Morgan Pioneer History Binds Us Together Sanford Porter, Sr. I was born on March 7, 1790, at Brimfield, Massachusetts, to Nathan Porter and Susanna West Porter. My parents moved to Orange County, Vermont, in the year of 1790.1 lived with my parents until 1810, when I set out for western New York, stopping at Holland, Erie County, opening up a farm and preparing a farm. The next three months I spent visiting with my parents and family in Vermont. While there, I married Miss Nancy Arrita Warriner. We soon returned to Holland, New York. Shortly after our return, the War of 1812 began and I was in the American Army. During my absence my eldest son was born October 12,1812, at Holland, New York. I was allowed a furlough in 1814, and shortly after my return, the burning of Buffalo by the British and Indians took place. This caused considerable excitement in the surrounding country, and in order to be out of danger of life and property, we moved to Oneida County, about 180 miles eastward, and there opened up another farm, where we lived until 1818. In that year I rented my farm and moved back to our old home in Vermont, where I bought another farm, selling my own in New York. From there we moved to Liberty, where two children were born, Sanford and Nancy Arrita. We now had eight in the family. In 1827 we again sold our all, this time for the purpose of journey towards the land of the setting sun, to the fertile land of Illinois in company with Mr. John Morgan. We constructed a flat boat, which we launched on the Mahoning River not far from our home in Liberty, loading it with our effects. We floated down the Mahoning, then into the Beaver, and then down the Ohio. This journey was fraught with danger and adventure, as the country was wild and uninhabited. Our first danger was going over the falls of the Beaver River - some distance above its confluence with the Ohio. As we neared the falls, we drew to shore and disembarked, all except Mr. Morgan and two pilots. Leaving them the boat, the rest followed down the river, watching the vessel with intense interest. As it drew near the suck which plunged it over the falls, for a few moments we thought all was lost. But soon she came in sight, right side up, and no material damage was done. We disembarked near Evansville, Indiana, and there we rented a farm from a Mr. Centry and planted crops, after which I took very sick, and for a while my life was despaired of. But at length I began to mend, and became strong enough to teach school that winter. In March, 1828, we again took up our march toward Illinois. The wagon we hauled our belongings in, although common in those days, would seem very novel in construction at the present time. It was built in the form of a truck, the wheels being made of pine logs mortised together with a large hole through the axle for the linchpin. We used tallow for wagon grease. With this crude construction drawn by two yoke of oxen, we traveled northwest from Evansville, crossing the Wabash River into Illinois. We had a very stormy spring, as is usual in that part of the country. One night we spent in the hollow base of a large tree, finding protection from the cold wind with a fair degree of comfort. We arrived at our destination sometime in June, after having a long, but beautiful, journey. My son and I purchased a saw mill at Farm Creek. It was here that we became converted to the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints in the month of July, 1830. We were converted and baptized by Lyman Wight and John Carral. Those two elders visited the country in the early part of the year. Although my children and grandchildren are most all religiously included, I think they did not inherit it from their grandfather. Prior to a few years before I joined the Mormon Church, I was very near, if not quite, an atheist or infidel. I believed in what I could see and feel and hear, and maintained there was no life after death. I looked upon all churches as a scheme of ministers to make an easy living by plying their trade on the minds of the ignorant and weak- minded. About the time Mormonism was revealed, though I had heard nothing of it at the time, I became disturbed in mind, and something was telling me there was a God and life after death. I pondered upon it and would then try to put it from my mind, but it would not leave me. I did not speak of it to anyone, nor could I satisfy my own mind as to any cause why I should be thus disturbed in my ideas of atheism. But this I realized - that some unseen power was holding a stubborn argument with me upon the existence of God and a life after death. And I became so upset in my ideas as to upset my rest; while at work it would be continually on my mind, and after my family were all asleep, I would get up and walk the floor; and at last I came to the point where I spoke out in an audible voice and said, "Oh, is there a God? If so, may I know the way that is right." Then I was answered by an audible voice which said, "There is a God, and after this night, thou shalt doubt no more." The voice was a mild one, but it went through me like a shock, and I trembled in every limb. In a few moments I gathered myself, and I thought someone had learned of my state of mind, had been