Week 49 - Written - Porter

This week's prompt is WRITTEN. Don't always believe what is written - not all things are cut and dried.

This picture came to me from my Aunt Phyllis (Porter) Drummond. She was my dad's older sister.  My dad, William (Bill) Porter was born 10 October 1917, the youngest of three children of Harry Edward and Nellie Irene (Dillingham) Porter. Dad had an older brother Harry Edward, Jr born 31 March 1916 and his older sister Phyllis was born 20 Feb 1915.



Aunt Phyllis remembered a lot about growing up and residing in Flandreau, SD where my dad was born.  She and Harry were born in Manning, Iowa. 

Now my grandpa Porter always went by Ed - never Harry. His son Harry always went by Harry. and my dad William always went by Bill.  And dad had a grandfather named William. You can see the confusion already.

Here is the line:

Bill Porter>Ed Porter>William Porter>John Porter>Aaron Porter

So, looking at the enclosed picture, you would figure that it is of Aaron Porter and his wife Lavina (Chapman) Porter based on the fact of what Phyllis wrote. The great-grandparents of Ed.

But and it is a fairly large 'but'...Aaron Porter died in 1845. While living in the wilds of Iowa, before it became a state. When it was the Iowa Territories. Would it have been feasible that he and Lavina would have had their picture taken? Photography didn't really develop until Civil War times. I really don't think so. I am so not feeling it.

I believe the picture is of John Porter (1818-1885) and his wife Margaret (Matter) Porter (1833-1901). I don't have any other pictures of John Porter, but I do have this one of Margaret.



Any input is always welcome. Research has shown that the clothing in the first picture is dated 1860-1870's. Long after Aaron Porter died. Thoughts?

Barbie

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