Benjamin Franklin Porter by Dan Porter

Benjamin Franklin Porter

By Dan Porter, Great Grandson of BF Porter

April 24, 2004

Former Texas Ranger ‘Ranger Cross’ Dedication Ceremony

Valley Springs Cemetery, Llano County, TX

On behalf of all of the descendants of Benjamin Porter I would like to thank everyone who came out to take part in the celebration of these four former rangers’ lives and to recognize their accomplishments and service. 

I would especially like to thank the Former Ranger Association for their work and the former rangers who are present today to support these efforts.  I would like to recognize a close friend of the Porter family who came all the way from McKinney Texas with his wife to share these ceremonies with all of us.  Lee Young is a recently retired Texas Ranger who has been a friend for many years.  While on the job Lee and I had the good fortune to work together and have continued to be close friends so I especially appreciate his support and for being here for all of us.

A few weeks ago we were here to prepare for these ceremonies and during those meetings Mr. Hallmark mentioned that it would be nice if any of the rangers’ families had any mementos or memorabilia associated with the early days in Llano County or with these former rangers to please bring them with us today.  I asked the question then “if the only thing I have is an old ranger can I bring him?”  Probably thinking that I was being a smart aleck he answered “yes.” So, to let everyone know I did my part.  Lee Young is my contribution to the ceremony today.  Lee, thank you for being such a good sport and a good friend.

It is a great honor for me to stand up here and share my thoughts about Mr. Porter and these heroes that we have gathered to celebrate today.  I appreciate the opportunity to represent the Porter family.  It is a wonderful tribute that so many folks turned out for this celebration.  As Mr. Hallmark said earlier, when he first started searching for Mr. Porter’s descendents he wasn’t sure if he would find any or not but after only a couple of telephone calls he discovered a great number of Porters still living in these parts.  Especially meaningful to me is the fact that branches of the family tree that I have never met came out to share these honors.

Instead of simply reading Ben Porter’s biography that is included in today’s program I would like to share some thoughts that have come to me as I researched Mr. Porter and looked for clues to who he was and what may have brought him the hill country of Texas in those early years. 

As I searched the family history I found evidence that our family of Porters arrived in Philadelphia Pennsylvania from Essex England in 1628.  They fairly quickly migrated to Virginia and through three sizeable land grants established themselves in Rockbridge and Spotsylvania Counties of Virginia.  Records indicate that they became fairly affluent and successful through the Revolutionary War and into the early 1800’s. 

In the fall of 1842 Ben Porter’s grandfather, father, mother and much of their extended family liquidated most of the holdings in Virginia and from Alabamaand Tennessee migrated to Texas.  In considering this move I wondered what would cause this family, who obviously enjoyed a relatively successful lifestyle, to move to another country.  We have to remember that in 1842 this was the Republic of Texas – another country, and to put it into perspective, this was only six years after the fall of the Alamo and the battles for Texas’ independence from Mexico.  Without knowing for certain I have to assume that they moved because of the promise of opportunity and possibly adventure. 

Their migration to Texas appeared to have a purpose and direction because they acquired several land grants and established themselves in northeastTexas near the settlement of Mount Pleasant in what would later become Titus County.  We can also assume that Mr. Porter’s family was active in politics and civic affairs because both his father and grandfather signed petitions to establish Titus County and later to incorporate the city of Mount Pleasant as the county seat.  Ben Porter’s father, Benjamin T. Porter served as sheriff of Titus County and reports show that he was killed in the line of duty “by outlaws” in 1856 when Ben was only 11 years old.

I think it is worth considering how these early events might have shaped Ben’s life and it’s important to note that after loosing his father in such a seminal event he would still embrace the notion of law and order after he moved to Llano.   

Family history states that young Ben lived with relatives until he was about 16 years old when he struck out to work as a trail hand and came to ride with a company of Texas Rangers until being called into service in the Confederate army.  As I think about Ben’s life I consider that he was the same age as my son, 16 years old, when he struck off on his own.  I can’t imagine giving my son, Dan, a carbine and telling him to “hit the trail.”

At the end of the Civil War Mr. Porter returned home to Mount Pleasant and married his first wife, Nancy Adeline Duff, and they quickly moved to LlanoCounty.  As we can read in his obituary the hill country was wild and untamed.  Indians and outlaws were very active in the area and it was described as “rough and wooly.”  As Mr. Porter’s obituary so vividly recounts these were days of high adventure and danger but it also describes a life that Mr. Porter, and I have to assume the rest of those we are here to honor today, came to love and value so very much.  These pioneers saw the beauty that is the hill country and obviously came to believe in the potential that this country has to offer.  

We have heard numerous stories about Mr. Porter’s adventures and even more importantly about the love that he had for his family and his honesty and integrity when it came to this community.  I believe that this dedication is what led all of these men to leave their homes and families to join in the effort to bring law and order to this country.  These early Rangers served for thirty days at a time and were paid only $ 40.00 a month for their service.  They provided their own horses and were issued a carbine but had to post a $ 20.00 deposit that was returned at the end of their service.  Records show Mr. Porter serving in Company Q of the Texas Rangers under Lt. John Smith of Llano County.  His formal service extended through the 1870s.  Journals document his participation in several pitched battles with Indians and outlaws during his time with the Rangers.

All of this history causes me to reflect on what it is about this hill country of Texas that so appeals to people’s hearts.  Obviously Mr. Porter felt a great opportunity and came to love this country.  Looking back at my own youth, our time was filled with trips from San Antonio to Mason to spend time with my father’s family.  My first memories are of trips to my Aunt Emm’s house and my Cousin Gayle, my grandfather, Harve Porter – Ben’s son, and time spent at the Llano River. 

What is it about this country that gets into peoples blood?  I’d have to say that it “just is” and that if I have to explain you probably wouldn’t understand.  My wife, Jean, will attest to that.  Not having experienced the hill country she has a hard time understanding why this country is so important to me. 

I’ve heard people say that the hill country is the heart of Texas.  From what I know of those of us who love this country I say that the soul and lifeblood ofTexas resides in the hill country.  I have to believe that these feelings are the result of Ben Porter and these early pioneers embracing this country and passed that connection down the family lines.

These original pioneers – these four heroes we came together to honor today are the ones who allowed this country to become what it is for all of us. Through their dedication and sacrifice we are all able to share the same beauty that they came to love.  We owe these men and former rangers all across this great state a debt of gratitude; a debt that we have started to repay by honoring their memories and erecting these memorials so that everyone can know of their affiliation with this organization.  Every time we see a Ranger Cross we should recognize our heritage and be proud to stand up and proclaim “God Bless Texas”.