356:, they developed the first bridge from the mainland to Goat Island in 1818, the first staircase from Prospect Point to the base of the Falls in that same year, a ferry service across the river in 1820, and a whole series of gardens, walks, bridges, staircases, and other attractions, creating a picturesque and romanticized human garden, all mapped out, from which tourists could explore the spectacular natural beauty of the Falls in a semi-controlled environment.
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Porter and his family owned people in slavery. He reputedly brought the first
African American family to Niagara Falls, Harry and Kate Wood. The 1800 census noted that one enslaved person lived in the household of Augustus Porter in Canandaigua, New York. In the 1820 census, the Wood family and the
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as an industrial site. It was a "situation... not surpassed, and probably not equaled, in the United States, as a site for the establishment of manufactures." "A thousand mills might be erected with the same ease, and equally accessible, as if on a plain; and each supplied with a never failing
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Nation to the State of New York in 1802. They named the property they bought and developed
Manchester, after the English city, and the area was called Manchester up until 1840. This purchase also provided them with the acquisition of the water rights to the eastern rapids both above and below
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Between 1818 and 1822, Porter had a general store in
Niagara, New York where he sold food, clothing, leather goods, candles, hardware, grain, lumber and liquors. In addition to the property they owned, businesses they started, and Niagara Falls water rights, they also owned several boats that
327:. In 1803, they built the first sawmill and a productive paper mill on Bath Island. Around 1805, they had a grist mill and tannery operating that was built at "Joncairs' old ditch." However, the Porter brothers were forced out of business when the
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by developing a "hydraulic raceway" for both power and transportation. Augustus' initial plan was to use the power generated in the 50 foot (15m) drop of the rapids above the falls, however he could not find any interested financiers.
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Augustus Porter was born in
Salisbury, Litchfield County, Connecticut, on January 18, 1769. He was one of six children born to Joshua and Abigail Buell. He attended public schools and learned surveying at an early age.
588:
Patrick McGreevy, Imagining
Niagara: The Meaning and Making of Niagara Falls (Amherst, Massachusetts: University of Massachusetts Press, 2009), 109; Edward Dean Adams, Niagara Power: History of the Niagara Falls Power
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Site description from Survey of Sites
Relating to the Underground Railroad, Abolitionism, and African American Life in Niagara Falls and Surrounding Area, 1820–1880, by Judith Wellman, Ph.D., April 2012, pp.
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History of the Buell Family in
England: From the Remotest Times Ascertainable from Our Ancient Histories, and in America, from Town, Parish, Church and Family Records. Illustrated with Portraits and Coat
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Augustus built a house in
Niagara Falls in 1808. After the British burned it in 1813, he rebuilt it on the same site in 1818. The Porter family home was demolished in the 1920s. The
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They also worked to develop the falls as a tourist attraction and in 1816, they purchased Goat Island from New York State. Working with engineer and hotel operator Gen.
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After the death of his first wife, Porter married Jane Howell (1779–1841) on
January 24, 1801. Together, they were the parents of five more children:
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The Bucks of
Wethersfield, Connecticut, and the Families with which They are Connected by Marriage: A Biographical and Genealogical Sketch
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from July 1, 1802 – June 30, 1803. Porter later served as the first Judge in Niagara County and the first Postmaster of Niagara Falls.
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employed Porter as chief surveyor, with more than fifty assistants, to make the first survey of lands on the south shore of Lake Erie.
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310:(1773–1844), with whom he had business interests across a variety of industries, moved to Niagara Falls purchasing the land near
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traveled on the Great Lakes. In 1807, the Porters formed Porter, Barton, and Company to conduct a forwarding business from
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water-power." Around 1847, the brothers attempted to interest investors to develop power from the water drop of the
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257:(January 18, 1769 – June 10, 1849) was an American businessman, judge, farmer, and politician who served as an
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Porter died on June 10, 1849 (age 80 years, 4 years, and 21 days), in Niagara Falls, New York. He is
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On March 10, 1796, Porter was married to Lavinia Steele. Together, they were the parents of one son:
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In 1825, the Porter brothers presented a prospectus, touting the economic advantages of developing
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https://archive.org/stream/officialrecordof00willuoft/officialrecordof00willuoft_djvu.txt
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Albert Howell Porter (1801–1888), who married Julia Mathews (1808–1899), a descendant of
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around the Falls. As part of Porter, Barton, and Company, they established ports in
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Abraham Thompson family, all free people of color, lived near the Porter family.
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to the position of Assemblyman for the Genesee and Ontario district during the
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767:"National Register of Historic Places Registration: First Presbyterian Manse"
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Narrative of early years in the life of Judge… (Paperback) by Augustus Porter
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576:"Niagara Falls History of Power Development – Augustus & Peter Porter"
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Porter first visited Niagara County in 1795, surveying land throughout
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New York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation
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Weekly List of Actions Taken on Properties: 6/25/12 through 6/29/12
717:(Vol. II ed.). Saratoga Springs: G.W. Ball, printer. p.
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Preceded in the position by his brother, Porter was elected as a
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was built by or for his daughter Lavinia. It was listed on the
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513:. Stone Printing and Manufacturing Company. pp. 151–152.
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at Oakwood Cemetery, Niagara Falls, Niagara County, New York.
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in order to open a business park. The land was ceded by the
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The Descendants of John Porter of Windsor, Conn. 1635-9
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The New York Public Library Archives & Manuscripts
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Augustus Porter Collection, 1789-1908, bulk 1808-1818
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837:: an inventory at EmpireADC.org, courtesy of the
741:"PIONEER LAVINIA PORTER HELPED CIVILIZE FRONTIER"
545:"Augustus Porter papers 1811–1888, 19481811-1888"
16:For his son and the Michigan politician, see
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847:, an inventory in PDF form, courtesy of The
306:, New York and in 1805, he and his brother,
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424:(1798–1872), who married Sarah G. Barnard.
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244:Surveyor, farmer, businessman, politician
936:Politicians from Niagara Falls, New York
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598:"Judge Augustus Porter," ancestry.com,
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800:"National Register of Historic Places"
667:: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (
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845:Augustus Porter Collection, 1789-1908
52:July 1, 1802 – June 30, 1803
7:
806:. National Park Service. 2012-07-06.
461:National Register of Historic Places
931:People from Salisbury, Connecticut
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765:Virginia L. Bartos (March 2012).
448:Baby Porter, who died in infancy.
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739:Kostoff, Bob (June 15, 2010).
711:Andrews, Henry Porter (1893).
442:(1806–1871), who did not marry
108:Litchfield County, Connecticut
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889:Genesee and Ontario District
445:Lavinia E. Porter (1810–1863)
213:; died 1841)
507:Buck, Albert Henry (1909).
451:Jane S. Porter (born 1816).
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613:"Augustus Porter daybook"
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786:"Accompanying 15 photos"
457:First Presbyterian Manse
297:Connecticut Land Company
916:American businesspeople
868:New York State Assembly
685:Welles, Albert (1881).
559:"Judge Augustus Porter"
422:Augustus Seymour Porter
331:opened 20 years later.
18:Augustus Seymour Porter
849:Buffalo History Museum
839:Buffalo History Museum
745:Niagara Falls Reporter
440:Peter Buell Porter Jr.
399:Democratic-Republican
314:, United States at a
302:In 1800, he moved to
151:Democratic-Republican
283:Land and development
898:Nathaniel W. Howell
561:. 23 February 2021.
185:, died)
75:Nathaniel W. Howell
877:Peter Buell Porter
578:. 3 February 2017.
308:Peter Buell Porter
255:Augustus S. Porter
226:Peter Buell Porter
63:Peter Buell Porter
27:Augustus S. Porter
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895:Succeeded by
885:New York Assembly
692:. Society Library
407:New York Assembly
354:Parkhurst Whitney
261:for the state of
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645:the original
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619:. 1999-02-22
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403:twenty-sixth
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120:(1849-06-10)
70:Succeeded by
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926:1849 deaths
921:1769 births
724:14 November
371:Great Lakes
336:Goat Island
304:Canandaigua
259:Assemblyman
195:Jane Howell
58:Preceded by
910:Categories
892:1802—1803
776:2012-12-19
750:14 October
696:14 October
654:2014-02-11
623:2022-08-09
483:References
387:Black Rock
329:Erie Canal
269:Early life
241:Profession
96:1769-01-18
782:See also:
463:in 2012.
228:(brother)
222:Relations
104:Salisbury
48:In office
689:Armorial
663:cite web
468:interred
383:Lewiston
373:via the
360:Business
263:New York
233:Children
130:New York
589:Company
474:Slavery
348:Tourism
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157:Spouses
817:42–44.
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385:, and
367:Oswego
320:Seneca
278:Career
209:
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648:(PDF)
641:(PDF)
526:6 May
341:falls
205:(
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177:(
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752:2016
726:2016
698:2016
669:link
528:2018
515:ISBN
293:Ohio
291:and
211:1801
183:1796
115:Died
90:Born
887:for
857:at
719:616
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661:{{
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Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.