John Addison Porter

John Addison Porter (1822–1866) was an American chemist, physician, educator, and literary translator whose short life left an outsized institutional footprint at Yale University. A founder of the Scroll and Key secret society in his senior year (1842), Porter went on to pioneer agricultural and organic chemistry instruction at Yale's Sheffield Scientific School, married into the Sheffield family fortune, and became the first English translator of Finland's national epic, the Kalevala. His posthumous legacy — the John Addison Porter Prize, endowed in 1872 by the Kingsley Trust Association — remains one of Yale's most prestigious academic awards, and his son of the same name became the first "Secretary to the President" under William McKinley.

Definitions

• Scroll and Key Society — A secret senior society founded at Yale in 1842, one of the "Big Three" alongside Skull and Bones and Wolf's Head; reputedly the wealthiest of the Yale secret societies.
• Kingsley Trust Association (KTA) — The alumni organization of Scroll and Key, named for co-founder William L. Kingsley; incorporated after the society's founding and responsible for endowing the John Addison Porter Prize in 1872.
• Sheffield Scientific School — Yale's science and engineering school, endowed by Joseph Earl Sheffield (Porter's father-in-law); originally called the Yale Scientific School.
• Kalevala — The Finnish national epic, compiled by Elias Lönnrot from oral tradition; Porter produced the first partial English translation (1868) from Franz Anton Schiefner's German edition.
• Agricultural Chemistry — A 19th-century scientific discipline focused on applying chemistry to agriculture, soil science, and crop production; Porter studied this under Justus von Liebig, the "father of the fertilizer industry."
• Justus von Liebig — German chemist at the University of Giessen, widely credited with founding organic chemistry and agricultural chemistry; Porter's primary mentor in Germany (1847–1850).

Historical Timeline

• 1822, March 15 — John Addison Porter is born in Catskill, New York to Addison Porter and Anne Hogeboom.

Source: Obituary Record of Graduates of Yale University, 1866–7, p. 246

Quote: "Porter was born in Catskill, New York." (p. 246)

• 1841 — Porter, along with William L. Kingsley and eleven others, incorporates the Kingsley Trust Association, the organizational backbone of what will become Scroll and Key.
  • Source: "Scroll and Key," Wikipedia — citing Mack, Maynard, A History of Scroll and Key 1842–1942
  • Quote: "Scroll and Key was established by John Addison Porter, with aid from several members of the Class of 1842 (including Leonard Case Jr. and Theodore Runyon) and a member of the Class of 1843 (William L. Kingsley), after disputes over elections to Skull and Bones Society."
• 1842 — Porter graduates from Yale College. The Scroll and Key Society is formally recognized as a senior society at Yale. This is also the year Charles Loring Brace enters Yale as a freshman.

Source: Obituary Record of Graduates of Yale University, 1866–7, p. 246

• 1842–1844 — Porter moves to Philadelphia for further study.

Source: Wikipedia, "John Addison Porter"

• 1844 — Becomes professor of rhetoric and ancient and modern languages at Delaware College.

Source: Kelly & Burrage, American Medical Biographies, "Porter, John Addison"

Quote: "He graduated at Yale University in 1842, became professor of rhetoric and ancient and modern languages at Delaware College."

• 1847 — Leaves Delaware College and travels to Germany to study agricultural chemistry under Justus von Liebig at the University of Giessen.

Source: American Medical Biographies

Quote: "In 1847 went abroad to study agricultural chemistry under Liebig at the University of Giessen."

• c. 1849–1850 — Serves as assistant at the Lawrence Scientific School, Cambridge, Massachusetts upon returning from Germany.

Source: American Medical Biographies

Quote: "Returning to the United States he was assistant at the Lawrence Scientific School, Cambridge, Massachusetts."

• 1850 — Accepts the chair of applied chemistry at Brown University, Providence, Rhode Island.

Source: American Medical Biographies

Quote: "In 1850 accepted the chair of applied chemistry at Brown University, Providence, Rhode Island."

• 1852 — Succeeds John Pitkin Norton as Professor of Analytical and Agricultural Chemistry at Yale Scientific School (later Sheffield Scientific School).

Source: Historical Register of Yale University, 1701–1937, p. 434

• 1854/1855 — Marries Josephine Earl Sheffield, daughter of Joseph Earl Sheffield. Receives his M.D. from Yale University in 1855.

Source: American Medical Biographies

Quote: "In 1854 Dr. Porter married a daughter of Joseph Earl Sheffield who established and endowed the Sheffield Scientific School." / "His M.D. was received at Yale University in 1855."

• 1856 — Becomes Professor of Organic Chemistry at Yale, a position he holds until 1864.

Source: Historical Register of Yale University, 1701–1937, p. 434

• 1857–1860 — Publishes major chemistry textbooks: Principles of Chemistry (1857), First Book of Chemistry and Allied Sciences (1857), First Book of Science (1858), Outlines of the First Course of Yale Agricultural Lectures (1860).

Source: Wikipedia, "John Addison Porter — Literary Works"

• 1861–1865 (Civil War era) — Conducts the Connecticut War Record, providing news of Connecticut regiments during the Civil War.

Source: American Medical Biographies

Quote: "During the Civil War he conducted the Connecticut War Record giving news of Connecticut regiments."

• 1864 — Resigns from Yale due to declining health.

Source: American Medical Biographies

Quote: "Resigning in 1864 because of ill health."

• 1866, August 25 — Dies in New Haven, Connecticut at age 44.

Source: Obituary Record of Graduates of Yale University, 1866–7, p. 246

• 1868 (posthumous) — Selections from the Kalevala, the Great Finnish Epic is published, making Porter the first person to translate any portion of the Finnish national epic into English.

Source: Wikipedia, "John Addison Porter"

• 1872 (posthumous) — The Kingsley Trust Association (Scroll and Key) endows the John Addison Porter Prize at Yale in his memory.

Source: Yale Office of the Secretary

Quote: "The award was established in 1872 by the Kingsley Trust Association (The Scroll and Key Society) in honor of the late Professor Porter, who received a bachelor's degree from Yale in 1842."