Phelps Phelps
Encyclopedia
Phelps Phelps born Phelps von Rottenburg, was an American
politician who held a number of offices in New York
before becoming the 38th Governor of American Samoa and the United States Ambassador to the Dominican Republic
. Phelps' parents divorced in 1899 and he later took his mother's maiden name as his last name, though it was already his first. He attended Yale University
in 1916, but was dismissed for cheating; he eventually graduated from Williams College
and then Fordham University Law School, becoming an attorney
.
Phelps began his political career as Deputy Commissioner for Veterans Affairs for New York City
. From 1924 to 1928, he was a Republican
member of the New York State Assembly
. After the 1932 Republican National Convention
, he became a Democrat, and acted as a delegate at a number of national conventions. He served another term in the State Assembly, and then in the New York State Senate
. He also attended a New Jersey Constitutional Convention
, hosted a long-running radio commentary show, and was a prolific writer of letters to the editor
of major newspapers. Phelps served in the United States Army
during World War II
, achieving the rank of Captain. Immediately following the war, Phelps served on Douglas MacArthur
's staff during the Japanese War Crimes Tribunal.
Upon his appointment as governor to American Samoa
in 1951, Phelps became its first civilian governor. The United States Navy
largely withdrew from the island with the last naval governor, leaving Phelps to restructure an economy previously centered around the military. He promoted the oil storage facilities on the island and attracted new airlines to Pago Pago International Airport
in an attempt to make up lost revenue. His last overseas post was as Ambassador to the Dominican Republic
under the rule of Rafael Trujillo. There, he had to negotiate land sales between the two governments and respond to citizen's anger when possible assassinations on United States soil ordered by Trujillo. Phelps never married or owned property, preferring to wander between various hotels, and lived with four women throughout his life. Phelps died in Wildwood, New Jersey
, and is buried at the Arlington National Cemetery
.
, Germany
, to Franz and Marian Phelps von Rottenburg. His mother came from a wealthy family, and his father, who died when Phelps was nine, worked as a lawyer, but came from a family of shipper
s. His grandfather was William Walter Phelps
, a politician who served multiple terms in the United States House of Representatives
out of New Jersey's 5th congressional district
and as the United States ambassador to Austria-Hungary
; his great-grandfather was Joseph Earl Sheffield
. In 1899, his mother divorced his father and took the children to Teaneck, New Jersey
, where they were raised with the help of their grandmother Ellen Maria. Shortly after arriving in New Jersey, Phelps' mother gave him her last name, and he became known as Phelps Phelps. He attended Yale University
in 1916, but was dismissed from the school after paying another student to take his exams for him. He graduated from Williams College
in 1922, and received his juris doctor
from Fordham University School of Law
in 1925.
. He joined the Royal Flying Corps
in Canada
, but left later in the year to attend college. During World War II
, Phelps served in the reserve corps until enlisting in the United States Army
in 1942. He served in the infantry
, and eventually achieved the rank of Captain. Following the war, he was on the Japanese War Crimes Tribunal, and was eventually demobilized at Camp Stoneman
.
, including many to newspapers like the New York Times and Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
, where he discussed a wide range of issues. For much of his later life, Phelps lived in Jersey City, New Jersey
. He died on June 10, 1981 in Wildwood, New Jersey
. He was buried July 3 of the same year at the Arlington National Cemetery
.
. He served as a Republican
member of the New York State Assembly
from Greenwich Village
from 1924 to 1928. In 1928, he ran for a nomination for the United States House of Representatives
, but lost the primary to Ruth Baker Pratt
, who would become the first congresswoman from New York. Following the 1932 Republican National Convention
, Phelps became a Democrat
, and travelled to the 1936
, 1956
, and 1960 Democratic National Convention
s as a delegate. He served in the State Assembly again from 1937 to 1938, and then in the New York State Senate
from 1939 to 1942.
After leaving his diplomatic post in the Dominican Republic
, Phelps served as commissioner for the Palisades Interstate Park Commission
. He was a delegate to the New Jersey State Constitutional Convention in 1966. He hosted a long-standing radio program, where he commented on politics and current events. When Jimmy Carter
became President, Phelps objected to the moral platforms the Democratic Party had chosen to take, and returned to the Republican Party.
Harry Truman appointed Phelps to serve as Governor of American Samoa, making him the first civilian governor of the islands; the previous governors had been naval officers. He began his term on February 23, 1951. Phelps immediately needed to address the failing economy of American Samoa, caused by the withdrawal of the United States Navy
from the islands with the final naval governor. Phelps attempted to replace the lost military revenue by selling oil from storage facilities to shipping enterprises, drawing in new airlines to Pago Pago International Airport
, and encouraging larger copra
crop yields.
Phelps criticized the United States military for refusing to build recruitment centers in American Samoa, leaving natives who wanted to enlist the need to travel to Hawaii
to do so. He attempted to fix a number of political problems with the island. This led him to fire his attorney general and take measures to improve the relations between inhabitants of the Tutuila
and Manu'a islands.
, serving from June 27, 1952 to May 30, 1953. Dictator Rafael Trujillo was in charge of the Dominican Republic
during Phelps' post. Among the issues he faced were accusations of numerous murders of Americans on United States soil ordered and funded by Trujillo. He also negotiated a land deal where Trujillo purchased an empty lot the United States owned in Ciudad Trujillo, now Santo Domingo
. Phelps resigned on May 21, 1953, and was replaced by William T. Pheiffer
nine days later.
fan, and had personal friendships with numerous well-known players of the time. Phelps received much of the attention of his mother and grandmother during his childhood; this led to a strained relationship with his sister, who remained embittered towards him for the rest of her life. She left America in the 1920s, and never spoke with him again. He preferred to live in hotels and move from place to place, and never owned property.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
politician who held a number of offices in New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
before becoming the 38th Governor of American Samoa and the United States Ambassador to the Dominican Republic
United States Ambassador to the Dominican Republic
This is a list of ambassadors of the United States to the Dominican Republic.-See also:*Dominican Republic – United States relations*Foreign relations of the Dominican Republic*Ambassadors of the United States-References:*-External links:* * *...
. Phelps' parents divorced in 1899 and he later took his mother's maiden name as his last name, though it was already his first. He attended Yale University
Yale University
Yale University is a private, Ivy League university located in New Haven, Connecticut, United States. Founded in 1701 in the Colony of Connecticut, the university is the third-oldest institution of higher education in the United States...
in 1916, but was dismissed for cheating; he eventually graduated from Williams College
Williams College
Williams College is a private liberal arts college located in Williamstown, Massachusetts, United States. It was established in 1793 with funds from the estate of Ephraim Williams. Originally a men's college, Williams became co-educational in 1970. Fraternities were also phased out during this...
and then Fordham University Law School, becoming an attorney
Lawyer
A lawyer, according to Black's Law Dictionary, is "a person learned in the law; as an attorney, counsel or solicitor; a person who is practicing law." Law is the system of rules of conduct established by the sovereign government of a society to correct wrongs, maintain the stability of political...
.
Phelps began his political career as Deputy Commissioner for Veterans Affairs for New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
. From 1924 to 1928, he was a Republican
Republican Party (United States)
The Republican Party is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Democratic Party. Founded by anti-slavery expansion activists in 1854, it is often called the GOP . The party's platform generally reflects American conservatism in the U.S...
member of the New York State Assembly
New York State Assembly
The New York State Assembly is the lower house of the New York State Legislature. The Assembly is composed of 150 members representing an equal number of districts, with each district having an average population of 128,652...
. After the 1932 Republican National Convention
1932 Republican National Convention
The 1932 Republican National Convention was held at Chicago Stadium in Chicago, Illinois, from June 14 to June 16, 1932. It renominated President Herbert Hoover and Vice President Charles Curtis for their respective positions....
, he became a Democrat, and acted as a delegate at a number of national conventions. He served another term in the State Assembly, and then in the New York State Senate
New York State Senate
The New York State Senate is one of two houses in the New York State Legislature and has members each elected to two-year terms. There are no limits on the number of terms one may serve...
. He also attended a New Jersey Constitutional Convention
Constitutional convention (political meeting)
A constitutional convention is now a gathering for the purpose of writing a new constitution or revising an existing constitution. A general constitutional convention is called to create the first constitution of a political unit or to entirely replace an existing constitution...
, hosted a long-running radio commentary show, and was a prolific writer of letters to the editor
Letter to the editor
A letter to the editor is a letter sent to a publication about issues of concern from its readers. Usually, letters are intended for publication...
of major newspapers. Phelps served in the United States Army
United States Army
The United States Army is the main branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for land-based military operations. It is the largest and oldest established branch of the U.S. military, and is one of seven U.S. uniformed services...
during World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, achieving the rank of Captain. Immediately following the war, Phelps served on Douglas MacArthur
Douglas MacArthur
General of the Army Douglas MacArthur was an American general and field marshal of the Philippine Army. He was a Chief of Staff of the United States Army during the 1930s and played a prominent role in the Pacific theater during World War II. He received the Medal of Honor for his service in the...
's staff during the Japanese War Crimes Tribunal.
Upon his appointment as governor to American Samoa
American Samoa
American Samoa is an unincorporated territory of the United States located in the South Pacific Ocean, southeast of the sovereign state of Samoa...
in 1951, Phelps became its first civilian governor. The United States Navy
United States Navy
The United States Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the seven uniformed services of the United States. The U.S. Navy is the largest in the world; its battle fleet tonnage is greater than that of the next 13 largest navies combined. The U.S...
largely withdrew from the island with the last naval governor, leaving Phelps to restructure an economy previously centered around the military. He promoted the oil storage facilities on the island and attracted new airlines to Pago Pago International Airport
Pago Pago International Airport
Pago Pago International Airport , also referred to as Tafuna Airport , Tafuna Airfield, Tafuna Airbase or Pago Pago International with airport designation PPG is a public airport located seven miles southwest of the central business district of Pago Pago, in the village and plains of Tafuna on...
in an attempt to make up lost revenue. His last overseas post was as Ambassador to the Dominican Republic
Dominican Republic
The Dominican Republic is a nation on the island of La Hispaniola, part of the Greater Antilles archipelago in the Caribbean region. The western third of the island is occupied by the nation of Haiti, making Hispaniola one of two Caribbean islands that are shared by two countries...
under the rule of Rafael Trujillo. There, he had to negotiate land sales between the two governments and respond to citizen's anger when possible assassinations on United States soil ordered by Trujillo. Phelps never married or owned property, preferring to wander between various hotels, and lived with four women throughout his life. Phelps died in Wildwood, New Jersey
Wildwood, New Jersey
Wildwood is a city in Cape May County, New Jersey, United States. It is part of the Ocean City Metropolitan Statistical Area and is a popular summer resort destination. As of the 2010 United States Census, the city's year-round population was 5,325...
, and is buried at the Arlington National Cemetery
Arlington National Cemetery
Arlington National Cemetery in Arlington County, Virginia, is a military cemetery in the United States of America, established during the American Civil War on the grounds of Arlington House, formerly the estate of the family of Confederate general Robert E. Lee's wife Mary Anna Lee, a great...
.
Early life
Phelps was born Phelps von Rottenburg on May 4, 1897 in BonnBonn
Bonn is the 19th largest city in Germany. Located in the Cologne/Bonn Region, about 25 kilometres south of Cologne on the river Rhine in the State of North Rhine-Westphalia, it was the capital of West Germany from 1949 to 1990 and the official seat of government of united Germany from 1990 to 1999....
, Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
, to Franz and Marian Phelps von Rottenburg. His mother came from a wealthy family, and his father, who died when Phelps was nine, worked as a lawyer, but came from a family of shipper
Shipper
A shipper can be:*Someone who sends goods for shipment, by packaging, labeling, and arranging for transit, or who coordinates the transport of goods*Shipping , someone who supports a fictional romantic relationship, usually on the Internet...
s. His grandfather was William Walter Phelps
William Walter Phelps
William Walter Phelps , the son of John Jay Phelps, a successful New York City merchant and financier, was born in Dundaff, Pennsylvania. During his successful banking career in Manhattan, he settled in Teaneck, New Jersey, across the Hudson River...
, a politician who served multiple terms in the United States House of Representatives
United States House of Representatives
The United States House of Representatives is one of the two Houses of the United States Congress, the bicameral legislature which also includes the Senate.The composition and powers of the House are established in Article One of the Constitution...
out of New Jersey's 5th congressional district
New Jersey's 5th congressional district
New Jersey's Fifth Congressional District is currently represented by Republican Scott Garrett. Garrett defeated Democrat Paul Aronsohn and independent candidate R. Matthew Fretz 55%-44% in the United States general elections, 2006....
and as the United States ambassador to Austria-Hungary
Austria-Hungary
Austria-Hungary , more formally known as the Kingdoms and Lands Represented in the Imperial Council and the Lands of the Holy Hungarian Crown of Saint Stephen, was a constitutional monarchic union between the crowns of the Austrian Empire and the Kingdom of Hungary in...
; his great-grandfather was Joseph Earl Sheffield
Joseph Earl Sheffield
Joseph Earl Sheffield was an American railroad magnate and philanthropist.Sheffield was born in Southport, Connecticut, the son of Paul King Sheffield, a shipowner, and his wife Mabel . He attended public schools, and moved south to enter the cotton trade...
. In 1899, his mother divorced his father and took the children to Teaneck, New Jersey
Teaneck, New Jersey
Teaneck is a township in Bergen County, New Jersey, and a suburb in the New York metropolitan area. As of the 2010 United States Census, the township population was 39,776, making it the second-most populous among the 70 municipalities in Bergen County....
, where they were raised with the help of their grandmother Ellen Maria. Shortly after arriving in New Jersey, Phelps' mother gave him her last name, and he became known as Phelps Phelps. He attended Yale University
Yale University
Yale University is a private, Ivy League university located in New Haven, Connecticut, United States. Founded in 1701 in the Colony of Connecticut, the university is the third-oldest institution of higher education in the United States...
in 1916, but was dismissed from the school after paying another student to take his exams for him. He graduated from Williams College
Williams College
Williams College is a private liberal arts college located in Williamstown, Massachusetts, United States. It was established in 1793 with funds from the estate of Ephraim Williams. Originally a men's college, Williams became co-educational in 1970. Fraternities were also phased out during this...
in 1922, and received his juris doctor
Juris Doctor
Juris Doctor is a professional doctorate and first professional graduate degree in law.The degree was first awarded by Harvard University in the United States in the late 19th century and was created as a modern version of the old European doctor of law degree Juris Doctor (see etymology and...
from Fordham University School of Law
Fordham University School of Law
Fordham University School of Law is a part of Fordham University in the United States. The School is located in the Borough of Manhattan in New York City, and is one of eight ABA-approved law schools in that city.-Overview:According to the U.S. News & World Report, 1,516 J.D. students attend...
in 1925.
Military service
Enlisting in August 1917, Phelps attended the aviation school of the United States School of Military Aeronautics in Ithaca, New YorkIthaca, New York
The city of Ithaca, is a city in upstate New York and the county seat of Tompkins County, as well as the largest community in the Ithaca-Tompkins County metropolitan area...
. He joined the Royal Flying Corps
Royal Flying Corps
The Royal Flying Corps was the over-land air arm of the British military during most of the First World War. During the early part of the war, the RFC's responsibilities were centred on support of the British Army, via artillery co-operation and photographic reconnaissance...
in Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
, but left later in the year to attend college. During World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, Phelps served in the reserve corps until enlisting in the United States Army
United States Army
The United States Army is the main branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for land-based military operations. It is the largest and oldest established branch of the U.S. military, and is one of seven U.S. uniformed services...
in 1942. He served in the infantry
Infantry
Infantrymen are soldiers who are specifically trained for the role of fighting on foot to engage the enemy face to face and have historically borne the brunt of the casualties of combat in wars. As the oldest branch of combat arms, they are the backbone of armies...
, and eventually achieved the rank of Captain. Following the war, he was on the Japanese War Crimes Tribunal, and was eventually demobilized at Camp Stoneman
Camp Stoneman
Camp Stoneman was a United States Army military facility located in Pittsburg, California. It served as a major staging area for the Army in World War II and the Korean War....
.
Later life
After retiring from his two overseas posts, Phelps became a prolific writer of newspaper letters to the editorLetter to the editor
A letter to the editor is a letter sent to a publication about issues of concern from its readers. Usually, letters are intended for publication...
, including many to newspapers like the New York Times and Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel is a daily morning broadsheet printed in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA. It is the primary newspaper in Milwaukee, the largest newspaper in Wisconsin and is distributed widely throughout the state...
, where he discussed a wide range of issues. For much of his later life, Phelps lived in Jersey City, New Jersey
Jersey City, New Jersey
Jersey City is the seat of Hudson County, New Jersey, United States.Part of the New York metropolitan area, Jersey City lies between the Hudson River and Upper New York Bay across from Lower Manhattan and the Hackensack River and Newark Bay...
. He died on June 10, 1981 in Wildwood, New Jersey
Wildwood, New Jersey
Wildwood is a city in Cape May County, New Jersey, United States. It is part of the Ocean City Metropolitan Statistical Area and is a popular summer resort destination. As of the 2010 United States Census, the city's year-round population was 5,325...
. He was buried July 3 of the same year at the Arlington National Cemetery
Arlington National Cemetery
Arlington National Cemetery in Arlington County, Virginia, is a military cemetery in the United States of America, established during the American Civil War on the grounds of Arlington House, formerly the estate of the family of Confederate general Robert E. Lee's wife Mary Anna Lee, a great...
.
Political career
From 1923 to 1924, Phelps held the post of Deputy Commissioner for Veterans Affairs for New York CityNew York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
. He served as a Republican
Republican Party (United States)
The Republican Party is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Democratic Party. Founded by anti-slavery expansion activists in 1854, it is often called the GOP . The party's platform generally reflects American conservatism in the U.S...
member of the New York State Assembly
New York State Assembly
The New York State Assembly is the lower house of the New York State Legislature. The Assembly is composed of 150 members representing an equal number of districts, with each district having an average population of 128,652...
from Greenwich Village
Greenwich Village
Greenwich Village, , , , .in New York often simply called "the Village", is a largely residential neighborhood on the west side of Lower Manhattan in New York City. A large majority of the district is home to upper middle class families...
from 1924 to 1928. In 1928, he ran for a nomination for the United States House of Representatives
United States House of Representatives
The United States House of Representatives is one of the two Houses of the United States Congress, the bicameral legislature which also includes the Senate.The composition and powers of the House are established in Article One of the Constitution...
, but lost the primary to Ruth Baker Pratt
Ruth Baker Pratt
Ruth Baker Pratt , was an American politician and the first congresswoman to be elected from New York.-Early life:...
, who would become the first congresswoman from New York. Following the 1932 Republican National Convention
1932 Republican National Convention
The 1932 Republican National Convention was held at Chicago Stadium in Chicago, Illinois, from June 14 to June 16, 1932. It renominated President Herbert Hoover and Vice President Charles Curtis for their respective positions....
, Phelps became a Democrat
Democratic Party (United States)
The Democratic Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party. The party's socially liberal and progressive platform is largely considered center-left in the U.S. political spectrum. The party has the lengthiest record of continuous...
, and travelled to the 1936
1936 Democratic National Convention
The 1936 Democratic National Convention was held in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania from June 23 to 27, 1936. The convention resulted in the re-nomination of U.S. President Franklin D. Roosevelt and Vice President John Nance Garner....
, 1956
1956 Democratic National Convention
The 1956 National Convention of the Democratic Party nominated former Governor Adlai Stevenson of Illinois for President and Senator Estes Kefauver of Tennessee for Vice President. It was held in the International Amphitheatre on the South Side of Chicago, Illinois August 13–17 1956. Unsuccessful...
, and 1960 Democratic National Convention
1960 Democratic National Convention
The 1960 Democratic National Convention was held in Los Angeles. In the end, the Kennedy-Johnson ticket was assembled and went on to secure an electoral college victory and a narrow popular vote plurality in the fall over the Republican candidates Richard M...
s as a delegate. He served in the State Assembly again from 1937 to 1938, and then in the New York State Senate
New York State Senate
The New York State Senate is one of two houses in the New York State Legislature and has members each elected to two-year terms. There are no limits on the number of terms one may serve...
from 1939 to 1942.
After leaving his diplomatic post in the Dominican Republic
Dominican Republic
The Dominican Republic is a nation on the island of La Hispaniola, part of the Greater Antilles archipelago in the Caribbean region. The western third of the island is occupied by the nation of Haiti, making Hispaniola one of two Caribbean islands that are shared by two countries...
, Phelps served as commissioner for the Palisades Interstate Park Commission
Palisades Interstate Park Commission
Palisades Interstate Park and its creator, the Palisades Interstate Park Commission, was formed in 1900 by governors Theodore Roosevelt of New York and Foster M. Voorhees of New Jersey in response to the destruction of the Palisades by quarry operators in the late 19th century...
. He was a delegate to the New Jersey State Constitutional Convention in 1966. He hosted a long-standing radio program, where he commented on politics and current events. When Jimmy Carter
Jimmy Carter
James Earl "Jimmy" Carter, Jr. is an American politician who served as the 39th President of the United States and was the recipient of the 2002 Nobel Peace Prize, the only U.S. President to have received the Prize after leaving office...
became President, Phelps objected to the moral platforms the Democratic Party had chosen to take, and returned to the Republican Party.
Governorship
President of the United StatesPresident of the United States
The President of the United States of America is the head of state and head of government of the United States. The president leads the executive branch of the federal government and is the commander-in-chief of the United States Armed Forces....
Harry Truman appointed Phelps to serve as Governor of American Samoa, making him the first civilian governor of the islands; the previous governors had been naval officers. He began his term on February 23, 1951. Phelps immediately needed to address the failing economy of American Samoa, caused by the withdrawal of the United States Navy
United States Navy
The United States Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the seven uniformed services of the United States. The U.S. Navy is the largest in the world; its battle fleet tonnage is greater than that of the next 13 largest navies combined. The U.S...
from the islands with the final naval governor. Phelps attempted to replace the lost military revenue by selling oil from storage facilities to shipping enterprises, drawing in new airlines to Pago Pago International Airport
Pago Pago International Airport
Pago Pago International Airport , also referred to as Tafuna Airport , Tafuna Airfield, Tafuna Airbase or Pago Pago International with airport designation PPG is a public airport located seven miles southwest of the central business district of Pago Pago, in the village and plains of Tafuna on...
, and encouraging larger copra
Copra
Copra is the dried meat, or kernel, of the coconut. Coconut oil extracted from it has made copra an important agricultural commodity for many coconut-producing countries. It also yields coconut cake which is mainly used as feed for livestock.-Production:...
crop yields.
Phelps criticized the United States military for refusing to build recruitment centers in American Samoa, leaving natives who wanted to enlist the need to travel to Hawaii
Hawaii
Hawaii is the newest of the 50 U.S. states , and is the only U.S. state made up entirely of islands. It is the northernmost island group in Polynesia, occupying most of an archipelago in the central Pacific Ocean, southwest of the continental United States, southeast of Japan, and northeast of...
to do so. He attempted to fix a number of political problems with the island. This led him to fire his attorney general and take measures to improve the relations between inhabitants of the Tutuila
Tutuila
Tutuila is the largest and the main island of American Samoa in the archipelago of Samoan Islands. It is the third largest island in the Samoan Islands chain of the Central Pacific located roughly northeast of Brisbane, Australia and over northeast of Fiji. It contains a large, natural harbor,...
and Manu'a islands.
Ambassadorship
Only days after leaving the governor's seat, Phelps received appointment as the United States Ambassador to the Dominican RepublicUnited States Ambassador to the Dominican Republic
This is a list of ambassadors of the United States to the Dominican Republic.-See also:*Dominican Republic – United States relations*Foreign relations of the Dominican Republic*Ambassadors of the United States-References:*-External links:* * *...
, serving from June 27, 1952 to May 30, 1953. Dictator Rafael Trujillo was in charge of the Dominican Republic
Dominican Republic
The Dominican Republic is a nation on the island of La Hispaniola, part of the Greater Antilles archipelago in the Caribbean region. The western third of the island is occupied by the nation of Haiti, making Hispaniola one of two Caribbean islands that are shared by two countries...
during Phelps' post. Among the issues he faced were accusations of numerous murders of Americans on United States soil ordered and funded by Trujillo. He also negotiated a land deal where Trujillo purchased an empty lot the United States owned in Ciudad Trujillo, now Santo Domingo
Santo Domingo
Santo Domingo, known officially as Santo Domingo de Guzmán, is the capital and largest city in the Dominican Republic. Its metropolitan population was 2,084,852 in 2003, and estimated at 3,294,385 in 2010. The city is located on the Caribbean Sea, at the mouth of the Ozama River...
. Phelps resigned on May 21, 1953, and was replaced by William T. Pheiffer
William T. Pheiffer
William Townsend Pheiffer was an American lawyer, Republican politician and diplomat. He was a Representative from New York in the 77th Congress and ambassador to the Dominican Republic....
nine days later.
Personal life
Phelps never married, but lived with four different women throughout his lifetime. He was a major baseballBaseball
Baseball is a bat-and-ball sport played between two teams of nine players each. The aim is to score runs by hitting a thrown ball with a bat and touching a series of four bases arranged at the corners of a ninety-foot diamond...
fan, and had personal friendships with numerous well-known players of the time. Phelps received much of the attention of his mother and grandmother during his childhood; this led to a strained relationship with his sister, who remained embittered towards him for the rest of her life. She left America in the 1920s, and never spoke with him again. He preferred to live in hotels and move from place to place, and never owned property.