Bio:  Charles V. Porter, De Soto, then Natchitoches Parish, Louisiana
Source: Louisiana:  Comprising Sketches of Parishes, Towns, Events,
Institutions, and Persons, Arranged in Cyclopedic Form (volume 3), pp.
655-656.  Edited by Alcée Fortier, Lit.D.  Published in 1914, by Century
Historical Association.
Submitted by Mike Miller



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CHARLES VERNON PORTER

Porter, Charles Vernon, of Natchitoches, former district judge, now judge of
the court of appeals, and member of the state central committee, at large, was
born in De Soto parish, Jan. 1, 1857.  His father, J. C. Porter, a native of
Georgia, came to Shreveport, La., about the year 1835, and was one of the
pioneer merchants of that city for a number of years.  Removing to Greenwood,
La., thence to Mansfield, and afterwards to Natchitoches, he engaged in
planting in the latter parish.  J. C. Porter married Miss Sarah Garrett,
daughter of William Garrett, of Alabama.  Mr. Garrett removed to the parish of
Caddo, La., and became a planter.  In 1873, J. C. Porter died, at the age of
67 years; his wife passed away, aged 57 years.  The subject of this sketch,
Judge Porter, is the youngest of 5 sons and 2 daughters:  Elizabeth (died) ; 
Caroline Frances (died), wife of James B. Odon;  Alexander S. (died);  John T.
(died) ;  William Garrett (died) ;  Thomas F., residing at Alexandria, and 
Charles Vernon Porter.  The latter was left an orphan in his youth.  At the
age of 16, after having been educated at the Shreveport institute, he went to
Shreveport where he found employment from 1873 to 1877; returning to
Natchitoches, was deputy postmaster and clerk until 1880, when he began the
study of law in the office of the late Judge L. B. Watkins, and D. C.
Scarborough (now of Natchitoches), and was admitted to the bar of Shreveport
in 1882.  After practicing law for 6 years in Natchitoches, he removed to
Shreveport where he edited the "Daily Democrat," an influential daily
newspaper.  The law firm of Pierson & Porter (David Pierson, since deceased,
and Charles Vernon Porter) which was established in 1892, and which had a most
extensive practice in north Louisiana, was dissolved in 1900 when Mr. Porter
left Shreveport to resume residence and business at Natchitoches, and after he
had filled the unexpired term, as district attorney, of Hon. Phanor Breazeale,
who had been elected to Congress.  In 1900, Mr. Porter was elected judge of
the 11th judicial district, comprising the parishes of Natchitoches and Red
River; was reelected in 1904; resigned in 1907 to accept the position of judge
of the court of appeals, which had been created by an amendment to the state
constitution in 1906.  Judge Porter was a member of the democratic state
central committee, and as a leading spirit in the anti-lottery campaign, while
on the committee to abolish the Louisiana state lottery, he was associated
with such distinguished citizens as Hon. E. D. White, the present chief
justice of the United States Supreme court; Judge Farrar, Judge Charles
Parlange, Col. C. Harrison Parker, and many other prominent men.  The judge is
always alert in joining every movement looking to the political, social and
moral advancement of Louisiana, and has at all times been a prime factor in
public affairs.  He was twice married; first, in 1884 to Miss Violet Sachs, by
whom he had 4 children:  Charles Vernon Porter, Jr., a graduate of Yale
university, now residing in Baton Rouge, and member of the law firm of Taylor,
Smitherman & Porter, one of the leading legal counselors' partnerships of East
Baton Rouge parish; Harold Porter, of Natchitoches; Edith, and Jeanah, wife of
I. Harmanson, of Shreveport.  The second marriage, with Miss Lucia Lawless,
took place in 1901, and that union was blessed with 1 son, Blanchard L.
Porter.  Judge Porter is a member of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows, and
of the Pythian order.