Charles Hunt Porter was an American businessman and politician who served as the first mayor of Quincy, Massachusetts.

Early life

Porter was born on April 3, 1843, in

Weymouth, Massachusetts ("To Work Is to Conquer") , image_map = Norfolk County Massachusetts incorporated and unincorporated areas Weymouth highlighted.svg , mapsize = 250px , map_caption = Location in Norfolk County in Massa ...

. When he was six weeks old his family moved to Quincy, Massachusetts, where he resided for the remainder of his life. He attended grammar and high school in Quincy and engaged in the insurance business until July 1, 1862, when he enlisted in the

Union Army During the American Civil War, the Union Army, also known as the Federal Army and the Northern Army, referring to the United States Army, was the land force that fought to preserve the Union of the collective states. It proved essential to th ...

. Porter served in the 39th Massachusetts Regiment for three years during the

American Civil War The American Civil War (April 12, 1861 – May 26, 1865; also known by other names) was a civil war in the United States. It was fought between the Union ("the North") and the Confederacy ("the South"), the latter formed by states ...

. He mustered out as a captain, but was later given an honorary commission as a lieutenant colonel.

Business career

Upon his return from the war, Porter returned to the insurance business with W. Porter & Co. He later became a partner of the firm. He also served as a director of the Quincy Mutual Fire Insurance Co., a trustee of the Quincy Savings Bank, and director/president of the Quincy Water Co. Porter was the president of the Boston Red Stockings of the

National League The National League of Professional Baseball Clubs, known simply as the National League (NL), is the older of two leagues constituting Major League Baseball (MLB) in the United States and Canada, and the world's oldest extant professional team ...

from through . During his tenure as president, the club made a tour of

England England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Wales to its west and Scotland to its north. The Irish Sea lies northwest and the Celtic Sea to the southwest. It is separated from continental Europe b ...

. In 1900, Porter was part of a group that attempted to secure a Boston franchise in the new

American League The American League of Professional Baseball Clubs, known simply as the American League (AL), is one of two leagues that make up Major League Baseball (MLB) in the United States and Canada. It developed from the Western League, a minor league ...

. Porter negotiated a deal for the club to play in Charles River Park in

Cambridge, Massachusetts Cambridge ( ) is a city in Middlesex County, Massachusetts, United States. As part of the Boston metropolitan area, the cities population of the 2020 U.S. census was 118,403, making it the fourth most populous city in the state, behind Boston ...

, and had selected a person to manage the affairs of the team, but his group backed out after the league's backers met with a rival group. Boston would join the American League in 1901 when Cleveland businessman

Charles Somers Charles W. Somers (October 13, 1868 – June 29, 1934) was an American executive in the coal industry in Cleveland, Ohio, who also achieved prominence in professional baseball. The financial resources from his business interests allowed Somers to ...

formed what would become the

Boston Red Sox The Boston Red Sox are an American professional baseball team based in Boston. The Red Sox compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) East division. Founded in as one of the American League's eigh ...

. Porter was a member of the

Adams Academy Adams Academy was a school that opened in 1872 in Quincy, Massachusetts, United States. John Adams, the second President of the United States, had many years before established the Adams Temple and School Fund. This fund gave of land to the peopl ...

's board of management from the school's organization in 1871 until 1888.

Political career

Porter was a member of the Quincy board of selectmen from 1879 to 1880. From 1881 to 1882 he represented Quincy and Weymouth in the

Massachusetts House of Representatives The Massachusetts House of Representatives is the lower house of the Massachusetts General Court, the state legislature of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. It is composed of 160 members elected from 14 counties each divided into single-member ...

. In 1888, Porter was elected Mayor of Quincy in the city's first mayoral election. Porter also served on Quincy's school committee for seven years and was a member of the inaugural Quincy's park commission. Porter served a member of the state board of health during the governorships of Roger Wolcott and

Curtis Guild Jr. Curtis Guild Jr. (February 2, 1860 – April 6, 1915) was an American journalist, soldier, diplomat and politician from Massachusetts. He was the 43rd Governor of Massachusetts, serving from 1906 to 1909. Prior to his election as governor, Guil ...

In 1899 he was appointed to the state civil service commission. In 1910 he was appointed by Governor

Eben Sumner Draper Eben (sometimes incorrectly Ebenezer) Sumner Draper (June 17, 1858 – April 9, 1914) was an American businessman and politician from Massachusetts. He was for many years a leading figure in what later became the Draper Corporation, the d ...

to serve on a commission that investigated and reported on the care of tuberculosis patients.

Illness and death

Porter underwent an operation in the spring of 1910. His health declined afterwards and he died on August 10, 1911, at his home in Quincy.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Porter, Charles H. 1843 births 1911 deaths American businesspeople in insurance Major League Baseball team presidents Boston Braves owners Mayors of Quincy, Massachusetts Republican Party members of the Massachusetts House of Representatives Union Army officers 19th-century American businesspeople