From History of Walworth County Wisconsin by Albert Clayton Beckwith, Vol. II, 
publ. 1912, Page 1325-1326
 
DORIC C. PORTER.  In looking over the list of Walworth county's pioneers the 
name of Doric C. PORTER stands out conspicuously, and although he "has been 
gathered to his fathers," as the Bible writers said of their beloved departed, 
his influence will long continue to have its effect in this community, whose 
every interest he had at heart and so unselfishly labored to promote.
 
Mr. PORTER was born in Ashfield, Franklin county, Massachusetts, September 16, 
1815.  The PORTER family is of Scotch origin.  Doric's great-grandfather, Rev. 
Nehemiah PORTER, was a Presbyterian minister who served as chaplain in the 
Revolutionary war, and he died at the age of one hundred years in Massachusetts.  
His son, Joseph PORTER, grandfather of Doric C. PORTER, was a farmer, as was 
also his son Asa, father of the subject, and he died at the age of ninety-four 
years.  The mother of the subject of this sketch was known in her maidenhood 
as Elizabeth TAYLOR, a native of Massachusetts.  This family was influential 
in their community in the old Bay state for many generations, especially 
during the colonial period, and their names frequently appear in the records 
there.
 
Doric C. PORTER grew to manhood in his native state and when still a young man 
emigrated to the world and almost unknown West, first spending a year at 
Dover, Ohio, then came to Walworth county, Wisconsin, where he established his 
permanent home; however, he later returned to Ohio and in the fall of 1839 
married Nancy Jane HANCHET, of Dover.  He came back to Walworth county and 
bought forty acres of government land near Lake Geneva and this he developed 
into a very productive farm.  Four years later he sold it and purchased one 
hundred and sixty acres at the head of Lake Geneva and engaged in farming 
there a number of years with his usual success.  In 1873 he purchased sixty-
six acres of timber land along the lake shore and this he developed into 
Fontana Park, now well known as one of the "show places" about the lake, a 
truly beautiful and inviting retreat.  It had been Chief Big Foot's camping 
ground.
 
Mr. PORTER took much interest in public affairs, as stated above, and for some 
time he was chairman of the board of supervisors, and he held various township 
offices, always discharging his public duties faithfully and satisfactorily, 
leading a life that won him the esteem of a large number of friends.
 
The death of Mrs. PORTER occurred in February 1887.  Eight children were born 
to the subject and wife, named as follows: Dwight W., who died in infancy; 
Eliza J., who married Charles STEVENSON of Oneida Kansas, is now living in San 
Diego, California; Amelia N., who died when twenty-eight years old; Addie M. 
is the wife of Leonard C. CHURCH; Doric and William P. are both farming in 
Kansas; Lester C. is a merchant and the present postmaster at Fontana; David 
W. lives in Walworth.  The death of Doric C. PORTER occurred in June 1901.
 
Submitted by Carol