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Below is a family biography included in Biographical and Historical Memoirs of Miller County, Arkansas published by Goodspeed Publishing Company in 1890.  These biographies are valuable for genealogy research in discovering missing ancestors or filling in the details of a family tree. Family biographies often include far more information than can be found in a census record or obituary.  Details will vary with each biography but will often include the date and place of birth, parent names including mothers' maiden name, name of wife including maiden name, her parents' names, name of children (including spouses if married), former places of residence, occupation details, military service, church and social organization affiliations, and more.  There are often ancestry details included that cannot be found in any other type of genealogical record.

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Oliver C. Porter, mayor and attorney of Texarkana, Tex., was born in Lafayette County, Ark., in December, 1858. His father, James M. Porter, was born in Georgia, in 1818, and was a son of William Porter, a native of Ireland, who emigrated to the United States, and served his adopted country in the War of 1812. James M. Porter left his native State in early life, and went to Mississippi, and thence to Arkansas in 1835, locating on the Red River, where he was among the very first settlers. He was a farmer by occupation. Although he was a Union man he went with his State when it seceded, but did not serve in the war on account of physical disability. He had one son in the Confederate army, Thomas C., who was killed at Elkhorn, in his sixteenth year. The father passed from life in 1876, his death being preceded by that of his wife, who died in Arkansas in 1874. They were the parents of nine children—five sons and four daughters— but our subject and his brother are the only survivors of this large family. Oliver C. Porter was reared to manhood in his native State, receiving a good education in the common country schools. During the winters of 1876-78-79 he attended law lectures at Little Rock. In 1880 he was admitted to the Supreme Court of Arkansas, at Little Rock, and ever since that time, with the exception of the years of 1881 and 1882 (when he was in partnership with Capt. C. E. Dixon, editing the Inter-State, at Texarkana, Tex.), he has devoted his attention exclusively to the practice of his profession. While editing this paper, he was elected recorder of Texarkana, Ark., and served two terms, and in 1883 was elected city attorney of Texarkana, and discharged the duties of that office very efficiently for two years. In 1888 he was elected mayor of this city, and the proof of his popularity as an official and a citizen lies in the fact that he was a candidate for re-election to this office, without opposition. When he first commenced the practice of law, he was connected with the well-known law firm of Cook & Scott, the former of whom was at that time prosecuting attorney of the Sixth Judicial District of Arkansas; the latter is now practicing his profession at Texarkana. Ark. While with this firm young Porter, then but twenty-one years of age, was appointed by the governor of Arkansas to the office of county and probate judge of Miller County, and he discharged the duties incumbent upon this office with entire satisfaction. He is a Royal Arch Mason, affiliating with Chapter No. 76, Texarkana, and in 1885-86 represented his lodge in the Grand Lodge of the State. He also belongs to the I. O. O. F., and serves as secretary of his lodge, and has filled all the important offices in the K. of P. and K. of H. lodges, of which orders he is a prominent member. He is liberal in politics. December, 1881, witnessed his marriage with Miss Anna R. Purcell, of New Orleans, La., and one little daughter, named Fritzie, has blessed this union. They are both prominent and much esteemed members of the Protestant Episcopal Church.

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This family biography is one of 35 biographies included in Biographical and Historical Memoirs of Miller County, Arkansas published in 1890.  For the complete description, click here: Miller County, Arkansas History, Genealogy, and Maps

View additional Miller County, Arkansas family biographies: Miller County, Arkansas Biographies

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