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Show • • • "PORTERVILLE - OUR DEAR HOME" The town of Porterville received its name from the numerous families of Porter's who first settled there. They came from Davis County, from a town called Centerville, as early as 1854. Two brothers, Warriner and Sanford Porter Jr. crossed over from Centerville into Hardscrabble Canyon and built a saw mill there on a stream called Beaver Creek. They carried provisions and the necessary machinery, etc., on pack mules. This was before there were any settlers in Weber Valley to use lumber, or a road over which it could be hauled to market. They built log houses and moved their families up the following spring. Ira Porter, now of Centerville was born there in January 1860. On account of the difficulties and expense encountered in constructing the Mill, it was not completed until 1857. Then came "m6re South" in 1858 and remained in Provo during the winter of 1858-1859. They returned to Hardscrabble in July 1859. The mill was very expensive, having cost $300.00. It supplied Centerville with some lumber. The first 500 feet was taken there over the mountain on a cart drawn by four yoke of oxen. In the spring of 1861 Sanford Porter Sr. came from Centerville and settled in what is now known as Porterville. He built the first house in that part of the valley. He brought his family there and took up land that same summer and fall. His two sons built houses and moved there families from the canyon. In the spring of 1861 John P. and Lyman Porter, who were sons of Sanford Porter Sr., came in with their families and took up land and began clearing it off for farms. At that time all the land west of where the highway now is was just a dense growth of willows and wild gooseberry bushes and east of the road it was bench grass to the foot hills. Other families soon began to move in. The Smith's Norwood, Broughs, Jones and Wood's. The first house built in Porterville was near the one of James M. Carter. The second home a little east of the Fred White home. The third was near the meeting house. Another was where the Kershaw home is. Mrs. Anna Woods was considered a well educated woman at that time, and was engaged to teach a school in her own home in 1862. Joseph R. Porter also began teaching the same year, he taught during the winter months and Mrs. Wood during the summer. Thomas Brough made the first brick blocks in Weber valley in the summer of 1864. Lyman W. Porter built the first brick home and the bricks were laid by Henry Rock. This home is still standing and was occupied in 1930 by Mr. And Mrs. Thomas Rich . • • • Pricilla Porter, Warriner's second wife was the first mid-wife in Porterville and Jane Brough was the second mid-wife. An Irish lady, Bridget Cottom was also a nurse. She was the mother of triplets and three sets of twins. A Ward was organized very early with Warriner Porter as Presiding Elder. Soon a log room was erected where meetings and schools were held. The furniture was nothing elaborate, a fireplace for warmth and slab with legs for seats. The children received a good start for an education. Inconveniences were suffered, but they never gave up. In the first years of the settlement there were no grist mills or stores. The grain had to taken to Ogden or Farmington to be ground and during the winter the roads through Weber canyon were impassable and when the flour gave out, boiled wheat was eaten and such vegetables as could be raised. But the Lord blessed the people with health and strength. The town continued to grow and grow. Eliza Porter Clark, daughter of Alma Porter was the first child born in Porterville. A school house was erected in 1867 and in 1870 the settlement was divided into two Wards known as East Porterville and West Porterville. The same year a substantial brick house was built in each Ward. Now, the first church that was built of brick and mortar on the hill, has been converted into a home - one that can be viewed as a memorial to the first settlers. The school house has been re-built and made convenient for all church services to he held there. While all local children are bussed to a new elementary school built on the grounds of the Morgan High School. The convenience of electricity and paved roads have eased the burdens of land-holders and home-owners which consist of many of the original settlers descendants. FOR THIS, WE LOVE OUR DEAR HOMELAND. • • • |
