Following the U.S. Civil War former slaves in the South began to migrate to large cities like Memphis, St. Louis, Chicago, Detroit, etc. seeking new life.  However, some slaves remained near and around the farms and plantations where they were born.  Still, other slaves tended to follow their former masters (who had promised them better lives) to fertile farmlands, far away from the homes where they were born and raised.

From what we could gather; Tobe Griffin (aka Tobias, Tobi, and Toby), his brothers and sisters followed their former master Asa Griffin, and his sons from the Outer Banks of Georgia to the cotton fields of Arkansas, where they setup as tenant farmers.  Tobe, who was married to Frances Cash, also from Georgia, settled in a little town that was a train depot for cotton farmers, called Brinkley, Arkansas.  Together they had a family that included a daughter, Zena Griffin; and that is where this family’s story begins.

Around the turn of the century, Zena married James Edward Porter, whose family owned a boarding house in Brinkley.  Together they had eleven children that survived to adulthood; six girls and five boys.  Those children represent the clans of our family—Joseph Porter, Beatrice “Bessie” Porter Burton, Mattie Porter Hill, Laura Porter Keene, Griffin Porter, James Edward “Eddie” Porter, Leroy Porter, Ruby Porter Williams, Frances Porter Brent, Paul Porter, and Pauline Porter Norrington.

This web site intends to “paint” the picture for our family; serving to tell the story of who we are, how we got started, and where we are today (in 2022)–hoping to serve as “history” for the generations that follow.

Many thanks to Patricia Porter-Austin (Joseph Porter, Sr. Clan) for the original Family Tree image, and to Arthur Black (Frances Brent Clan) for many of the pictures shown on this site.