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Proquest Dissertations P/3 7W&Z PETER B, POHTFR, CITIZEN AIJD STAtneilAti A Dissertation Presented to the Faculty of the Graduate School Ottawa University In Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree Doctor of Philosophy by I. Frank Mogavero June 1950 UMI Number: DC53430 INFORMATION TO USERS The quality of this reproduction is dependent upon the quality of the copy submitted. Broken or indistinct print, colored or poor quality illustrations and photographs, print bleed-through, substandard margins, and improper alignment can adversely affect reproduction. In the unlikely event that the author did not send a complete manuscript and there are missing pages, these will be noted. Also, if unauthorized copyright material had to be removed, a note will indicate the deletion. UMI® UMI Microform DC53430 Copyright 2011 by ProQuest LLC All rights reserved. This microform edition is protected against unauthorized copying under Title 17, United States Code. ProQuest LLC 789 East Eisenhower Parkway P.O. Box 1346 Ann Arbor, Ml 48106-1346 ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS The descendants of Peter B. and Augustus Porter were very helpful to the writer by making available various family reoords and papers still in their possession. To Mr. Augustus Granger Porter of Niagara Falls, New York, the author is indeed very much obligated for the time he so graciously relinquished in the many interviews which took plaoe. Mr* Preston B. Porter of Darien, Connecticut, great- grandson of Peter Buell Porter and Mr. J. Cabell Breokinridge of Lexington, Kentucky, were of much aid by their prompt, courteous replies to the many letters of the writer. To Dr. Charles A. Brady, Chairman of the Department of English at Canisius College, the author ip greatly in­ debted for his constructive criticisms in the editing of this dissertation. For his invaluable suggestions and other aids which made this work possible, the author extends his heartfelt appreciation to Mr. Robert Warwick Bingham, Director of the Buffalo Historical Society, Historian of Erie County, New York, Historian of the City of Buffalo, Consulting Director of Old Fort Niagara and author of several books on the Niagara Frontier. iv Sinoere expressions of gratitude aro extended to the members of the staff of the Buffalo Historical Society who so cheerfully obtained, from the various parts of the Cooiety, all the material requested by the writer. The writer is indeed obligated tc the ftev. Joseph K. O'Donnell, CM., T.T.D., who spent many hours preparing the photostats for this thesis. TABLE Or CONTKNTf CHAPTER PAOB I. EARLY Hit TORY OF i l'Hi B. O^T11 1 II. PORT R , HAM'OH AM) OCA J ANY 17 Xl<i« lilt P it XIJ V>**A*/VJL» ea***v«o«oo««a»ae«*»ve«»*oo«o* .?.*? IV. POLITICAL LIFJS 0* '*Tr'R B. I'ORTIR 64 V. A T R B. POhTttf AND THU, BOUNDARY JOI'Atf^ilOM.. 96 VI. FBT'li B. PORT&R AND Tflt' BOUNr/RY JOt'T i IoN (cont.) 124 VII. PRIVAT JSm"Ri'Riw»L.« Of I'&TM? B. <ORTVR 154 VIII. PRIVAT] LIFE OF ,\T'K B. PORTMt.... 185 CONCLUB10M 213 BIBLIOGRAPHY , 230 LIST OF MAPS AND ILLUSTRATIONS PAGE Peter B„ Porter. frontispiece Map of the routes of Porter, Barton and Company following 24 Poster1s proposed canal route and present Erie Canal route following 37 Map of the islands in dispute in the Detroit River following 118 Map of the islands in dispute in the Saint Mary' s River .following 131 Map of the Lake Superior region showing British and American claims...following 133 Jubilee water spring house.......following 166 Home of Peter B. Porter at Black Rock. following 189 Laetitia Porter following 189 Home of Peter B. Porter at Niagara Falls following 210 Grave of Peter B. Porter in Oakwood Cemetery following 216 INTRODUCTION The growth of a nation or a locality within a nation is not always the result of the sword; more often it is the effect of the fortitude, intelligence and business aoumen of one of its citizens or of a group of citizens. The growth of the Niagara Frontier in Festern New York was primarily due to the efforts of Peter Buell Porter, soldier, oitizen and statesman. Though his public and private life is historically important and interesting, historians have submerged that part of his biography in his heroic exploits on the battlefield. Consequently, the people of the frontier and the United States at large know him only as the audacious general of the War of 1812 who captured Fort Erie in Canada from the English. The history of a nation, however, is not only an account of its military feats but a record of its eco­ nomic, social and political progress as well. Without suooess in the latter three phases there can be no mili­ tary suocess. The primary purpose of this thesis is, therefore, to acquaint the people of the United States, especially those on the Niagara Frontier, with the deeds of Peter B. Porter as a citizen and statesman which resulted in the beginning of industrial activity on the frontier. viii Since nothing of a non-military nature has been written about him, the secondary purpose of this work is to bring to the name of Peter B. Porter the civic promi­ nence it justly deserves. The region in which he lived, worked and died is located in Western New York. It extends north and south from Buffalo Creek, about four miles from the source of the Niagara River, to the mouth of that river at Lake Ontario and east and west from the Niagara River to the present eastern boundaries of Niagara and Erie counties. As a private citizen of his district, he was esteemed for his benevolence, respected for his leadership and applauded for his confidence in the future of his com­ munity. This faith, in addition to Porter's business Ingenuity and political power, led him to foster commercial enterprises of many descriptions. Among these was the establishment of a portage around Niagara Falls, the development of water power as an aid to manufacture, the building of the Black Rock Harbor, the promotion of a railroad and the creation of a large milling industry. Porter's numerous business ventures v/ere vital factors in the early development of Western New York, one of the leading industrial regions in the nation today. During his colorful career as a publlo servant, he served as Clerk of Ontario County, Member of the New York State Assembly, United States Congressman, Erie Canal ix Commissioner, Secretary of State of New York, American Boundary Commissioner, and Seoretary of War. In the ful­ fillment of the various offioes of public trust which he held for over thirty years, Porter acquitted himself with honor. It is the sincere hope of the author that the infor­ mation contained in the following pages will be of aid to the future students of the Niagara Frontier and that the sterling character of Peter B. Porter will be a source of inspiration to the youth of the region. In the first chapter the reader will become acquainted with the ancestry of Peter B. Porter and the events of his life from birth to the time he moved to Black Rock on the Niagara Frontier. Chapter II deals with the formation and activities of Porter, Barton and Company, one of Porter's greatest business ventures. The impact pf this firm upon the frontier and on the western part of the United States will also be discussed. The part played by Porter in the building of the Erie Canal is related in the third chapter. Here will be found too the story of the quarrel between the residents of Buffalo and Black Rock over the terminus of the vaterway. The result of the quarrel and the effect of the canal on the frontier will be described in some detail. X The long politioal career of Peter B. Porter will unfold to the reader in Chapter IV. Porter's role in precipitating the War of 1812, his activities in the various political positions he held and his ambitions for Henry Clay will be recounted at length. Chapter V is a narration of Porter's labors as Boundary Commissioner under the sixth article of the Treaty of Ghent which provided for a survey of the Canadian- American boundary from the point where the forty-fifth parallel of North Latitude meets the St. Lawrence River, to the St. Mary's River. Included in this chapter will be found the rules of survey, the personnel of the Com­ mission and the ultimate results of the survey. In Chapter VT, the reader will find the story of the progress of the survey from, the St. Mary's River to the most northwest point of Lake of the Woods as stipulated in the seventh article of the Treaty of Ghent. The points of disagreement between the Commissioners which resulted in repudiation of the survey will be discussed in detail. In the seventh chapter we will show how the business acumen and farsightedness of Porter resulted in the es­ tablishment of industries which eventually caused the frontier to become the great industrial area it is today. The last chapter will relate the story of Porter's activities as a private citizen. It will include his home, xi family and social activities. His removal to Niagara Falls and his subsequent death and burial will also be narrated. With the exception of the Fill of Peter Porter and the Appraisal of his estate which were found in the records of the Surrogate's Court in the Niagara County Hall at Lockport, New York, and the case of the United States versus Teter Porter which was obtained from the records of the United States District Clerk in the Federal Courthouse Building in Buffalo, New York, all the material for this research was obtained at the Buffalo Historical Society.
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