Individual Details
William Hartle Porter
(16 Nov 1848 - 27 Nov 1938)
William Hartle Porter born in 1848 married Mary (Mallie) Temple in 1870 and lived his lifetime in the Harmony, Arkansas community. His father was John W. (son of Thomas B., Sr.). His parents died when he was young and he lived with his grandfather until after his marriage. William H. was a member of the Confederate Army, having enlisted at a very young age near the end of the war.
Served in the Confederate Army from Arkansas. Part of his pension papers list being a member of No. 16 Hills Regiment of Infantry and that he belonged to Company "L" Regiment of the Infantry and served to the end of the war.
His pension papers list that he owns 40 acres of land with a value of $350.00 as of 15 Feb. 1932. His other income is rent off land, 50 bushels corn, and 80 bales of hay.
His obituary in the Herald-Democrat newspaper 1 Dec. 1938 states: W.H. Porter, Confederate Veteran, Dies. William H. Porter 90 years old who was one of two surviving Confederate veterans in Johnson County died Sunday afternoon at his home near Harmony seven miles northwest of here. Porter was 16 years of age when he enlisted in the Confederate army. He joined the Confederate forces at Fayetteville and was at Marshall, Texas when the war ended. He served under General Price and his Colonel was Tom Gunther who later was an attorney at Fayettveille. He was a lifelong resident of Harmony, where he was born November 16, 1848. He was the son of Mr and Mrs. John Porter and the grandson of Mr. and Mrs. Thomas Porter who came to Johnson county from Tennessee in 1836. His father died in 1848. His wife who died 10 years ago was the former Miss Mollie Temple. Mr. Porter was a member of the Cumberland Presbyterian church. With Mr. Porter's death, William Poteet of Clarksville is the only surviving member of the John F. Hill camp in Johnson county. Mr. Porter is survived by five daughters, Mrs. Belle Harris of Ludwig, Mrs. J. B. Adkins and Mrs. M. M. Chancey of Clarksville, Mrs. R. F. Cowan of Vian, Okla, and Mrs. Clarence Bean of Harmony, 25 grandchildren, 44 great-grandchildren and one great-great grand child. Funeral service as held Monday at 2 PM at the Harmony cemetery with Rev. Hugh Yandell, Presbyterian minister of Lone Pine officiating. Burial was in the Harmony cemetery.
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Many people have William listed as the son of Thomas Brantley Porter, simply because he was living in his household in the census records and appears to be the ages of his other children, so he fits in. However, he was the GRANDSON of Thomas Brantley Porter.
When William Hartel Porter was born on November 16, 1848, in Harmony, Arkansas, his father, John, was 18 and his mother, Eliza, was 18. His father died either before he was born or shortly after, dying the same year of his birth. His mother lived for part of his early childhood, but by age 11 in the 1860 census, he was living in the home of his grandfather, Thomas Brantley Porter, with no sign of his mother after that. His grandfather raised him from at least age 11, but possibly much earlier. He was not living in his grandfather's house in the 1850 census, when he was about a year to a year and a half. So, somewhere between about age 2 and 11 his mother passed away and he went to live with his grandfather.
His grandfather also had a son named William, who was this William's uncle. The uncle was about a year and a half older than the nephew. They grew up together, these two William Porters, and probably felt more like brothers. In the 1860 census William Franklin (the son) is 12, and William Hartel (the grandson) is 11.
When he was a teenager Will Porter signed up to join the Confederate cause during the Civil War, probably lying about his age. Later in life, he was one of only 2 surviving Civil War veterans in Johnson County, Arkansas.
He married Mary Malvina "Mallie" Temple on March 20, 1870, in Johnson County, Arkansas, when they were both 21 years old. They had eight children, the first being the only son, who died at age 4. The remaining 7 were all girls. Two of the girls died fairly young, one at 23 and one at 36. The remaining 5 lived long lives.
He died on November 27, 1938, in Harmony, Johnson County, Arkansas, at the age of 90, and was buried in Harmony Cemetery.
Contributor: JOANIE BEAN LONG (49661152) •
Served in the Confederate Army from Arkansas. Part of his pension papers list being a member of No. 16 Hills Regiment of Infantry and that he belonged to Company "L" Regiment of the Infantry and served to the end of the war.
His pension papers list that he owns 40 acres of land with a value of $350.00 as of 15 Feb. 1932. His other income is rent off land, 50 bushels corn, and 80 bales of hay.
His obituary in the Herald-Democrat newspaper 1 Dec. 1938 states: W.H. Porter, Confederate Veteran, Dies. William H. Porter 90 years old who was one of two surviving Confederate veterans in Johnson County died Sunday afternoon at his home near Harmony seven miles northwest of here. Porter was 16 years of age when he enlisted in the Confederate army. He joined the Confederate forces at Fayetteville and was at Marshall, Texas when the war ended. He served under General Price and his Colonel was Tom Gunther who later was an attorney at Fayettveille. He was a lifelong resident of Harmony, where he was born November 16, 1848. He was the son of Mr and Mrs. John Porter and the grandson of Mr. and Mrs. Thomas Porter who came to Johnson county from Tennessee in 1836. His father died in 1848. His wife who died 10 years ago was the former Miss Mollie Temple. Mr. Porter was a member of the Cumberland Presbyterian church. With Mr. Porter's death, William Poteet of Clarksville is the only surviving member of the John F. Hill camp in Johnson county. Mr. Porter is survived by five daughters, Mrs. Belle Harris of Ludwig, Mrs. J. B. Adkins and Mrs. M. M. Chancey of Clarksville, Mrs. R. F. Cowan of Vian, Okla, and Mrs. Clarence Bean of Harmony, 25 grandchildren, 44 great-grandchildren and one great-great grand child. Funeral service as held Monday at 2 PM at the Harmony cemetery with Rev. Hugh Yandell, Presbyterian minister of Lone Pine officiating. Burial was in the Harmony cemetery.
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Many people have William listed as the son of Thomas Brantley Porter, simply because he was living in his household in the census records and appears to be the ages of his other children, so he fits in. However, he was the GRANDSON of Thomas Brantley Porter.
When William Hartel Porter was born on November 16, 1848, in Harmony, Arkansas, his father, John, was 18 and his mother, Eliza, was 18. His father died either before he was born or shortly after, dying the same year of his birth. His mother lived for part of his early childhood, but by age 11 in the 1860 census, he was living in the home of his grandfather, Thomas Brantley Porter, with no sign of his mother after that. His grandfather raised him from at least age 11, but possibly much earlier. He was not living in his grandfather's house in the 1850 census, when he was about a year to a year and a half. So, somewhere between about age 2 and 11 his mother passed away and he went to live with his grandfather.
His grandfather also had a son named William, who was this William's uncle. The uncle was about a year and a half older than the nephew. They grew up together, these two William Porters, and probably felt more like brothers. In the 1860 census William Franklin (the son) is 12, and William Hartel (the grandson) is 11.
When he was a teenager Will Porter signed up to join the Confederate cause during the Civil War, probably lying about his age. Later in life, he was one of only 2 surviving Civil War veterans in Johnson County, Arkansas.
He married Mary Malvina "Mallie" Temple on March 20, 1870, in Johnson County, Arkansas, when they were both 21 years old. They had eight children, the first being the only son, who died at age 4. The remaining 7 were all girls. Two of the girls died fairly young, one at 23 and one at 36. The remaining 5 lived long lives.
He died on November 27, 1938, in Harmony, Johnson County, Arkansas, at the age of 90, and was buried in Harmony Cemetery.
Contributor: JOANIE BEAN LONG (49661152) •
Events
| Birth | 16 Nov 1848 | Harmony, Johnson Co., Arkansas |  | ||
| Marriage | 10 Mar 1870 | Johnson Co., Arkansas - Mary Malvina "Mallie" Temple | | ||
| Death | 27 Nov 1938 | Harmony, Johnson Co., Arkansas | | ||
| Burial | Harmony Cemetery, Harmony, Johnson Co., Arkansas | |
Families
| Spouse | Mary Malvina "Mallie" Temple (1849 - 1928) |
| Child | Charley Sidney Porter (1871 - 1876) |
| Child | Belle Porter (1873 - 1968) |
| Child | Sidney Emmaline Porter (1876 - 1958) |
| Child | Norma Temple Porter (1878 - 1968) |
| Child | Rhoda Ann Porter (1881 - 1958) |
| Child | Fannie C. Porter (1882 - 1906) |
| Child | Lura Elizabeth Porter (1886 - 1922) |
| Child | Charlie Dessie Porter (1888 - 1952) |
| Father | John W. Porter (1830 - 1848) |
| Mother | Eliza Wood (1830 - 1854) |
Endnotes
1. Harmony Cemetery Index.
2. Conferderate Pension Application, State of Arkansas.
3. Johnson County, Arkansas records, Page 217 Book N.
4. Harmony Cemetery Index.
5. Conferderate Pension Application, State of Arkansas.
6. Personal knowledge of John Patrick Kirkpatrick.