White House Historical Association

Charles Porter

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"Charles Porter," White House Workers History Project, White House Historical Association, 2026, https://whitehouseworkers.org/Detail/workers/295.
Position
Valet
Years in President's House
1849
Legal Status
Enslaved Person
Gender
Male
Race/Ethnicity
Black or African American
Presidency
Zachary Taylor
Biography
Charles Porter was an enslaved body servant to President Zachary Taylor. He died while working at the White House in 1849 from an “epileptic fit” or “apoplexy” though it was originally attributed to cholera.1 Newspapers called him “a worthy man and a great favorite of General Taylor, having been his constant companion through the Florida and Mexican campaigns.”2 Further information about his life is unclear.
  1. “News of the Day,” Alexandria Gazette, August 1, 1849.
  2. “Death of Charles,” Herald of the Times, August 16, 1849.
Birthplace
Unclear from context
Burial Place
Unclear from context
Related Workers
Thomas Strother
Unclear from context, circa 1849 – circa 1850
Dicy
Unclear from context, circa 1849 – circa 1850
Jane Webb
Unclear from context, circa 1849 – circa 1850
William Webb
Unclear from context, circa 1849 – circa 1850
Caroline Webb
Unclear from context, circa 1849 – circa 1850
William Oldham
Valet, circa 1849 – circa 1850
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