Page:Appletons' Cyclopædia of American Biography (1900, volume 5).djvu/104

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PORTER
PORTER

rious papers to the " American Journal of Science." He also established the Connecticut War Record," a monthly periodical, devoted to the publication of news from the C'onnecticut regiments at the front dnnnir the civil war. Prof. Porter published "Principles of Chemistry" (New York. 18561: "First Book of Chemistry and Allied Sciences" i1M.">7); and "Selections "from the Kalevala, the Great Finnish Epic" (1868). In 1871 the Scroll and key society of Yale, of which he was a founder in 1842, established in his memory the John A. Porter university prize of $250, which is awarded annually for the best essay on a given subject, and is the only prize open to 'all the members of Yale university'. His son, John Addison, b. in New- Haven, Conn., 17 April, 1856, was graduated at Yale in 1878, and he is now President McKinley's private secretary. He has contributed to periodi- cals, and published monographs on " The Corpora- tion of Yale College" (Washington, 1885), and "Administration of City of Washington" (1885); and a volume of "Sketches of Yale Life " (1886).


PORTER. Joshua, physician, b. in Lebanon, Conn., in 1730; d. in Salisbury, Conn.. 2 April, 1825. He was graduated at Yale in 1754, studied medicine, and practised in Salisbury. He served in the state assembly before the Revolution, and was one of the committee of the pay table, and colonel of state militia. He was agent to super- intend the manufacture of the first home-made cannon-balls that were used during the war. At the battle of Saratoga, owing to the scarcity of offi- cers, he led a regiment as a volunteer, and he at- tended the wounded after the fight. For more than fifty years he held local offices of trust in Connecticut. His son. Peter Biiel, soldier, b. in Salisbury, Conn., 14 Aug., 1773 ; d. in Niagara Falls, N. Y., 10 March, 1844, was graduated at Yale in 1791, and, after studying at Litchfield law-school, began practice at Canandaigua, N. Y., in 1795, and afterward removed to Black Rock, Niagara county. He was elected to congress in 1808 as a Democrat, and as chairman of the committee on foreign relations prepared and introduced the cele- brated report in 1811 that recommended war with Great Britain. Upon the opening of hostilities he resigned his seat in congress, and became an active participant in the contest. He declined a general's commission, and subsequently accepted the com- mand of a body of volunteer troops from Penn- sylvania and New York, in connect inn with In- dian warriors from the Six Nations. His operations were chiefly in west- ern New York and on the ( 'anada side of the Niagara. When Black Rock, after- ward part of Buffalo, fell into the hand- of the British in isi:{. Gen. Porter's house becamethe headquar- ters of the enemy, and he rallied a force and expelled them, mortally wounding Col. Bishop, the com- mander, lie was en- gaged in Gen. Alex- ander Smyth's at- tempt to itn ade ( 'an- ada. and his remarks

on its conduct led to

a duel between him and Smyth. He exhibited "greal per-, ,nal gallantry" at the battle of Chip- pewa, and led the volunteers in the successful en- gagement at Lundy's Lane. 25 July, 1814, where Gen. Scott was in command. At the siege of Fort Erie he led a brilliant sortie. For his military services he received a gold medal from congress, and a sword from the legislature of New York. In 1815 President Madison appointed him eommander- in-chief of the army ; but he declined, and he served again in congress from December, 1815, till his resignation in the following year. He was one of the earliest projectors of the Erie canal, and was appointed, with Gouverneur Morris and De Witt Clinton, on the commission to explore the route. In 1816 he was appointed a commissioner for de- termining the northwestern boundary, and in 1828 he was made secretary of war by President Adams. Peter Buel's grandson. Peter Augustus, soldier, b. in Black Rock. 14 July, 1827 ; killed in the bat- tle of Cold Harbor, Va., 3 June, 1864, was gradu- ated at Harvard in 1845, and subsequently studied in the universities of Heidelberg and Berlin. He was a member of the New York legislature in 1862, and in that year he raised a regiment, afterward consolidated 'with the 8th New York artillery, was placed in command, and served on garrison duty. When he was offered the nomination for secretary of state of New York on the Republican ticket in 1863, he declined to leave the army. He was or- dered to the field in May, 1864, participated in the battles of Spottsylvania and Totopotonmy, and fell while storming a breastwork at Cold Harbor. Pe- ter Buel's nephew, Augustus Seymour, senator, b. in Canandaigua, N. Y., 18 Jan., 1798; d. in Niag- ara Falls, N. Y., 18 Sept., 1872, was graduated at Union college in 1818, studied law in Canandaigua, and settled in Black Rock, N. Y.. and afterward in Detroit, Mich. He became mayor of that city in 1836. was elected to the TJ. S. senate as a Whig in 1838, served one term, and in 1848 removed to Niagara Falls. N. Y. He was a delegate to the Union convention in 1866.


PORTER, Lydia Ann Emerson, author, b. in N 1 ewburyport, Mass., 14 Oct., 1816. She is a sco< md cousin of Ralph W. Emerson, and was educated at the Ipswich female academy from 1S29 till 1832, then taught in Royalton, Vt.. and in 1834 estab- lished a school in Springfield, Vt. In 1836 she be- came principal of Putnam female seminary, in Zanesville, Ohio, and she subseriuently took charge of the female department of Delaware aca'l< m, Newark, Ohio. In 1841 she married Charles E. Porter, of Springfield, Vt., and she has since re- sided in that town. Mrs. Porter is the author of ' Uncle Jerry's Letters to Young Mothers " (Bos- ton. 1854) and " The Lost Will " (1860), and several Sunday-school books.


PORTER, Moses, soldier, b. in Danvers, Mass., in 1755; d. in Cambridge, Mass.. 14 April, 1822. He entered the Revolutionary army as a lieutenant in Capt, Samuel R. Trevett's artillery, in May, 1775, served at Bunker Hill and through the war. and was one of the few old officers that were selected for the peace establishment in 1794. He became lieutenant of artillery, 29 Sept., 17S9. and captain in November, 1791, and served under (Jen. Antlion .-iyne in the expedition against the northwestern Indians in 1794. lie wa- appointed major of the 1st artillery on 2<i May. istin, colonel oi H-lii artillery 12 March. 1812, accompanied Gen. James Wilkinson's army to Canada, commanded the artillery, and served with credit at the capture of Fort George, 27 May, 1813. He was lnveited brigadier-general on 10 Sept.. 1*13. and ordered to the defence of Norfolk. Va., in 1S14. He became colonel of the 1st artillery in June, 1821.