Virtual Museum of Art | Virtual Museum of History | Virtual Public Library | Virtual Science Center | Virtual Museum of Natural History | Virtual War Museum
   You are in: Museum of History >> Hall of North and South Americans >> William Trotter Porter

Appleton's Cyclopedia of American Biography, edited by James Grant Wilson, John Fiske and Stanley L. Klos. Six volumes, New York: D. Appleton and Company, 1887-1889 and StanKlos.com 1999. Virtualology.com cautions that these 19th Century biographies contain OCR errors and 19th Century bias. 

The Federal Deficit PAID
Courtesy of Wall Street - Click Here



Virtual American Biographies

Over 30,000 personalities with thousands of 19th Century illustrations, signatures, and exceptional life stories. Virtualology.com welcomes editing and additions to the biographies. To become this site's editor or a contributor Click Here or e-mail Virtualology here.



A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z

 



William Trotter Porter

PORTER, William Trotter, journalist, born in Newbury, Vermont, 24 December. 1809; died in New York city, 20 July, 1858. He was educated at Dartmouth, but was not graduated. In 1829 he became connected with the "Farmer's Herald" at St. Johnsbury, Vermont, and the following year he became associate editor of "The Enquirer" at Norwich. His ambition for a wider field of action led him to New York city, where he first found employment as foreman in a printing-office. He engaged as a compositor Horace Greeley, who had recently arrived in the city, and a life-long friendship ensued. Mr. Porter's cherished project was put into effect on 10 December, 1831, when he issued the initial number of the "Spirit of the Times," the first sporting journal in the United States. It was a novel undertaking, and was not at first successful. In a few months it was merged with " The Traveller," with Mr. Porter in charge of the sporting department. The following year he resigned and took charge of "The New Yorker" for a short time, and then of "The Constellation." As these journals gave only a subordinate place to sporting topics, he purchased "The Traveller, and Spirit of the Times" from C. J. B. Fisher, who had united the two, and on 3 January, 1835, the paper was issued again under its original name. At this period the sports of the turf and field were held in disrepute, especially in the New England states, and the task of correcting deep-rooted prejudices called into play all the perseverance, tact, and talent of the editor, who was thoroughly imbued with love of the work. The paper was progressive, and was soon supported by a host of wealthy patrons and versatile contributors. Among the latter were Albert Pike, Thomas B. Thorpe, " Frank Forester," George Wilkins Kendall, Charles G. Leland, and Thomas Picton. The popularity of Mr. Porter was great. Nearly all his correspondents, and the majority of his subscribers, were personal friends. His sobriquet of " York's Tall Son" was bestowed not less in recognition of his social qualities than of his lofty stature--six feet and four inches. A writer says of him: " His mind was comprehensive, his perception keen, his deductions clear and concise, whilst his judgment and decisions in all sporting matters were more reliable and more respected than any other man's in this country. He was the father of a school of American sporting literature, which is no less a credit to his name than it is an honor to the land that gave him birth. Many of his decisions and sporting reports will be quoted as authority for generations to come. He possessed a fund of sporting statistics unequalled by any other man in America." In February, 1839, he purchased the "American Turf Register and Sporting Magazine" from John S. Skinner, of Baltimore, and the periodical was thenceforth published in New York until it was finally suspended in 1844. After conducting the old " Spirit "--as it was familiarly termed--for nearly twenty-five years, he withdrew from the editorial management, and with George Wilkes established " Porter's Spirit of the Times" in September, 1856. Failing health prevented close application to the new field of labor. He edited three collections of tales that had appeared in his journal, entitled "The Big Bear of Arkansaw, and Other Tales" (Philadelphia, 1835);" A Quarter Race in Kentucky, and Other Sketches" (1846); and " Major T. B. Thorpe's Scenes in Arkansaw, and Other Sketches" (1859); and also issued an American edition, with additions, of Colonel Peter Hawker's "Instructions to Young Sportsmen" (1846). At the time of his death he was engaged in preparing a biography of Henry William Herbert (" Frank Forester "). See " Life of William T. Porter," by Francis Brinley (New York, 1860).

Edited Appletons Encyclopedia, Copyright © 2001 VirtualologyTM

Start your search on William Trotter Porter.


Born in a Tavern and ending in a Tavern The United States Founding governments
occupied 11 different capitol buildings experienced 15 years of challenges that included war,
hyper-inflation, a failed constitution, judicial corruption, armed citizen and U.S. Army rebellion.

Click Here For United States Court of Appeals Update

Forgotten Founders Historic Documents and Coins of Freedom - By Stanley L. Klos

Which U.S. President adopted the Philadelphia Constitutional Convention
resolution, enacted the Northwest Ordinance, and backed George Washington,
James Madison and Nathaniel Gorham's resolution to submit the new U.S.
Constitution to the States for ratification without Congressional alterations?

For A Unique Vacation on Florida's Nature Coast
Click Here
The Coachman House Circa 1870 at Cedar Key


Unauthorized Site: This site and its contents are not affiliated, connected, associated with or authorized by the individual, family, friends, or trademarked entities utilizing any part or the subject's entire name. Any official or affiliated sites that are related to this subject will be hyper linked below upon submission and Evisum, Inc. review.

Copyright© 2000 by Evisum Inc.TM. All rights reserved.
Evisum Inc.TM Privacy Policy

Search:

About Us

e-mail us

 

Historic Holiday Gifts Form Men Who Know Almost Everything

e-mail us


Holiday Gifts


FOR MEN
Click Here

 


Books For Sale
Click Here

Commentary

 

 


Virtual Museum of Art | Virtual Museum of History | Virtual Public Library | Virtual Science Center | Virtual Museum of Natural History | Virtual War Museum


Estoric.com - A Stan Klos Company