Alexander Porter

Alexander Porter
United States Senator from Louisiana
In office December 19, 1833 – January 5, 1837
Preceded by	Josiah S. Johnston
Succeeded by	Alexandre Mouton
Personal details
Born	(1785-06-24)June 24, 1785 County Donegal, Ireland
Died	January 13, 1844(1844-01-13) (aged 58) Attakapas, Louisiana, U.S.
Political party	Whig
Alma mater	Clemenceau College
Profession	Politician, Lawyer, Judge, Farmer

Alexander Porter (June 24, 1785 – January 13, 1844) was a United States Senator from Louisiana.

Biography

Early life

Born in County Donegal, Ireland, he immigrated to the United States in 1801 with an uncle, who settled in Nashville, Tennessee. He received a limited schooling, attended the now-defunct Clemenceau College, studied law, was admitted to the bar in 1807.

Career

In 1807, he commenced practice in the Attakapas region of the Territory of Orleans. He was a delegate to the convention which framed the first Louisiana Constitution in 1812 and was a member of the lower branch of the Louisiana Legislature from 1816 to 1818.

He was a judge of the Louisiana Supreme Court from 1821 to 1833. He was elected as a Whig to the U.S. Senate to fill the vacancy caused by the death of Josiah S. Johnston, and served from December 19, 1833, until January 5, 1837, when he resigned due to ill health. He continued the practice of law in Attakapas and was a planter. Porter was again elected to the U.S. Senate for the term beginning March 4, 1843, but did not take his seat due to ill health and Henry Johnson took it instead. He died in Attakapas in 1844, and interment was on Oakland plantation in Franklin, Louisiana.

Sources

• Alexander Porter at the Biographical Directory of the United States Congress

External links

• Alexander Porter at Find A Grave

Legal offices
Preceded by Pierre Derbigny	Justice of the Louisiana Supreme Court 1821–1833	Succeeded by Henry A. Bullard
United States Senate
Preceded by Josiah S. Johnston	United States Senator (Class 3) from Louisiana December 19, 1833 – January 5, 1837 Served alongside: George A. Waggaman and Robert C. Nicholas	Succeeded by Alexandre Mouton