The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1897-05-03
MIR. PORTER's CAREER.
Several Important Offices Filled by
the distinguished Indinninm.

Albert Gallatin Porter, son of Thomas
and Myra Porter, was born at Lawrence.
at Hanover and Asbury University (now
De Pauwl, graduating from the latter in
1S43 In 1874 he came to indianapolis and
was employed in the office of the auditor
of state. In a few months he went homo
to Lawrenceburg and studied law in the
office of Philip Spooner, father of eX-Sena-
tor Spooner, of Wisconsin. In 1S45 he re-
turned to Indianapolis and began the prac-
tice of law. In 1916 he married Miss Mi
nerva V. Brown who died in 1875 In 1851
he was made city attorney Of Indianapolis,
serving two years. In 1853 he was appointed
by Governor Wright as reporter of the Su-
preme Court to serve in place of Horace
Carter, deceased until the next election,
Democratic party. From 1881 to 1893 he
member of the City Council. In 1856
he changed his political views and voted for
Fremont, the first candidate of the Repub-
lican party. In 1855 he nominated and
1860 serving until 1863 He declined a re-
nomination in 1852 and devoted himself
steadily to practcing law until 1877, when
he was appointed first controller of the
mated and elected Governor of Indiana.
serving until 1885. In 1889 he was appointed
this post until 1893 since which time he
has lived in retirement at his home in this
city.
With The death of Governor Porter thers
passes away almost the last of the great
group of statesmen that made Indiana pol-'
itics famous throughout the country ana
numbered among it's members Harrison,
Morton. Voorhees,. Hendricks, Mcdonald,
English and others very few of whom are
still living He will always be remembered
in Indiana as the central figure In the most
memorable the most intense campaign in
the history of the State, that of 1880, when
he made a remarkably successful fight as
the candidate of his party for the governor
ship.
Each man who rises to greatness, no mat
ter how well rounded his character may be-
has some quality, mental or moral, 10 which
more than TO any other one thing he owes
his success. In looking into the character
of Governor Porter for this greatest ele-
ment of success one finds it in that quality
of sympathy with the lower million that
made him pre-eminently the friend of the
poor man. In the heat of this memorable
campaign of 1880 his political opponents
called him a demagogue, but no man can
ever point to line in his speeches or
messages or to an official act that smacked
in the least of demagogy. If ii IS demagogy
to take the humblest OF your teil0w-mer by
the hand and treat him with as much con-
sideration as is accorded TO he richest ard
most powerful of your ne!ghhors, If It Is
demagOgy to sympathlze with the men and
women who have a hard struggle for bread
and to champion their cause with intelli-
gence and ability, then Porter was a dema-
gogue and his children may well be proud
of the ti.le. They have the satisfaction OF
knowing that he was the idol of the work
ing people of Indiana that he honestly
earned their respect and gratitude, and that
he never abused their confidence.
He came of sturdy stock, entered the
battle OF life penniless, fought his way
single handed to success, and died full os
honors and In comfortable estate, earned by
his own ability and enormous capacity for
labor. His grandfather was Pennsyl-
vania farmer. and at the age of eighteen his
father, Thomas Porter, enlisted with Balls
regiment of Pennsylvania volunteers IN the
war of 1872, and was wounded at Missia~
sinewa on Indiana soil BEFORE tie cloge
of the war the grandfather removed TO the
island of Belleview. in the Ohio river Here
the young soldier joined them after the war
and married Myra Tousey, the daughter Of
a Kentucky farmer. They settled in Law
Pencehurg, across the river from her gatk-
er's farm. Here the family prospered mod
erately as times went in those days. MF,
Porter was for many years the cashier OF
the Farmers and Mechanics Bank, ana
served term as auditor OF Dearborn coun-
~. Here Albert g. Porter was born in lS3k
and attended the public schools OF Law
renceburg. y hen he was thirteen his grand
father died, and his father purchased the