Andrew Porter (1743 - 1813)

Born 24 Sep 1743 in Norristown, Montgomery, Pennsylvania

Ancestors

Husband of Elizabeth (McDowell) Porter — married 10 Mar 1767 in Norristown, Montgomery, Pennsylvania

Descendants

Died 16 Nov 1813 at age 70 in Harrisburg, Dauphin County, Pennsylvania

Problems/Questions Profile manager: Marie Chantigny [send private message]

Biography

Andrew Porter has Irish ancestors.

Lieutenant Colonel Andrew Porter served with 4th Continental Artillery Regiment (1779), Continental Army during the American Revolution.

Andrew Porter is a DAR Patriot Ancestor, A090932.

Andrew Porter was born on September 24 , 1743 on his father's farm near Norristown, Pennsylvania. At the age of 19 he was sent to live with an older brother to learn carpentry. After displaying a dislike of that profession his father enrolled him in the country school where he was to be educated in the sciences and the English language.

In 1767 he moved to Philadelphia to take charge of a school and teach mathematics and English. He taught at the school until 1776 when he was commissioned as a Captain in the Marines.

His military career started on board the frigate Effingham. After a short stint in the Marines he transferred to the artillery. He was subsequently promoted through the ranks until he obtained the rank of Colonel. While in the army he was engaged in Revolutionary War battles at Princeton, Brandywine, Germantown, and Trenton. It was during these battles that he gained the recognition of being an able leader and skilled tactician.

After the war he returned home to his family in Norristown. He was soon appointed to the Supreme Executive Council of the State as one of the commissioners to create a boundary between Pennsylvania, Virginia and Ohio using astronomical calculations. He stayed on as the surveyor for this operation from 1784 - 1787.

In 1787 he returned home to his farm .He proceeded to farm and raise his family until 1809 when he was selected Surveyor-General of Pennsylvania, a position he held until his death in 1813.

Andrew Porter, was married twice, first to Elizabeth McDowell and then after her death, in 1773 Elizabeth Parker. He was the father of five children with his first wife and eight children with his second wife.

Source: Porter Family Paper, 1800 (1813-1829)-1918 Biographical Sketches Skillman Library LaFayette College

Entered by Marie Chantigny on May 4, 2016

Gen. Andrew Porter, a Revolutionary War officer; married (1) 10 March 1767 to Elizabeth MCDOWELL; 5 children

Children of Gen. Andrew & 1. Elizabeth (McDowell) Porter

1. Hon. Robert Porter, eldest son, b 10 January 1768, d 28 June 1842, judge of 3d judicial district of Pennsylvania.

2. Elizabeth Rittenhouse Porter; m her first-cousin Maj. Robert Porter Parker (Rev War Parker #50).

3. Mary Porter; m her first-cousin Robert Porter; resided in Kentucky.

4. Andrew Porter; of New Orleans, Louisiana, where he was a wealthy merchant.

5. William Porter; of Baltimore, Maryland, where he was a wealthy merchant.

Children of Gen. Andrew & 2. Elizabeth (Parker) Porter

6. Charlotte Porter; m Robert BROOKE; sons matured and lived in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

7. Dr. John Ewing Porter; changed surname to Parker; of North Carolina where he was an eminent physician.

8. Harriet Porter; m Col. Thomas MCKEEN.

9. David Rittenhouse Porter, 5th son, b 1788, Pennsylvania governor; son Gen. Horace Porter.

10. George Bryan Porter, 6th son, b 9 February 1791, d July 1834, governor of Michigan Territory.

11. James Madison Porter, 7th son, b 6 January 1793, d 11 November 1862 Easton, Pennsylvania, Secretary of War under President Tyler.

Andrew Porter built in 1794, Selma Mansion, a 3-story Federal style home as the center piece of his nearly 160 acre property which sat high on an incline above the rest of the town. Selma, a Gaelic word that roughly translates to "highest point". In 1821, the Porters sold the property to the Knox Family.

Fact: Military Service Brigadier General, Continental Army

Find a Grave, database and images ( Find A Grave: Memorial #7225160 andrew-porter : accessed 27 April 2022), memorial page for Gen Andrew Porter (24 Sep 1743–16 Nov 1813), Find a Grave Memorial ID 7225160, citing Harrisburg Cemetery, Harrisburg, Dauphin County, Pennsylvania, USA ; Maintained by Debbie Ferguson (contributor 47017923) .

Sources

Family Tree: https://www.familysearch.org/tree/person/details/LC59-89Q

"Family Tree," database, FamilySearch (http://familysearch.org : modified 13 March 2017, 21:17), entry for Andrew Porter(PID https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/4:1:LC59-89Q); contributed by various users.

Porter Family Papers 1800 (1813-1829) 1918: Link error 404 Not Found.pdf

• Daughters of the American Revolution, DAR Genealogical Research Databases, database online, (http://www.dar.org/ : accessed 2022-08-22), "Record of Andrew Porter", Ancestor # A090932.

• Heitman, Francis Bernard. Historical Register of Officers of the Continental Army During the War of the Revolution (W.H. Lowdermilk & Co., Washington, DC, 1893); p. 446-7, p. 15