Born in Salisbury, Connecticut. Graduate of Yale in 1791. Studied law and was admitted to the bar in 1793. He practiced in Canandaigua, New York. Married Letitia Breckenridge in 1818.

Elected to the New York State Legislature serving to 1804. Elected to the House of Representatives serving March 4, 1809, to March 3, 1813. During the War of 1812 he raised a militia. He was commissioned major general in 1814. He served with distinction in the battles of Chippewa, Niagara and Erie. For this service he received the thanks of Congress and a gold medal.

Elected again to the House of Representatives and served March 4, 1815, to January 23, 1816. He ran for Governor of New York in 1817 but did not win.

He was appointed Secretary of War by President John Quincy Adams and served June 21, 1828, to March 9, 1829. He died at Niagara Falls, New York.

Congress honored Porter with a gold medal by resolution November 3, 1814, for his service during the war. The medal (Julian MI-18) was by Moritz Furst. The mint also produced a modern copy (USM 412).

bio: ApCAB; BDC; BDEB; DAB; Drake; Failor; Loubat; NCAB 5; TCBDA; WWWA-H