James Madison Porter
American politician / From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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James Madison Porter (January 6, 1793 ā November 11, 1862) served as the 18th United States Secretary of War and a founder of Lafayette College.
James Porter | |
---|---|
18th United States Secretary of War | |
In office March 8, 1843 ā January 30, 1844 | |
President | John Tyler |
Preceded by | John Spencer |
Succeeded by | William Wilkins |
Personal details | |
Born | (1793-01-06)January 6, 1793 Norristown, Pennsylvania, U.S. |
Died | November 11, 1862(1862-11-11) (aged 69) Easton, Pennsylvania, U.S. |
Political party | Democratic |
Spouse | Eliza Michler |
Porter began his career studying law in 1809 and later became a clerk in the prothonotary's office in an effort to manage a volunteer militia company at Fort Mifflin. Porter was admitted to the bar in 1813 and later appointed to attorney general for Northampton County, Pennsylvania. He was a professor of jurisprudence and political economy at Lafayette College (1837-1852), a judge of the twelfth judicial district (1839), ad interim U.S. Secretary of War under President John Tyler (1843), and was elected as a member of the Pennsylvania House of Representatives[1] in 1849.