William C. Porter (1855 - 1929)

Born 2 Jun 1855 in Davenport, Delaware County, New York

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William Porter was married to a descendant of the immigrants William Beardsley and Mary Harvie.

Biography

William was born in 1855. He passed away in 1929.^[1]

William C. Porter, the Sheriff of Delaware just closing his term, will retire from that position on Dec. 31 of this year (1897) with a good record in official life and with the credit of having served as the Sheriff during the Centennial year. For eight years he was Deputy Sheriff and when elected was fully informed as to the requirements of the office. For several years he was engaged in the harness business, in which he made an extended circle of acquaintances. He is a member of the Schenevus lodge, F. & A. M., and was active in affairs of the lodge until he became Sheriff, when his removal to Delhi took him away from that locality. Mr. Porter was born in Davenport, June 2, 1855. His father was a farmer in the town of Davenport in which he was a resident for over fifty years. Mr. Porter attended the district school at Davenport. In the year 1879 he went to Oneonta to learn the harness trade and in Feb. 1881 he opened a shop in Hamden, where he remained until about 1886, when he went into the store of John L. Beardsley, at Davenport. Two or three years later he engaged in the harness business until after his election as Sheriff in the fall of 1894, when he sold out the business. He was nominated at the County Convention held Sept. 15, of that year, after a protracted and bitter contest in which there were several candidates, and after more than forty ballots had been taken. The office of Sheriff is the only public position Mr. Porter has sought or held, although an active worker in the Republican party. On April 24, 1888 he was married to Miss Dora Beardsley, at Davenport, by which union they have one boy named Harry B., who was born in 1891. Mr. Porter's father and mother, highly respected residents of the town of Davenport, their home for so many years, are still living, both well advanced in years and enjoying good health. Mrs. Porter is the daughter of J. L. Beardsley, a well-known Davenport merchant for many years with an honorable record in his dealings with all, who now is an extensive farmer and a large dealer in live stock. ["Grips" Valley Gazette]^[2]

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Sources

1. ↑ Beardsley Genealogy: The Family of William Beardsley, One of the First Settlers of Connecticut. Compiled and edited by Nellie Beardsley Holt and Charles Eleazer Holt. Published at West Hartford, Connecticut, 1951. William Porter is the husband of Dora Beardsley, the daughter of John Beardsley, Holt Record #1119, Pg. 420.
2. ↑ Historical Souvenir, Series No. 4, Delhi and Vicinity, Jun 1897 See also: The Cornell University Library New York State Historical Literature Collection, page 23.

See also:

• 1900 US Census: Davenport, Delaware County, NY, 15 Jun 1900, Enumeration District 6, Sheet 6B. W. C. Porter, 44, farmer, head of household. Original data: Twelfth Census of the United States, 1900. Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, 1900. T623, 1854 rolls; Roll: 1021; Page: 6; Enumeration District: 0006; FHL microfilm: 1241021
• 1910 US Census: Davenport, Delaware County, NY, 20 Apr 1910, Enumeration District 6, Sheet 3B. William C. Porter, 52, farmer, head of household. - Original data: Thirteenth Census of the United States, 1910 (NARA microfilm publication T624, 1,178 rolls). Records of the Bureau of the Census, Record Group 29. National Archives, Washington, D.C.; Roll: T624_935; Page: 3B; Enumeration District: 0006; FHL microfilm: 1374948
• 1920 US Census: Davenport, Delaware County, NY, 12 Jan 1920, Enumeration District 150, Sheet 4A. William C. Porter, 69, dairy farmer, head of household. - Original data: Fourteenth Census of the United States, 1920. (NARA microfilm publication T625, 2076 rolls). Records of the Bureau of the Census, Record Group 29. National Archives, Washington, D.C.; Roll: T625_1096; Page: 4A; Enumeration District: 150
• Find A Grave Memorial # 29812699; Davenport Cemetery, Davenport NY (no g.s. photo)

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Research Notes

• Image 27 of Historical souvenir of Delhi, N.Y. [1]