Israel Porter (1643 - 1706)

Born 12 Feb 1643 in Hingham, Plymouth, Massachusetts Bay

Husband of Elizabeth (Hathorne) Porter — married 20 Nov 1672 in Salem, Essex, Massachusetts Bay Colony

Descendants

Died 28 Nov 1706 at age 63 in Salem, Essex, Massachusetts Bay

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Biography

Israel was born in 1643; he was a resident of Salem during the witch trials of 1692, and passed away in that town in 1706.

During the witch-hunt madness, Israel and his wife Elizabeth were among those who defended -- at no small risk to themselves -- one of the accused, the greatly-respected Rebecca Nurse; their names not only appear among the thirty-nine on a petition testifying to her good character, but also among the four appearing on written testimony further endorsing her innocence. This defense of one of the ultimate victims of the trials stands in stark contrast to the role of Israel's nephew John Porter (son of Israel's brother Samuel), who testified against another accused witch, Goody Bibber.

The trials in which these members of the Porter family became enmeshed have been shown to have arisen largely out of the tension, in Salem, between Israel's father John Porter -- Salem's largest landowner in his day -- and John Putnam, Sr. Their mid-1600s rivalry, and the factionalism arising from it, set the scene for the later trials; this assessment was at the heart of the 1985 PBS miniseries, "Three Sovereigns for Sarah", which dramatized how town politics significantly gave rise to the madness of the witch hunt.

Christening

Christening 12 FEB 1643 Hingham, Massachusetts ^[1][2]

Marriage

Husband: Israel Porter

Wife: Elizabeth UNKNOWN

Marriage 20 NOV 1672^[3][4][5]

Husband: John Porter

Wife: Mary (MNU) Porter

Child: John Porter

Child: Samuel Porter

Child: Joseph Porter

Child: Benjamin Porter

Child: Israel Porter

Child: Mary Porter

Child: Jonathan Porter

Child: Sarah Porter

Marriage BEF 1635 England^[6]

Death

Death 28 Nov 1706 Salem, Essex, Massachusetts

Source: #S1063985876

Israel Porter

Birth: 12 Feb 1643 • Salem, Essex, Massachusetts

Death: 28 Nov 1706 • Salem, Essex, Massachusetts

Father: Sgt. John Porter (1594–1676)

Mother: Mary Endicott (1596–1684)

Marriage & Family

Spouse: Elizabeth (Hathorne) Porter (1649–1706)

Children:

1. Elizabeth Porter (1673–1746)
2. John Porter (1674–1714)
3. Sarah Porter (1675–1728)
4. Ginger Porter (1679–1706)
5. Mary Porter (1681–1682)
6. Isreal Porter Jr (1683–1729)
7. Benjamin (child death) #1 Porter (1685–1691)
8. Anna Porter (1687–1784)
9. William Porter (1688–1754)
10. Benjamin #2 Porter (1693–1726)

Sources

1. ↑ "Genealogical and Family History of the State of Maine" by George Thomas Little, A. M., Litt. D., (Lewis Historical Publishing Company, New York 1909)
2. ↑ William Richard Cutter, A. M., Genealogy - Boston and Eastern Massachusetts Lewis Historical Publishing Company, New York, 1908.
3. ↑ "Genealogical and Family History of the State of Maine" by George Thomas Little, A. M., Litt. D., (Lewis Historical Publishing Company, New York 1909)
4. ↑ William Richard Cutter, A. M., Genealogy - Boston and Eastern Massachusetts Lewis Historical Publishing Company, New York, 1908.
5. ↑ http://ma-vitalrecords.org/MA/Essex/Salem/aMarriagesP.shtml
6. ↑ "Genealogical and Family History of the State of Maine" by George Thomas Little, A. M., Litt. D., (Lewis Historical Publishing Company, New York 1909)

• Witch-trial references and reference to the PBS Amercian Playhouse production "Three Sovereigns for Sarah" from personal knowledge of Christopher Childs (Childs-1516), descendant of the elder John Porter and of trial victim Susannah (North) Martin, and an actor in the miniseries.

• Petition to free Rebecca Nurse: [1]

• Massachusetts Applications of Freemen, 1630-91: Name: Mr. Israell Porter; Application Date: 18 Apr 1690; Residence: Salem Village, Massachusetts, USA; Original Source: Inter., Vol. II. pp. 12-14. Household Members: Name: Mr. Israell Porter

• Massachusetts, Compiled Census and Census Substitutes Index, 1790-1890: Name: Israell Porter; State: MA; County; Massachusetts Colony Township; Freeman 18 Apr; Year: 1690; Database: MA Early Census Index

• Massachusetts, Compiled Marriages, 1633-1850: Name: Israell Porter; Gender: Male; Spouse: Elizabeth Hathorne; Marriage Date: 20 Sep 1672; City: Salem; County: Essex; Source: Family History Library, Salt Lake City, UT, Film # 0761210. Household Members: Name: Elizabeth Hathorne; Israell Porter

• New England, The Great Migration and The Great Migration Begins, 1620-1635: Name: Israel Porter; Gender: Male; Household Members: Name: Israel Porter

• U.S. and Canada, Passenger and Immigration Lists Index, 1500s-1900s: Name: Israell Porter; Arrival Year: 1690; Arrival Place: Massachusetts; Household Members: Name: Israell Porter

• U.S., New England Marriages Prior to 1700: Name: Israel Porter; Gender: Male; Marriage Date: 20 Nov 1672; Marriage Place: New England, USA; Spouse: Elizabeth Porter; Household Members: Name: Israel Porter; Elizabeth Porter

• Yarmouth, Nova Scotia, Genealogies

• Also see:

Acknowledgments

• Thank you to Lynden Castle Rodriguez for starting this profile.