This was taken out of the Wells County History Book written in the early
1990's:
Porter:
Three siblings lived in Wells county in 1860:
James Porter, Catherine Porter Clark (wife of Jeremiah), and Allie Ann Porter
Houser (married to Martin). Their parents, names unknown, were both born in
Ireland. One family member remembers it as County Cork and that they were
protestants. James was born in 1816 in Pennsylvania, possibly the Doylestown
area, and died in Wells County, May 1885. It is told that he left Doylestown
in a covered wagon, selling household goods and notions to farm families.
Allie/Alley was born in 1820, in Ohio, possibly the Finlay/Delphos area, and
died in Wells County in September, 1895. Catherine was born 1823 in Ohio and
died in Wells County, September 1897.
James and his wife Sarah Galehouse Porter had three children: Mary A. (Mrs.
Abraham Hoopengardner) born 1841 in Ohio; Elizabeth "Lib" J. (Mrs. Phillip
Koons) born 1845 in Ohio; Catherine "Kitty" Summers Wilgus born 1856 in Ohio;
Erwin "I.A." born 1858 in Indiana married Flo Wilgus.
Allie Ann and her husband Martin Houser had six children: Jane sara (Mrs. Sam
Milliken) born 1842, died 1927; John; Jacob; David (married Henrietta Besser)
died at age ninety; Ella (Mrs. Fred Livingood); and Jane.
Catherine and her husband Jeremiah "Jerry" Clark had eight children: Virgil,
born 1846, died 1928; Walter (married Rose Niriter) born 1852, died 1912;
Lantz Alanson (married Amelia Caston) born 1855, died before 1914; James P.
(married Dora Sutton) born 1851; Mary A. (Mrs. Charles R. White) born 1859,
died 1927; Martha (Mrs. Elmer Allen) born between 1861 and 1866; Alice, born
1865 and died 1887; Laura (Mrs. Lafayette Gorrell) born 1868, died 1935.