John Porter (abt. 1720 - abt. 1796)

Born about 1720 in Pagan Creek, Isle of Wight, Virginia [uncertain]

Descendants

Died about 1796 at about age 76 in Sampson, North Carolina, United States

Problems/Questions Profile manager: Anonymous J [send private message]

Biography

This profile is part of the Porter Name Study.

John was a Friend (Quaker)

John Porter was a Virginia colonist.

John was born about 1720.

In 1743, he and Elizabeth Denson were married in Suffolk City, Virginia.^[1] Or, more precisely: Pagan Creek 1st Day, 10th month 1743 John (Porter) left at liberty to marry Betty Denson.^[2]

In Oct 1766, John Porter was listed as part of the settlement of the estate of his father-in-law, John Denson Jr (1695-aft.1756), in Southampton County, Virginia.^[3]

By 1767, John was still living in Nansemond.^[4]

A John Porter appears in the 1790 Sampson County, North Carolina census (please see image); it is possible that the two generations of John Porter might indicate that John, the subject of this profile, could be John Porter Junior, or yet another generation (third) of John, upon examination of North Carolina headrights:^[5]

From original p. 135: Albemarle [statement of venue to wit (ss.)]: John Porter, 900 acres, 8 Mar 1693.

• Persons John Porter Senior, John Porter junior, Mary his wife
• John Edmund, Sarah, his Children, and 12 Negros (sic).
• Survey for Mr John Porter Junior, 470 acres, 30 Jan 1695/6
• Survey for Mr John Porter junior, 298 acres, 30 Jan 1695/6

From the reverse of the original p. 135: Albemarle ss. Mr John Porter, 298 acres, Chowan Precinct, 17 Feb 1696.

• For the transportation of John Porter Senior, John Porter junior, Mary his wife, John Edmund, and Sarah, his Children.

He lived until about 1796.^[6]

27 Jun 1796 Sampson County Will of John Porter

It is presumed that this will transcription is that represented by the Ancestry index record North Carolina, Wills and Probate Records, 1665-1998: John Porter, Death: Abt 1796 North Carolina, USA: Ancestry Record 9061 #2228010. This transcription is reproduced from a 2010 report by Wayne Atkinson, produced for the Sampson County Historical Society.^[7]

"State of North Carolina, Sampson County. In the name of God Amen, I John Porter of the County aforesaid, being weak and sickly of body but of sound mind and manner do in the first place commit my soul to God who gave it and my body to the Earth to be buried in a Christian like manner at the discretion of my Executors, their to ly while the morning of the presumption and as for what Little Estate it hat bin please God bestow upon me, I do give and bequeath in the manner following to wit--.

I give to my son Absalom Porter one shilling.

I give to my son William Porter one shilling.

I give to my daughter Elizabeth [J] Butler one shilling.

I give to my daughter Mary Awtry (sic) (Autry) one shilling.

I give to my daughter, Jemima Coore, one shilling.

I give to my daughter, Delilah Hair, one shilling.

I give to my grandson, John Porter, one shilling.

I give to my grandson, Samuel Porter, one feather bed and furniture.

I give to my granddaughter, Suffian (sic) (Sophia) Porter, one cow and calf.

I give to my son, Samuel Porter, five head of cattle and one feather bed and furniture and all my other household furniture, in doors and out, which I brought there when I come to live with him.

I give to my daughter Ann Hinson one shilling.

And do appoint my friend John Holley and Jacob Lockerman Executors of this my last will and testament in witness of, I have sit my hand this 27 of Jun 1796.

Witness: Mark Porter, John Holley, Jacob Lockerman (his mark)

John Porter (his mark)

Research Notes

Evidence in the Records for Further Review

The Find A Grave: Memorial #64313640 for John Denson Jr, father of Betty Denson, reports that she married John Porter 1 Oct 1743; whereas, the US Quaker Meeting Records transcribes the date as 3 Nov 1743. It is noted from the Hinshaw Encyclopedia that the date was more precisely, 1 Dec 1743 (1743, 10th month, 1st Day).^[2]

Additional detail on the Quaker sources cited herein might be availalbe with subscriber access to Ancestry.com. Note also that an unconfirmed match is:

American Genealogical-Biographical Index (AGBI), John Porter, Birth: 1720 Massachusetts Ancestry Record 3599 #1107985.

Sampson County Historical Society researchers also report that entries exist within the Sampson County land grant index 22, as well as the "Bearskin Land Grant Map."

"Sampson" had been listed as a middle name for John, but no records seem to support this.

Sampson County Historical Society may have the details for some of the above questions. Available records are presently under review by Porter Fann.

Some Possibly Related Data from Chuckatuck Monthly Meetings

We may learn about our John Porter by studying an earlier generation of John Porter from monthly meetings. It is possible that our John Porter could be the great-grandson from the prior century John Porter, given that William Denson was the great-grandfather of John's wife, Betty Denson. This is considered possible more so because the Quaker or Society of Friends community was tight knit.

More about the earlier John Porter (last mentioned in the below citations in 1702):

From one source that reproduces "The Chuckatuck Record,"^[8] and in Hinshaw's encyclopedia,^[9] these mentions of a John Porter are found:

1. John Porter is among the persons to whom George Fox wrote his 1672 letter from Elizabeth River. John and the others are addressed as Friends at Nansemun.
2. . . . John Porter lived in Nansemond near Somerton. . .
3. Before 30 Dec 1672, George Fox had visited and finished a service where he later mentioned we also had a very good and serviceable meeting at John Porter's which consisted mostly of other people.
4. Chuckatuck Record for the date 1702-2nd month¬3rd day: And account that friends belonging to Nansemond meeting gives of a meeting house built by them in the Southern Branch of Nansemond River standing on a spot of Ground belonging to Levin Buskin'(s) Plantation which meeting house is 20 feet in length and 20 feet in width and the inside with Planks all so the floor laid with Plank and fitted with formes and seates; the building and fitting the above sd house besides the nailes Cost 3868 lbs tobacco. Given by the members of the above ad meeting to defray the charge of the above sd meeting house as followeth: . . . John Porter 500. . .

Sources

1. ↑ US, Quaker Meeting Records, 1681-1935: John Porter, Spouse: Betty Denson, Marriage: 3 Nov 1743, Vital: 3 Nov, Residence: Suffolk City, Virginia 3 Nov Ancestry Record 2189 #1101872300.
2. ↑ ^{2.0 2.1} Hinshaw, William Wade. Encyclopedia of American Quaker genealogy: Pagan Creek Monthly Meeting. Vol 6. 1936, p. 46. Ann Arbor, Michigan, Edwards Brothers, Inc.
3. ↑ Chapman, Blanche Adams. Wills and administrations of Southampton County, Virginia, 1749-1800. Book 1. 1947, p. 66. Virginia: Author. John Denson names daughter Betty Porter in his 23 Oct 1756 will, abstracted in the same volume on p. 38.
4. ↑ US, Encyclopedia of American Quaker Genealogy, Vol I–VI, 1607-1943: John Porter, Residence: 25 Apr 1767 Nansemond.
5. ↑ Trimble, Susan M preparer for The Colonial Records of North Carolina Special Series; Whitley, Caroline B compiler, Cain Robert J, ed. North Carolina Headrights: A List of Names, 1663-1744. 2001, p. 179. Raleigh: Division of Archives and History, North Carolina Department of Cultural Resources.
6. ↑ North Carolina, Wills and Probate Records, 1665-1998: John Porter, Death: Abt 1796 North Carolina, USA Ancestry Record 9061 #2228010.
7. ↑ Sampson County Historical Society. Undated report labelled JohnPorterKelly, with the circa 2010 Wayne Atkinson report: Royal-Butler-Porter-Cooper Connections, accessed 29 Jun 2019. Available at closed (i.e., non-public) Facebook group: Sampson County Historical Society. Membership referral may be needed. Contact Porter Fann or the Facebook group moderator for assistance.
8. ↑ Hinshaw, William Wade. Chuckatuck Monthly Meeting: William's Cyber Niche. Accessed 27 Jun 2019.
9. ↑ Hinshaw, William Wade. Encyclopedia of American Quaker genealogy. Vol 6. Chuckatuck Monthly Meeting. 1936, p. 88. Ann Arbor, Michigan, Edwards Brothers, Inc.

Acknowledgments

Family tree handed down to Kelly Jones.