William Edwin Phelps (1835–1914)[1] was an American politician from Peoria County, Illinois.

During the Civil War, he served as Consulate General of Saint Petersburg, Russia.

When Phelps was fourteen, he began to attend Farmington Academy in winters while working on the family farm in the summers.

In November 1863, Phelps was appointed Consulate General of Saint Petersburg, Russia, where he served for three years.

He learned about negotiations in Kronstadt regarding a sale of a steamboat to the Confederates for use as a blockade runner and provided information so that the Navy could intercept it before it saw use.