# Help! Civil War Vet's Book Needs To Find His Family. **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [July 5, 2018, 1:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-civil-war-vets-book-needs-to-find-his-family/817306 "2018-07-05T01:56:17Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Nawth\_Chucka](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/c57346/32.png) [@Nawth\_Chucka](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nawth_Chucka)\ **Post date:** [July 5, 2018, 11:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-civil-war-vets-book-needs-to-find-his-family/817306/21 "2018-07-05T23:37:53Z")
> [@Bayard](#): > > I ran into the same dead ends. But it looks like most of the family at least until then stayed in the same general area, around Bridgeport Connecticut. Nawth Chucka could maybe put an ad in the local Craigslist asking if anyone was a relative, or contact the local historical society. Coincidentally, I think I’ve been to Bridgeport CT for a wedding. ---
**Author:** ![jasg](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/f0a364/32.png) [@jasg](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jasg)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2018, 2:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-civil-war-vets-book-needs-to-find-his-family/817306/22 "2018-07-06T02:46:47Z")
> [@Nawth\_Chucka](#): > > I am in awe of you folks! I thought the C A (?) at the end of the name stood for Confederate Army. I do NOT know my Civil War military information whatsoever. > **Bayard** , I’d looked him up on that first NPS link but there were so many Porters and none matched my guy’s info exactly (as I understood it). > Any idea what’s written on the inside back? I think it is “C V” for Connecticut Volunteers. ---
**Author:** ![Dobbs](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/5f9b8f/32.png) [@Dobbs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dobbs)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2018, 2:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-civil-war-vets-book-needs-to-find-his-family/817306/23 "2018-07-06T02:57:40Z")
You might consider contacting the admin at the 17th CI web site I referenced, contact info is at [http://seventeenthcvi.org/blog/home/about-me/](http://seventeenthcvi.org/blog/home/about-me/) ---
**Author:** ![jasg](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/f0a364/32.png) [@jasg](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jasg)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2018, 3:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-civil-war-vets-book-needs-to-find-his-family/817306/24 "2018-07-06T03:32:26Z")
Rather than family, you might consider passing it on to the local historical [society](http://www.bridgeportcthistorical.org). Years ago I helped one buy a portrait of my great-grandfather’s brother (my gg-uncle?) who was the first Civil War fatality in his hometown. Feels better to know that many people will see it as opposed to just my family - who might just chuck it at my death. (A distant family member had put the portrait on eBay where collectors of militariana were bidding on it.) ---
**Author:** ![ftg](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ftg/32/2801_2.png) [@ftg](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ftg)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2018, 12:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-civil-war-vets-book-needs-to-find-his-family/817306/25 "2018-07-06T12:39:58Z")
> [@Dobbs](#): > > Well, it’s to hot for outdoor activities here, too. Let me get you started > [FamilySearch.org](https://www.familysearch.org/tree/person/details/L24P-BYC) > > I’m not having much luck finding family alive after about 1960 of so, but that’s not unusual. It’s easier to find old records. Also found that link and from there found the obits of a couple descendants that died in the last 20 years. Each obit lists the names of children and and some grandchildren with their locations. It’s just a question of the OP picking one of those to contact and see what’s up. Usually within a family there are a couple of family historians. Ask the first contactee for a relative (probably on the Macy side) who is into genealogy and go from there. Fun fact: Washington Irving Porter got a patent for a spool holder. Fun fact: Rufus Porter was also an inventor and founded _Scientific American_. But not a relative. :smack: Surprising how many of the family hung around Bridgeport. ---
**Author:** ![ioioio](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ioioio/32/316_2.png) [@ioioio](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ioioio)\ **Post date:** [July 7, 2018, 6:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-civil-war-vets-book-needs-to-find-his-family/817306/26 "2018-07-07T06:53:13Z")
I found Sgt. John Hair Porter in three family trees on [ancestry.com](http://ancestry.com). I messaged the owner of the best-maintained tree and asked if they had any information about Porter’s living descendants. I’ll let you know if I get a response. John Hair Porter and his wife Elizabeth Summers had 12 or so children, so there’s probably a living descendant somewhere. Porter’s mother was Margaret Hair. ---
**Author:** ![ioioio](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ioioio/32/316_2.png) [@ioioio](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ioioio)\ **Post date:** [July 7, 2018, 5:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-civil-war-vets-book-needs-to-find-his-family/817306/27 "2018-07-07T17:01:44Z")
Got a response!!! Will PM you the actual text. Here’s the response with specific information removed. " My mother in law is the great granddaughter of Washington Irving Porter. Her name is . She lives at , in Milford Ct. " Since the [ancestry.com](http://ancestry.com) member I contacted is obviously interested in history, maybe he’d like the book. Let me know if I can ask him. ---
**Author:** ![Defensive\_Indifference](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/defensive_indifference/32/6502_2.png) [@Defensive\_Indifference](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Defensive_Indifference)\ **Post date:** [July 7, 2018, 5:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-civil-war-vets-book-needs-to-find-his-family/817306/28 "2018-07-07T17:07:40Z")
> [@ioioio](#): > > Got a response!!! Will PM you the actual text. Here’s the response with specific information removed. > > " > My mother in law is the great granddaughter of Washington Irving Porter. Her name is . She lives at , in Milford Ct. > " > Since the [ancestry.com](http://ancestry.com) member I contacted is obviously interested in history, maybe he’d like the book. Let me know if I can ask him. Good work! ---
**Author:** ![Dobbs](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/5f9b8f/32.png) [@Dobbs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dobbs)\ **Post date:** [July 7, 2018, 6:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-civil-war-vets-book-needs-to-find-his-family/817306/29 "2018-07-07T18:21:45Z")
Praise you for driving it to completion, **ioioio**. * * * > [@ioioio](#): > > Porter’s mother was Margaret Hair. Ah, that’s where it comes from. Makes sense, that was a common practice back in the day. Names were reused and recycled almost every generation. ---
**Author:** ![ioioio](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ioioio/32/316_2.png) [@ioioio](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ioioio)\ **Post date:** [July 7, 2018, 6:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-civil-war-vets-book-needs-to-find-his-family/817306/30 "2018-07-07T18:54:06Z")
John Hair Porter’s grandfather was William Hair, who was born in Ireland in 1776 and emigrated to the U.S. Dayum, I love genealogy ---
**Author:** ![Nawth\_Chucka](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/c57346/32.png) [@Nawth\_Chucka](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nawth_Chucka)\ **Post date:** [July 8, 2018, 2:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-civil-war-vets-book-needs-to-find-his-family/817306/31 "2018-07-08T02:13:10Z")
That is too cool! I got your PM, **ioioio** , and am getting ready to write you back. ---
**Author:** ![ioioio](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ioioio/32/316_2.png) [@ioioio](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ioioio)\ **Post date:** [July 8, 2018, 2:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-civil-war-vets-book-needs-to-find-his-family/817306/32 "2018-07-08T02:56:52Z")
Look for another PM from me. For those following along . . . it seems we have the name and address of a direct descendant of John Hair Porter. Will keep you posted on new developments. I wonder if “Hair” was a mangled version of O’Hare or maybe even Harrison. ---
**Author:** ![ioioio](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ioioio/32/316_2.png) [@ioioio](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ioioio)\ **Post date:** [July 8, 2018, 3:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-civil-war-vets-book-needs-to-find-his-family/817306/33 "2018-07-08T03:37:17Z")
I messaged the [ancestry.com](http://ancestry.com) guy and told him how to contact you. I also gave him a link to this thread. Maybe we’ll get a new Doper. ---
**Author:** ![Nawth\_Chucka](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/c57346/32.png) [@Nawth\_Chucka](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nawth_Chucka)\ **Post date:** [July 8, 2018, 3:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-civil-war-vets-book-needs-to-find-his-family/817306/34 "2018-07-08T03:37:32Z")
> [@Dobbs](#): > > Praise you for driving it to completion, **ioioio**. > > * * * > > Ah, that’s where it comes from. Makes sense, that was a common practice back in the day. Names were reused and recycled almost every generation. Not to mention Washington Irving. Perhaps the Porters had a horror story hobby? Just saw ioioio’s post - that would be too cool all the way around! ---
**Author:** ![Morgyn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/morgyn/32/3041_2.png) [@Morgyn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Morgyn)\ **Post date:** [July 8, 2018, 6:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-civil-war-vets-book-needs-to-find-his-family/817306/35 "2018-07-08T06:00:56Z")
Less than four days since the initial post, and the mystery family is located and being put in contact with the OP. I \*love \*this place. ---
**Author:** ![Helena330](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/helena330/32/531_2.png) [@Helena330](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Helena330)\ **Post date:** [July 8, 2018, 5:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-civil-war-vets-book-needs-to-find-his-family/817306/36 "2018-07-08T17:22:10Z")
NOthing to add except to say what an _awesome_ thread. ---
**Author:** ![Defensive\_Indifference](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/defensive_indifference/32/6502_2.png) [@Defensive\_Indifference](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Defensive_Indifference)\ **Post date:** [July 8, 2018, 6:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-civil-war-vets-book-needs-to-find-his-family/817306/37 "2018-07-08T18:19:52Z")
> [@jasg](#): > > I think it is “C V” for Connecticut Volunteers. That’s probably it. I was looking at some old penmanship samples just now, and I can almost convince myself it’s a sloppy I, for Connecticut Infantry. But a sloppy V looks more likely to me. ---
**Author:** ![ioioio](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ioioio/32/316_2.png) [@ioioio](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ioioio)\ **Post date:** [July 8, 2018, 9:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-civil-war-vets-book-needs-to-find-his-family/817306/38 "2018-07-08T21:14:51Z")
New message from [ancestry.com](http://ancestry.com) person: > [@](#): > > Yes my mother in law would be the right person. I’ve been to John Hair Porter’s grave many times in Bridgeport, Ct. Now I’m waiting for confirmation that the book should be sent straight to his MIL, whose name and address we already have. ---
**Author:** ![DinoR](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dinor/32/2821_2.png) [@DinoR](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DinoR)\ **Post date:** [July 8, 2018, 10:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-civil-war-vets-book-needs-to-find-his-family/817306/39 "2018-07-08T22:22:24Z")
> [@ioioio](#): > > I wonder if “Hair” was a mangled version of O’Hare or maybe even Harrison. O’Hara is probably the more popular anglicized variant of the original [Irish name](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/O%27Hara_(surname)). > [@](#): > > O’Hara is an Anglicized form of the Irish name Ó hEaghra. Hair is a [another variant](http://www.irishsurnames.com/cgi-bin/gallery.pl?name=ohara&capname=O%27Hara&letter=h) of Ó hEaghra. ---
**Author:** ![ioioio](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ioioio/32/316_2.png) [@ioioio](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ioioio)\ **Post date:** [July 8, 2018, 11:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-civil-war-vets-book-needs-to-find-his-family/817306/40 "2018-07-08T23:51:53Z")
Confirmation from ancestry,com guy: > [@](#): > > Yes, I spoke to her today. She is very excited. She has pictures of John Hair Porter. Her Father’s mother was John Hair Porter’s granddaughter. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-civil-war-vets-book-needs-to-find-his-family/817306.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-civil-war-vets-book-needs-to-find-his-family/817306.md?page=3)