is the upper house of the Connecticut General Assembly, the state legislature of the U.S. state of Connecticut. The state senate comprises 36 members, each representing a district with around 99,280 inhabitants. Se ...

1822-1824 and was elected as an

Adams Adams may refer to: * For persons, see Adams (surname) Places United States *Adams, California *Adams, California, former name of Corte Madera, California * Adams, Decatur County, Indiana *Adams, Kentucky *Adams, Massachusetts, a New England to ...

candidate to the Nineteenth and Twentieth Congresses (March 4, 1825 – March 3, 1829). He declined to be a candidate for renomination in 1828. After leaving Congress, he was Connecticut comptroller 1831-1837 and again a member of the Connecticut House of Representatives in 1829 and 1835 and served as speaker in 1829. He was appointed a commissioner to revise and codify the state laws in 1835. In

1838 Events January–March * January 10 – A fire destroys Lloyd's Coffee House and the Royal Exchange in London. * January 11 – At Morristown, New Jersey, Samuel Morse, Alfred Vail and Leonard Gale give the first public demonstration ...

and

1839 Events January–March * January 2 – The first photograph of the Moon is taken, by French photographer Louis Daguerre. * January 6 – Night of the Big Wind: Ireland is struck by the most damaging cyclone in 300 years. * January 9 – ...

, Phelps ran under a

Conservative Conservatism is a cultural, social, and political philosophy and ideology that seeks to promote and preserve traditional institutions, customs, and values. The central tenets of conservatism may vary in relation to the culture and civiliza ...

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Governor of Connecticut The governor of Connecticut is the head of government of Connecticut, and the commander-in-chief of the U.S. state, state's Connecticut Military Department, military forces. The Governor (United States), governor has a duty to enforce state laws, ...

. His attempts were unsuccessful. Phelps died in Simsbury in 1847 and was buried in Hop Meadow Cemetery. His home, which he built in 1820, has been renamed the Amos Eno House, after a subsequent owner. It still stands in Simsbury and is on the National Register of Historic Places.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Phelps, Elisha Speakers of the Connecticut House of Representatives 1779 births 1847 deaths Litchfield Law School alumni Yale College alumni Democratic-Republican Party members of the United States House of Representatives from Connecticut Connecticut National Republicans National Republican Party members of the United States House of Representatives 19th-century members of the United States House of Representatives 19th-century members of the Connecticut General Assembly