Ebenezer Porter

  General Notes:

research of C. Skidmore on www.rootsweb.com - twin to Hezediah - Had 7 sons and 6 daughters. He removed to Ohio and died in 1827.
Hezediah's twin brother fought for the states in the Revolutionary war and then he and his family relocated to Hocking Hills, Ohio.

Porter genealogy handwritten c1970 and sent to J. W. Straw from Amy Porter on 120803 - gives date of birth as 27 July 1732


Research of Kathy Frick on Rootsweb
From Web Dbase
Ebenezer lived in Little Hockhocking, Ohio and had 13 children. He served in the Revolutionar y War. "From the official Roster of the Soldiers of the American Revolution who lived in the state of Ohio, Vol. 2, pg. 281: Ebenezer Porter, Washington County Revolutioner Service in Massachusetts soldiers and sailors. Vol. 12, pg 586, is buried in Newbury, Ohio, just belo w Belore, Ohio grave marked by S.A.R. marker. Ref: Williams Hist. of Washington Co., Ohio. pg .506"


PORTER Obituary
From the National Gazette & Literary Messenger
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
March 29, 1827
In Belpre, Ohio, on the 23rd ult. after a few days illness, Mr. Ebenezer Porter, aged 95 years, . . . . . . one of the few survivors of the old French war, in which he was severely wounded at the battle of Ticonderoga, in 1758. Mr. Porter was a native of Ipswich, Mass. son of Nehemiah Porter, who lived to the age of 91; whose father was 95 years old at the time of his death. His eldest brother, the Rev. Nehemiah Porter, of Ashfield Mass., died in 1821, aged 100 years.
Mr. Porter died in peace, and without a struggle, leaving behind him, as is supposed, upwards of 200 descendants, many of them the fifth generation.

(Research of T. Merrill on www.rootsweb.com)
Cemetery Record in "The Unknown Settlement" Page 299
Birth and Baptism in Ipswich VR
Ebenezer lived in Little Hockhocking, Ohio and had 13 children. He served in the Revolutionar y War. "From the official Roster of the Soldiers of the American Revolution who lived int h e state of Ohio, Vol. 2, pg. 281: Ebenezer Porter, Washington County Revolutioner Service i n Massachusetts soldiers and sailors. Vol. 12, pg 586, is buried in Newbury, Ohio, just belo w Belore, Ohio grave marked by S.A.R. marker. Ref: Williams Hist. of Washington Co., Ohio. pg .506"
"History of Washington County, Ohio" - Page 507
Ebenezer Porter, wife, and children settled on the next lot below Coggeshall's in 1796. Mr. P orter was born in 1732, and on account of his age was familiarly called Grandsir Porter. He lived to the ripe old age of over ninety-four years. He emigrated to Ohio from Massachusetts . None of the children now survive: Cummings lived on the old place at Little Hoching until h is death; John moved to Athens County; Samuel lived, and died in Newbury; and Polly married Amos Knowles, of Newbury. The descendants of the Porters are some of them in the neighborhood.

GED COM of R. Kerr (sent Jine 2006)
Appears in the 1800 Census of Washington County, OH, living
in the Belpre Township.
Ebenezer and his son-in-law,Nathaniel Sawyer, were enthused about the Plans of the Ohio Company and were amongst the first to subsccribe. In the spring of 1787 the two men set out to see for themselves what the Ohio had to offer them; looking over what had been called by some "Putnam's Paradise" and "Cutler's Indian Heaven". Pleased with what the saw the hurried home and began making preparations to move their families to the frontier. At the time, the Porter family lived in Ipswich and the Sawyer family lived in Newburyport, both in Essex Co.,MA. Obtaining two or three wagons in the western style (Probably Conestogas) they packed their goods, loaded the wagons, bid their friends farewell and headed with their oxen west. They started their near 800 mile journey from MA September 28 They were observed on their way on September 28 by Ebenezer Hazard,Postmaster General and Treasurer of the Congress. In
a letter he wrote to Rev. Jeremy Belknap on that date he wrote: "Two families from Cutler's parish, Sawyer and Porter by name, passed on their way to the Indian Heaven,with two or three wagons,built in the western style. Some people pitied them
as sheep going to the slaughter; others wished themselves in company. So different are the opinions of men, and I might add, women on the suubject." In spite of the derision and waring of danger, they moved their wagons westward until they came into Westmoreland County,PA. Here they took up temporary residence in neighboring settlements. The Porter family stayed at Greensboro and the Sawyers in Hannastown,
to await the arrival in the western country of Superintendant Rufus Putnam and his 47 man company. On Dec 3, 1787, two days after Putnam and company left MA, Dr. Mannaseh Cutler wrote a letter from Ipswich addressed to Rufus Putnam enroute as follows:
"Dear Sir, There are to men gone from us into the Western Country, Ebenezer Porter and Nathaniel Sawyer, who have subscribed each, for one share in our Company. Porter has paid his silver part and has made provision for the payment of the securities here
Sawyer has not yet paid any part, but both of them wished, if they found it in their power, to turn in provisions, or such articles as might be wanted by our Compny in that country in payment of their shares. I suppose they are either at Hannastown
or Well's Mills, and will make application to you as soon as they are informed of your being in the country. I wish they be permitted to do whatever may lie in your power toward making payment in that country consistent with the interests of the Company. They will make, I presume, good inhabitants; and the service they have rendered to our cause, by going early into the country, returing and removing their families,entitles them to as much attention and lenity as can be consistently given them....
About 1994, the house built by Ebenezer in 1799-1803 was purchased by Mr. Mike Neeley and wife Jackie LeBerth. They have been in the process of restoring the place as much as practical and appropriate additions in keeping with the intended use as a bend and breakfast. Researchers visited the home in July 1998 and were treated to a tour.
Host Mike explained that previous owners had sheet rocked the interiors and actually covered over the original fire places, of which there are several, on both floors.
The place abounds with period furniture. He has added a modern kitchen and is making the upstairs in special rooms. The first one is nearly finished, and it will be called the Ebenezer Porter Room. The original Ebenezer Porter-built barn is still standing on adjacent property and is in good condition considering its age and lack of upkeep. The sandstone rocks used in the foundation for both the house and barn are masterfully cut and fitted. The bricks used to build the house were made on the property by Ebenezer.
A new stone has been put in the graveyard for Ebenezer,so his burial site is easily located."

Ebenezer married Lydia Cummings, daughter of Thomas Cummings and Lydia Richardson, on 17 Dec 1755 in Ipswich, Essex County, Massachusetts. (Lydia Cummings was born on 30 Jan 1739 in Dracut, Middlesex County, Massachusetts, died on 28 Mar 1814 in Little Hocking, Washington County, Ohio and was buried in Little Hocking Methodist Cemetery in Belpre.)