14

John Porter was an early colonist in New England and a signer of the Portsmouth Compact, establishing the first government in what became the Colony of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations. He joined the Roxbury church with his wife Margaret in 1633, but few, if any, other records are found of him while in the Massachusetts Bay Colony until he became a supporter of the dissident ministers John Wheelwright and Anne Hutchinson during what is known as the Antinomian Controversy. He and many others were disarmed for signing a petition in support of Wheelwright, and were compelled to leave the colony. Porter joined a group of more than 20 men in signing the Portsmouth Compact for a new government, and settled on Aquidneck Island , establishing the town of Portsmouth. Here Porter became very active in civic affairs, serving on numerous committees over a period of two decades, and being elected for several terms as Assistant, Selectman, and Commissioner. He was named in Rhode Island's colonial charter, the Royal Charter of 1663, as one of the ten Assistants to the Governor.

In 1658 Porter joined several others in purchasing a large tract of land on the west side of the Narragansett Bay, called the Pettaquamscutt Purchase, later to become South Kingstown, Rhode Island. He eventually moved to his new land, leaving his aging wife behind. She sued for support, and the sympathetic court impounded Porter's estate until he made restitution, which he did within a few months. Porter later had a relationship with Herodias Gardiner, the former common-law wife of George Gardiner, and was charged with cohabiting with her, but was acquitted. While he may not have married her, she did cosign several deeds with him in 1671.

Porter had only one known child, Hannah, who married a son of Portsmouth Compact signer Samuel Wilbore. His step-daughter, Sarah Odding, married another compact signer, Philip Sherman.

Rhode Island History Vol 2 p 84;
Newport Hist. Magazine Vol 2 p 6;
R.I. Colony recs. 11 Vol 2 p 99-105, p 119-121;
Austin's Gen. Dict. of R.I. p 155 Wilbur Bowen Mssc;
John Porter of Roxbury & Portsmouth;
Desc of Stephen Lincoln by William E. Lincoln Porter Sect p 212;
Miss Juliet Porter A Porter Pedigree sumitted to New Engl Hist Soc
Lib;
Early Roc of Portsmouth R.I. p 110, 115, 301, 310;
R.I. Friends Marr Vol 1 p 3;
Austin's Dict of R.I. @ 974.5 D2a p 81, 125, 155;
Col Fam of Am 9973 D2c Vol 8 p 48-49;
Col Fam of Long Island 929.273 Se83s Vol 3 p 1289, 1293, Vol 4 pt 1 p
1854;
974.727 S2p p 110;
929.273 G168m p 23, 25-32;
corr with G. Andrew Moriarity of Oqunquit, Mn;
Research by Harold L. Corey Town Clerk 1966 of North Kingston, R.I.
Mr. Corey searched the following:
Esther B. Carpenter So Country Neighbor & So Country Studies;
Earl J. Clauson These Plantations Roger Williams Press in Providence
1937;
J. R. Cole Washington & Kent Co 1889 974.5 H 2c p 755-775;
DAR Pettaquanscutt Chapter Facts & Figures Concerning No Kingston
1941;
Alicew Morse Earle in Old Narragansett 1898;
Paul F. Gleeson R.I. The Development of a Democracy 1955;
Welcome Arnold Green The Proidence Plantations for 250 years 1886;
Thomas Robinson Hazard The Jhonny Cake Answers of Shepherd Tom 1915;
David Matten Three Sides to the Sea 1956;
Mrs. F. Burge Griswold Old Wickford 1900;
William B. Weeden Early R.I. 1910;
Hunter C. White Wickford & its Old Time Homes 1945;
Benjamin D. Hicks Hicks Mssc in Lib of Long Island Hist Soc;
Josephine Crary Frost Haviland Gen;
F 974.7 V 2b 48306 R.I. Rec Searched;
R.I. Ch & Fam Rec 5313 pt 35;
Thombstone inscriptions from R.I. Hist Cem 48306;

Title: Austins Gen Dict of R.I.
Publication: Vol 5 pgs 155-178