Dates

• Existence: 1788 - 1858

Biography

Charles Bartlett Phelps was born at Chatham, now Portland, Conn., on May 31st, 1788. He was the eldest son of Dr. Elisha Phelps, a physician. He entered the Litchfield Law School, when he was eighteen years of age. Due to poor health, he left Litchfield for Woodbury, where he entered his name as a student with Noah B. Benedict.

In 1809 he married Elsie, youngest daughter of the Rev. John Hutgers Marshall, first Rector of St. Paul's Church, Woodbury. They had six children. He later married Amanda, daughter of Dr. Joseph Parker, of South Farms, now Morris and had two additional children.

He was admitted to the bar in 1809 and served as Judge of Probate for the District comprising Woodbury, Bethlehem, Southbury, and Roxbury, from 1823 to 1834; and was re-appointed in '35, '36, '37, '42, '43, and '46; and again from 1849 to 1858, when his age rendered him ineligible. During the twenty-five years that he held this office, he never had a decision reversed by the higher courts.

He was a member of the Connecticut House of Representatives in 1831, '37, and '52. The latter year he was chosen Speaker. In 1843 he was a member of the Senate and President of that body. He was Postmaster of Woodbury from 1831 to 1841. In 1850 he was appointed Judge of the County Court for the County of Litchfield, and was re-appointed in 1852. He was admitted to the Bar of the Supreme Court of New York.

Cothren's History of Woodbury described the scene of Phelps's death. "On the 21st of Dec, 1859, he was present at a meeting of the Committee appointed by the Connecticut Legislature to superintend the erection of a monument to Col. Seth Warner, an officer of the Revolution. The Committee, (of which Judge Phelps was chairman,) met in Roxbury, at the house of Nathan Smith, Esq. Gov. Buckingham and other distinguished citizens were present. He was addressing the Committee and other gentlemen, upon the subject under discussion, when he suddenly paused, as if hesitating for a word, put his hand to his forehead, sank back into his chair, and died."

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