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| FRANK J. PORTER, proprietor of the shingle mill on sec. 27, Hinton Tp., is the son of Thomas and Sarah (Wilkinson) Porter. They were natives of New York and Vermont, first settling in Ohio, and afterward coming to Michigan and locating in Kent County. They now reside at Grand Rapids. Mr. Porter was born in Medina Co., Ohio, Feb. 27, 1849. He was five years old when his parents came to Michigan, and he remained at home until he was 16 years of age, attending the common schools. After that, until 1876, he was chiefly employed in different shingle mills in this section of the country. From 1876 to 1879 he operated the lath mill of Bernard & Stewart, at Caldwell, Montcalm Co., employing the help, etc. In 1879 he bought a shingle mill at Lakeview, which he managed one year, and in 1880 moved it to Hinton Tp., where he now resides and manages his mill, which has a capacity of 40,000 shingles daily. He bought the timber on 400 acres of land, which he is converting to shingles. Mr. Porter was married Feb. 28, 1869, in Spencer, Kent Co., to Ella, daughter of Ephrain and Eliza (Lillie) Skinner, who died Feb. 19, 1872. Mr. Porter was again married in November, 1874, in Greenville, Montcalm Co., to Minerva Brown, a native of the State of New York. Of four children born to Mr. and Mrs. Porter, two survive - Adda V,., born July 9, 1876, and Anna A., born June 22, 1878. The deceased were Thomas E. and Frank. The latter died Sept. 23, 1882. In politics Mr. Porter is identified with the Republican party. |