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
©2025
If
you
find any of Grayson County
TXGenWeb links inoperable, please send me a
message.
|