San Francisco County
Biographies
A. E. PHELPS
A. E. PHELPS has been for more then forty years
prominently identified with the commercial interests of San
Francisco, and as a partner of the firm of W. S.
Phelps & Co., represents one of the oldest ship-smithing
establishments on the Pacific coast. He was born in New York City
in 1825, his ancestors having emigrated from England
to New England as early as 1630. Settling
at Windsor, Connecticut. His parents, Asa H. and Marjorie (McCoun) Phelps,
were pioneers of New York. Our
subject was educated in New York city,
and at the age of sixteen years went to the firm of Harper & Bros. To learn the trade of book-binding. He remained there five
years, and then conducted a book-store for two years, when he retired from this
line of business. He next took up the trade of a blacksmith which he followed
until the spring of 1849, when he joined eighteen men, each furnishing $ 500
with which they purchased the schooner General Worth, hired Captain Richardson
and a picked crew, and with a cargo of General merchandise sailed for California,
April 11, 1849. After a delightful voyage, they entered the harbor of San
Francisco October 4 1849, here the party divided, some going to the mines, and
the others, among them Mr. Phelps sailed the schooner
between San Francisco and Sacramento as a freight vessel. In March, 1850, the
schooner was sold, and Mr. Phelps and his companions purchased a whale-boat
returning to San Francisco. He next
went to the mines of Mariposa county, but found the
occupation very uncongenial; he came back to San Francisco
and purchased an interest in the sloop Brooklyn, which did a freighting
business between San Francisco and Alviso. In the fall of 1850 he disposed of this business,
and engaged in his trade, being employed by the firm Coker & Fick. November 1, 1851, he turned his face to the rising
sun, and going by the Nicaragua rout
he reached New York city,
where he spent the winter. In the spring of 1852 he returned to California,
accompanied by his brother, W. S. Phelps. After their arrival here they formed
the firm of W. S. Phelps & Co., and in July, 1852, they opened a ship-smithing shop at 17
Drumm street, where they
have continuously carried on business to the present time, 1891. Few establishments
in San Francisco boast of so long
an existence. W. S. Phelps being a ship smith by trade, the firm soon stepped
to the front, and they had a long and successful career. They mention with just
pride that among their present (1891) customers are still sea-captains who
employed them in 1853. In 1869 they began the manufacture of machine bolts and
later extended their facilities to cover bridge-building. In 1878 they put up
the first iron bridge constructed on the coast at the island
of Tahiti. In 1881 they erected
their shops at Black Point, but the ship-smithing
department has been continued at the old stand. In 1857 Mr. Phelps returned to New
York, and united in marriage to Miss Sarah E. McFarren. They are parents of five children, only two of whom
survive, Asa H. and Frank A. Mr. Phelps was a member
of the Vigilance Committee of 1851 and 1856. Although he had never been
Prominent in Politics he has been urged to accept public office; he is, however,
always too busy, and gratefully declines the honors. He is a life member of the
California Pioneers, belongs to the Golden Gate Lodge, F and A. M., and to the
Masonic Veteran Association.
Transcribed by Kim Buck.
Source: "The Bay of San
Francisco," Vol. 2, Pages
496-497, Lewis Publishing
Co, 1892.
© 2006 Kim Buck.
California Biography Project
San Francisco County
California Statewide
Golden Nugget Library