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| Catherine Williams Port | |
1893 Muncie City Directory
Port, Thos (Catharine) retired farmer h Port Place, Yorktown Pike
Delaware County, Indiana Index to Marriage Record 1827 - 1920 Inclusive
Name: Catharine Williams Spouse: Thomas Port
Marriage Date: 04 Sep 1859 Book: C OSPage: 512 County: Delaware
Name: Charles F Koontz Spouse: Laura M Port
Marriage Date: 29 Jun 1884 Book: C-8 OSPage: 233 County: Delaware
WPA Death Records, Delaware Co.
Port, Thomas M. M W Age: 62 Date: 7 Nov 1898 Place: Muncie Book/Page: H-4 26
Portrait and Biographical Record of Delaware County, Indiana by A. W. Bowen & Co.
THOMAS PORT began, life at the bottom of the ladder, which he has
climbed to the top with no help but a brave heart, industrious hands and an
intelligent brain, and is a living example of what may be accomplished in
this country by thrift and perseverance, even under discouraging circumstances.
He was born in Belfast, ireland, May 3, 1836, a son of John Port and
Mary Jane (Carlton) Port. The parents were natives of the same place,
married there and were in comfortable circumstance, but the long trip across
the water to America pretty well drained their resources. They located in
Fayette county, Indiana, where they engaged in a general merchandise business,
and Mr. Port followed this all of his life which ended in 1839, his
wife dying in 1841, and they were buried in Fayette county. They had been
members of the Presbyterian church, and in his political views he was a tory.
Four children were born to them -- William Port, Margaret Port and
Eliza J. Port, all deceased, Thomas being the only one yet
living. The mother afterwards married Jacob Troxall, and Thomas
was reared by his step-father until he was seventeen years old, when he
left home, possessing one pair of pants, one shirt and a straw hat, and
reached the home of his sister, the wife of William Wilson, in the
same county, bare-footed. Here he was given a good home and worked for a
year for his board and clothes, at which time he decided to begin farming
for himself. He engaged to buy an old horse for $60 on one year's time, and r
ented twenty-five acres of land. He tended a crop on this piece of land,
sold it for $20 per acre, and thus gained a start in life.
Coming to Muncie the next winter, his quick intelligence showed him that
money could be made in the buying and selling of horses, and he traded all
winter, buying in Muncie and selling in Fayette county, but when summer came
he engaged in farming again. In 1860 he bought eighty acres of land in
Centre township, Delaware county, paying $2,400 for it, and was able to pay
down $1,100, with notes for the balance, which long before they became due
were fully paid. In 1864 he sold this land and then bought in Mount Pleasant
township 120 acres, upon which he lived until 1885, owning at that time 400
acres, and then he came to where he now resides. Here he bought 160 acres
and has made a pleasant home. In 1891 he sold 140 acres, to the city of
Muncie having so encroached upon him, and for this land he received $225 per
acre. He has reserved twenty acres around his home just outside the city, and
he also owns 100 acres in Mount Pleasant township, which he has well
improved.
In 1870 Mr. Port began the buying and selling of stock very
extensively, and has made it very profitable, managing his business with good
judgement and unceasing care. He was married September 4, 1859, in Centre
township, to Miss Catherine Williams, a native of the township, born
March 11, 1842, a daughter of William Y. Williams and Sarah (Tomblison)
Williams, who were natives of Ohio and early pioneers of Delaware couunty.
Mr. and Mrs. Port had a family of seven children, as follows:
Laura M. Port, wife of Charles Koontz, a glass manufacturer of
Muncie, who was deputy treasurer for the term of eight years;
Ellsworth Port, deceased; John W. Port, the secretary of the
Port Glass works; Charles H. Port and two infants, deceased, and
Maud Port, who resides at home. Politically, Mr. Port is a believer
in the Principles of the democratic party, which he cordially supports.
Mr. Port is one of the stockholders in the Port Glass works and is
considered one of the strong financial men of Muncie. The father of
Mrs. Port was born in 1811, and now resides in Centre township.
The mother of Mrs. Port died in this township in 1856, at about
forty-one years of age. They had a family of nine children, as follows:
John Williams (deceased), Zadoc Williams, Isaac Williams, Catherine
Williams, Henry Williams, Sarah Ann Williams, William Williams
(deceased), Perry Williams and Nathan Williams. Mr. Williams
is a republican and a member of the protestant Methodist church.
47 HENRY WILLIAMS, born 1845, married 1869 to Jane Walker. They are farming near Hartford City, Ind. They have three sons and three daughters.
47 SARAH KEESLING, born 1847, married 1871 to Henry Keesling, a farmer, living west of Muncie. They have four sons and one daughter. Leroy R., born 1872, died 1886, age 13. Wilber P., born 1874 is a farmer. Homer E., born 1876, died 1901, age 25. Cora M., born 1878 is a stenographer. Roby R., born 1884 is a farmer, unmarried.
Delaware County, Indiana Index to Marriage Record 1827 - 1920 Inclusive Name: Sarah A Williams Spouse: Henry Keesling Marriage Date: 21 Dec 1871 Book: C5 OSPage: 558 County: Delaware
WPA Death Records, Delaware Co
Keesling, Homer M W Age: 25 Date: 25 Sep 1901 Place: Muncie Book/Page: H-5 63
Keesling, Leroy M W Age: 13 Date: 8 Mar 1886 Place: Center Twp Book/Page: H-1 67
47 PERRY WILLIAMS, born 1851, married 1874 to Frances Stewart who died recently. Perry is in the hardware business in Muncie.
Delaware County, Indiana Index to Marriage Record 1827 - 1920 Inclusive Name: Sarah F Stewart Spouse: Perry W Williams Marriage Date: 31 Mar 1874 Book: C-6 OSPage: 221 County: Delaware