Life History

Notes

• Arkansas, County Marriages Index, 1837-1957
  Annie McSwain
  Age 35, Est Birth Year 1887
  Residence Ethel, Arkansas, Arkansas
  Spouse's Name J W Porter
  Spouse's Age 44 [b abt 1878]
  Spouse's Residence Ethel, Arkansas, Arkansas
  Marriage Date 29 Jan 1922 Arkansas County
  
  I found a death record for a J W Porter in 1939 which appears to be the correct J W Porter.
  
  Arkansas Death Index, 1914-1950
  J W Porter
  Death 25 Jan 1939 Arkansas County
  
  Since Martha Annie Padget McSwain married a third time in 1928, that means she and J W divorced.  No divorce record has been found.
  
  There is some indication that this J W Porter is the same person as William James Porter, who later married widow Maggie McSwain Rowland.  But there was another J W Porter, who owned a lumber yard in DeWitt.  It is not clear if the J W that Annie married could have been that J W Porter of DeWitt.  Had he also been living in Ethel, like William James, also known as Will?  Will is listed sometimes in records as James W.
  
  In the 1910 census, James W Porter and his wife India Lacott are living in Ethel among McSwains, Butlers and other related families of surnames Criswell and Davidson.  This strengthens the possibility that this J W is the same person as James W or William James or Will.  The dates of the marriage will fit with the timeline of other marriages and events in the life of William James Porter.
  
  The main snag in that scenario is the above death record, which says J W Porter died in 1939.  William James Porter married Maggie Rowland McSwain in 1928.  When Maggie died in 1951, WIll married again.  Shorley Mitchell knew the last wife, but does not remembr the name.  This would mean there may be a different individual named J W Porter.  Could J W Porter have been a child who died young?

Sources

• 1. Arkansas, County Marriages Index, 1837-1957
• 2. Arkansas Death Index, 1914-1950