Surname talk:Porter, William

William Porter Sr. Early Settler of Borden Grant [10 May 2012]

The following is taken from “A Family History William Porter, Jr. of Rockbridge County, Virginia (1740-1804)” by Mary E. Porter.

William Porter purchased land in 1742, a tract that lay beyond the Blue Ridge Mountains in what was then Orange County, Virginia. The 395 1/2 acre parcel was purchased from Benjamin Borden and was part of the well known Borden Tract.

On October 3, 1734, Governor Gooch of the Virginia Colony, eager to entice settlers into his western lands, offered Benjamin Borden of New Jersey 100,000 acres of land beyond the Blue Ridge Mountains if he could persuade 100 settlers to build cabins and settle on it The settlers were to be “immigrants” meaning not then residents of Virginia. Borden advertised in Pennsylvania and New Jersey, offering settlers who would build a cabin and move into the area, 100 acres of free land, and the opportunity to buy more. Borden was not able to meet the first deadline, but by building several cabins himself, by 1739 he was able to claim 92,000 acres of land. By 1741, settlers were recording their deeds.

William Porter had evidently built a cabin on his land and improved it and settled there prior to 1742. The deed identifies him as “William Porter, yoeman, of Orange County”. There are two documents relative to this land. The first in the deed book is dated 26 August 1742. It apparently covered rent for the previous year, as it was for one year only and the rent was 12 shillings plus one ear of Indian corn, if demanded. This record mentions houses, orchards, etc. and said that William Porter was in possession. In other words, he was an established settler by that time. The second indenture reads much the same as the first except that the first date on it is 17th August. It was witnessed the same day as the first one. It “conveys to William Porter, his heirs and assigns forever ... in consideration of the sum of twelve pounds current money of Virginia” the land described above. Quit rents were to be paid annually to the Sovereign King and his successors forever! This land was sold in 1747 for 28 pounds, more than double the purchase price of five years before.

William Porter bought at least three other tracts of land in the Borden Tract, as follows:

1) 112 acres for four pounds, November 28, 1750 “on the west side of the James at said Porter's patent”, This suggests a previous purchase in the area but no record of it was found. This was a few miles from his first land.

2) 200 acres for sixteen pounds, May 15, 1754 “on west side of North River.”

3) 110 acres for three pounds, August 21, 1754 “to corner of Porter's old survey”

The first two of these tracts are located on a map of the Borden Tract. The deeds were conveyed to Benjamin Borden, Jr. as the elder Borden had died in 1743, leaving his son in charge of his vast holdings. This Porter land was along the western border of the Borden Tract and some of it reached beyond its borders. Porter also bought land outside the Borden Tract as follows: 107 acres in 1755 “on the south side of the North Branch where it runs through the Calf Pasture” (hundreds of acres of undesignated land so named on the old maps).

All of this land was in mountainous country where the fertile valleys would have been suitable for growing corn and tobacco, and the hillsides would have been good pasture for livestock. It was heavily timbered and well watered.1

It was probably on the last one of these tracts of land that in 1755 William Porter built a large house of logs that stood until 1956. It was a two story house with large stone fireplaces at each end and a central stairway. A wing extended to the rear with probably another fireplace for cooking. The house was said to have had five fireplaces. (For a picture of this house see James W. McClung, Historical Significance of Rockbridge County, Virginia, published by McClure Co., 1939, p. 147).

This house, long unoccupied, was bought in 1956 by Hays Claburne and moved to his ranch near San Antonio, Texas. According to a story in a San Antonio newspaper, the Clayburnes wanted an authentic log house of the colonial period that they could restore for their own home. An agent found this house for them and arranged to purchase it, have it taken down, and moved. Stone from the original site was used to rebuild the fireplaces. The exterior was preserved as nearly as possible like the original house would have been when it was built.

William Porter was probably living in this house at the time of his death. Apparently the property went to his son, William, since it was sold following the death of William Porter, Jr. by his widow, Mary, on December 2, 1811 (Deed Book G, Page 473, Rockbridge County Probate Records.) This house was located two miles west of Rockbridge Baths.

One of the land purchases of William Porter was said to have had on it the first sulpher spring discovered in Virginia. This may have been the tract which later became the summer resort known as Wilson's Spring.

The will of William Porter was filed in Rockbridge County, Virginia March 5, 1782. Strangely, the will did not dispose of all of his land. There is mention of a sale of 107 acres “adjoining the homestead” to William, his son, on May 19, 1777, but this same tract appears to be mentioned in his will as “the place where I now live”. It was bequeathed to his wife, Gean, for her lifetime and then to his son, William. Probably William, Jr. had not paid his father for the land previously deeded to him. He does not mention the 200 acre tract purchased in 1754. Perhaps he had given it to his son, William, before his death but no record of transfer was found. William, Jr. mentioned this tract in his will.--RBH 18:37, 10 May 2012 (EDT)