My Genealogy Hound

E. A. Porter, agent for the Pacific Express Company, at Helena, Ark., is a native of Helena, Ark., his birth occurring here June 5, 1865, he being a son of William and Ann A. (Hanks) Porter, the latter being a sister of Judge James M. Hanks, ex-Congressman. William Porter was born March 9, 1818, at Cincinnati, Ohio, and in his youth, or youthful days, came to Arkansas and located in Helena, owning and operating a tannery, saw and grist-mill at the mouth of the St. Francis River. He conducted this business on a very extensive scale until the opening of the war, during which time he lost nearly all his accumulations of years. After the war he set to work to retrieve his fortunes, and for some time operated a saw-mill and cotton-gin, but later on made farming his chief avocation, possessing a good farm about four miles south of Helena. He is still living (retired from the active duties of life) in Helena, and possesses the full consciousness of having fought the battle of life successfully, and can now rest from the labor and heat of the day. He has never aspired to political positions, and although his views are in accord with the Democratic party, he has never been a partisan. His son, E. A. Porter, was reared and educated in Helena, and at an early age became a messenger boy in the express service, receiving various promotions until he attained his present position of agent for the Pacific Express Company. He is a young man of push, energy and enterprise, and owing to his many other admirable business qualifications, his future success is assured. He has shown his approval of secret organizations by becoming a member of the K. of P., being a charter member of this organization at Wynne, and he also belongs to the A. O. U. W. March 19, 1888, he espoused Miss Ida B. Dickson.