My Genealogy Hound

DR. J. ELMER PORTER, one of Pottstown’s leading physicians and also its burgess, is a native of Chester county. He was born in South Coventry township, August 12, 1865. He is the son of Samuel H. and Martha (Greenoff) Porter, lifelong residents of that vicinity. They have four children, three sons and one daughter, as follows: John W., of Staten Island, New York; Samuel H., Jr., of Pottstown; and Dr. J. Elmer Porter, and Adella.

Samuel H. Porter (father) is a farmer of South Coventry. He and his wife belong to the Reformed church. He has always been a Democrat in politics.

John Porter (grandfather) was a native of Philadelphia. The Porters are of Irish descent but have been long residents in Pennsylvania. The grandfather was a blacksmith by occupation. His wife was Elizabeth Hook. He died in 1875, at the age of seventy-five years. His brother Robert was superintendent of the United States mint at Philadelphia, and his uncle, David Rittenhouse Porter, was governor of Pennsylvania. A sketch of the family appears elsewhere in this volume. John Porter had five children. His father was John Porter, who came directly from Ireland.

Thomas Greenoff (maternal grandfather) came to this country from England and located in Chester county. He was proprietor of a large woolen mill. His wife was Elizabeth Van Fossen, of Norristown, and they had five children. He died at the age of ninety-five years.

Dr. J. Elmer Porter lived in Chester county until he was twelve years of age. He went to Pottstown to school and on completing his education was graduated from the Pottstown high school in 1882. Returning to Chester county he taught a country school one term. He then entered the drug store of John M. Cunningham, and acquired a knowledge of the drug business. He took up the study of medicine and was graduated from Jefferson Medical College, Philadelphia, on April 2, 1886. He was a resident physician in a Philadelphia Hospital one year, until April, 1887, and then went to Pottstown, where he has practiced medicine very successfully since. In 1890 he went to London and spent six months in a hospital there, gaining much valuable knowledge in surgery and therapeutics. He is at present surgeon of the Pottstown Hospital. He belongs to the Philadelphia Medical Society and to the Jefferson College Alumni.

On June 13, 1894, he married Miss Alda E. Kehl, daughter of William D. Kehl, a prominent business man and banker of Boyntown, Berks county. Her mother was Deborah Hartman. The couple had one daughter, Martha Deborah Porter. Mrs. Porter died January 14, 1902, aged thirty-five years. She was a Lutheran. Dr. Porter is a Presbyterian in religious faith.

Politically Dr. Porter is a Democrat. His popularity is attested by the large majority given him for burgess. Dr. Porter was president of the Pottstown Gas Company for three or four years, and is director in the March-Brownback Stove Company. He has been prominently identified with other institutions in Pottstown.