Family History of Porter

To: Will Tucker, re: Porters of Brightling & Netherfield: Hi Will, it's wonderful to hear from you! Tekla and I don't yet know much about James Porter, but with the information you've given us, we hope to be able to find more. Yesterday I looked for James Porter and Mary Ann Selmes' marriage, but couldn't find one during the time period that you'd expect to see a marriage, (1844-1854). Do you know when and/or where they married? I'm sorry, I don't know why James and Mary Ann's children used the Selmes name. There could be many explanations for this. We'll have to see what we can find out. The information that you've given us so far-- plus a quick search of the 1861, 1871, and 1881 England Censuses and England birth/marriage/death records-- yields the following information about this family:

Husband: James Porter, born 1816, Brightling, Sussex. (1861 and 1871 censuses list him as being born in 1821/22, however.) His 1887 death record correctly states that he was born in 1816, as his Brightling, Sussex christening record shows.

Wife: Mary Ann (Selmes) Porter, born circa 1832/3 in Brede, Sussex

Children (nine, all born in Rye, Sussex circa the following years):

Jane Elizabeth - 1854
Julia - 1856
Mary Ann - 1858
Lucy - 1860
Ruth Emma - 1863 (had a daughter Carolin, 1881?)
Charles A. - 1865
Hannah N. - 1868
Phyllis - 1870
George - 1875

These are nine of the eleven children that you mentioned in your e-mail. I would be willing to bet that the other two children didn't survive past childhood-- is that right? Wife Mary Ann Porter's death was reported in Rye during the second quarter (Apr-May-June) of 1881. James Porter's death was reported in Rye in the second quarter of 1887.
Can you add any information to this picture? We would greatly appreciate learning anything that you know about the Porter family.
Just to clarify what we've learned so far: The earliest Porter ancestor that Tekla and I know of in this line is Edward Porter, who was married twice: first to Philadelphia Russell (your ancestor, the mother of James Porter); and second to Sophia Pennells, (our ancestor, the mother of George Porter.) Circa 1841-44 Edward Porter and second wife Sophia emigrated to Vermont, USA with their marital children and one additional (adopted?) child, Alfred. We know that Edward Porter married your ancestor, Philadelphia Russell, daughter of John and Ann Russell of Dallington, in Dallington in 1810. We have some conflicting information about Edward's birth and parentage. He may very well be the Edward Porter, son of Edward and Margarett Porter of Dallington; however some other information that Tekla has indicates that he was from nearby Ashburnham. We are trying to clarify this.
Sincerely,
Jenny Stephenson

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re Porters of Brightling/Netherfield etc. Hi Tekla and Jenny. James Porter, b. 1816, was my 3x Great Grandfather. He's the last name shown on the 1841 census for Netherfield, under Edward and Sofia (Sophia). By 1861 he was living in Rye, Sussex with his wife, Mary Ann Selmes (b. Brede 1833). I am told they had 11 children, the eldest being my 2x Great Grandmother, Jane Elizabeth, b. 1854. Jane used her mother's maiden name when she married (Stephen James Smith). Some of the other children also used the Selmes surname - Ruth Emma b. 1862 and George, b. 1875. Do you know why please?
I see Phiily Russell then married again - Stephen Lusted on 2.8.1828 in Burwash.
How many Porters emigrated to Vermont please? Thanks, W.

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Seeking to make contact with other Porter family genealogical researchers in Battle, East Sussex area. Family tradition states that Porters were from Battle, but all I've been able to ascertain so far is that ancestor Edward Porter was born circa 1790/91 in Sussex. IGI states Edward Porter married Sophia Pennells 11 Jan 1831 in Burwash. (Definitely the correct marriage), and by 1841 the Porters were living in Netherfield. At least three of their children were born in the Battle district. Children:George, William, Alfred, Mary, Stephen, Margaret, Harriet, Lois, Julia A. There was also a James Porter who may have been a brother of Edward or son of his by a prior marriage. The Porters emigrated to Vermont, USA circa 1844. Any info. or research suggestions greatly appreciated.

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