Timothy Guy Phelps

Timothy Guy Phelps (December 20, 1824 – June 11, 1899) was an American politician, businessman, and government official. He was the first president of the Southern Pacific Railroad from 1865 until 1868 and saw the railroad build its first tracks south of San Francisco, California.

Biography

Early years Phelps was born in Oxford, New York on December 20, 1824, and completed preparatory schooling there before moving to New York City in 1845. He worked in mercantile there for a short time, then returned to Chenango County to study law. He was elected to the State Assembly again in 1894, serving one term.

Phelps also served as a regent of the University of California at Berkeley from 1878 until his death. Sophronia died on and Phelps was remarried to Josephine A. McLean in 1870.

Death

Phelps died at age 74 on June 11, 1899, near San Carlos, after he was struck by two boys on a tandem bicycle. The cyclists turned themselves in after learning of his death, and charges against them were dropped on June 20, 1899, after they related their account of the crash.

Phelps was buried at Cypress Lawn Memorial Park in Colma.