J. C. Porter - Sep 4, 2009   View | Edit | Delete | Viewers
Categories: Surnames - Wisconsin 
      I was told that when several families moved to Wisconsin 1907/1908 that a train was chartered.   
The families loaded their furniture, their animals, and even pre cooked their meals for the trip from Carter/Elliott county, KY to Antigo, Wisconsin.   
I would love to hear more about this, or even find a newspaper article or an advertisement where they needed lumbermen in Wisconsin.
  Has anyone else heard about this chartered train?
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harry fraley - Sep 4, 2009   Viewers | Reply to this item 
    Yes, the Flannery's moved to this area first and needed help in the woods.   So they asked people from KY to move to Wisconsin 
and they provided the train to move them here.   There were only two professions back in those days.   
You either worked in the woods or for the railroad.   I will go to the library one of these days and see what I can find from old 
newspapers from that time frame.   Anything I find I will post.   Harry & Nancy     
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J. C. Porter - Sep 5, 2009   Edit | Delete | Viewers | Reply to this item 
    Harry,
Thanks.   I am excited to learn how this whole migration to Wisconsin started.
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So was this train they provided a one time thing, or did they bring several train loads of Kentuckins to Wisconsin?
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I know Charles Porter (son of Rev. Steve Porter) was living in Langlade county Wisconsin as early as 1903.   Steve Porter did not move there until 1908.



From this Website:  http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.com/~antigowis/history/towns/evergreen/evergreen.html

Evergreen District No. 3 (Sherry)
Published in the Daily Journal, July 11, 1921
By Edith Morris

In the year 1901, a few Kentucky people, some of whom were poor, disheartened with the hard times and low wages of their native state, 
began to wonder if something better did not exist for them elsewhere.

A short time before this, an intelligent, energetic, and well-to-do man, came to Wisconsin from Kentucky and greatly increased his store of 
money in the cultivation of ginseng. Land being very cheap at that time in Wisconsin, he soon saw what great possibilities there were here 
for the poorer class of people in Kentucky with whom he greatly sympathized. So he decided to spread the glad news among them, that he had 
found a land that might lift them above the hard lot in life there, and many of them were glad to come.

Since Kentucky is the second state in the Union that was settled after the thirteen original states, these people boast of being the purest 
blooded American of our country.

The first ones who settled in this district were John Gallion, James Lambert, Jesse Gambill, J.W. Jones, Isaac Thornberry, and F.C. Rose; 
their houses being the first dwelling houses that were built.

The land being almost a wilderness and very cheap at that time, most of these settlers were able to buy land sufficient for themselves. 
Being used to hard labor, they did not fear the hardships of the forest and of a life in a new country. 
Consequently they soon had a few acres cleared and comfortable homes of their own established. 
They had been used to raising all kinds of vegetables and garden produce in Kentucky, and of course, naturally wanted to plant the same things here; 
and as a consequence they have taught some of the northern people that they could grow a great many things that they had never thought of planting before; 
such as tender beans, tomatoes, watermelons, muskmelons and tobacco. They have also taught them new ways of cooking and canning a great many 
vegetables from their gardens.

They came by rail all the way from Kentucky to about the central part of this district that being the end of the railroad line at that time, 
where here was a sawmill and a camp owned by A.H. Hermann of Polar, Wisconsin. There was also a camp belonging to the Upham Lumber Company, 
who sawed the timber and shipped it to Antigo. The railroad was not built through to Elton until about two years later.

Some of the people found employment at these mills, and some started small ginseng gardens as a means of subsistence.

A store house was built by A.H. Hermann and afterward bought by J.P. Horton. It remained in this district about seven years, when it was removed to Elton.

The first school house in the district was a crude log structure which had been built for a lumber camp by the Upham Lumber Company, 
and it was located just opposite the house in which James Lambert now lives. The seats were home made and also very crude, 
and there was very little equipment.

In 1906 a new school house was built about one-half of a mile from where the old one stood, which is fairly well equipped and which ranks fair 
among the average schools in the county.

The first school was begun November 6, 1905, with Miss Clara LeMere as teacher.

Some of the first pupils wee Martin Gambill, (who afterward became a teacher of this school, now dead), Hattie Gallion, Mattie Thornberry, Flem Jones, 
Mary Clark, Jennie Roe, Ora Caudill, Myrtle Jones, Alfred Robinson and Nola Green. Several of these came from the Town of Polar and had to pay tuition 
as they had no school of their own at Clark's.

The first members of the school board were Jesse Cambill and wife, and George Mannin. Some of the later members have been John Thornberry, 
James Lambert, E. Kiser, Ethel Adams, F.C. Rose, Deeleenee Wheeler, Burrel Morris, and John Kiser.

Other teachers have been Martin Gambill, Hessie Now, Bessie Clark, Maud Johnson, May Dobbs, Florence Horton, Alee Hull, Grace St. Louis, 
Laura Relyes, Alma Polar, Nettie Walker and Vesta Thornberry, four of whom have been Kentucky teachers, and only one (the latter) 
taught more that one term.

There was a Baptist church built in the district which was burned soon after it was finished.

A Sunday School was organized and taught during the summer of 1906 and another during the summer and spring of 1913.

There are now ten families living in the district, viz: Deeleene Wheeler, William Bailey, Burrel Morris, James Roe, Robert Lambert, 
David Jenkins, James Lambert, Wilhelm Kewritt, George Thornberry and John Buckner. Most of those who first settled here have moved away.

There has been a great deal of land cleared but only one silo built and one gasoline engine purchased. There is only one large barn in the district 
and only one farmer who has modern farm machinery. Most of the farmers raise livestock and chickens.

Thurston Jones was the first child born in the district; James Lambert and Mary Jones were the first couple who got married, 
and Dee Jones the first who died. With the latter's death the first cemetery was started in this vicinity. It is located opposite James Lambert's 
on the hill. There is also another cemetery back of Robert Lambert's.

Evergreen District No. 4 (McKinley-Wilson)
Published in the Daily Journal, August 28, 1917
By Paul Patnode

The age of this district is about eight years.

There are about eight pioneers. Mr. Servi, Mr. Sullivan, Mr. Porter, Mr. Walter, Mr. J.H. Rose, Mr. R. Rose, Mr. Maulk, Mr. Ramer.

The land belonged to lumber companies who were logging the timber. Most of the people came from Kentucky who were attracted by Wisconsin hills 
which resembled their own. Most of them find their "Home Sweet Home" in the logging camps which have been discarded by the companies.

As population increased a school house was erected, but in the course of six years, its capacity for holding the rural urchins fell short. 
It was then decided to build a new one and in the fall of 1915 it was completed.

The people are progressing some. There are large farms, and they are building new silos, barns and houses in place of the old ones.

Some of the people from Kentucky are going back to their native state on account of the cold winters of Wisconsin.

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Another mention of Porter  (Is this Bob?  Albert Rush Porter?):

The L.R. Roberts store is located on section 14. It was erected by A.R. Porter, who in 1919 sold to Mr. Roberts. 
There are about twenty-six families in the district. The Military Road Telephone Company serves the community with facilities for outside communication.

A Pentecost church, frame structure, is located on section 15. George Brown conducts the services twice a month. The church was erected in 1921.

The 1921-22 school officials were: Charles Adkins, Director; A.R. Porter, Treasurer, and L.R. roberts, Clerk. 
The 1921-22 teachers were M. Lenzner and Nellie Powers Rose. 



Jim Roberts is a son of Noyce Roberts, son of Lula Porter Roberts, dau of Levi Porter, son of Andrew J. Porter.  Jim was raised in Wisconsin.
His grandparents George Roberts & Lula Porter were from Lawton and moved up there in the early 1900's, like so many others.  I think Lula died young around 1915 with 4 children.