Peter A. Porter

Peter Augustus Porter
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from New York's 34th district
In office March 4, 1907 – March 4, 1909
Preceded by	James Wolcott Wadsworth
Succeeded by	James S. Simmons
Member of the New York Assembly from Niagara County
In office January 1, 1886 – December 31, 1887
Preceded by	Walter P. Horne
Succeeded by	Nelson D. Haskell
Village President of Niagara Falls
In office January 1, 1878 – December 31, 1878
Personal details
Born	(1853-10-10)October 10, 1853 Niagara Falls, New York
Died	December 15, 1925(1925-12-15) (aged 72) Buffalo, New York
Resting place	Oakwood Cemetery
Political party	Republican Independent Republican
Spouse(s)	Alice Adelle Taylor
Relations	See Breckinridge family
Children	3
Parents	Peter A. Porter Mary Cabell Breckenridge
Education	St. Paul's School
Alma mater	Yale College (1874)

Peter Augustus Porter (October 10, 1853 – December 15, 1925) was a U.S. Representative from New York, and grandson of Peter Buell Porter. Porter was the son of Colonel Peter A. Porter, the Civil War hero who bravely died in the bloody Battle of Cold Harbor. Porter was one of Niagara's first native poets.^[1]

Early life

Porter was born in Niagara Falls, New York on October 10, 1853, the only son of Mary Cabell Breckenridge and Col. Peter Augustus Porter (1827–1864), who was the only son of Gen. Peter Buell Porter (1773–1844). His mother died when he was four years old. He was taught by private teachers and later attended St. Paul's School in Concord, New Hampshire from 1865 to 1871. He graduated from Yale College in 1874^[2] and then traveled extensively.^[3]

Career

From 1880 to 1895, Porter owned the Niagara Falls Gazette, which had been founded in 1854, and converted it into a daily newspaper in 1893. He built the Arcade Building on Falls street in which the Gazette and the United States post office were housed for many years.^[4] He owned the famous old hostelry, the Cataract House, for many years. He was president of the Cataract Bank for some time.^[3]

In 1885, his family sold Goat Island and much of the mainland adjoining the river, which the Porter family had owned since 1816, to the Niagara Reservation, which New York State had established to create Niagara Falls State Park in the same year, becoming the first state park in the United States.^[3] He served as a director of the predecessor of the Niagara Falls Power Company, called Niagara River Hydraulic Tunnel, Power, and Sewer Company.^[3]

Political office

Before the City of Niagara Falls was incorporated on March 17, 1892,^[5] Porter served as village president in 1878.^[6]

In 1886, Porter was elected a member of the New York State Assembly in the New York State Legislature, as a Republican, representing Niagara County's 2nd District. He served in 109th and 110th New York State Legislature until 1887. As Assemblyman, he introduced and brought about the passage of the celebrated Niagara Tunnel Bill, which sanctioned the State to utilize and develop electric power at Niagara Falls.^[7]

In 1907, he was elected as an Independent Republican to the 60th United States Congress, holding office from March 4, 1907, to March 3, 1909. He represented the 34th Congressional District, which comprised Niagara, Orleans, Genesee, Livingston and Wyoming counties.^[3] He declined to be a candidate for renomination.^[8]

Later life

Following his stint in politics, Porter engaged in the study and writing of history of the Niagara frontier, and was a prominent member of the Buffalo Historical Society.^[7] He was the founder, president, and later honorary president for life, of the Niagara Frontier Historical Society. He donated many of the collections relics and took an active interest in the Niagara County Pioneer Association, serving as its president for three terms.^[3]

Personal life

On February 13, 1877,^[2] Porter married Alice Adelle Taylor (1853–1934), daughter of Virgil Corydon Taylor (1817–1889) and Harriett C. Dunlap (1832–1900). Alice was descended from Richard Taylor, who came from England to Massachusetts Colony in 1643.^[7] Together, Peter and Alice had three sons:^[3]

• Peter A. Porter, Jr. (b. 1877), who married married Geneva Thompson in 1907^[9]
• Cabell Breckinridge Porter (b. 1881), an illustrator who married Grace S. Sizer^[10][1]
• Preston Buell Porter (1891–1978), who married Margaret Ransom (b. 1894)^[7]

Porter died in Buffalo, New York, December 15, 1925 and was interred in Oakwood Cemetery in his hometown of Niagara Falls, New York.^[8]

References

Notes

Sources

• United States Congress. "Peter A. Porter (id: P000445)". Biographical Directory of the United States Congress. 

External links

• Works by Peter A. Porter at Project Gutenberg
• Works by or about Peter A. Porter at Internet Archive
• Peter A. Porter at Find a Grave

 This article incorporates public domain material from the Biographical Directory of the United States Congress website http://bioguide.congress.gov.