John Porter

In 1692, during the witchcraft delusion, he and his wife Lydia were witnesses at court, and testified against one Goody Bibber, who accused Sarah Wildes of bewitching her, "and that said Bibber was an unruly, turbulent woman, would have strange fits when crost, was double tonged, very idle in her calling, mischief making, very much given to speaking bad words against her husband, obscene in her language, and could fall into fits when she pleased, etc."

Family links:

Spouse:

 Lydia Herrick Porter (1661 - 1737)

Children:

 Benjamin Porter (1692 - 1778)*

*Calculated relationship

Inscription: . . . . . . . . . . HERE LIES BURIED THE BODY OF MR JOHN PORTER WHO DEPARTED THIS LIFE MARCH 8th 1753 IN THE 95th YEAR OF HIS AGE . . . . . . . . . .

Burial: Wenham Cemetery Wenham Essex County Massachusetts, USA

John Porter

•Sex: M •Born: 1658 in Wenham, Essex County, Massachusetts1 •Died: 8 MAR 1753 in Wenham, Essex County, Massachusetts •Buried: in Old Wenham Graveyard2 •Event: 1692 in Testified for defense in witch trial •Occupation: Maltster, farmer •Notes: John & Lydia lived in Salem during the Witch Trials. They were part of the group who opposed the trials and testified against one Goody Bibber, who accused Sarah Wildes of bewitching her. The Porters are mentioned in many books about the Salem Witch Trials. Representative to General Court 1712, 1724, 1726. Moderator of town meetings 1723-24, 1727-29.

( Essex County Archives, Salem -- Witchcraft Vol. 2 Page 56 )

Sarah Bibber

(John Porter and Lydia Porter v. Sarah Bibber)

The Testimony of John porter: And Lidia porter

The Testimony of John porter, who Testifieth & sayth that

Goodwife Biber sometime living amongst us I did ovserve her to be

a woman of An unruly turbulent spirit; And shee would often fall

into strange fitts; when shee was crost of her humor: Likewise Lidia

porter Testifieth, that Goodwife Bibber And her Husband would

often quarrel & in their quarrels shee would call him, very bad names,

And would have strange fitts when she was crost, and a woman of

an unruly turbulent spirit, And double tongued

(Reverse) Jno Porters Evidence in behalfe of the p'rsones in Invali-

dating -- Sarah vibber #[copy] copied

From: "Genealogy of the descendants Richard Porter who settled at Weymouth, Massachusetts, 1635, and allied families:also some account of the descendants of John Porter, who settled at Hingham, Massachusetts, 1635, and Salem, Massachusetts, 1644," by Joseph W. Porter, of Burlington, Maine, 1878.
Page 235

John Porter, of Samuel Porter, of John Porter, of Wenham; probably born there in 1658,--his father's farm, which he inherited and upon which he lived and died, being

Page 236

in that town; his lands extended from Wenham Lake to Pleasant Pond. In May, 1716, he and wife Lydia, gave a deed to John Ober and als., of Beverly, of three-eighths of third division in east part of Wenham, laid out to said Porter. May 28, 1741, by deed of gift to son Samuel, of three acres; April 23, 1723, deed of gift to son John, of forty acres in his possession, and four acres of meadow called Denman's lot, seven acres meadow called Fiske's lot, and one common right in great swamp. "May 20, 1746 for five shillings, to son Jonathan four acres salt marsh, ten acres wood land, west side Wenham Pond, all other lands bought of John Newman, all my other lands joining what was part of Mr. Fiske's farm; one common right in great swamp; also œ100." July 2, 1739, "deed of gift to sons Benjamin, of Boxford, and Nehemiah, of Ipswich, eighteen acres upland and meadow, on the river running out of Wenham pond, on condition they pay their six sisters, Lydia, Hannah, Elisabeth, Mehitable, Mary and Sarah, œ5 each within twelve months after my decease." Aug. 1, 1738, to son Samuel his house and homestead on west side of road leading to Wenham meeting house; five acres salt marsh, ten acres north part of my land on west side of Wenham pond, on condition he pay his six sisters œ30 each within two years after my decease." April 23, 1723, to son Nehemiah, of Ipswich, gift of forty-six acres of land in his possession. In 1692, during the witchcraft delusion, he and his wife Lydia were witnesses at court, and testified against one Goody Bibber, who accused Sarah Wildes of bewitching her, "and that said Bibber was an unruly, turbulent woman, would have strange fits when crost, was double tongued, very idle in her calling, mischief making, very much given to speaking bad words against her husband, obscene in her language, and could fall into fits when she pleased, etc." He was a man of high respectability; representative to General Court 1712, '24, 26; moderator of town meetings, 1723, '24, '27, '28, '29; maltster and farmer; he married Lydia,3 daughter of Henry2 and Lydia Herrick, of Beverly; born 1661; died Feb. 12, 1737, in the seventy-seventh

Page 237

year of her age. He died March 8, 1753, in the ninety-fifth year of his age. No will or administration on his estate, it being divided among his children during his lifetime. The ages of eleven children at their death, 955 years; average, 87 years.

* Reference: Ancestry Genealogy - SmartCopy: Mar 31 2019, 21:51:47 UTC

GEDCOM Note

farmer, maltmaker, moderator of town meetings, Representative to the General Court, and soldier (Lieutenant)

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GEDCOM Source

A Porter Pedigree Juliet Porter, A Porter Pedigree Juliet Porter, A Porter Pedigree Juliet Porter. A Porter Pedigree. 1907 0 Footnote Juliet Porter, A Porter Pedigree ShortFootnote Juliet Porter, A Porter Pedigree Bibliography Juliet Porter. A Porter Pedigree.

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31-33 Page 31-33 John Porter, born 1658; died 8 March 1753, in the 95th year of his age. Married Lydia, daughter of Henry and Lydia Herrick, of Beverly. She was borm 1661; died 19 Feb. 1737.

John Porter moved from Danvers to Wenham about 1680. He was a maltster, and lived on a farm a part of which he received from his grandfather, William Dodge, according to a deed recorded at Salem, 10 May 1690.

"To my daughter Hannah Woodberry a parcel of land in the bounds or Beverly about 12 acres; also, during her life, the improvement of one halfe my farme at Wenham which I bought of Mr. John Fisk; I give unto my grandchild Jno Porter after my said daughters decease the revertion of said land to be disposed of according to the will of Samuel Porter deceased."

John Porter's lands in Wenham extended from Wenham Lake to Pleasant Pond, and for more than two hundred years a part of this land has been, without alienation, in the possession of his lineal descendants. He was an active and influential citizen, filling many offices with distinction. He was moderator of town meetings in 1723, '24, '27, '28, '29; representative to the General Court in 1712, 1724, and 1726. In Allen's history of Wenham is the statement that "the name of Porter has been one of the most conspicuous in the history of Wenham."

John Porter made no will, having divided his property among his children during his lifetime.

23 April 1723. Deed of gift to son John of 40 acres in his possession, and 4 acres of meadow called Denman's lot, and 7 acres of meadow called Fiske's lot, and one common right in the great swamp.

23 April 1723. Deed of gift to son Nehemiah of Ipswich of 46 acres in his possession.

1 Aug. 1738. To son Samuel, his house and homestead on the west side of the road leading to Wenham meeting house; 5 acres of salt marsh, 10 acres north part of my land on west side of Wenham Pond, on condition that he pay his six sisters £30 each within two years after my decease.

22 Aug. 1738. "I John Porter, for and in consideration of Natural Love & Parental affection which I have & bear unto my six daughters viz, Lydia the wife of William Lamson Hannah the wife of Thomas Kimball, Elizabeth the wife of Joseph Goodhue Mehitable the wife of Caleb Kimball, Mary the widow of Robert Cue deed & Sarah the widow of Thomas Dodge deed have given granted & conveyed and by these presents do give grant & convey to them my said six daughters in equal shares and to their Heirs forever All my Household Goods and Furniture within doors & also my stock of Creatures that shall be living at the time of my decease also I give unto them & their heirs respectively fifty pounds a piece in Bills of Credit to be paid them or their Heirs in two years after my decease by my sons Samuel & Jonathan as I have directed."

"In witness of the foregoing I the said John Porter have delivered unto each of my said Daughters a Silver spoon as part of the within bequest."

2 July 1739. Deed of gift to sons Benjamin of Boxford, and Nehemiah of Ipswich, 18 acres of upland and Meadow on the river running out of Wenham Pond, on condition that they pay their six sisters, Lydia, Hannah, Mehitable, Mary and Sarah £5 each within twelve months after my decease.

28 May 1741. Deed of gift to son Samuel of 3 acres of land.

20 May 1746. For five shillings, to son Johnathan, 4 acres of salt marsh; 10 acres of woodland, west side of Wenham Pond; all other lands bought of John Newman; all my other lands joining what was once part of Mr. Fiske's farm; one common right in the great swamp; also £100.

Inscriptions in the old Wenham graveyard: Here lies buried the body of Mr John Porter who departed this life March 8 1753 in the 95 year of his age. Here lies buried the body of Mrs Lydia Porter who died February the 19 1737 & in the 76 year of her age.

GEDCOM Source

New England Families, Genealogical and Memorial, Vol. 4 William Richard Cutter, New England Families, Genealogical and Memorial, Vol. 4 William Richard Cutter, New England Families, Genealogical and Memorial, Vol. 4 William Richard Cutter. New England Families, Genealogical and Memorial, Vol. 4. Published by the Lewis Historical Publishing Company. 1913 0 Footnote William Richard Cutter, New England Families, Genealogical and Memorial, Vol. 4 ShortFootnote William Richard Cutter, New England Families, Genealogical and Memorial, Vol. 4 Bibliography William Richard Cutter. New England Families, Genealogical and Memorial, Vol. 4.

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1579 Page 1579 John, only child of Samuel and Hannah (Dodge) Porter, was born (probably in Wenham) 1658. Inheriting the large property of his father, he was a resident of Wenham throughout his life, and was a prominent citizen, representing the town in the general court in 1712-24-26, and also serving at various times as moderator of the town meetings. He was noted for his great independence and liberality of mind. During the witchcraft excitement he deliberately opposed the persecutions, and in one of the trials testified with his wife Lydia in favor of the accused.

He died March 8, 1753. He married Lydia, daughter of Henry and Lydia Herrick, of Beverly; she was born 1661, died February 2, 1737. The combined ages of the foregoing eleven children was nine hundred and fifty-five, an average of eighty-seven; their father lived to ninety-five.

GEDCOM Source

Vital Records of Wenham, Mass. Vital Records of Wenham, Mass. Vital Records of Wenham, Mass. Vital Records of Wenham, Mass. 0 Footnote Vital Records of Wenham, Mass. ShortFootnote Vital Records of Wenham, Mass. Bibliography Vital Records of Wenham, Mass.

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Page Wenham deaths. Porter, John, Lt., Mar. 8, 1753, in his 95th y.

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@R1653607730@ U.S., Sons of the American Revolution Membership Applications, 1889-1970 Ancestry.com Ancestry.com Operations, Inc. Sons of the American Revolution Membership Applications, 1889-1970 1,2204::0

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Volume: 37 1,2204::78135

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@R1653607730@ U.S., Sons of the American Revolution Membership Applications, 1889-1970 Ancestry.com Ancestry.com Operations, Inc. Sons of the American Revolution Membership Applications, 1889-1970 1,2204::0

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Volume: 37 1,2204::78135