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Judge James Porter Judge
James Porter, 1809 - 1886, was born in Harrison County, Kentucky where
he grew to manhood. In the mid-1850s he moved to
Independence, Missouri where he was elected Judge and in 1858
became a member of the overland mail firm of Hall & Porter.
Being a sympathizer with the South, he moved to Texas. Sophia
Suttenfield Aughinbaugh Coffee Butt (Butts), aged 50, had moved with
her gold and slaves to a safer Waco, Texas after the Civil War. There she met Judge James Porter, a Confederate officer, whom she were married in Waco in June 1865, the service being performed by Rufus Burleson, president of Baylor College.
The couple returned to Sophia's 3,000 acre plantation, Glen Eden, at Preston Bend in October 1875. Holland Coffee had hired Mormons traveling from Illinois to Central Texas in 1845 to build the most impressive house in North Texas. Her plantation included her extensive gardens, orchard of more than 100 fruit trees, and grape and berry vines for jams and wines. Upon their return Sophia and Judge James Porter bought land at Sheriff's auctions and reselling it. She was known for hosting grand parties. In 1876 Judge Porter was one of 7 directors of the Drovers' and Planters' Bank of Denison, Texas. Judge Porter died on Friday, September 10, 1886, pg. 3 Sources: Mcilvain, Myra H. "Legends of a Lady Pioneer". October 20, 2017. Viewed March 16, 2023. Denison Daily News, Saturday, May 17, 1876, pg. 4 The Sunday Gazetteer, Sunday, September 12, 1886 BIOGRAPHY INDEX Susan Hawkins © 2024 If you find any of Grayson County TXGenWeb links inoperable, please send me a message. |