Beverly A. Porter

Submitted by: JTL

SOURCE: History of Texas, Together with a Biographical History of Milam, Williamson, Bastrop, Travis, Lee and Burleson Counties (Chicago: Lewis, 1893, p. 451 & 452)

Beverly A. Porter " The subject of this sketch is probably the oldest native citizen now residing in Burleson county. He was born near the old Spanish town of Jenostitlan, September 20, 1834. He was reared in this county and received his education in the school of the same and at McKinzie's Institute at Clarksville, Red River county.
In 1861 he married Miss Sallie J. Lucas, of Burleson county, and having received his share of his father's estate about $10,000, consisting mainly of cattle, he branched out for himself and began caring for a separate household. He was soon called, however, from the paths of peace to take part in the great civil conflict of 1861-65, entering the Confederate service at the opening of hostilities as a member of the Seventeenth Texas Infantry. His command began active operations about Little Rock, Arkansas, and from that date on, in that general locality, he served until the close of the war. He was in all the fights along Red river following Banks campaign: Mansfield, Pleasant Hill, Jenkins Ferry and Yellow Bayou; had the good fortune to escape wounds and imprisonment, and surrendered at Hempstead, Texas, in May, 1865.
For three years after the close of the war Mr. Porter resided in Milam county, but at the end of that time returned to Burleson county, and with the exception of the period covered by the war has resided in the county of his nativity all his life. He has been engaged in farming and stock-raising, in which he has met with the usual experiences, prospering with the prosperous times and meeting with reverses in seasons of adversity. He has made over forty crops and tells with just pride that, although he has failed to make full crops some years, he had never failed to try and has never made an entire failure. He resides on part of his inheritance, located about six miles west of Caldwell. With the fondness exhibited by all old Texans for live-stock [(sic) livestock] he still gives some attention to that industry, particularly the sheep business, in which he has met with good success in recent years. Politics have claimed but little of Mr. Porter's time, and yet he cannot be said to have been indifferent to political matters. He affiliates with the Democrats and occasionally takes the field for a favorite candidate or some measure whose success he especially desires.
Mr. Porter's domestic life, like his business career, has not been without its unhappy experiences. His wife, who shared the joys and sorrows of his early manhood, died in 1886, after having borne him nine children. She was a daughter of the Rev. William Lucas, a pioneer minister of the Baptist Church in Texas, originally from Alabama, which was his native State. His wife's maiden name was Sarah Norwood, and by this union he had nine children, of whom Mrs. Porter was the third in age. Her brothers and sisters were Daniel, Fannie, William T., Mary, James, Martha, John W. and Emma. Mr. Lucas died in 1875 and was buried at Porter's Chapel, on Porter's prairie, where also rest the remains of Mrs. Sallie J. Porter. To this union of Beverly A. and Sallie J. Porter were born nine children: Eugene Eden, Theodore Beverly, Howard Bruce, William Virgil, Newell Edwin, Horace Greeley, Susan Frances, Jemima Martha, and one that died in infancy.
In 1887 Mr. Porter took in marriage for his second wife Mrs. Jane Houston, of Burleson county, and daughter of Nevil A. and Christiana (Oldham) Gee. The present Mrs. Porter was born in Burleson county in 1849, and in 1870 married Charles Houston, by whom she had three children: Robert, Ina and Charles.
Mr. and Mrs. Porter have had two children: Hugh Nevil and Russel Aubrey.
Mr. Porter is a member of the Methodist church, in which he has held the position of Steward.
Mr. Porter's genealogical history will be found in the sketch of his brother, Robert U. Porter, appearing elsewhere in this volume.