Memorial of James J. Phelan.
“James J. Phelan died at his country home at Allenhurst, New Jersey, on August 3, 1908, in the sixty-first year of his age. He was a native of the city of New York.
“His father was of Irish birth. His mother was a native of Maryland. His father, John Phelan, came to New York in his early youth with his father. They settled in Greenwich Village, afterwards known as the “Old Ninth Ward,” early in the nineteenth century, and established a successful business in the grocery trade. John Phelan was a man of shrewdness and commercial ability, which qualities he transmitted to his son. He was one of the Phelan family that distinguished itself in the commerce of San Francisco in the pioneer days and still maintains its high reputation there. John Phelan largely increased his fortune by his relations to the trade with California in the decade between 1850 and 1860.
“James J. Phelan attended first the public schools and then the commercial department of the College of St. Francis Xavier, of which famous institution he remained a steadfast friend ever afterwards.
“In 1867, his father, intending him for a business career, established him as the proprietor of a general store at Fordham, which was then a village in Westchester County but which now forms one of the important centers in the borough of the Bronx, New York City. He spent the formative years of his business life in the conduct of this venture.
“In 1870, at the age of twenty-five, he formed the firm of Phelan and Duval, which engaged in the wholesale wine and spirits trade and became one of the important houses in its department. He continued in active management of the affairs of this business until the year 1883, when he took charge of even larger interests.
“The American Contracting and Dredging Company was formed about that time among other things for construction work upon the Panama canal under the French concessionaries. It controlled valuable patent rights in dredging machinery. It secured several important contracts from Count Ferdinand de Lesseps as president of the French company and afterwards constructed fifteen miles of the Panama canal. It was most successful financially and its careful management avoided serious complications with the misfortunes of the Frenchmen. When its contracts were completed it withdrew from the field. Mr. Phelan was one of the master minds in this great work. Among his associates were Eugene Kelly, Charles N. Fry and George Bliss of distinguished and honorable memory in American finance, and Commander Gorringe of the United States Navy, who will be remembered for his engineering success in transporting the obelisk from Egypt to Central Park and setting it in its place without a single mishap.
“This, however, was but one of the important enterprises carried on by Mr. Phelan with success. His ability in commercial and corporate affairs was rare and as his remarkable grasp of great affairs and his skill in their administration became known he was invited into enterprises of the most important and lucrative character. He achieved from them a large fortune as well as a high reputation in finance. He died a member of the Chamber of Commerce of the City of New York.
“His active business life did not absorb all his energies. He was a man who from his youth took active part in the political life of the city. He joined also the societies working in the field of religion and morality. He was fond of his friends and of social life. He was always faithful to the traditions of the old Irish race from which he was descended and active in its cause.
“In 1890 he became a commissioner of the Dock Department of the City of New York on the appointment of Mayor Hugh J. Grant. He left upon that office the impress of his ability in one of the most important divisions of the affairs of the world’s greatest seaport, at a time when millions of dollars were available and were spent in providing for the oceanic trade of the port of New York. His service lasted four years, when he resigned with the praise and good wishes of the entire municipality.
“He was identified almost from his youth with the work of the Xavier Alumni Sodality, of the Catholic Club and of the St. Vincent de Paul Society. He rendered each of them great service, both as an officer and as a member. He was a trustee of the Roman Catholic Orphan Asylum, of the Catholic Benevolent Legion, of the Catholic Summer School and of many other philanthropic societies. He was a member of many of them in their struggling years and he gave his powers and his industry in full measure to their proper development.
“He was a member of the American Irish Historical Society from its establishment. He was always most interested in its work and devoted to the cause for which it stood. His pleasant face will be missed from its gatherings.
“He was married twice, the second time in 1881 to Marie Foran of New York. He had four sons and four daughters, who with his widow survive him.
“James J. Phelan was an example of the truth that in proper conditions the men of the Irish race surely rise to eminence in fields in which the current prejudice and error of the age deny that excellence is possible to them. From small beginnings and in conflict with adverse circumstances he rose to great fortune and conspicuous position in the metropolis by the exercise of thrift, temperance, honesty and intelligence. He met all sorts and conditions of men and asking no favor he conquered success, holding fast at the same time to the ideals of the race from which he sprung and the ancient faith to which he was ever loyal.”
The following memorial to the late Thomas Hamilton Murray, former Secretary-General of the Society, was presented and read by the present Secretary-General, Mr. Thomas Z. Lee, and it was unanimously voted that the same be adopted and that a copy thereof be sent to the widow of Mr. Murray: