PORTER/CANTRELL

One interesting example is my attempt to identify who was Martha Porter. My dad's information indicated that one set of his great great grandparents was: "John Cantrell was born July 10th 1790; Martha Porter Cantrell borned April 5, 1794." I had been able to identify the John Cantrell family, but had not been able to find anything on his wife Martha Porter. Therefore, Martha was only a name. My interest was doubled because my wife's maiden name was Porter and I wondered if there were a connection between these Porters. Anything could be possible!! I looked carefully at all the family information I found that mentioned a Martha Porter. Nothing! Then one day, I saw a message posted by Diane Hopmann on Genforum about Porters in South Carolina; I sent an e-mail note directly to her and asked if she had information about a Martha Porter. Her reply stated that my Martha might be the daughter of a Methodist minister, Philip Porter and his wife, Mary Smith. Diane stated initially that her information was limited to a birth date for Martha of 5 April 1794. BINGO!! Diane and I subsequently exchanged a number of e-mails which have helped me identify additional ancestors and other related families. Philip Porter's father is believed to be Hugh Porter Jr., a son of another Hugh Porter who came to America in 1740 from Londonderry, Ireland, and settled initially in Lancaster, PA, before moving south. Because of this important exchange of information, I consider Diane to be one of my first "e-mail pen pals."