Week 25 - FAN - Porter

My 3x great grandfather Aaron Porter has been my brick wall for over five decades. Researching backwards, I discovered his name and his relationship to me using a variety of methods. 

I started with my dad, William N Porter born in 1917 in Flandreau, SD and raised in Sioux City, Iowa.  My grandfather was Harry Edward Porter (went by Edward) born in 1888 in Rochester, Cedar County, Iowa.  My great grandfather was William H Porter born in 1868 in Rochester Township, Cedar County, Iowa.  My 2x great grandfather was John J Porter born in 1818 in Jefferson County, Indiana. His father (my 3x) was Aaron/Arron Porter.

From a single page in a Barrick genealogy, I learned this information about Arron Porter:

WRITTEN BY AN UNIDENTIFIED BARRICK RELATIVE.

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

This information was instrumental in helping me to look, find and fill in the blanks to get where I am today in the completeness of my Porter tree. I started with the Barrick family as they were always near my ancestors and the families intermarried.

1. Uncle Amos was Amos Barrick son of Alpheus and Minerva (Porter) Barrick. He married Mary Todd, and they had a son Eldon Barrick and a daughter Mary E Barrick.

2. I was able to narrow it down to Madison, Jefferson County, Indiana where the Porter family settled for about 18 years.

3. a. James - I have never found any information on him.

    b. John Jay - b 3 Mar 1818 in Indiana and died 11 Aug 1885 in Rochester, Cedar                        County, Iowa. He married Margaret Matter, and they were the parents of six                            children. (my 2x great grandparents)

    c. Nicholas - b about 1827 married Juliana Dolan 7 Oct 1853 and she sadly died 26 Sept           1854 at the age of 17.

    d. Hosea - see week # 8.

    e. Minerva - b about 1820 married Alpheus C Barrick

Continued research found two more children: Exa Porter - who never married and in all records is listed as insane/foolish and Sarah Porter who married Emanuel Young and traveled across the prairies to Kansas where they settled and died.

Aaron Porter is stated to have died in Indiana, but his Probate in Iowa shows that a coffin was commissioned and build, but there is no record of his burial. Would the family have brought him back to Iowa for burial? If so, then where?


Lovina went to Minnesota along with daughter Exa and daughter Minerva and her family.  Lovina and Exa both died in Minnesota and Minerva and Alpheus Barrick continued along the Oregon Trail and settled in Mehama, Oregon.

Researching the Porter name in Indiana is difficult as there is a Porter County and also the Porter name is very numerous there. So, I began fanning out to include who was listed near Aaron and Lovina in census records.  I found an Israel Young (assuming father of Emanuel Young) in 1840 Indiana and then there was a Nathan How who is enumerated multiple times next to Aaron in records.  Doing some land research - I find Aaron Porter and Nathan How in Madison, Jefferson co, Indiana in 1820.  In 1830 I find them both in Edgar County, Illinois (just northwest of Terre Houte, Illinois).  In 1836 I find Aaron Porter in Cedar County, Iowa.  In 1841 Nathan How of Edgar Co, IL purchased land in Section 8 in Cedar co, Iowa near Aaron Porter. 

And when Aaron died, it was Alpheus Barrick and Nathan How who were Executors of his estate. Remember, in 1845 a woman did not own property, and so when her husband died, the courts would appoint a male friend/family member to represent her in court.

Without using the FAN (friends, associates, neighbors) method, I would never have been able to find the correct Aaron Porter as he and his family traveled from New York to Indiana to Illinois to Iowa.

There are still a lot of blanks to fill in but that is why we enjoy the hunt. Now to see if Increase and Lydia Porter are Aaron's parents.

Barbie



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