Peter Augustus Porter | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Member of theU.S. House of Representatives fromNew York's34th district | |
| In office March 4, 1907 – March 4, 1909 | |
| Preceded by | James Wolcott Wadsworth |
| Succeeded by | James S. Simmons |
| Member of theNew York Assembly fromNiagara County | |
| In office January 1, 1886 – December 31, 1887 | |
| Preceded by | Walter P. Horne |
| Succeeded by | Nelson D. Haskell |
| Village President ofNiagara Falls | |
| In office January 1, 1878 – December 31, 1878 | |
| Personal details | |
| Born | (1853-10-10)October 10, 1853 |
| Died | December 15, 1925(1925-12-15) (aged 72) |
| Resting place | Oakwood Cemetery |
| Party | Republican Independent Republican |
| Spouse | |
| Relations | SeeBreckinridge family |
| Children | 3 |
| Parent(s) | 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 aU.S. Representative fromNew York, and grandson ofPeter Buell Porter. Porter was the son ofColonel 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]
Porter was born inNiagara Falls, New York on October 10, 1853, the only son ofMary Cabell Breckenridge (1826–1854) and Col.Peter Augustus Porter (1827–1864), who was the only son of Gen.Peter Buell Porter (1773–1844) with his first wife. His mother died in thecholera epidemic when he was four years old.[2] He had a half-brother, George Morris Porter (1863–1907),[3] by his father's second marriage to Josephine Matilda Morris (1831–1892),[4][5] a daughter of George Washington Morris (1799–1834) and granddaughter of Lewis Morris (1754–1824) and great-granddaughter ofLewis Morris ofMorrisania.[2]
He was taught by private teachers and later attendedSt. Paul's School inConcord, New Hampshire from 1865 to 1871. He graduated fromYale College in 1874[6] and then traveled extensively.[7]
From 1880 to 1895, Porter owned theNiagara Falls Gazette, which had been founded in 1854, and converted it into a daily newspaper in 1893.[8][9] He built the Arcade Building on Falls street in which the Gazette and the United States post office were housed for many years.[10] He owned the famous old hostelry, theCataract House, for many years. He was president of the Cataract Bank for some time.[7]
In 1885, his family soldGoat Island and much of the mainland adjoining the river, which the Porter family had owned since 1816,[8] to theNiagara Reservation, which New York State had established to createNiagara Falls State Park in the same year, becoming the firststate park in theUnited States.[7] He had estimated the value of the island at $1,000,000 in 1884.[11][12] In 1889, Porter was elected secretary and treasurer, succeeding S. F. Rankine.[13] He served as a director of the predecessor of theNiagara Falls Power Company, calledNiagara River Hydraulic Tunnel, Power, and Sewer Company.[7]
Before the City of Niagara Falls was incorporated on March 17, 1892,[14] Porter served asvillage president in 1878.[15]
In 1886, Porter was elected a member of theNew York State Assembly in theNew York State Legislature, as aRepublican, representingNiagara County's 2nd District. He served in109th and110th 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.[16] Between 1886 and 1894, the New York State Legislature granted six charters to take water from above the Falls. One of these grants gave a company the right to develop 200,000 horse power and another grant ceded all the water which would pass through a canal 100 feet wide and 14 feet deep.[17]
In 1888, he argued against a bill before GovernorDavid B. Hill that would construct a 200 foot wide boulevard stretching 20 miles from Niagara Falls to Buffalo, claiming that the $375,000 expense was too great for the communities affected.[18] In 1903, he was successful in defeating SenatorIrving L'Hommedieu's Niagara Falls Charter bill, along withW. Caryl Ely,George Urban Jr., and Charles R. Huntley.[19]
In 1907, he was elected as anIndependent Republican to the60th United States Congress, holding office from March 4, 1907, to March 3, 1909. He represented the34th Congressional District, which comprised Niagara, Orleans, Genesee, Livingston and Wyoming counties.[7] He declined to be a candidate for renomination.[20]
Following his stint in politics, Porter engaged in the study and writing of history of the Niagara frontier, and was a prominent member of theBuffalo Historical Society.[16] 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.[7] He was served as vice-president of theNew York State Library Association in 1900.[21]
In 1915, Porter presented a plan for developing 2,000,000 electrical horse power by damming the lower Niagara River and harnessing the power of Niagara Falls.[17] He stated:
I represented the Niagara District in the Sixtieth Congress. On the floor of the House of Representatives I stated that the people of my district were more interested in preserving the scenic beauty of the Falls of Niagara than were any people on earth. But we did ask that just as far as engineering science would decide that the water of the cataract could be safely used for commerce, without impairing the scenic beauty of Niagara Falls, to that extent power development should be not only permitted, but encouraged."[17]
In 1922, Porter and his associate in the plan, T. Kennard Thomson, toured the prospective site for the power dam with members of theNew York State Water Power Board.[22] The plan called for immense power development at Foster Flats by means of a huge dam which would back up the waters of the Lower Niagara River, obliterating the upper and lower rapids of the whirlpool and utilizing the entire flow of the river.[22]
On February 13, 1877,[6] 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 toMassachusetts Colony in 1643.[16] Together, Peter and Alice had three sons:[7]
Porter died at his home inBuffalo, New York on December 15, 1925.[8] He was interred inOakwood Cemetery in his hometown ofNiagara Falls, New York.[20]
Preston Buell Porter (1891-.
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This article incorporatespublic domain material fromPorter, Peter Augustus.Federal government of the United States.
| New York State Assembly | ||
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| Preceded by | New York State Assembly Niagara County, 2nd District 1886–1887 | Succeeded by |
| U.S. House of Representatives | ||
| Preceded by | Member of the U.S. House of Representatives fromNew York's 34th congressional district 1907–1909 | Succeeded by |
| International | |
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| National | |
| People | |
| Other | |
