Gilchrist Porter

Gilchrist Porter

Gilchrist Porter (born November 1, 1817 in Fredericksburg , Virginia , †  November 1, 1894 in Hannibal , Missouri ) was an American politician . Between 1851 and 1857 he represented the state of Missouri twice in the US House of Representatives .

Career

Gilchrist Porter only had a limited primary education. After a subsequent law degree and his admission as a lawyer, he began to work in Bowling Green (Missouri) in his new profession. At the same time he embarked on a political career as a member of the Whig Party . In the congressional elections of 1850 he was elected to the US House of Representatives in Washington, DC in the second constituency of Missouri , where he succeeded William Van Ness Bay on March 4, 1851 . Since he was defeated by the Democrat Alfred William Lamb in 1852 , he was only able to complete one term in Congress until March 3, 1853 . This was determined by the discussions about slavery .

After the Whigs dissolved, Porter joined the short-lived Opposition Party . In the elections of 1854 he was re-elected to Congress, where he replaced Alfred Lamb on March 4, 1855. Until March 3, 1857, he was able to spend another term in the US House of Representatives, which was shaped by the events leading up to the civil war . During that time, Porter was chairman of the Private Land Claims Handling Committee.

Between 1866 and 1880 Gilchrist Porter worked as a district judge. He then continued his practice as a lawyer. He died on November 1st, 1894, his 77th birthday, in Hannibal, where he was buried.

Web links

• Gilchrist Porter in the Biographical Directory of the United States Congress (English)

• Gilchrist Porter in the database of Find a Grave (English)