Life of John C. Porter and Sketch of His Experiences in the Civil War

March 29, 1874

I have this day concluded to retrospect my past life, and write down some of the most important events; thinking that when I am gone from earth, my children will like to read it though it may not be interesting to anyone else. In attempting to do so, I will commence with a brief history of my parents, their birth, marriages, moves, etc., up to the time of my birth.

My father, Benjamin Philips Porter, was born in the state of Georgia, in the year A. D. 1804, and moved to Tennessee when a child, and was reared to manhood in Lincoln County of that state.

My mother, whose maiden name was Dorothy Alsobrook, was a native of South Carolina, and was born in the year A. D. 1811, and likewise moved to the state of Tennessee when a child, but I do not now know precisely to what county. She also was reared in that state.

My parents were married A. D. 1832, and sometime afterwards moved to Marshall County, Mississippi, remaining there until A. D. 1838, when my father, together with some other gentlemen, made a prospection trip to the then wilds of Texas. He, being well pleased with the country and the state granting 1280 acres of land to actual settlers that year, I suppose, being another inducement, my father traded his horse and what means he could spare, for town property in the town of Shelbyville, Shelby County, Texas, and returned by water for his family which then consisted of Mother, sisters Elizabeth, Caroline and Martha, and two servants, William and Dock -- all of whom arrived at their new home, in the wilds of Texas, in the winter or spring of A. D. 1839.

One other sister, Susan, and a brother, Hezekiah, were born to my parents before my birth.

In A. D. 1842, the servant, William, died.

In April, 22nd day, 1844, I was born, being the seventh, and after all, the middle one of their family, and second son. I was named John Samuel Corley Porter. John is after Grandfather Alsobrook, Samuel Corley, for a distinguished Cumberland Presbyterian preacher of early days in this state.

In the year A. D. 1850, my parents moved to their headright of land, which was located in Upshur County [present Camp County; see land map next page] -- arrived at our destination, in the wild woods, on the 20th of April. I being six years old, lacking two days.

Please allow me an episode, and I will give a brief description of the appearance of the country at that time -- it being thinly settled,

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it was burned over once a year, in winter or early spring, consequently the undergrowth was kept down, and grass in summer was from one to two feet high, with nothing to obstruct the view but the trunks of the large trees. Many places a deer, or turkey could be seen a distance of half a mile. The most beautiful country I have ever seen, and the best. We had good land, timber, water, range and game, five advantages I have never seen elsewhere. The country abounded in game -- deer, turkey, also varmints, or beasts of prey, such as bear, wolves, wild cats and panthers. Racoons and opossums were numerous, too.

As above stated, we settled in the wild wood; our nearest neighbor being one and a half miles away, and very few in the country at all.

As late as it was when we arrived, my Father and servant, Dock, after building some rude cabins for us to live in, cleared a piece of ground, planted and raised a tolerably good crop of corn, potatoes, melons, etc.

The fall of A. D. 1851, I spent some of my time at school -- teacher, Mr. John H. Lamb. I walked, together with my brother and sisters, about 3 miles, along a dim path, a tree being blazed occasionally to guide us in the way. This my first schooling. The facilities were so far inferior to the present, that I would like to digress long enough to draw the contrast. Instead of the graduate in his comfortable school building, with blackboards, quadrant and globes, we had a teacher fully competent to teach up to simple interest, in a log cabin, cracks rarely lined, seats made of slabs, no back. This was the opportunity of the pioneer of Texas for an education.

During the year A. D. 1851, Dorothy Anna, one of twins, an infant sister died -- the first person I had ever seen die. I had seen one corpse before, a little boy, Alonzo King, in Shelby County; but had never seen an open grave, or anyone buried before, up to that time. I had never had any fears of death; afterwards I became afraid to be alone, especially away from my Mother. I entertained an idea that she could save me; an idea that remained with me, but in a less degree, throughout her life.

The fall of A. D. 1852, I spent a part of my time at school -- the facilities about the same as before, nothing better or worse, except the school house was not more than half so far away, and the teacher Mr. Anthony Lamb (brother of the above) kept better order.

I now remember, after going to school sometime, I caught the whooping cough at a public dinner. All younger than myself had it. Sallie and Nancy, the latter (other twin) died. A short time before this, an infant brother, Benjamin Franklin, died of criop. After a long convalescence, my sister and I resumed our school again.

In the winter of 1852 and 1853, my uncle, John H. Beaty, moved out from the state of Tennessee. They were the first relatives I had ever seen (save our own family). I anticipated a happy meeting, but alas! They had come from a country of fashion and schools, and made sport of

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us and all we possessed. I then thought strange, but now I look back and see that our manners were tolerably coarse; however, I do not commend their course. It would have been much nicer to have found something that they could admire. Most of the immigrants seemed to hate Texas and her people so much, that I have wondered they did not disown and disinherit their children who were born to them after their settlement among us, as they were native born Texans.

Though the pioneer of Texas was rough in his manner, he was upright in his dealings, social, and had respect for religion and age. A man who was outbreakingly wicked would rarely ever be rude at church, or use obscene language in the presence of aged persons. I will here state that I have ofter [sic] been to preaching where from six to twenty rough old pioneers would be assembled in a rough log house, with no floor but the ground; none, or scarcely any of whom were religious, and who, for want of fortitude, or ability could not set or lead the music -- my Mother always filling that office -- yet there would be the best of order and attention to the sermon.

In 1853, my uncle, George Alsobrook lived with us. I worked on the farm with him, brother and Dock. We made an excellent crop. In the fall, my father built a gin, after which my time was mostly taken up driving the horses, and other work about the gin. We ginned one hundred and twenty bales that season, which was big business for those days.

I do not now remember of having gone to school any that year.

I will state here that in the spring of A. D. 1853, I passed over the site where the town of Pittsburg, Camp County, now stands. Then the place where Maj. [William Harrison] Pitts now lives was settled. A little way the other side, between there and the warehouse was a little whiskey grocery. Beyond where the town now stands, was just woods, not a stick having been cut.

The year A. D. 1854 was tremendously wet, began raining in spring, and kept ground saturated until June, consequently short crops.

In the spring, Maj. Pitts (founder of Pittsburg), who was in the state on a prospecting tour, spent a time at my Father's, a week perhaps; sometime afterwards he purchased the land whereon the town of Pittsburg now stands.

In the fall of 1854, my brother and myself went to school near where Pittsburg is now. Boarded at Mr. Hamelton's. Our teacher was a Mr. Edwards. He was another blow, combined with his ignorance, he was tyranical, whipped every student in school, except Harrison Calicrat and me. We quit before the term closed.

That fall, my oldest sister was married to Mr. James Hogan.

The year A. D. 1855 was extremely dry, and as this entire country was dependent on Bayou at Jefferson for navigation to bring supplies. It