Antebellum Political Characters: Claiborne and Porter
Claiborne's great-great-great-grandniece is Lindy Boggs, born 1916 and named Corinne Claiborne. Lindy Boggs served Louisiana as a U.S. Representative from 2nd District, 1973 through 1991 when she was appointed U.S. Ambassador to the Vatican. Lindy is the mother of National Public Radio reporter and commentator Cokie Roberts.
Alexander Porter had been born in County Donegal, Ireland, on June 24, 1785. Porter's family was Protestant and the Irish executed his father for supporting the British. Afterwards he and an uncle migrated to the United States, settling in Nashville, Tennessee. Porter trained in law but moved to Louisiana and invested in a sugar cane plantation in St. Mary Parish. He built Oaklawn Manor in 1837, and Henry Clay visited him there. Oaklawn is now the private residence of current governor, Mike Foster.
Porter was an early leader of the Louisiana followers of the national Whig Party and served as a United States senator from the state. His leadership as a Whig helped develop the two-party system in Louisiana. Before adherents to the Whig party organized, most residents had been Democratic-Republicans following the leadership of President Jefferson who bought Louisiana and his friend Governor Claiborne.
Porter also served as a delegate to the first constitutional convention and held other state offices. Poor health prevented him from completing his first term as U.S. Senator and although he was elected to a second term, he never took the oath of office because of his health. He is buried at Oaklawn.
Sources for this article
Notes from lectures given by Dr. Philip Cook of the Louisiana Tech history department to the History 360, Louisiana History, class on October 8 and 10, 2001.
Louisiana: A History by Bennett H. Wall, Light Townsend Cummons, Judith Kelleher, Edward F. Haas and Michael L. Kurtz.
Encyclopedia Louisiana, a website devoted to Louisiana history, people and places.
William C. C. Claiborne, Louisiana Secretary of State governor's page for Claiborne. Includes scanned painting and a voice file to listen to his history.
Alexander Porter, Library of Congress biography of the senator. Includes scanned painting.
Political Graveyard, the Boggs page. Information about Lindy Boggs.
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