James D. Phelan

Infobox Officeholder
name = James D. Phelan

James Duval Phelan (April 20, 1861 San Francisco, California - August 7, 1930) was an American politician and banker.

Early years

Phelan was the son of an Irish immigrant who became wealthy during the California Gold Rush as a trader, merchant and banker. He graduated from St. Ignatius College in 1881.

Career

He studied law at the University of California, Berkeley and then became a banker. He was elected Mayor of San Francisco and served from 1897 until 1902.

Earthquake recovery efforts

During the 1906 San Francisco earthquake Phelan was a member of the Committee of Fifty, called into existence by Mayor Schmitz to manage the crisis. Afterwards, when Dr. Edward Thomas Devine, representing the American Red Cross by appointment of President Roosevelt, was responsible for Relief and Red Cross Funds, ex-Mayor Phelan was allowed to assist Devine, thus keeping the money out of the hands of Schmitz and Abe Ruef. Phelan became Chairman of the Board of Directors of the San Francisco Relief and Red Cross Funds when Dr. Devine was relieved of his post in July 1906.

U.S. Senate

As a Democrat, Phelan ran for the U.S. Senate against Republican Joseph R. Knowland and Progressive Francis J. Heney. He was then elected to the United States Senate and served from March 4 1915 to March 3 1921. He was an unsuccessful candidate for reelection in 1920, defeated by Republican, Samuel M. Shortridge, coming in second place with 40% of the vote. His defeat may have been the result of his overly conservative campaign direction: One of his reelection campaign posters contained the headline "Keep California White" (this poster is displayed at Japanese American National Museum). During his time in the Senate he was chairman of the U.S. Senate Committee on Railroads during the 64th Congress and of the U.S. Senate Committee on Irrigation and Reclamation of Arid Lands during the 65th Congress.

Villa Montalvo and his legacy

After his time in the Senate, Phelan returned to banking, and collected art. He died at his country estate "Villa Montalvo" in Saratoga, California in 1930. After his death, the estate was gifted to the people of California. Montalvo is now a state-run center for the performing and visual arts. Some of his mementos and correspondence are on display in the library at Villa Montalvo.

Phelan is buried in the family mausoleum in Holy Cross Cemetery in Colma, San Mateo County, California.

Phelan Avenue in San Francisco is named for him. Phelan Hall, a dormitory on the Jesuit-run University of San Francisco campus is also named for Phelan who graduated from USF's predecessor institution, St. Ignatius College. The town of Phelan in the Californian High Desert is named after him. James D. Phelan Elementary School in the Moreland School District in San Jose, California, was named for him. The school was closed due to declining enrollment, but the facility now houses a preschool and Moreland Discovery Elementary School. The small city of Phelan, located in the Mojave Desert east of Pearblossom is named for him.

References

*Gordon Thomas & Max Morgan Witts: "The San Francisco Earthquake" (Stein and Day, New York; Souvenir Press, London, 1971; reprinted Dell, 1972, SBN 440-07631)

External links

* [http://www.villamontalvo.org/ Montalvo Arts Center]