Obituary for William Porter (1809-1905)
Clipping from the Troy Free Press.  Transcribed by Charlene Reeds Ebeling.

ALMOST A CENTURY

William PORTER, Probably the Oldest citizen of the County, Peacefully Passes Away.

When a man as old in years, as ripe in experience and as rich in faith as was Mr. PORTER is taken from us, we feel that the fact is deserving of more than passing newspaper notice, hence present below a few of the principal events in the life of this venerable citizen.

William PORTER was born at Crab Orchard, Ky., May 2 1809, and was married to Sarah Ann RICHARDSON in Hart Co. Ky, Feb. 23 1833.  He died at the home of his son in Silex, Mo., Feb. 23, 1905, aged 95 years, 9 months and 21 days.

He was confined to his bed only about one week being able to wait upon himself up to that time, even making his own stove fires into January last.

No disease was upon him-just a giving way-a wearing out of the whole human system: no pain attended his going.  He slept from life to death, from
mortality to immortality.

His remains were laid away in the New Liberty cemetery beside his beloved wife, who died July 1, 1897.  They spent sixty-four years of married life together and he died on the anniversary of his wedding day.

Funeral services were conducted at Liberty church by Rev. J.M. HUGHES, of the M.E. church, South, after which his body was tenderly laid away.  He was of English and French descent, his mother being French. His grandfather came from England and settled in Fauquier co. VVa.[sic], at an early day, and his sons removed to Kentucky in the early settling of that country.  There the subject of this sketch was born, grew into manhood, married and lived until he was 56 years old or until 1865.  In October of that year he moved to Lincoln Co. Mo. with all of his family except one son and there he lived his days and was "gathered to his fathers."

His grandfather had been in Virginia long enough that he had three sons at Yorktown when Cornwallis surrendered. His father was born in 1778 and died in 1841, moved to Kentucky in 1808 and settled in Lincoln Co. Ky.  He was often heard to say that deer were plentiful when he was a young man.

He was the father of eleven children, nine sons and two daughters.  Two of these children died in their childhood and the blue grass sod of Kentucky covers the little mounds where they were laid away.  His oldest son Elias never moved to Missouri, but remained in Russelville, Ky., though he died in Lincoln co. Mo. while visiting his parents here, on 20 Oct. 1872.  His youngest daughter, Sallie Porter REEDS, wife of H.F. REEDS, recently of Troy, Mo. died November 25, 1875 in Lincoln co. Mo.

His children that survive him are Norman PORTER, of Silex; Henry and W.J. PORTER of Corso; Mrs. I.J. INGRAM of Ashley; C.E. PORTER, of Bowling Green; L. B. PORTER, of Silex and John PORTER, of Boulder, Col.  He had twenty one grandchildren and sixteen great grandchildren.

He learned the blacksmith trade when a young man and followed that business until about 1858, when a protracted spell of fever left him unable to work longer.  Since that time he has been relieved from the cares of an active business life, and his passing years were spent at his ease and in peace with the world.

During the Civil War he was on the side of the Union because he thought it the side of right. he was not a soldier, being unable for duty.  He was a republican in politics and a close reader, up to four months ago, of the papers, keeping in touch with all the doings of foreign countries as well as our own.

Mr. PORTER was a constant reader and there were few better historians, ancient and modern: he was a well posted Bible student and had in his mind a vivid political history of the world and especially of his own country - 85 years of it by personal experience.

He united with the Christian church when a young man, in the days of Alexander CAMPBELL, whom he had heard preach on more than one occasion and remained strong in the faith to the end.  He was an active church man throughout his active life: an elder for years, a leader of song service, was fond of reading the Scriptures and the Book of Job, particularly. Only a few days before he died he talked to the writer on the great question that Job asked: If a man die, shall he live again.

On the evening of the day before he died he said to his two sons who were by his side, "I am not going to die tonight," and the next morning told
them "I will not live through the day," and he died at 1:30 p.m.   

File submitted to HERITAGE PAGES of LINCOLN COUNTY, MISSOURI by Charlene Reeds Ebeling, 15 October 2000.

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