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Show ' ' ' I My Grandfather's name is Timothy Porter, he was born at Hartford, Conn. in the year of 1710. My father's name is Nathan Porter, born at Brimfield, Mass. in 1745. My Mother's name is Susana West Porter. I was born in the year 1790 at Brimfield, Mass. March 7th; my parents moved to Orange Co., Vermont in the year of 1790. I lived with my parents until 1810, when I set out for western New York, stopping at Hollard, Erie Co., opening up a farm and preparing a home. The next three months I spent visiting with my parents and family in Vermont. While there I married Miss Nancy Arita Wariner. We soon returned to Helland, New York. Shortly after our return the war of 1812 began, and I was in the American Anny, and 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 Bufalo by the British and Indians took place. This caused considerable excitement in the surounding country, and in order to be out of danger of life and property we moved to Oneida Co., about 180 miles eastward, and there opened up another farm, where we lived until 1818. In that year I rented iμy farm and moved back to our old home in Vermont, where-! hought-another f-arm, 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 seting sun, to the fertile land of Illinois in company with a 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 efects, and floated down the Mahoning, then into the Beaver, and then down the Ohio. This jowney was fraught with danger and a.cy}enture, as the couarty asW- ild and uinnhabited. 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 she soon came in sight, right side up, and no material damage was done. On the fourth 1827, we disembarked near Evansville, Indiana and there we rented a farm from a Mr. Centry and planted crops, after which I took very sick, \ \\ "\.t \.t \t 1:,\ , \\. \. \)?& \ ID.t1.\. became strong enough to teach school that winter; then in March of 1828 we agam took up our march toward Illinois. [Sanford Porter] |
