Week 11 - Brick Wall - Porter family

There are numerous brick walls in my family research, but the hardest one to find information for is Aaron Porter.

Aaron (Arron) was my 3x great grandfather. Many would say, why do you want to know more? You are already into the late 1700's. But he was an explorer, a man who had a bit of wanderlust. I connect with that. Always wanting to see what is on the other side. Is it better? Or worse? Not contented until the answer is found.

A typed missive from his daughter Minerva's husbands' side (Barrick) states the following information:

Our efforts to trace the Porter line have been unsuccessful, through various sources, principally through Uncle Amos, we learned that Arron Porter was a native of Vermont, and his wife was a native of New York, Lovina Chapman, born near Lake George, they settled in Indiana, do not know the location where their children were born and where Mr. Porter died.

We have names of five of their children – James (a bachelor) John Jay (I remember him and family living in Greenleaf, Minn. And his son, George now living at Junction City, Ore.) Nicholas, Hosea (a bachelor) and Minerva, born Oct. 28, 1820.

In religion Mr. Porter was Unitarian, a bible student that was very fond of arguing his doctrinal beliefs and proving his point by quoting scripture.

I find these statistics in my notes but do not remember by what authority:

Arron Porter died in Indiana

Lovina Chapman Porter died near Faribault, Minn. Aug. 7, 1871 age 84 years.

Exa Porter died at Spring Grove Jan 17, 1883

H. B. Porter died Mar. 18, 1890

Nicholas M. Porter died Feb. 28, 1890

John Jay Porter died Aug. 11, 1885

So, I began researching Grandpa Aaron over the past 50+ years.  I started with me and worked my way back. Over the years I found that:

Aaron was born ca1780 in Vermont. Lovina was born 31 Aug 1785 and died 7 Aug 1871. I have never found a marriage record.

Aaron and Lovina went to Madison, Jefferson County, Indiana and were there in 1820 along with six children. (based on Census, birth & death records three were born in New York and three were born in Indiana) James, Exa, John, Minerva, Sarah, Nicholas & Hosea. (Hosea would have been born in Indiana also - although all census records for him show New York as the birthplace). Why six children? Not the seven that show up throughout my research. Exa is in all the records showing 'insane' or 'idiot'. 

In 1830 Aaron and family were in Edgar County, Illinois. 

By 1836, Aaron and Lovina and six children were in Michigan Territory/Wisconsin Territory, Iowa and operating the first mill in the area. (Per the Cedar County Historical Review). ....The honor of providing the first mill goes to Aaron Porter. He and his wife and 6 children, several of them almost grown, settled in Cedar County July 7, 1836, in Section 7...   pg52

In 1840, Aaron and family were enumerated in Iowa Territory (renamed in 1838), Cedar County, Iowa. He purchased 160 acres of land in 1841 in Section 8 of Cedar County and moved a bit farther north.

During all the moves, the families of Nathan How, AC Barrick and Isaac Young are enumerated on the same Census pages. Their families obviously traveled together. 

In 1845, per his Probate papers, he died 21 September of 1845, and papers were filed October 4, 1845, in Iowa. Nathan How and Alpheus Barrick were Administrators of his estate. Remember it was previously stated that he died in Indiana. What would have sent him back there? 

A discrepancy is that in the Probate papers there is a bill for a coffin. Did he really die in Indiana? Was the coffin just to have something to bury? I can find no proof of a burial in Indiana or in Iowa.

His wife Lovina is enumerated in Cedar County, Iowa in 1850 living with her daughter Minerva (Porter) Barrick. In 1860 & 1870 she is still living with her daughter and family but in Minnesota. She died in 1871 and was buried in Minnesota.

Son James, I have never been able to track.

Minerva and husband Alpheus Barrick and family went to Oregon. 

Sarah and husband Emmanuel Young and family went to Kansas. 

Exa went north with her mother and died in Minnesota in 1883. 

John J and his wife Margaret (my 2x great grandparents) stayed in Cedar County, Iowa.

Nicholas and his wife Juliana stayed and raised their family in Muscatine County, Iowa.

Hosea never married and died in California.

Brick walls are hard to get around. But I revisit Aaron often. Someday, maybe that wall will tumble.

Barbie