My Genealogy Hound

Joseph P. Porter is of English descent, and is a grandson of William Porter who was one of the pioneers of Kentucky, and there reared a family of eight children. The Porter family originated in Virginia, being one of the first families of that State. The maternal grandfather, Joseph Young, was a Revolutionary soldier, and was married to Elizabeth Heady, who was afterward captured with two of her children by the Indians, and was held a captive for about three years, when she was ransomed by her husband. One of the children was killed. Mr. Young was buried with military honors, and Mr. Porter, though a small boy, well remembers the occasion. William Porter, father of our subject, was a farmer of Hopkins County, Ky., and was married to Paulina Young, who bore him four children: Joseph F., Sarah E., Victoria and Elizabeth, all of whom were born in Kentucky. The father was in comfortable circumstances, and was the owner of slaves. He was a member of the Methodist Church, and died at the age of fifty years. Joseph P. Porter’s birth occurred in 1839. He attended the common schools in his boyhood, and came with his mother to Lawrence County, Mo., in 1848. He learned the mercantile business with Robert W. Crawford, and clerked for different firms until 1857, at which time he engaged in the business under the firm name of Wellman, Young & Co., remaining in this connection until 1861, and then went to Raleigh, Mo., and clerked for Falkner & Graus about four years. The following two years he was engaged in the mercantile business with a Mr. Haley, under the firm name of Haley & Porter, and the next two years were spent in Fayetteville, Ark. From that time until 1870 he was engaged in the stock business in the Indian Territory, when he returned to Lawrence County, Mo., and held the office of deputy county clerk until 1874, at which time he was elected county clerk, and held the office twelve years. Since that time he has been engaged in selling lumber in Mount Vernon. He is a stanch Democrat politically, and is a Knight Templar in the Masonic order. He was married in 1865 to Mildred, a daughter of Harrison Haley, a pioneer merchant of Mount Vernon and a native of Kentucky. She bore him one daughter, Fannie. Mr. Porter has been in official or mercantile life in Mount Vernon for many years, and is one of the well-known and respected citizens of the county.