Coincidentally, I think I’ve been to Bridgeport CT for a wedding.
I think it is “C V” for Connecticut Volunteers.
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/
Rather than family, you might consider passing it on to the local historical society.
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.)
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.
I found Sgt. John Hair Porter in three family trees on 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.
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 member I contacted is obviously interested in history, maybe he’d like the book. Let me know if I can ask him.
Good work!
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.
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
That is too cool! I got your PM, ioioio, and am getting ready to write you back.
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.
I messaged the 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.
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!
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.
NOthing to add except to say what an awesome thread.
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.
New message from ancestry.com person:
Now I’m waiting for confirmation that the book should be sent straight to his MIL, whose name and address we already have.
O’Hara is probably the more popular anglicized variant of the original Irish name.
Hair is a another variant of Ó hEaghra.
Confirmation from ancestry,com guy: