Week 17 2026 - Working for a Living - Jay S Porter

Jay Shepard Porter (my dad's first cousin 1x removed) was born on  April 7, 1898, in Salem, Oregon the eldest son of George Washington and Anna Mary (McGowan) Porter. His father had traveled from Iowa to Minnesota to Oregon as a young man and as an adult earned his livelihood as a farmer. Jay’s early years were shaped by the routines and responsibilities of rural life and the labor required before the onset of modern machinery.

By about 1916, at the age of eighteen, Jay made a significant transition, leaving the family farm and relocating to the Multnomah district of Portland. This move reflected a broader pattern seen in many young men at that time who sought opportunity in larger towns. In Portland, Jay took employment as an express delivery truck driver, serving local industries such as the region’s woolen mills.

The occupation “express driver” or “express truck driver” indicates work in the early commercial delivery system between manufacturers and customers, before modern networks were established. His duties would have included loading goods—such as bolts of woolen cloth, finished garments, or raw materials—directly at mill sites, then transporting and delivering them to businesses, rail depots, or private customers throughout the city and surrounding communities.

Maintaining such a vehicle in the 1910s required constant attention. Early trucks were mechanically simple but prone to breakdowns, especially on rough, often unpaved roads. Drivers like Jay were expected to handle basic repairs themselves, including tire changes, engine adjustments, and lubrication. Weather conditions in the Pacific Northwest added to the challenge. Frequent rains turned roads muddy and rutted, while winter cold could affect engines and make travel hazardous. Deliveries had to be made regardless of these conditions, demanding both physical endurance and mechanical skill.

stock photo

Jay had relocated to the Bakersfield area of Kern County, California by 1920. The area had been a part of the oil boom in the 1920's, producing over 450,000 barrels a day but by the 1930's it had changed over to agriculture and large irrigated farms.

Bakersfield, California oil field

By 1935, Jay had moved back north to Sunnyside, Washington, a community in the Yakima Valley known for its agricultural opportunities. This relocation reflects a return to his rural roots or maybe because of economic conditions during the Great Depression.

In 1937, Jay married Dorothea Gehr, in Prosser, Washington establishing a more permanent household. By 1940, the couple was living on a farm of their own along with their daughter Jennie, in Sunnyside, Washington indicating that Jay had resumed farming on his own account. By 1950, there was a second daughter named Jayne. 

Having spent his lifetime working for a living, he came to realize that there was no easy way to do it. Whether on the farm, in the industrial mills, or during the oil boom. 

Jay was deeply devoted to his small community and took great pride in portraying Santa Claus for local children—a role he cherished and continued right up until his passing, leaving behind fond memories for many.

He died 14 December 1980 in Okanogan, Washington and his wife Dorothea died 23 Feb 1998. They are buried in the Okanogan City Cemetery.

 Barbie