Biography - William A. Porter
WILLIAM A. PORTER was a native of Somerset county, New Jersey, born February 14, 1822. He came to Illinois and settled in Whitehall in the fall of 1840. Having acquired a knowledge of brick and stone laying, he followed that business in Greene and Morgan counties until his marriage, April 3, 1850, to Miss Rachael Ann, daughter of Aaron O. and Naomi Auten, who early settled in Greene county. By this union they have had a family of five children, two of whom died in infancy; those living are in order of birth as follows: James Francis, Emma Naomi, and Edwin C., residing with their parents. Mr. Porter enlisted in company C, first regiment Illinois infantry, under Col. John J. Hardin, and participated in the hardships and struggles of the Mexican war, being engaged over one year in that service. After his return and marriage he removed, with his family, to Tazewell county, Ill., where he commenced farming, which business he has since followed. He returned to Greene county in the spring of 1866, and located on the farm where he now resides, about one mile north of Whitehall.
Mr. Porter, by the sterling qualities of his character, has made life, thus far, a success. As an agriculturist, he is neat and methodical, and whatever he considers worth doing at all is worth doing well. As a citizen, he is hospitable and public-spirited; as a parent, kind and affectionate. When we take into consideration the fact that he began life on his own account, poor, and through his own energy has acquired a competence, by honest industry and good management, we can but admire the principles by which he has been actuated in his past life. Among the many self-made men of Greene county and the military tract of Illinois, he holds an honorable position, and we behold in his character and history traits which the young man starting in life would do well to copy. Solomon says that "a good wife cometh of the Lord;" and our experience is, that most, if not all, of the self-made men we have had the pleasure of forming an acquaintance with, were blessed with such helpmeets. A lithographic view of Mr. Porter's farm residence appears elsewhere in this work.
Extracted 11 Jul 2018 by Norma Hass from Atlas Map of Greene County Illinois, 1873, page 43
