The Invisible Line

As many of my readers already know, John P. Gibson, my South Carolina-born great-great-great-grandfather, has become my proverbial brick wall, and during the past ten years, I have read anything and everything that I could find about the Gibson family of South Carolina.  It seems that John P. Gibson was one of many Gibson family members, including Stephen, Tobias, and Gideon, who migrated to Mississippi during the early 1800s. In fact, Port Gibson, Mississippi, formerly known as "Gibson's Landing," and the town dubbed by General Sherman as the town "too beautiful to burn," was named for members of this Gibson family.  Several times in the past, I have posted here on this blog about my unsuccessful research attempts to connect my John P. Gibson to these other Gibson family members or to discover the name of John's parents in South Carolina. 

So yesterday, when I was about to put away the Gibson family file for yet another time, I received an email from a reporter with a Kentucky newspaper who wanted to interview me about my connections to the Gibson family of South Carolina.  It seems that she had seen links to blog posts that I had written about the Gibson family, including my post entitled, "Ghosts of Our Ancestors." When we spoke by phone earlier today, the reporter explained to me that she is writing an article centered around the subject matter of a recent book that traces three families of African-American heritage, including the Gibson family of South Carolina, as they transitioned from black to white during the past two centuries. The book is entitled "The Invisible Line:  Three American Families and the Secret Journey from Black to White," and is written by Daniel J. Sharfstein, an associate professor of law at Vanderbilt University, who teaches courses on property, legal history, and race and the law. In his well-researched book that has already received some fantastic reviews from well-known publications, Sharfstein also chronicles the Spencer Family of Kentucky and the Walls Family that settled in Washington, D.C.  Needless to say, I am anxious to read my contact's article that may include references to my interview today and to read Sharfstein's new book. In fact, I just ordered the book and will be writing a review on this blog in the very near future.  

"The Invisible Line: Three American Families and the Secret Journey from Black to White," by Daniel J. Sharfstein

As many of my readers already know, John P. Gibson, my South Carolina-born great-great-great-grandfather, has become my proverbial brick wall, and during the past ten years, I have read anything and everything that I could find about the Gibson family of South Carolina.  It seems that John P. Gibson was one of many Gibson family members, including Stephen, Tobias, and Gideon, who migrated to Mississippi during the early 1800s. In fact, Port Gibson, Mississippi, formerly known as "Gibson's Landing," and the town dubbed by General Sherman as the town "too beautiful to burn," was named for members of this Gibson family.  Several times in the past, I have posted here on this blog about my unsuccessful research attempts to connect my John P. Gibson to these other Gibson family members or to discover the name of John's parents in South Carolina. 

So yesterday, when I was about to put away the Gibson family file for yet another time, I received an email from a reporter with a Kentucky newspaper who wanted to interview me about my connections to the Gibson family of South Carolina.  It seems that she had seen links to blog posts that I had written about the Gibson family, including my post entitled, "Ghosts of Our Ancestors." When we spoke by phone earlier today, the reporter explained to me that she is writing an article centered around the subject matter of a recent book that traces three families of African-American heritage, including the Gibson family of South Carolina, as they transitioned from black to white during the past two centuries. The book is entitled "The Invisible Line:  Three American Families and the Secret Journey from Black to White," and is written by Daniel J. Sharfstein, an associate professor of law at Vanderbilt University, who teaches courses on property, legal history, and race and the law. In his well-researched book that has already received some fantastic reviews from well-known publications, Sharfstein also chronicles the Spencer Family of Kentucky and the Walls Family that settled in Washington, D.C.  Needless to say, I am anxious to read my contact's article that may include references to my interview today and to read Sharfstein's new book. In fact, I just ordered the book and will be writing a review on this blog in the very near future.  

Piecing Together the Porter Family Puzzle

A reader contacted me last week seeking information about his great-great-great-grandparents, A. A. Porter and Mildred Porter, who lived and died in Holmes County, Mississippi.  According to my contact, A. A. Porter (he believes his first name was "Allen") was born on February 20, 1816, in South Carolina and died on March 17, 1886 in Lexington, the county seat of Holmes County, Mississippi.  Mildred M. Porter was born on January 1, 1823 and died on April 11, 1902.  Both individuals are buried in Oregon Cemetery in rural Holmes County. My contact has found information that his great-great-great-grandfather was a Civil War veteran, serving in Co. B, Independent Cavalry, of the 1st Battalion MS Reserve Corp and/or Rebel Troop.  A. A. Porter had at least two sons, John William Porter, born June 23, 1845, who died August 31, 1943, and Robert Porter, who served in Co. B (Red Rebels), 1st MS Sharpshooter Battalion. According to information provided by my contact, Robert was killed during the Civil War in the Battle of Peachtree.  John William Porter was my contact's great-great-grandfather.

Researching my own Porter ancestry has been extremely difficult, primarily because male family members have been named and renamed John, James, William, and Robert since the late 1700s.  Also, many of the individuals that I need more details about lived before 1850, the first year the U. S. Census enumerated all household members by name. Actually, I already knew about A. A. Porter, my contact's ancestor, since I had discovered his grave several years ago during a period of research in Holmes County.  But I have never been able to connect this individual to my Porter line.  Ironically, there was another A. A. Porter (Archibald) who lived in Attala County, adjacent to Holmes County, who possibly was a brother of my great-great-great-grandfather, Samuel Porter.  According to family stories, after the death of Archibald Porter's first wife, Susanna Morrison, he traveled to Alabama, where he still had relatives, to seek a new wife.  There he met and married Anne Trawick, daughter of Isabella and Burwell Trawick, and he and his new bride returned to Attala County where he owned land. Later, Anne and Archibald Porter became the parents of Susanna Porter, named for Archibald's late wife, and Isabella and Burwell Porter, named for Ann's parents.  Less than ten years later, Anne Trawick Porter became a very young widow when Archibald died.  Ann would soon remarry, to Boley J. Conner, and they became the parents of thirteen children that included three sets of twins.  Many members of this large Attala County family are buried in the historic Conner Cemetery.


It seems that anyone named Porter who lived in Attala, Carroll, Chickasaw, Holmes, or Madison Counties should be related.  But it doesn't seem to be an easy matter to go a generation beyond my great-great-grandfather, Samuel Porter.  So I know just how my reader must feel:  this Porter family puzzle is a difficult one.