The Porter Reunion

Jamestown Press
Jamestown, [Boone County] Indiana
4 October 1900 page 4

The PORTER Reunion

Last Thursday was a bad, rainy day, but it did not deter the PORTERS' from holding their reunion. The day was to rainy to meet in groves as arranged, but they met at the home of Marion PORTER, midway between Jamestown and New Ross, and such a gathering of Porters never took place before, and the rounding up of the families of this territory at one great gathering was an enjoyable occasion despite rain and one long to be remembered. There were about 30 families represented. 18 Porters in name were present and 100 in all told related by blood and family ties, including about 25 other guests. A big dinner spread and all the edibles in season and many out of season were placed before the guests by the able cooks of the great family.

The history and ancestry of the Porters were reviewed, and among that of interest to the general public was, there were seven brothers who left Ireland in about the year 1720 for America, whose names were Samuel, Thomas, James, William, John Wesley, Mark and Henry. All landed safely in New York, but soon after Samuel and wife were captured by the British and he was cast into prison and kept as a cook for the officers, but she managed to feed him from the crumbs of the table refuse. Sam's wife was released before he was and she and the children went to Virginia, and when he was released he walked nearly all the way from New York to his family in Virginia, and on being reunited they started in life with out a penny. Thomas went to Texas and took up ministry, he being the founder of the First Methodist Church in that state. John Wesley went to Virginia, removing from there to Indiana, where he took up minister to preach regularly in the state, and being the first to found a Methodist church in the state. The other four brothers were entirely lost after separating in New York. The PORTER family in this part of the state are descendants of John Wesley (PORTER).

At the reunion Thursday Samuel D. PORTER of Oklahoma was the leading speaker of the occasion. He was followed by interesting and good talks by John L. WINTER, Miss Freda HENRY, Rev. David JESSE* and Miss Lillian McLEAN. The Jamestown Band furnished the music for the occasion, and altogether it was a most enjoyable reunion. It was decided to make the reunion an annual occurrence. The Press tenders thanks for a lot of delicious cake from the tables of the reunion.

Note from Janet ISLEY Price: I found this story on the last page of the Jamestown Press dated 4 October 1900. It is typed as written. John Wesley (PORTER) was added to make it clear that his middle name was "Wesley" not to be confused with the last name of "PORTER". The last name of David JESSE, is a guess. His last name was not in focus on the microfilm. I have posted this story for others I am not related to the PORTER family.

Transcribed by: Janet Isley Price.