William J Porter
WILLIAM J. PORTER, contractor and builder, residing in Parks township, Armstrong county, Pa., was born there June 11, 1871, son of William Porter and grandson of William Porter.
William Porter, the grandfather, was born in New York State and from there came to Pennsylvania, settling in Westmoreland county, his farm being the present site of the borough of Greensburg. Thence he subsequently moved to Allegheny township, Armstrong county, where the remainder of his life was passed. He married a member of the Ford family and they had the following children: William, Henry, Thomas, Elizabeth, Rachel, Martha and Catherine.
William Porter, son of William and father of William J. Porter, was born on his father�s farm in Westmoreland county and later accompanied his parents to Armstrong county. At the death of his father he became the successor on the home farm of ninety acres and this land he cleared and erected all the buildings on the place. In addition to farming, in earlier years he followed coopering. He was twice married, first to Salina, daughter of John Myers, second to Mary Hodel. To the first marriage the following children were born: Mary, Henry, Elizabeth, Thomas, Rachel, William J., Archibald, Sarah and Martha. To the second union were born: Robert, Ford, Edward, Frederick and Samuel.
William J. Porter obtained his educational training in the Slate Point school, in Parks township, in the meanwhile assisting on the home farm until he was seventeen years of age when he learned the carpenter�s trade, and he had a great deal of practical experience in building prior to 1905, at which time he went into business for himself. He has been very successful in his business undertakings and has built houses and barns all over this section, doing a large amount of work at Leechburg. He purchased the Darbaker faarm of seventy acres, lying in Parks township, a valuable tract underlaid with coal, and has maintained his home on the farm ever since.
Mr. Porter was married Feb. 27, 1896, to Sallie B. Riggle, daughter of Henry and Mary C. (Parks) Riggle, and they have eight children: Harvey R., Elizabeth C., Florence B., Lucilla M., Rosanna M., Loraine, William J. and James R.. Mr. Porter and family are members of the Lutheran Church at Highfields. Politically one of the leading Democrats of Parks township, he served three years in the office of constable, also as a member of the election board and seven years as a member of the school board, of which he is president. Fraternally he is a member of Leechburg Lodge, No. 577, F. & A. M., and belongs also to the Grange.
Source: Pages 864-865, Armstrong County, Pa., Her People, Past and Present, J.H. Beers & Co., 1914
Transcribed November, 1998 by Pam Clarkn for the Armstrong County Beers Project
Contributed for use by the Armstrong County Genealogy Project (http://www.pa-roots.com/armstrong/)Armstrong County Genealogy Project Notice:
These electronic pages cannot be reproduced in any format, for any presentation, without prior written permission.Return to the Beers Project
Return to the Armstrong County Genealogy Project
Return to the Armstrong County Genealogy Project
Return to the Armstrong County Genealogy Project