BIO: Miles R. PORTER, Clearfield County, PA
 
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From Twentieth Century History of Clearfield County, Pennsylvania,
and Representative Citizens, by Roland D. Swoope, Jr.,
Chicago: Richmond-Arnold Publishing Company, 1911, pages 578 & 579.
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  MILES R. PORTER, who was born in Lawrence township, Clearfield county, Pa., 
May 12, 1853, is a representative citizen and prosperous farmer of Pike 
township, where he owns 150 acres of fine land, situated two miles east of 
Curwensville.  His parents were Robert and Jemmima (Read) Porter.
  Robert Porter was born in County Tyrone, Ireland, on November 25, 1815, and 
came to America in 1835.  After a few months spent in Philadelphia, Pa., he came 
to Lawrence township, Clearfield county, where he found employment as a farmer 
in the summers and as a lumberman in the winters.  He was industrious and saving 
and after his marriage, July 6, 1844, bought 125 acres of land in Lawrence 
township, three and one-half miles south of Clearfield.  For five years prior to 
that he had rented land and when he moved from the farm in Lawrence township he 
bought and settled on the farm of 150 acres in Pike township, which is now owned 
by his son, Miles R. Porter.  He came here in 1873 and continued to live on this 
farm until his death, in May, 1898.  He was a Democrat in politics and served as 
school director and road supervisor.  As long as he was strong and active he was 
a hard worker and cleared 100 acres of his first farm.  The present one was 
already cleared when he purchased it.  He married Jemmima Read, who died in 
January, 1903.  They were members of the Presbyterian church.  The following 
children were born to them:  Elizabeth, who is the widow of W. R. McPherson, of 
Clearfield; Emma, who is the widow of R. A. Holden, of Clearfield; W. A., who 
married Susan Conly, of Wilmington, Del; Miles R.; Robert F., who is a 
practicing lawyer of Kansas City, Mo.; James M., who is a resident of 
Clearfield; Helen J., who is the wife of James Conly, of Wilmington, Del.
  Miles R. Porter attended the Pine Grove school in boyhood.  He then spent two 
years in the high school at Clearfield and attended Normal School two terms.  
Later he took a commercial course in a business college in Philadelphia, after 
which he became a school teacher and met with much success in this line of work, 
having taught in Chest township in Bigler, Woodland and Winterburn.  He was 
principal of the school at the latter place for one term.  Mr. Porter then went 
into the lumber business and for ten years was interested in a saw and shingle 
mill on Clearfield Creek.  After his marriage he settled on this farm and for 
ten years before his father's death was its manager.  In 1904 his house was 
destroyed by fire and the present substantial one was erected by him the same 
year.  Mr. Porter carries on general farming and also operates a small coal mine 
on his place.
  On June 1, 1898, Mr. Porter was married to Miss Mary K. Bryan, a daughter of 
Judson and Anna (Longwell) Bryan.  Mrs. Porter was born at Savona, N. Y.  Mr. 
and Mrs. Porter have two children:  Katherine R., who was born October 8, 1899; 
and Eleanor A., who was born August 30, 1909.  They are members of the 
Presbyterian church at Curwensville, Mr. Porter being an elder and a trustee.  
He is one of the township's substantial men, being a stockholder in the County 
National Bank, and also of the Farmers and Traders Bank, both of Clearfield.  He 
has been identified with the Democratic party since manhood.  Mr. Porter has 
been a member of Pittsburg Consistory for many years, and he belongs to the 
Grange at Curwensville.