History of Fulton County, Illinois; together with
Sketches of its Cities, Villages and Townships, Educational, Religious,
Civil, Military, and Political History; Portraits of Prominent Persons
and Biographies of Representative Citizens. Chas. C. Chapman & Co.,
Peoria, Illinois, 1879, page 958-959, Woodland Township
J. G. Porter is a native of the county of Tyrone, Ireland, where
he was born in 1812. His father, John G. Porter, was a mechanic and for
32 years worked as a master builder for Bishop Porter, a relative. He
was married to Mary Hannah. Our subject came to America at the age of
14, landed at Quebec and one year later went to New York city and lived
15 years. In that State he married Eliza Ann Guyan, who died in Buffalo
in 1845. Mr. P. became a large contractor and builder. In 1846 he came
to Fulton Co. and bought 480 acres of land. In 1847 he married Eliza A.
Snodgrass, by whom he had 10 children, 7 of whom are living, - 4 boys
and 3 girls.
Portrait and Biographical Album of Fulton County,
Illinois: containing full page portraits and biographical sketches of
prominent and representative citizens of the county: together with
portraits and biographies of all the presidents of the United States,
and governors of the state; Biographical Pub. Co., Chicago, IL; 1890;
page 298-299; Transcribed by Margaret Rose Whitehurst
John G. Porter was a pioneer of this county, and for more
than forty years has been an important factor in promoting its
agricultural and industrial interests, and in advancing its upbuilding.
He is a skillful farmer and is managing a large, finely improved farm,
and at the same time is conducting a good business as a stonemason,
bricklayer and plasterer. His interests are centered in Woodland
Township, where he has made his home ever since he came to the county.
Mr. Porter was born in County Tyrone, in the North of Ireland,
August 12, 1812. His father, John G. Porter, was also a native of that
part of Ireland. He as the boss mason for Bishop Porter, who occupied
next to the highest bishopric in Ireland for thirty-three years. The
father of our subject had charge of the men who took care of the parks
and pleasure grounds, and in one park there were two thousand deer. Mr.
Porter was a member of the Church of England and died true to the faith
at the age of sixty-six years. Early in life he had married Mary Hanna,
who was born in County Tyrone, Ireland, and was also a member of the
Church of England. She lived to be fifty-five years old. Her father
lived to the venerable age of ninety years.
Our subject was one of eight children. He was given excellent
educational advantages in his boyhood as he attended school very
steadily during the week, and Sunday-school every Sunday. When he was
fourteen years of age his uncle, John Hanna, a resident of Quebec,
Canada, urged him to come to America and make his home with him. The
bright, adventurous lad eagerly accepted his uncle's invitation, but on
the first day of the voyage he was so sea-sick that he heartily wished
himself back on terra firma and offered the captain of the vessel $250
to land him, at which the captain laughed. He was, however, kindly
cared for by the lady passengers on board the ship, and his misery was
brought to a close at the end of six weeks, when the vessel arrived in
harbor at Quebec. Mr. Porter staid with his uncle in that city one
year, and helped him in his store. His next venture was to go to New
York City, where he bound himself for a period of five years for his
board and clothes to learn the four trades of bricklaying,
stone-masonry, stonecutting and plastering. He served throughout the
entire length of his apprenticeship and thoroughly mastered each
calling. He worked at them in New York City, Harlem, Brooklyn, and many
other places, and received very high wages. He sagaciously judged that
in a newly settled country like the State of Illinois, a young man of
caliber and ability would find a fine opening for the exercise of his
various callings, and in the spring of 1846 he emigrated to this
county. He traveled the first four hundred miles of his journey in a
stage over the mountains, and while at a way station sipping a cup of
tea his hand satchel and $200 were stolen. From Pittsburg he traveled
by water to St. Louis, and thence up the Mississippi and Illinois
Rivers to this part of the country.
Our subject had previously traded some land in Genesee County,
N. Y., for land here, and on his arrival he bought more land, making in
all four hundred and eighty acres. The two first years that he lived
here were spent partly at his trades in St. Louis and partly in
developing his land here. Three hundred and thirty acres of his estate
lay in Warren County, and one hundred and sixty acres in Woodland
Township. He settled on the latter quarter, which was all heavily
timbered, and he built a small frame house and a log stable. He cleared
about forty acres of that place, and then disposed of it at an advance
on the original price, and bought one hundred and sixty acres on
section 11, the same township. He has worked at improving his farm and
at his various callings ever since, and has prospered well. He now has
three hundred acres of land finely cultivated, supplied with ample
buildings and every convenience for carrying on agriculture.
Mr. Porter was first married, in 1837, to Miss Eliza Guyan. She
died childless in middle life. His second marriage, which was
solemnized in 1842, was with Eliza A. Snodgrass, who was born in
Harrison County, Ind., July 24, 1824. Of this marriage ten children
have been born, eight of whom grew to maturity: Sarah J. (Mrs.
Shields), Julia (Mrs. Atkins), John W., William A., Emory D., Alexander
(deceased), Catherine A. (Mrs. Martin), and Addison G. Mr. and Mrs.
Porter have been members of the Christian Church for thirty-five years.
In politics he has given an unswerving allegiance to the Democratic
party. He is an honest, intelligent man, has true Irish wit, and is a
favorite with all.
