Charles H. Porter, ~1813-1886 and Margaret (Dunfee) Porter, 1818-1890

 

CHARLES H. PORTER was born about 1813, likely in Philadelphia, definitely in Pennsylvania to unknown parents.[1] There is no information on his early life, with records not starting until 1837 at the birth of his first children (twins) with his wife MARGARET (DUNFEE/DUNPHY) PORTER. A marriage record has not been found, but it is estimated they were married by 1836.

Charles and Margaret had twins James and Elizabeth Porter on 11 January 1837 in Philadelphia. They were baptized at Old St. George Methodist Episcopal Church, located at 235 N. 4^th Street. [2]  Another child, Charles F. Porter, was born sometime in 1838.[3] In 1840, the family lived in Philadelphia in the “Lower Delaware Ward,” which was located between Arch and Race Streets by the Delaware River (east side of the city).[4]

 Source: Philadelphia Maps, 1682-1982: Townships-Districts-Wards (Philadelphia, Pennsylvania: Genealogical Society of Pennsylvania, 1996), p. 61.

 

Son Charles F. Porter died at 5 years old of scarlatina, also known as scarlet fever, on 05 September 1843 in Philadelphia.[5] A year later, on 05 September 1844, daughter Hannah Matilda Porter was born, and later baptized at Old St. George ME Church on 26 January 1845.[6] Unfortunately, Hannah was a second child of the family to die from scarlet fever when she was just under 3 years old, on 30 August 1847.[7]

Charles and Margaret continued to grow their family. Another daughter was born in January 1848, and they name her Hannah Matilda as well.[8] The youngest daughter, Annie J. Porter, was born about 1855/1856 in Philadelphia.[9]

In 1850, Charles and Margaret lived in the South Mulberry Ward of Philadelphia, still between Arch and Race Streets, but further from the river. Charles was a bricklayer, and they had five boarders that lived with them (three of whom were also bricklayers).[10] In 1860-61, the family lived at 1307 N. 11^th Street, with the two unmarried daughters Hannah and Annie, married daughter Elizabeth and her husband William and their son, James, and mother-in-law Elizabeth “Donfee;” they continued to have boarders, although only two at this time.[11]

In 1861, at about 48 years old, Charles enlisted in the Union army to fight in the Civil War. He was a private in Company F of the 71^st Infantry Pennsylvania Volunteers. He mustered in on 28 May 1861 and was to serve three years. However, on 29 June 1862, Charles was injured at the Battle of White Oak Swamp, which occurred in Henrico County, Virginia.[12]

“After the twilight battle at Savage’s Station on June 29, 1862, the Army of the Potomac abandoned the final remnants of its line in front of Richmond and retreated through the darkness toward the James River. Once across White Oak Swamp, the Union army deployed at several key spots to challenge the Confederate pursuit. Here at White Oak Swamp Bridge, two Federal divisions - led by Gen. William F. Smith and Gen. Israel Richardson - occupied the heights one-third of a mile south of the swamp. Confederate Gen. Thomas “Stonewall” Jackson, at the head of 25,000 men, arrived on the north bank of the swamp at noon on June 30 and found the bridge here destroyed. The noise of the heavy fighting at Glendale, three miles southwest, ‘made me eager to press forward,’ Jackson later wrote, but he was unable to do so during the remaining eight hours of daylight. The failure of this and two of the other three Confederate columns to press forward robbed Lee of his offensive punch, and allowed for a successful Union defense of the roads to the James River.”[13]

 Source: American Battlefield Trust, “White Oak Swamp – Position of Union Army;” battlefields.org (https://www.battlefields.org/learn/maps/white-oak-swamp-position-union-army : accessed 20 June 2025).

Charles was discharged from the Union army with a full, permanent disability on 31 October 1862. His certificate of disability for discharge described him as 48 years old, 5’ 10” tall, light complexion, blue eyes, and light hair, with an occupation of bricklayer. It stated that he had been unfit for duty for 61 days of the prior two months (so the whole two months!) and he was discharged in Annapolis, Maryland, after his medical examination.[14]

His injury sounds like it was quite painful. In the 18 April 1863 examining surgeon’s certificate for his invalid pension, the doctor stated:

"Porter was struck by a fragment of an exploded shell at the battle of White Oak Swamp June 29, 1862. The blow was on the chin fracturing the lower jaw in its central line + mangling the flesh. The wound in chin has healed, but the jaw has not united + never will. He is therefore deformed and disabled for life. He cannot masticate his food and his speech or articulation is quite defective."[15]

Charles went back to Philadelphia after his discharge from the army, finding work as a watchman. He and Margaret continued to live in Philadelphia with many of their children and boarders.[16] He applied for an increase to his invalid pension on 04 June 1886, 20+ years after the war, where he described his continued pain and disability:

"From gunshot wound of under jaw. The ball striking me square on the chin & break my Jaw and causing a loss of my entire teeth on the lower Jaw. The disabilities of my Jaw are constantly increasing. I have an impediment of my speech from this wound. I have also a dull aching sensation of my entire lower Jaw. The feeling is like unto neuralgia. My entire head is affected and I am unable to perform any labor. This wound annoys me greatly when I lay down to sleep. There is a copious flow of saliva which runs down my throat & nearly strangle me.”[17]

On 09 December 1886, Charles died of paralysis at the age of 73. He was buried at Mt. Zion Cemetery, which was located at 6^th & Christian Streets in Philadelphia.[18] This cemetery no longer exists, and it is unknown where the remains may have been moved.

Margaret continued to live with her daughter Elizabeth’s family until she died on 27 April 1890 of heart failure at the age of 73. She was also buried at Mt. Zion Cemetery with her husband.[19]

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[1] 1850 U.S. census, South Mulberry Ward, Philadelphia County, Pennsylvania, population schedule, fol. 296r, dwelling 1118, family 1131, Charles H. Porter household; imaged, Ancestry (https://www.ancestry.com/imageviewer/collections/8054/images/4205378_00168 : accessed 23 November 2020), image 163; citing NARA microfilm M432, roll 815.

[2] Old St. George Methodist Episcopal Church (Philadelphia, Pennsylvania), baptisms 1785-1855, p. 201, James Porter and Elizabeth Porter (1837); image, Ancestry (https://www.ancestry.com/imageviewer/collections/2451/images/40355_267335-00078 : viewed 12 September 2022), image 1159. 

[3] Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, Board of Health cemetery returns, 9 September 1843, St. Georges ME Church, Charles F.  Porter; image, “Registration of deaths 1803-1903; arranged by year and cemetery,” FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:S3HT-695V-9H : viewed 13 September 2022); FHL microfilm 004009803, image 102.

[4] 1840 U.S. census, Lower Delaware Ward, Philadelphia County, Pennsylvania, population schedule, fol. 12, row 8, Chas. H. Porter household; imaged, Ancestry (https://www.ancestry.com/imageviewer/collections/8057/images/4410778_00321 : accessed 13 September 2022), images 30-31; citing NARA microfilm M704, roll 482.

[5] Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, Board of Health cemetery returns, 9 September 1843, St. Georges ME Church, Charles F.  Porter; image, “Registration of deaths 1803-1903; arranged by year and cemetery,” FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:S3HT-695V-9H : viewed 13 September 2022); FHL microfilm 004009803, image 102.

[6] Old St. George Methodist Episcopal Church (Philadelphia, Pennsylvania), baptisms 1785-1855, p. 233, Hannah Matilda Porter (1845); image, Ancestry (https://www.ancestry.com/imageviewer/collections/2451/images/40355_267335-00112 : viewed 12 September 2022), image 1193.

[7] Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, Board of Health cemetery returns, 4 September 1847, Mount Zion, Hannah Porter; image, “Registration of deaths 1803-1903; arranged by year and cemetery,” FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:S3HY-DZJQ-L6J : viewed 12 September 2022); FHL microfilm 004009820, image 347.

[8] 1850 U.S. census, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, population schedule, Philadelphia, South Mulberry ward, fol. 296r, dwelling 1118, family 1131, Charles H. Porter household; NARA microfilm M432, roll 815; image, Ancestry (https://www.ancestry.com/imageviewer/collections/8054/images/4205378_00168 : viewed 23 Nov 2020), image 163.  See also Pennsylvania Department of Health, death certficate no. 33369 (1923), Hannah Matilda Edwards; Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission, Harrisburg, Pennsylvania; image, Ancestry (https://www.ancestry.com/imageviewer/collections/5164/images/41381_2421406260_0622_01980 : viewed 13 September 2022), image 1980.

[9] 1860 U.S. census, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, population schedule, Philadelphia, ward 20, division 1, p. 182, dwelling 1159, family 1328, Charles Porter household; NARA microfilm M653, roll 1171;  

image, Ancestry (https://www.ancestry.com/imageviewer/collections/7667/images/4293539_00188 : viewed 23 Nov 2020), image 188.  Also, see discussion of birth year in Annie’s narrative.

[10] 1850 U.S. census, South Mulberry Ward, Philadelphia County, Pennsylvania, population schedule, fol. 296r, dwelling 1118, family 1131, Charles H. Porter household; imaged, Ancestry (https://www.ancestry.com/imageviewer/collections/8054/images/4205378_00168 : accessed 23 November 2020), image 163; citing NARA microfilm M432, roll 815.

[11] 1860 U.S. census, Philadelphia Ward 20, Philadelphia County, Pennsylvania, population schedule, p. 182, dwelling 1159, family 1328, Charles Porter household; imaged, Ancestry (https://www.ancestry.com/imageviewer/collections/7667/images/4293539_00188 : accessed 23 November 2020), image 188; citing NARA microfilm M653, roll 1171.

[12] Case Files of Approved Pension Applications…, 1861-1934, Charles H. Porter (Pvt., Co F, 71st Regiment of Pennsylvania Volunteers, Civil War), pension certificate no. 14972, Certificate of Disability for Discharge; NARA Department of Veterans Affairs, record group 15.

[13] Henrico County, Virginia, “White Oak Swamp;” Henrico.gov (https://henrico.gov/locations/white-oak-swamp-2/ : accessed 20 June 2025).

[14] Case Files of Approved Pension Applications…, 1861-1934, Charles H. Porter (Pvt., Co F, 71st Regiment of Pennsylvania Volunteers, Civil War), pension certificate no. 14972, Certificate of Disability for Discharge; NARA Department of Veterans Affairs, record group 15.

[15] Case Files of Approved Pension Applications…, 1861-1934, Charles H. Porter (Pvt., Co F, 71st Regiment of Pennsylvania Volunteers, Civil War), pension certificate no. 14972, Examining Surgeon’s Certificate for Invalid Pension Application; NARA Department of Veterans Affairs, record group 15.

[16] 1870 U.S. census, Philadelphia Ward 14, Philadelphia County, Pennsylvania, population schedule, district 41, p. 37, dwelling 268, family 291, Charles Portter household; imaged, Ancestry (https://www.ancestry.com/imageviewer/collections/7163/images/4278821_00199 : accessed 23 November 2020), image 191; citing NARA microfilm M593, roll 1398. See also, 1880 U.S. census, Philadelphia Ward 9, Philadelphia County, Pennsylvania, population schedule, ED 155, p. 10, dwelling 78, family 91, Chas. Porter household; imaged, Ancestry (https://www.ancestry.com/imageviewer/collections/6742/images/4244457-00533 : accessed 23 November 2020), image 10; citing NARA microfilm T9, roll 1171.

[17] Case Files of Approved Pension Applications…, 1861-1934, Charles H. Porter (Pvt., Co F, 71st Regiment of Pennsylvania Volunteers, Civil War), pension certificate no. 14972, Request for Increase of Invalid Pension; NARA Department of Veterans Affairs, record group 15.

[18] City of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, Return of a Death (1886), Charles H. Porter, died 09 December 1886; imaged, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:S3HT-6QLQ-S2W : accessed 24 November 2020); citing FSL microfilm 004010192, image 510.

[19] City of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, Return of a Death (1890), Margaret Porter, died 27 April 1890; imaged, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:S3HY-DTZ7-653 : accessed 24 November 2020); citing FSL microfilm 004010454, image 983.