"Mr. John W. H. Porter, of Portsmouth, Va., has recently extracted his (John Porter, Sr.) history from the records of Norfolk County. John Porter, S., is first mentioned in the County records, Dec. 16, 1647, when an order was entered allowing him 100 pounds of tobacco for killing a wolf, and on the 16th. of March, 1648, a similar order was entered. Jan. 17, 1652, he was granted a certificate for 200 acres of land for having brought four persons into the colony. March 29, 1655, he was appointed a justice of the County Court; August 15, 1653, he was married to Miss Mary Savill. Jan. 13, 1661, was granted 300 acres of land under patent from the Governor; Sep. 12, 1663, was expelled from the House of Burgesses; Nov. 17, 1663, was fined 200 pounds of tobacco for attending a Quaker Meeting, 50 pounds of tobacco for not attending public worship, and 350 pounds of tobacco for setting out tobacco plants on Sunday, and must, therefore, have been a planter. Aug. 16, 1671, was appointed Road Surveyor for the Eastern Branch Section of Norfolk County. April 17, 1672, was appointed one of the Justices of the Quorum of the County and served until his death. Aug. 17, 1675, was the last day he presided at Court. Feb. 15, 1675 (76), his will was recorded; it was entirely in his own hand writing. He left nearly all his property to his widow and her heirs forever, and appointed her executrix; he gave his best suit of clothes to my brother, John Porter, Jr.' He gave also certain cattle to be divided among the children of this John Porter, Jr., upon their arriving at the age of twenty one years, but his will makes no mention of any children of his own. His widow married George Lawson in April, 1676; he died that fall; in the spring of 1677 she married Thomas Fenwick and died in 1678. She gave her property to Fenwick for his life, and at his death it was to go to John Porter, Jr. This is another reason for thinking she had no children of her own. On the contrary, the will of Richard Russell, who died Jan. 24, 1667, appointed John Porter, Sr., his executor and leaves a lot of books to the oldest son of the said John Porter, Sr.; if he had a son at that date he must have died before his father. At the time of his death Porter was a Commissioner of the Association of Nansemond River Fort, a position which would be inconsistent with the character of a Quaker (see Hening, II, 255-8). It is probable that he sympathized with but was not actually a member of the Society. See also Mr. Porter's article on 'Norfolk Quakers,' in Richmond Dispatch, Dec. 3, 1893." There are further references concerning the Porters, but all that relates to Thomas Fenwick and Mary Savill has been quoted. Records of Norfolk County, Virginia : Deeds. Liber 4, folio 7. Will of John Porter, Sr., dated Sep. 16, 1672; probated Feb. 15, 1675. He bequeaths all his property, real and personal, except a few unimportant presents, to his wife Mary and appoints her executrix. Ibid., folio 34. Will of George Lawson, dated Oct. 6, 1676; probated Aug. 15, 1678. He bequeaths to his wife Mary, formerly the widow of John Porter, Sr., all his property, real and personal, for her life, and at her death one half to her heirs and the other half to children of Anthony Lawson. Extracts from proceedings of the Court of Norfolk County, 1675 to 1686, pages of which are unnumbered: Feb. 16, 1677. "In the difference between Thomas Fenwick, who married the relict of Mr. Geo. Lawson, dec'd., and executrix of Mr. John Porter, Sr., also deceased, plaintiff, and Dr. Smith, defendant, it is ordered the suit be dismissed for that the action was commenced in his wife's name before marriage with the said Fenwick." March 7, 1677. 66 Upon the request of Mr. Thos. Fenwick, in writing, he being sick and not able to attend court, an order was entered continuing until the next term, all suits in which he was interested, either as plaintiff or defendant." April 16, 1678. "In the difference depending between Thomas Fenwick, who married the relict of Mr. Geo. Lawson and executrix of Mr. John Porter, Sr., deceased, plaintiff, and Peter Smith, defendant, it is ordered that the suit be dismissed." Oct. 16, 1678. "The appraisers formerly appointed to appraise the estate of Mr. Geo. Lawson, deceased, were ordered to meet at the house of Mr. Thos. Fenwick the following Monday to finish the appraisement and to take an account of the cattle belonging to the said estate." Oct. 16, 1678. "Whereas, by the last will and testament of Mr. Geo. Lawson, deceased, it appears that he gave his whole estate to his wife during her natural life, and one half of his said estate, personal and real, to Capt. Anthony Lawson's children, upon her death, for performance whereof the Court did require security of Mr. Thos. Fenwick, who married the said Geo. Lawson's relict, which he could not give, and, by reason of the disturbance between the said Fenwick and his wife, the said estate is in a perishing condition, it is ordered, by consent of the said Fenwick, that Capt. Anthony Lawson take the one half of the said estate into his custody and give security for to deliver the profits thereof to the said Fenwick's wife during her life and after that he deliver the said half to his children, the said Fenwick having promised in open Court, to allow her, his said wife, one third part of the other half for and towards her maintenance, after the said Geo. Lawson's debts are paid." This reference suggests a difficulty between Thomas Fenwick and his wife, which, however, seems to have been subsequently adjusted. Deeds. Liber 4, folio 68. Mary Fenwick's will. Probated Aug. 16, 1679: "Anno Domini 167 January the 28th. In the name of God Amen. This the last will and testament of Mary Fenwick, being weak in body yet perfect in memory and, first I bequeath my soul unto God and my body to the dust from whence it came, and my worldly estate as follows: I give to my husband Thomas Fenwick, the fee simple of my lands during his natural life and after the death of my said husband to John Porter Jr. and his heirs forever and my will is that my said husband shall have the use of the timber that is upon the land and that without molestation during his natural life. Witness: JAMES PORTER his WILLIAM X BROWNE mark MARY FENWICK. [SEAL] The above will was proved by the oaths of Mr. James Porter and Wm. Browne, witnesses, the 16th of August last and now recorded. Teste, Wм PORTEN C. C." Referring again to the Court's proceedings: March 17, 1678. Malachi Thruston vs. Thos. Fenwick. Continued until the next term. March 17, 167%. Eliza Copeland, who contracted to work for Thos. Fenwick for one year as a servant, was ordered to carry out her contract with him. March 17, 1678. Thos. Fenwick vs. Alexander Keeling. Fenwick failed to prosecute his suit and was nonsuited. May 21, 1679. Malachi Thruston vs. Thos. Fenwick. Judgment for Pltff for 365 lbs. tobacco. Sept. 5, 1679. Thos. Fenwick vs. Natheal. Brangwing. Judgment for plaintiff for 400 lbs. tobacco. Nov. 14, 1679. A probate of the last will and testament of Mrs. Mary Fenwick, deceased, is granted to Thomas Fenwick, her husband. October 18, 1680. Upon the petition of Thos. Fenwick, a commission of administration on the estate of Susan Cane, deceased [elsewhere spelled Susanna Keane], is granted him for that she, by a nuncupative will, proved in Court, did give her estate to the said Fenwick. [This will is recorded in Deed Liber IV, folio 87.] June 15, 1681. Thomas Fenwick appears as a juror. "To all &c whereas &c now knowe yee that I the said Sr. Henry Chickley Kt. his Ma'ties Deputye Governor &c give and grant unto Thomas Fenwick three thousand acres of land in the County of Lower Norfolk in the woods adjoining on the western side of the Runn of Ashn Swamp, which lyeth near the path which ledth from the eastern branch of Elizabeth River unto the North River and bounded as followeth, beginning att the North Eastern corner tree of 300 acres of land which is pte of a pattent of 350 acres granted to John Poter Senr Dated 16th March 1663 and from thence running So by East 320 poles then W. b. So. 176 poles then So. b East unto the marked trees of land surveyed for James Whithurgt allso from the first beginning running East No by 136 poles unto the marked corner tree of the land granted to William Edwards, thence So by East 321 poles by the said Edwards his marked treese and then continued beyond them, unto the run of the Ashn Swamp and then down that Runn unto a Cyprus Swamp, and then along the western side of that Cyprus Swamp, unto the marked trees of Francis Shipp his land at the foot of God-freese runn, and then along the said Shipps marked treese, which are drawn So by W. 248 poles unto a Cyprus Swamp, and thence running up the eastern side of the Cyprus Swamp, unto the marked trees of the land surveyed for James Whithurgt & then along the said Whithurgt marked treese unto the meeting of the former bounds, the said 3000 acres of land, being formerly granted unto the above mentioned Jno. Porter, Sr., by pattent Dated 28th Octo 1673, and by him Deserted for want of Due seating or Planting, and now is granted, and become Due unto the above said Thomas Fenwick, by and for the transportation of sixty psons into this Collony whose names are in the |