# Alexander Porter > Mediated Wiki article. Canonical URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Alexander_Porter > Markdown URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Alexander_Porter.md > Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alexander_Porter > Source revision: 1354056930 > License: Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/) American judge (1785–1844) For the Australian cyclist, see [Alexander Porter (cyclist)](/source/Alexander_Porter_(cyclist)). Alexander Porter U.S. Senator from Louisiana In office December 19, 1833 – January 5, 1837 March 4, 1843 – January 13, 1844[a] Preceded by Josiah S. Johnston, Charles Magill Conrad Succeeded by Alexandre Mouton, Henry Johnson Associate Justice of the Louisiana Supreme Court In office 1821–1833 Preceded by Pierre Derbigny Succeeded by Henry A. Bullard Member of the Louisiana House of Representatives In office 1816-1818 Personal details Born (1785-06-24)June 24, 1785 County Donegal, Ireland Died January 13, 1844(1844-01-13) (aged 58) St. Mary Parish, Louisiana, U.S. Party National Republican Whig Relatives James Porter (father) Alexander Porter Goudy (nephew) Alma mater Clemenceau College Profession Politician, lawyer, judge, planter **Alexander Porter** (June 24, 1785 – January 13, 1844) was an attorney, politician, and planter, who served as [United States Senator](/source/United_States_Senator) from [Louisiana](/source/Louisiana) from 1833 to 1837. Born in Ireland, he emigrated in 1801 at the age of 16 to the United States. He served a term in the statehouse from 1816 to 1818, and as a state Supreme Court justice from 1821 to 1833. ## Biography ### Early life Porter was born in [County Donegal](/source/County_Donegal), [Ireland](/source/Ireland). His father, [James Porter](/source/James_Porter_(Presbyterian_minister)), a [Presbyterian](/source/Presbyterian) minister and [satirist](/source/Satirist), was executed in July 1798 during the [United Irishmen Rebellion of 1798](/source/United_Irishmen_Rebellion_of_1798).[2] According to what is described in the *[Dictionary of National Biography](/source/Dictionary_of_National_Biography)* as "a questionable local tradition," the younger Porter was said to have participated in the [Battle of Ballynahinch](/source/Battle_of_Ballynahinch).[3] Alexander Porter immigrated to the U.S. in 1801 with an uncle, who settled in [Nashville, Tennessee](/source/Nashville%2C_Tennessee). He received a limited schooling, but attended the now-defunct Clemenceau College. He "[read the law](/source/Reading_law)" as an apprentice and was admitted to [the bar](/source/Bar_(law)) in 1807. ### Career In 1807, he commenced practice in [Attakapas Parish](/source/Attakapas_County%2C_Orleans_Territory), [Territory of Orleans](/source/Territory_of_Orleans). (In 1811, the area around [Franklin, Louisiana](/source/Franklin%2C_Louisiana), became [St. Mary Parish](/source/St._Mary_Parish%2C_Louisiana).) Porter was a delegate to the convention which framed the first [Constitution of Louisiana](/source/Constitution_of_Louisiana) in 1812. He was elected as a member of the [lower branch](/source/Louisiana_House_of_Representatives) of the [Louisiana Legislature](/source/Louisiana_Legislature) from 1816 to 1818.[4] Alexander Porter served as a [Louisiana Supreme Court](/source/Louisiana_Supreme_Court) justice from 1821 to 1833. In 1833, he was selected as a [Whig](/source/Whig_Party_(United_States)) to the [United States Senate](/source/United_States_Senate) by the state legislature, to fill the vacancy caused by the death of [Josiah S. Johnston](/source/Josiah_S._Johnston). Porter served from December 19, 1833, until January 5, 1837, when he resigned due to ill health. Porter returned to St. Mary Parish to practice law and manage his plantation, [Oaklawn](/source/Oaklawn_Manor). His plantation was largely staffed by his slaves which, by the 1840s, numbered 320.[5] He was again chosen by the legislature for the U.S. Senate, for the term beginning March 4, 1843; but he did not take his seat due to poor health. The legislature elected [Henry Johnson](/source/Henry_Johnson_(Louisiana)), former governor of the state, to replace him. Alexander Porter died in 1844. His remains were interred in [Nashville City Cemetery](/source/Nashville_City_Cemetery), the location of the grave of his young wife, Evilina (Baker) Porter (1797–1819).[6] ## See also - [List of United States senators born outside the United States](/source/List_of_United_States_senators_born_outside_the_United_States) ## Sources 1. **[^](#cite_ref-health_2-0)** Was elected by the [Louisiana Legislature](/source/Louisiana_State_Legislature) to serve in the Senate for the term beginning March 4, 1843. Was unable to take his seat due to ill health, and never presented credentials to qualify for the seat. The Senate does not consider him to have served as Senator during this time, and lists a seat vacancy from March 4, 1843 to February 12, 1844.[1] 1. **[^](#cite_ref-1)** [Senators from Louisiana](https://www.senate.gov/states/LA/senators.htm#note9) 1. **[^](#cite_ref-3)** ["Oak Manor to hold open house April 1"](https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-eunice-news-oak-manor-to-hold-open-h/180285788/). *The Eunice News*. March 30, 1961. p. 6. Retrieved September 3, 2025. 1. **[^](#cite_ref-4)** Gordon, Alexander (1896). ["Porter, James (1753-1798)"](https://en.wikisource.org/wiki/Dictionary_of_National_Biography,_1885-1900/Porter,_James_(1753-1798)). *Dictionary of National Biography, 1885-1900*. Vol. 46 – via [Wikisource](/source/Wikisource). 1. **[^](#cite_ref-5)** StoppingPoints.com. ["Alexander Porter Historical Marker"](http://www.stoppingpoints.com/louisiana/St.-Mary/Alexander+Porter.html). 1. **[^](#cite_ref-6)** Hudson, Marilyn (June 16, 1968). ["Venerable Mansion on Bayou's Banks"](https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-town-talk-venerable-mansion-on-bayou/180285617/). *[The Town Talk](/source/The_Town_Talk)*. p. 21. Retrieved September 3, 2025. In the 1840s, his slaves totaling 320 were valued at $90,000. 1. **[^](#cite_ref-7)** [OaklawnManor.com](http://www.oaklawnmanor.com/foundingyears.htm), accessed April 22, 2016. ## External links - United States Congress. ["Alexander Porter (id: P000436)"](http://bioguide.congress.gov/scripts/biodisplay.pl?index=P000436). *[Biographical Directory of the United States Congress](/source/Biographical_Directory_of_the_United_States_Congress)*. - [Alexander Porter](https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/7205551) at [Find a Grave](/source/Find_a_Grave) Legal offices Preceded by Pierre Derbigny Justice of the Louisiana Supreme Court 1821–1833 Succeeded by Henry A. Bullard U.S. Senate Preceded by Josiah S. Johnston U.S. senator (Class 3) from Louisiana December 19, 1833 – January 5, 1837 Served alongside: George A. Waggaman and Robert C. Nicholas Succeeded by Alexandre Mouton Preceded by Charles Magill Conrad U.S. senator (Class 3) from Louisiana March 4, 1843 – January 13, 1844 Served alongside: Alexander Barrow Succeeded by Henry Johnson v t e United States senators from Louisiana Class 2 Destréhan Posey Brown Claiborne Johnson Bouligny Livingston Waggaman Nicholas Barrow Soulé Downs Benjamin Harris West Kellogg Gibson Caffery Foster Ransdell H. Long tenure R. M. Long Ellender Edwards J. B. Johnston Landrieu Cassidy Class 3 Magruder Fromentin Brown J. S. Johnston Porter Mouton Conrad Porter Johnson Soulé Slidell Kellogg Eustis Jonas Eustis White Blanchard McEnery Thornton R. Broussard Guion Gay E. Broussard Overton Feazel R. B. Long Breaux Vitter Kennedy Authority control databases International VIAF FAST WorldCat National United States People US Congress Ireland Other Open Library SNAC Yale LUX --- Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Alexander Porter](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alexander_Porter) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alexander_Porter?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.