John Dennis Phelan

John Dennis Phelan (born March 23, 1809, New Brunswick, New Jersey – died September 9, 1879, Birmingham, Alabama) was an American editor, politician and jurist.

Biography

With his parents, he moved to Huntsville, Alabama, in 1818. He graduated at the University of Nashville in 1828, studied law in Virginia, and was admitted to the bar of that state, but returned to Alabama in 1830. He became editor of the Huntsville Democrat, was in the legislature in 1833-35, attorney general of the state in 1836, speaker of the house in 1839, and a judge of the circuit court in 1841-51.

He was then elevated to the supreme bench, held office for two years, and again in 1863-65. In the interval when he was not a judge in the Alabama Supreme Court, he was clerk to that body, and also later in 1865-68. He became professor of law in the University of the South in 1869, holding the chair till his death.

Family

His brother was James Phelan, Sr., also a jurist and journalist. He married Mary Anne Harris in Limestone County, Alabama on April 16, 1835. "Alabama Marriages, 1816-1957," database, Family Search (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:V5Z7-6YV : 9 February 2018), John D. Phelan and Mary Ann Harris, 16 Apr 1835; citing reference ; FHL microfilm 1035010 IT 3. To this union was born 1)Thomas b.unk died June 27, 1862 at Gains Mill, Georgia 2) Watkins b. unk died April 2, 1863 Petersburg City , VA 3) John born 1841 died 1890 4) Ellis 1843 died 1897 5) Mary Harris Phelan born 1847 died 1928 m. Robert L. Watt 6) Sidney Harris born 1854 died 1913 7) Caroline Blount Phelan m. Jesse D. Beale 8) John L. b. 1859 died 1899. His grandson was Phelan Beale, who formed the law practice of "Bouvier and Beale" with Jacqueline Onassis's grandfather, "Major" John Vernou Bouvier, Jr.

References

• Wilson, J. G.; Fiske, J., eds. (1892). "Phelan, John Dennis" . Appletons' Cyclopædia of American Biography. New York: D. Appleton.