Peter Buell Porter
Encyclopedia
Peter Buell Porter was an American lawyer, soldier and politician who served as United States Secretary of War
from 1828 to 1829.
in 1791, studied law in Litchfield, Connecticut
, was admitted to the bar, and commenced practice in Canandaigua, New York
in 1793. He served as clerk of Ontario County
from 1797 to 1804 and was a member of the New York State Assembly
in 1802 and again in 1828.
In the fall of 1809, Porter moved to Black Rock, New York
and was elected as a Democratic-Republican to the Eleventh and Twelfth United States Congresses, serving from March 4, 1809 to March 3, 1813, but declined renomination. During his service in Congress, he was a leading figure among Congressional "war hawks" and Chairman of the Committee that recommended preparation for war with Great Britain
. At the same time, from 1810 to 1816, he was a member of the Erie Canal Commission
, a commission on inland navigation established in 1810 by the New York state Legislature to survey a canal route from the Hudson River
to the Great Lakes
.
During the War of 1812
, Porter was initially quartermaster general of the New York State Militia from May to October 1812. He participated in and criticized General Alexander Smyth
’s abortive operations against British Canada
in 1812, culminating in a bloodless duel between the two. The historian John R. Elting wrote of the duel, stating "Unfortunately, both missed." He later raised and commanded a brigade of New York militia that incorporated a Six Nations
Indian contingent and led his command with distinction. For his actions, he was presented a gold medal under joint resolution of Congress dated November 3, 1814 "for gallantry and good conduct" during the Battle of Chippewa, the Battle of Niagara
, and the Battle of Erie.
Porter was Secretary of State of New York
from February 1815 to February 1816. He was also elected to the Fourteenth United States Congress. Although his term in Congress began on March 4, 1815, the actual Session began only in December, and he took his seat on December 11, 1815. On January 23, 1816, he resigned, having been appointed a Commissioner under the Treaty of Ghent
, which caused a controversy as to the constitutionality of sitting in Congress and holding this commissionership at the same time.
In 1817, his political friends of Tammany Hall
printed ballots with his name and distributed them among their followers to vote for Porter for Governor of New York
at the special election which was held after the resignation of Governor Daniel D. Tompkins
. DeWitt Clinton
, the otherwise unopposed candidate, was fiercely hated by the Tammany organization, and Porter received about 1,300 votes although he was not really running for the office. Porter became a regent of the University of the State of New York
in 1824, and served in that capacity until 1830.
From May 16, 1828 to March 9, 1829, Porter served as Secretary of War
in the Cabinet of President John Quincy Adams
, and was an advocate for the removal of Eastern Indians beyond the Mississippi. He moved to Niagara Falls
in 1836 and was a presidential elector on the Whig ticket in 1840. He died at Niagara Falls in 1844, and was interred in Oakwood Cemetery
. Fort Porter
and Porter Avenue at Buffalo were named in his honor.
Porter married Letitia Breckinridge of the prominent Breckinridge family
in 1818 and their son, Colonel Peter A. Porter, became a Civil War hero who bravely died in the bloody Battle of Cold Harbor. He was also the grandfather of Peter Augustus Porter and uncle of Augustus Seymour Porter
and Peter B. Porter, Jr.
Porter's letters and papers survive in the library collections of the Buffalo and Erie County Historical Society.
United States Secretary of War
The Secretary of War was a member of the United States President's Cabinet, beginning with George Washington's administration. A similar position, called either "Secretary at War" or "Secretary of War," was appointed to serve the Congress of the Confederation under the Articles of Confederation...
from 1828 to 1829.
Life
He graduated from Yale CollegeYale College
Yale College was the official name of Yale University from 1718 to 1887. The name now refers to the undergraduate part of the university. Each undergraduate student is assigned to one of 12 residential colleges.-Residential colleges:...
in 1791, studied law in Litchfield, Connecticut
Litchfield, Connecticut
Litchfield is a town in and former county seat of Litchfield County, Connecticut, United States, and is known as an affluent summer resort. The population was 8,316 at the 2000 census. The boroughs of Bantam and Litchfield are located within the town...
, was admitted to the bar, and commenced practice in Canandaigua, New York
Canandaigua (city), New York
Canandaigua is a city in Ontario County, New York, USA, of which it is the county seat. The population was 11,264 at the 2000 census...
in 1793. He served as clerk of Ontario County
Ontario County, New York
As of the census of 2000, there were 100,224 people, 38,370 households, and 26,360 families residing in the county. The population density was 156 people per square mile . There were 42,647 housing units at an average density of 66 per square mile...
from 1797 to 1804 and was a 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...
in 1802 and again in 1828.
In the fall of 1809, Porter moved to Black Rock, New York
Black Rock, Buffalo, New York
Black Rock, once an independent municipality, is now a neighborhood of the northwest section of the city of Buffalo, New York. In the 1820s, Black Rock was the rival of Buffalo for the terminus of the Erie Canal, but Buffalo, with its larger harbor capacity and greater distance from the shores of...
and was elected as a Democratic-Republican to the Eleventh and Twelfth United States Congresses, serving from March 4, 1809 to March 3, 1813, but declined renomination. During his service in Congress, he was a leading figure among Congressional "war hawks" and Chairman of the Committee that recommended preparation for war with Great Britain
Great Britain
Great Britain or Britain is an island situated to the northwest of Continental Europe. It is the ninth largest island in the world, and the largest European island, as well as the largest of the British Isles...
. At the same time, from 1810 to 1816, he was a member of the Erie Canal Commission
Erie Canal Commission
The New York State Legislature appointed in 1810 a Commission to Explore a Route for a Canal to Lake Erie, and Report which became known as the Erie Canal Commission...
, a commission on inland navigation established in 1810 by the New York state Legislature to survey a canal route from the Hudson River
Hudson River
The Hudson is a river that flows from north to south through eastern New York. The highest official source is at Lake Tear of the Clouds, on the slopes of Mount Marcy in the Adirondack Mountains. The river itself officially begins in Henderson Lake in Newcomb, New York...
to the Great Lakes
Great Lakes
The Great Lakes are a collection of freshwater lakes located in northeastern North America, on the Canada – United States border. Consisting of Lakes Superior, Michigan, Huron, Erie, and Ontario, they form the largest group of freshwater lakes on Earth by total surface, coming in second by volume...
.
During the War of 1812
War of 1812
The War of 1812 was a military conflict fought between the forces of the United States of America and those of the British Empire. The Americans declared war in 1812 for several reasons, including trade restrictions because of Britain's ongoing war with France, impressment of American merchant...
, Porter was initially quartermaster general of the New York State Militia from May to October 1812. He participated in and criticized General Alexander Smyth
Alexander Smyth
Alexander Smyth was an American lawyer, soldier, and politician from Virginia, who served in the United States House of Representatives and as a general during the War of 1812.-Biography:...
’s abortive operations against British 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...
in 1812, culminating in a bloodless duel between the two. The historian John R. Elting wrote of the duel, stating "Unfortunately, both missed." He later raised and commanded a brigade of New York militia that incorporated a Six Nations
Iroquois
The Iroquois , also known as the Haudenosaunee or the "People of the Longhouse", are an association of several tribes of indigenous people of North America...
Indian contingent and led his command with distinction. For his actions, he was presented a gold medal under joint resolution of Congress dated November 3, 1814 "for gallantry and good conduct" during the Battle of Chippewa, the Battle of Niagara
Battle of Lundy's Lane
The Battle of Lundy's Lane was a battle of the Anglo-American War of 1812, which took place on 25 July 1814, in present-day Niagara Falls, Ontario...
, and the Battle of Erie.
Porter was Secretary of State of New York
Secretary of State of New York
The Secretary of State of New York is a cabinet officer in the government of the U.S. state of New York.The current Secretary of State of New York is Cesar A...
from February 1815 to February 1816. He was also elected to the Fourteenth United States Congress. Although his term in Congress began on March 4, 1815, the actual Session began only in December, and he took his seat on December 11, 1815. On January 23, 1816, he resigned, having been appointed a Commissioner under the Treaty of Ghent
Treaty of Ghent
The Treaty of Ghent , signed on 24 December 1814, in Ghent , was the peace treaty that ended the War of 1812 between the United States of America and the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland...
, which caused a controversy as to the constitutionality of sitting in Congress and holding this commissionership at the same time.
In 1817, his political friends of Tammany Hall
Tammany Hall
Tammany Hall, also known as the Society of St. Tammany, the Sons of St. Tammany, or the Columbian Order, was a New York political organization founded in 1786 and incorporated on May 12, 1789 as the Tammany Society...
printed ballots with his name and distributed them among their followers to vote for Porter for Governor of New York
Governor of New York
The Governor of the State of New York is the chief executive of the State of New York. The governor is the head of the executive branch of New York's state government and the commander-in-chief of the state's military and naval forces. The officeholder is afforded the courtesy title of His/Her...
at the special election which was held after the resignation of Governor Daniel D. Tompkins
Daniel D. Tompkins
Daniel D. Tompkins was an entrepreneur, jurist, Congressman, the fourth Governor of New York , and the sixth Vice President of the United States .-Name:...
. DeWitt Clinton
DeWitt Clinton
DeWitt Clinton was an early American politician and naturalist who served as United States Senator and the sixth Governor of New York. In this last capacity he was largely responsible for the construction of the Erie Canal...
, the otherwise unopposed candidate, was fiercely hated by the Tammany organization, and Porter received about 1,300 votes although he was not really running for the office. Porter became a regent of the University of the State of New York
University of the State of New York
The University of the State of New York is the State of New York's governmental umbrella organization responsible for most institutions and people in any way connected with formal educational functions, public and private, in New York State...
in 1824, and served in that capacity until 1830.
From May 16, 1828 to March 9, 1829, Porter served as Secretary of War
United States Secretary of War
The Secretary of War was a member of the United States President's Cabinet, beginning with George Washington's administration. A similar position, called either "Secretary at War" or "Secretary of War," was appointed to serve the Congress of the Confederation under the Articles of Confederation...
in the Cabinet of President John Quincy Adams
John Quincy Adams
John Quincy Adams was the sixth President of the United States . He served as an American diplomat, Senator, and Congressional representative. He was a member of the Federalist, Democratic-Republican, National Republican, and later Anti-Masonic and Whig parties. Adams was the son of former...
, and was an advocate for the removal of Eastern Indians beyond the Mississippi. He moved to Niagara Falls
Niagara Falls
The Niagara Falls, located on the Niagara River draining Lake Erie into Lake Ontario, is the collective name for the Horseshoe Falls and the adjacent American Falls along with the comparatively small Bridal Veil Falls, which combined form the highest flow rate of any waterfalls in the world and has...
in 1836 and was a presidential elector on the Whig ticket in 1840. He died at Niagara Falls in 1844, and was interred in Oakwood Cemetery
Oakwood Cemetery (Niagara Falls, NY)
Oakwood Cemetery in Niagara Falls, New York was founded in 1852 after land was donated by Lavinia Porter. It covers over 18 acres and over 19,000 are buried there. Notable graves include first person to travel over Niagara Falls in a barrel Annie Edson Taylor, U.S...
. Fort Porter
Fort Porter
Fort Porter was constructed between 1841 and 1844 at Buffalo in Erie County, New York and named for General Peter Buell Porter. The site was bounded by Porter Avenue, Busti Avenue and the Erie Barge Canal. It was initially a square masonry two-story redoubt, 62 feet square, with crenelated walls...
and Porter Avenue at Buffalo were named in his honor.
Porter married Letitia Breckinridge of the prominent Breckinridge family
Breckinridge family
The Breckinridge family is a family of politicians and public figures from the United States. The family has included six members of the United States House of Representatives, two United States Senators, a cabinet member, two Ambassadors, a Vice President of United States and an unsuccessful...
in 1818 and their son, Colonel Peter A. Porter, became a Civil War hero who bravely died in the bloody Battle of Cold Harbor. He was also the grandfather of Peter Augustus Porter and uncle of Augustus Seymour Porter
Augustus Seymour Porter
Augustus Seymour Porter was a U.S. statesman from the state of Michigan.He was born in Canandaigua, New York, the nephew of Peter Buell Porter and attended Canandaigua Academy. He graduated from Union College, in Schenectady, New York, in 1818, studied law and was admitted to the bar and commenced...
and Peter B. Porter, Jr.
Peter B. Porter, Jr.
Peter B. Porter, Jr. was an American lawyer and politician from New York. He was Speaker of the New York State Assembly in 1841.-Life:...
Porter's letters and papers survive in the library collections of the Buffalo and Erie County Historical Society.