Believed to be the ancestor of three US presidents (Grant, Cleveland, and Ford).

John Porter was baptized on 21 June 1594 in Holy Cross Church, Felsted, co. Essex, England. He died on 21 April 1648 in Windsor, Hartford Co., Conn., at age 53, buried the next day.

Parents: son of John Porter and Sybil Vessey.

Married

1. at age 26, Anna White, age 20, daughter of Robert White and Bridget Allgar, on 18 October 1620 in All Saints Church, Messing, co. Essex, England. [1] She was born about Jul 13, 1600 in Shalford, Essex, England, and died May 11, 1647 in Windsor, Connecticut. n.b. she was also called Roseanna White.

14 children include:

1. Thomas Porter, b. 1620, Eng., died 1697, Hartford, CT, spouse Sarah Hart.
2. Johanna (Anna) Porter, christened 22 Sep 1621, Felstead, Essex, Eng., died 21 July 1653, Windsor, Hartford, CT, spouse Joseph Judson, spouse William Gaylor.
3. John Porter, c. 9 Feb 1623, Felstead, Essex, Eng., died 2 Aug 1688.
4. Sarah Porter, born 15 Mar 1624, Felstead, Essex, Eng., first spouse Joseph Judson, married 24 Oct 1644, second spouse Josiah Barber, died 16 Mar 1696 in Woodbury, Litchfield, CT, buried Stratford, Fairfield, CT at Congregational Burying Place.
5. James Porter, c. 20 Feb 1627/28, Felstead, Essex, Eng., died 27 Sep 1727, City of London, Eng, spouse Elizabeth Baldwin, spouse Sarah Tudor.
6. Rebecca Porter, c. 16 Sep 1630, Felstead, Essex, Eng., died 9 Jan 1682/83, Saybrook, CT., spouse John Clark.
7. Samuel Porter, b. 22 May 1632 Felstead, Essex, Eng., c. 26 May 1632, Felstead, Essex, Eng., spouse Hannah Stanley, m. 1659 Windsor, CT., died 6 Sep 1689, Hadley, Hampshire, CT.
8. Rose Porter, c. 24 Jun 1633, Felstead, Essex, Eng., died 12 May 1648, Windsor, Hartford, CT.
9. Mary Porter, b. 1 Oct 1637, Messing, Essex, Eng, died 16 Dec 1681, Windsor, CT, spouse Samuel Grant.
10. Anna Porter, c. 4 Nov 1638, Messing, Essex, Eng., died 4 Nov 1638.
11. James Porter, b. 1638, Felstead, Essex, Eng.
12. Nathaniel Porter, b. 19 Jul 1640, Windsor, Hartford, CT, died Jan 1680 Statford, Fairfield, CT, spouse Hannah Groves, spouse Elizabeth Baldwin.
13. Hannah Porter, b. 4 Sep 1642, Windsor, Hartford, CT, died 19 Sep 1677, Deerfield, Franklin, MA, spouse John Coleman.
14. Joseph Porter, b. 1644, Windsor, Hartford, CT

Events

• Immigration: By 1638, possibly with the Rev. Huit party which came to Dorchester on the "Susan and Ellen" and arrived July 17, 1638.
• Education: Signed his name.
• Occupation: Merchant.
• Public Office: Constable 1639; Town Clerk 1640; Grand Juror 1643; Deputy to the General Court of Connecticut, 1639, 1646, 1647.
• Residence: in 1620 of Felsted, Essex, England.

Brief Biography

John Porter was born in Felsted, Essex County, England where he married, in Messing, Anna White in 1620. Both were of fairly prosperous families. They had nine children born in Felsted and the marriage and birth records are found in Essex County records. In 1638, when John was 44, the family emigrated to New England, probably with the Huit party on the "Susan and Ellen", and removed soon to Windsor.

In April of 1639 John acquired a home lot in Windsor on the Island. He resided next door to Joseph Loomis, whose wife, Mary White, was a sister to John's wife. Both John and Joseph were influential and prosperous men in Windsor and by 1641 John had grants from the town totaling 400 acres, ranking among the top quarter in Windsor. John Porter and Joseph Loomis were also brother-in-laws to William Goodwin and John White, both influential men in Hartford.

John had two more children born to him in Windsor and was active in the community serving in both town and colony offices. He was involved in the merchant trade, probably in cloth, and probably traded with his son James, who was a merchant in London. James would also eventually act as agent of the Colony of Connecticut in London.

Notes

John Porter, Sr, came from England and settled in Windsor in 1639 OCR, according to statements furnished by Henry, White, Esq., of New Haven Ct. He came to New England with wife and 9 children from Felsted County, Essex, UK. Probably in the ship Susan and Ellen, 17 July 1638 and in company with his brother in law Joseph Loomis.

The baptisms of their English-born children are recorded in the parish register of Felsted. Windsor Town Records, Reg., vol. 5, p. 359, states: "John Porter, Sr., came from England and settled in Windsor in 1639." He probably sailed on the Susan and Ellen, with his family.

John Porter came in 1635 on the "Susan and Ellen." He operated the first tannery in New England and at his death was the largest landholder in Salem. His grandson John married Lydia Herrick, and they testified at the Salem witchcraft trials. Their son married Elizabeth Putnam, a niece of Thomas Putnam; her cousin Ann Putnam was the one who had started the whole witch hunt.

In the Parish register of Messing, County Essex UK is the following record of marriage:

1620 Oct 18 John Porter of Felsted and Anna White of Messing. Anna as we find from the Messing Parish register was Born 13 July 1600 and was the daughter of Robert White of Messing by his wife Bridget (dau. of Wm) Allgar of Shalford County Essex and was probably the sister of Mary White of Messing who married Joseph Loomis, the immigrant ancestor of the Windsor family of that name.

Another sister married 7 Nov 1616 Wm. Goodwin of Hartford and the three are thought to have been the sisters of Elder John White though this has not yet been proven. Both the Loomis and Goodwin marriages are from the Shalford Parish register. He died 21 and was buried 22 April 1648 left a large estate. His will is given Trumbulls Col. Rec. CT

John Porter, Anna 7 at least son Samuel came to America on July 17, 1638 on the ship "Susan & Ellen". Settled in Windsor, CT in 1639. Iris Rose has: John born in Wraxhall Abbey, Kenilworth, Warwick, England.

John Porter lived in Felsted, County Essex, England. He emigratedwith his family to New England in 1638, probably in the 'Susan and Ellen." he settled in Windsor, Connecticut, and was Deputy from Windsor to the Connecticut Legislature in August, 1639; October 1646; and may 1647. He died at Windsor on April 21, 1648. His will, dated April 20 1648, mentione his "sonne Josepgh Judgson", who was actually his son-in-law.

The above material was taken from Volume 1, Part V of History and Genealogies of the Families of Old Fairfield", a DAR publication. The article suggests that persons interested in the Porter family also read "theporter Genealogy" and "The Ancestry of Wm. F.J. Boardman."

He was descended in the 16th generation from William de la Grand, a Norman knight of Kenilworth in Warwickshire, 1066.

Footnotes

1. Her actual name is Rose Anna White, and if I recall correctly, according to rumor/legend, family called her Anna, others called her Rose and sometimes Roseanna, which is where the confusion came from.

Links

• Porter Family Lineage

Sources

• Andrews, Henry P, and Peter P. Wiggins. The Descendants of John Porter, of Windsor, Conn., in the Line of His Great, Great Grandson, Col. Joshua Porter, M.d., of Salisbury, Litchfield County, Conn: With Some Account of the Families into Which They Married. Saratoga Springs, N.Y: Printed for the compilers by G.W. Ball, 1882. Print.
• History of Ancient Windsor, Vol @, Connecticut
• James Savage's "A Genealogial Dictionary of the First Settlers... Vol III,"
• John Insley Coddington, "John Porter of Windsor, Conn. and his Parents" TAG 18 56-60,

-------------------- John Porter was born 1594 in Holy Cross, Felsted Essex County, England and baptised (infant) on 21 June 1594 in Felstead, Essex, England. He died on 21 April 1648 or 22 April 1648 in Windsor, Hartford, Connecticut. Will made on 20 April 1648 and estate probated on 7 June 1649. [8, 70, 348]

Parents: John PORTER and Sibyl VESSEY.

Married

1. on 18 October 1620 in Messing, Essex, England to Anna, daughter of Robert White And Bridget Allgar. She was also known as Roseanna. [348]

14 children:

1. Thomas Porter, b. 1620, Eng., died 1697, Hartford, CT, spouse Sarah Hart.
2. Johanna (Anna) Porter, christened 22 Sep 1621, Felstead, Essex, Eng., died 21 July 1653, Windsor, Hartford, CT, spouse Joseph Judson, spouse William Gaylor.
3. John Porter, c. 9 Feb 1623, Felstead, Essex, Eng., died 2 Aug 1688.
4. Sarah Porter, born 15 Mar 1624, Felstead, Essex, Eng., first spouse Joseph Judson, married 24 Oct 1644, second spouse Josiah Barber, died 16 Mar 1696 in Woodbury, Litchfield, CT, buried Stratford, Fairfield, CT at Congregational Burying Place.
5. James Porter, c. 20 Feb 1627/28, Felstead, Essex, Eng., died 27 Sep 1727, City of London, Eng, spouse Elizabeth Baldwin, spouse Sarah Tudor.
6. Rebecca Porter, c. 16 Sep 1630, Felstead, Essex, Eng., died 9 Jan 1682/83, Saybrook, CT., spouse John Clark.
7. Samuel Porter, b. 22 May 1632 Felstead, Essex, Eng., c. 26 May 1632, Felstead, Essex, Eng., spouse Hannah Stanley, m. 1659 Windsor, CT., died 6 Sep 1689, Hadley, Hampshire, CT.
8. Rose Porter, c. 24 Jun 1633, Felstead, Essex, Eng., died 12 May 1648, Windsor, Hartford, CT.
9. Mary Porter, b. 1 Oct 1637, Messing, Essex, Eng, died 16 Dec 1681, Windsor, CT, spouse Samuel Grant.
10. Anna Porter, c. 4 Nov 1638, Messing, Essex, Eng., died 4 Nov 1638.
11. James Porter, b. 1638, Felstead, Essex, Eng.
12. Nathaniel Porter, b. 19 Jul 1640, Windsor, Hartford, CT, died Jan 1680 Statford, Fairfield, CT, spouse Hannah Groves, spouse Elizabeth Baldwin.
13. Hannah Porter, b. 4 Sep 1642, Windsor, Hartford, CT, died 19 Sep 1677, Deerfield, Franklin, MA, spouse John Coleman.
14. Joseph Porter, b. 1644, Windsor, Hartford, CT.

Events

• Came in the "Susan and Ellen" in 1638 and settled in Windsor, CT
• Received a large land grant, was constable 1639-1640, a juror 1641, a grand juror 1643 and deputy 1646/47.

As taken from Vol. 1 by Virkus. (Also In Savage) John Porter (1590- 1648) from Eng. probably 1638 received a large land grant and was constable at Windsor,CT. 1639, Deputy General Court 1639 (and those that follow)

Notes

• Decended in the 6th generation from William de la Grande, a Norman Knight of Kenilworth in Warwickshire, 1066 from Co. Essex, England.
• The first emigration of the Porters to America were the descendants of John Porter, born 1519, at Wraxhall Abbey, in Kenilworth, Warwickshire, England. John Porter, the first in America, founded Windsor, Connecticut. His son, Samuel Porter, with his wife and sister, Mary Porter, settled in Massachusetts. * Mary Porter was married in 1658 to Samuel Grant, ascendant of Gen'l U. S. Grant of the United States army and President of the United States.
• Emigrated in 1639.John was one of the first settlers of Windsor, Ct. Accord ing to Savage, he may settled briefly at Dorchester, but accompanied Rev. Ephraim Hewitt to Connecticut.
• According to court records found in the website, CON NECTICUT COLONIAL RECORDS, in 1639 John was fined 70 rods of corn to compensate for property damage.
• In 1641, he became a constable.
• His last will and testament is dated April 20,1648 and can be found in CONNECTICUT COLONIAL RECORDS.

Links

• http://genealogy.drnewcomb.ftml.net/b257.htm
• http://www.robsgenealogy.net/woodson/p175.htm
• http://www.familyporter.com/porter_family_line.htm
• Scottish/English roots Updated: Tue Dec 2 2003

Sources

1. [S38] Henry Morton Woodson, Historical Genealogy of the Woodsons and Their Connections, pgs 26-27.
2. Compendium of American Genealogy" First Families of America. by Virkus Vol. VI
3. 1901 NEHGR article.

-------------------- John came to New England on the ship SUSAN & ELLEN in 1630 at Dorchester, MA, then removed to Windsor, CT in 1635. John married Mary Stanley in 1650 in Windsor, CT.

-------------------- Windsor Town Records, Reg., vol. 5, p. 359, states: "John Porter, Sr., came from England and settled in Windsor in 1639." He probably sailed on the Susan and Ellen, with his family.