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Porter Family Newsletter
Suggested Annual Dues: $10.00 per family July 2001
Message from the President
Dear family members, I extend a warm invitation to all descendants of Sanford and Nancy Porter to join with us August 10th and 11th in Porterville, Utah for the annual Porter Family reunion (see map below for directions). This will be a great opportunity to come and renew family ties, share information, and enjoy some time together.
As part of our efforts to reach all descendants of Nancy and Sanford Porter, we are planning some exciting new developments with the Porter Family web site located at www.porterfamily.org. Steven Wright, our president elect, is currently spearheading efforts to expand this site into a lively area on the internet where family members can come to chat, conduct research, share histories, photographs, and find links to assist you in working on your family genealogy. If any of you have materials (photos, journals, etc.) that you would like to have posted on the web site, please bring them to the reunion this year. I will be providing a scanner during the reunion and we can begin preparing items, on the spot, to go on the web site. If unable to attend the reunion you may contact Steven Wright at swright@ida.net for assistance in posting materials to the web site.
This past year has been a wonderful opportunity for me to become better acquainted with several extended family members. It has also been a time of reflection as I have thought about those who have gone before and laid a foundation of righteousness for generations of Porters to build upon. Much of what I have learned has come from personal histories and journals left behind and carefully persevered by many of you. One of my goals as president is to increase the work that has already begun in sharing personal and family histories with the family organization. The righteous stories of our forbearers not only link us to them, as Malachi prophesied, but provide a guidepost for each of our lives as we strive to follow in their footsteps of faith and perseverance. It is my hope that each of us will become involved in the great work of preserving and advancing an understanding of our family lines.
I also extend a personal invitation to each of you to become involved in the Porter Family Organization. We need your input and insights to help grow and reach out to those who desire to know more about their family origins. One way we can all contribute is by continuing to gather and share addresses (both postal and e-mail) to submit to the Porter Family Organization of all family members. This will allow us to keep in contact with one another and to continue to share the fruits of our labors. It is my hope that our web page will become a major vehicle for sharing this work, however, we will still send out newsletters to those who do not have Internet access. Another way to become involved is through payment of dues or other financial contributions for the work of our various committees described below. We also have need of volunteers willing to serve and lead the work on our various committees. If you are willing to serve, please let me know. Again I invite all to come join with us for an enjoyable weekend together this August and may God continue to bless you and family in all that you do in this great work.
Best regards,
Chris Porter
chris_porter@byu.edu
Family History & Genealogical Committee
Committee chair: George Mortimer
Bro. Mortimer, who has made many advances with the family history committee, is currently serving a mission with his wife. Prior to their departure he and his typists made significant progress on the journal of Nathan Tanner Porter. Last year, Nathan Tanner Porter's personal history was published on our website at www.porterfamily.org and will be available on disk at the Porter Family reunion for a small fee. If you have not had an opportunity to read this history, may I encourage you to do so? Nathan Tanner chronicles the incredible conversion of Sanford and Nancy to the Latter-day Saint faith and the family's place in early LDS history. A fascinating read for any descendant. Many hours have gone into this worthwhile project and many thanks to all who have helped make this a reality. George is planning resuming work later this year on the NTP journal project. Any one interested in helping him, especially typists, please let me know chris_porter@byu.edu. Also, we are hoping to expand the Family History committee to further the work of preserving Porter Family histories from as many descendants of Sanford and Nancy as possible. Those desiring to assist in this endeavor please let me know.
Monument & Cemetery Committee
Committee Chair: Dorene Jones
Over the past few years the cemetery committee has made tremendous progress in identifying and placing markers on the gravesites of several family descendants as well as the addition of the beautiful maker for Chauncy Warriner Porter, oldest son of Sanford and Nancy Porter. If you have not had an opportunity to visit the Porterville cemetery recently I encourage you to do so. There is still need for additional assistance in compiling information on burial sites with the hope of placing still more markers in the near future. In addition to the Porterville Cemetery there is a desire to place a new moment on the gravesite of Amy Sumner Porter, first wife of Chauncy WarrinerPorter, son of Sanford and Nancy. Amy Sumner Porter passed away in 1846 shortly following the birth of twins in Winter Quarters, Nebraska and is buried in the pioneer cemetery located near the new LDS temple at this site. We invite all who would like to participate in sharing the costs of these monuments to send donations to:
Porter Family Organization
10 West 100 South Suite 450
Salt Lake City, Utah 84101
Chris Porter
656 West 1000 North
Orem, UT 84057
First Class Mail
Please Forward
August Reunion
Date: Friday, August 10th – Saturday, August 11th
Place: Overnighter – Friday (for all who want to come) at Carter's Camp. There is a large grassy area for camping (tent or trailer) and a creek to play in. We'll have family games, activities and a campfire. You can arrive anytime after 3:00 p.m. Please bring food and water for your family. Join us for a campfire discussion in the evening and games in the morning.
Saturday activities begin at 10:00 a.m. at the Morgan 5/6th Ward building located at 2700 S. Morgan Valley Drive in Porterville. We will have games for the kids and grown-ups alike, including a good ole' fashioned fishing pond with prizes for the kids, soccer, Frisbee, softball, face painting, water balloon toss, and much, much more. Bring a picnic lunch for your family and a dish to share if you wish.
Agenda
10:00 a.m. Games, activities and getting acquainted
12:00 p.m. Family Picnic at Church Pavilion
1:00 p.m. – Program and Business meeting
*Welcome and overview of events
*Enjoy the music of Timothy Dickson Porter.
He will play original music set to the
poetry of Emma Walton Porter
*Chris Porter – President (current directions)
*Break-out sessions – Family Lines
2:30 p.m. – Take a personal tour of Porterville
and the cemetery or stay and visit with
family and friends.
Annual Dues
Yearly donations will be accepted at the reunion or may be sent to:
Porter Family Organization
10 West 100 South Suite 450
Salt Lake City, Utah 84101
We would like to thank all those who have so generously donated time and money to the Porter Family Organization!
Family Reunion Committee
Committee chair: Chris Porter
We can use your help and ideas to continue to make our yearly reunion something to look forward to and remember. If you would like to help, please sign up at the reunion or e-mail me personally. As usual, we will have prizes and awards given at the reunion.
Communications Committee
Committee chair: John Porter
Work is currently underway to update and transform our existing web site into an exciting forum for family research and dialogue. We encourage all descendants of Sanford and Nancy to register on the site. We are trying to build and refine the database of addresses. Would you please check with your immediate family members to see if they received this newsletter or e-mail? If not, please make a copy for them or forward the e-mail. Also, if your personal information has changed during the past two years (moved, family additions, etc.) would you please take the time to update this information on the web site?
Displays & Genealogical Information
Grant Stevenson will have displays, books, genealogical information and other family resources for sale at the church during the reunion on Saturday. If you are not going to be at the reunion, you can order materials from him.
Stevenson's Genealogical Center
230 West 1230 North
Provo, UT 84064
(801) 374-9600
Family Leadership
Positions are held for a two-year period. The current positions are: President– Chris Porter, 1st Vice President–Steve Wright, 2nd Vice President, Treasurer– L. Deane Smith.
At the reunion we will nominate a new 2nd Vice President, Secretary, and Committee chairs. If you have a desire to get involved, serve and move this work along please volunteer at the reunion or send an e-mail to me at chris_porter@byu.edu
Map to Porterville
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