George Franklin McGuire

Notes:

When he registered for the draft of the First World War, he was farming for himself in Lexington, Alabama. He was described as short and stout, with grey eyes and light hair.

He married a woman name Ruby. When he applied for a Social Security account, at age 59, he was unemployed. He listed his parents as James William McGuire and Mary Susan Newton.

(Research):

Census Listings:


1940 Census
Alabama, Lauderdale County, Pr. #3
Enumerated April 19, 1940
SD 8 ED 39-7 Sheet 12B
217-0-300
McGuire, Jim W Head M W 73 Wd No 3 Ala Same house operator farm
Morrison, Lutie B Dtr F W 43 Wd no 7 Ala Sameplace
218 R 5
McGuire, George F Head M W 45 M No 7 Ala Same home operator farm
McGuire, Ruby E Wf F W 43 M No 8 Ala Same house

Notes:

(Research):

Census Listings:

1900 Census
Alabama, Lauderdale County, Lexington Beat
Enumerated 21 Jun 1900
SD 8 ED 473 Sheet 120A
222-224
McGuire, James N. Head W M May 1862 38 M 10 Ala SC Ala Farmer
McGuire, Mary S Wf W F Oct 1870 29 M10 4/3 Ala Tn Ala
McGuire, Rozella Dtr W F Jan 1872 8 S Ala Ala Ala
McGuire, George F Son W M Mar 1895 5 S Ala Ala Ala
McGuire, Ludie B Dtr W F Nov 1898 1 S Ala Ala Ala

1940 Census
Alabama, Lauderdale County, Pr. #3
Enumerated April 19, 1940
SD 8 ED 39-7 Sheet 12B
217-0-300
McGuire, Jim W Head M W 73 Wd No 3 Ala Same house operator farm
Morrison, Lutie B Dtr F W 43 Wd no 7 Ala Sameplace
218 R 5
McGuire, George F Head M W 45 M No 7 Ala Same home operator farm
McGuire, Ruby E Wf F W 43 M No 8 Ala Same house

James married Mary Susan Newton about 1890. Mary was born in Oct 1870 in Alabama; and died. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

Her full name was shown as Mary Susan Newton on the Social Security application for her son, George Franklin McGuire.

Notes:

(Research):

Census Listings:

1840 Census
Township 1, Range 8. (Lexington) W. Glenn Census Taker
P 48
McGuire, Fred 201-101 (2 males under 10, 0 males 10-20, 1 male over 20; 1 female under 10, 0 females 10-20, 1 female over 20)
P 49
McGuire, John 301-201

1850 Census
Alabama, Lauderdale County, Div 2 East of the Military Road
Enumerated 4 Nov 1850
294-294
F. H. McGwier 31 m Shoemaker Tenn
Margaret ??? 64 F ???
Margaret "" 18 F Tenn
295-295
William R McGwier 39 M Farmer $600 Geo?
Elizabeth " 30 F Ala
Mary " 6 F "
Sarah " 4 F "
Henry " 2 M "
Edmund Comer 26 M Laborer SC

1860 Census
Alabama, Lauderdale County, District 1, PO Lexington
Enumerated 31 July 1860
Page 78
554-554
L. H. McGwier 40 M Farmer 292 135 Tenn
Cynthia E McGwier 26 F Ala
John W. D. McGwier 2/12 M Ala
Margaret D. McGwier 88 W N. Carolina


1870 Census
Alabama. Lauderdale County, Twp 1 Range 8 West, PO Lexington
Enumerated 13 Jun 1870
Page 32
232-224
James and Bettie Porter Family
233-235
Green and Rebecca Davis Family
234-226
Nancy Davis
235-227
McGuire Fred 50 M W Farmer 200 200 Tenn
McGuire, Syntha 36 F W Keeping House Ala
McGuire, John 9 M W Ala
McGuire, James 7 M W Ala
McGuire, Nancy 4 F W Ala
McGuire, Henry 2 m W Ala

1880 Census
Alabama, Lauderdale Counrty, Beat 3 Village of Lexington
Page 5 SD 1 ED 151
Enumerated 4 Jun 1880
24-24
McGwire, F H W M 60 Farmer Fenn Va NC
McGwire, Cyntha W F 45 Wf Keeps House Ala SC SC
McGwire, John W M 20 Son Works on Farm Ala Tenn Ala
McGwire, James W M 17 Works on Farm Ala Tenn Ala
McGwire, Nancy w F 15 Dtr At home Ala Tenn Ala
McGwire, Henry W M 14 Son Works on Farm Ala Tenn Ala
McGwire, Sarah W F 10 Dtr At Home Ala Tenn Ala
McGwire, Robert W M 8 Son Ala Tenn Alal

Frederick married Simanthy "Cynthie" Elizabeth Porter on 24 Dec 1858. Simanthy (daughter of Hugh Porter and Sarah C. Bowie) was born on 2 Apr 1834 in Alabama; died on 27 Aug 1919; was buried in Portertown Cemetery, Lexington, Lauderdale County, Alabama. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

FindAGrave shows that the father William, John, Frederick and Margaret McGrew of Lauderdale County, Alabama, was William D. McGwier. It is also noted that he served in the Civil War, Third Regiments, Georgia Infantry, C.S.A.

Wallace Palmore [WEPALM@lorettotel.net], in an email dated 12 July 2001, wrote "I believe Charles was the only McGuire listed in the 1820 White Co TN censu-- but both a Charles and and an Isaac McGuire were in the 1811 tax list for White Co." He therefore concluded that "Charles and Margaret McGuire were the parent of the McGuire in Lauderdale Co AL but I may be off base here. I do believe Wm R, John W, Fred H and Margaret McGuire (the younger) were brothers and sister."

William married Margaret Elizabeth Guill. Margaret was born between 1786 and 1796 in Georgia; died about 1860 in Lauderdale County, Alabama; was buried in Allen Cemetery, Lauderdale County, Alabama. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

Source for maiden name not cited.

She was living in the Lauderdale County, Alabama home of her youngest son, Frederick Hugh McGwier, at the time of both the 1850 and 1860 census

Notes:

The people named Porter were in Lauderdale County, Alabama as early as 1807. In August of that year, one Oliver Porter was listed on the indenture between Cherokee Indian Chief DOUBLEHEAD and John CHISOLM. Also, on December 20, 1807, on Oliver Porter's recommendation, a passport was issued for three men to pass through the Creek Indian nation. In March of 1809, a passport for David Porter and family was issued and signed. However, it was between the years 1825 and 1830 that brought Hugh Porter, his wife Sarah Bowie Porter, and children from South Carolina as well as Austin Porter, his wife and two boys, and Charles B. Porter and four children into Lauderdale County. They entered and purchased land in and near what is now the city of Rogersville. Hugh entered 158 acres on Weavers Branch, and he and his family lived there until 1840. In the 1830's other members of their family also moved from South Carolina. They procured land mostly along Snake Road northeast of Rogersville.

Brothers and sisters of Hugh Porter were Charles B. Porter, William R. Porter, Andrew Springer Porter, Mary Porter, Rebecca Frances Porter HOWIE, Cynthia Porter Howard, and Ann E. Porter FORBES. Brothers John Porter and Samuel Norwood Porter died in South Carolina.

In 1840, Hugh Porter purchased land northeast of Lexington on Second Creek. Being not only a farmer but a miller as well, he built a grist mill on the creek. Some of his brothers and sisters soon followed him to Lexington. Charles B. Porter moved to Lawrence County, Tennessee. He was a farmer and a Cumberland Presbyterian minister. Andrew Springer Porter was postmaster at Lexington from 1856 to 1867 and a justice of the peace. William R. Porter ran a store and was a justice of the peace. Andrew W. Porter owned a store and his son, George Washington Porter, was the circuit court clerk for Lauderdale County. His grandson, Irvine Craig Porter, Jr., became a prominent attorney in Birmingham.

Hugh Porter was born June 12, 1791. His wife, Sarah C. BOWIE, was born August 22, 1793. They were married September 19, 1814. Their children were James Glen, who married Elizabeth JOHNSTON, first, and E.A. Bettie DAVIS, second; Rebecca Burney, who married Green B. DAVIS; Andrew Eli, who married Frances A. DAVIS; Katherine Eliza, who married John H. BELEW; Jane Ann, who married James T. DAVIS; Charles Wesley, who married Margaret Emily McGWIER, John Fletcher, who married Nancy J. DAVIS; and Simathy E., who married Francis H. McGWIER. Hugh Porter and family belonged to the Methodist Church. They attended Asbury Church, which was just across the Alabama state line in Tennessee which was just off what is now Highway 101. Most of their descendants are devout Christians attend various churches. In the obituary of their son Charles Wesley, we find his devotion to the Lord. "Even though his mind was so affected in the last few years of his life that he did not know his own children, yet he never forgot to read his Bible and pray."

James Glen Porter was a blacksmith and wagon maker. His brother, John Fletcher, was a miller and he also made tombstones from limestone taken from the bluffs of Second Creek. Andrew Eli worked as a plantation overseer until the War Between the States. Charles Wesley made his living farming.

Two members of Hugh Porter's family lost their lives as members of the Confederate forces during the Civil War. Andrew Eli joined the 16th Alabama Infantry on August 6, 1861, which was under General Zollikoffer's command. He either died of exposure, disease, or was killed in battle. Hugh's grandson, John F.M. Porter, whose father was James Glen, was killed in the Second Battle of Manassas on August 30, 1862. He was a member of Company I of the 9th Alabama Infantry Regiment. There may have been others who served as well. Many of the descendants of Hugh and Sarah served with honor and distinction in our country's armed forces during World War I and II, and Korean Conflict, and the Vietnam War. During World War II, Walter, son of James W. Porter, was killed in France.

The Porter family was always interested in education. Many of the Porters' descendants have college degrees and have pursued professional occupations. There was a school erected on the Porters' property before 1900 and served the community for many years. The first Portertown school was a one room log building with grades one through six. It was on the west side of Second Creek near a road which at that time ran from the Charlie Porter home place to past the Portertown Cemetery then on to Tennessee. The second school was on a rise just west of what is now the Royce and Alma WILLIAMS' home. The third school was on the east side of Second Creek on the property given by Samuel WILLIAMS.

(The article above was written by Charles Wesley Porter, Sr., son of Odus Vernon Porter, and great-great grandson of Hugh Porter. Sent by Janie Porter Gomillion, July 2001)

On a visit to the Portertown Cemetery one will find the tombstones of a lot of the early settlers and not just Porters. It is a well kept cemetery that is used by many descendants of those early settlers as well as others. Hugh Porter died October 12, 1855 and Sarah Bowie Porter died May 9, 1862. They were survived by their eight children and 34 grandchildren.

Porter Town was also north of Lexington and near Dugout. It was named for several Porter families who settled here from Abbeville, South Carolina, during the 1820s. Hugh and Sarah Bowie Porter were born in the early 1790s. Their son, James Gleen Porter, established a grist mill and blacksmith shop in this community. Hugh's nephew, Washington Porter, was also here as well as a widow, Rebecca Porter, who was born in 1790 in North Carolina. Her son, Andrew was a native of South Carolina.

From William Lindsey McDonald, "A Walk Through the Past - People and Places of Florence and Lauderdale County, Alabama"; Florence, Alabama, Country Lane Printing, 1997 (pp 147-148).


In the 1830 Lauderdale Co census Anderson Porter was listed as follow: 2m 20-30, 1m 60-70; 1f 15-20, 3f 20-30, 1f 60-70, 1 slave.

Walter Palmore noted that Hugh Porter was listed in the 1840 Lauderdale Co Al census on page 116 (43) as follow: 0201101-0111101. Andrew Porter was list as follow in the 1840 census 0001010001-0000001001.

A transcription of the 1850 Lauderdale County, Alabama census shows the following:

#340/340 Hugh Porter60 M Frmr $1,200 S.C. Sarah " 50 FS.C. Rebecca "28 F S.C. Wesley"22 M LaborerS.C. John"17 M " S.C. Cynthia"14 F S.C.

#341/341 Andrew Porter27 M " S.C. Francis "28 F Sarah 5 F Ala. Martha 3 F Ala. Mary11/12 Ala.

Wallace Palmore [WEPALM@lorettotel.net], in an email dated 13 July 2001 writes that in "The Heritage of Lauderdale County, Alabama," on page 391, it has that Simathy E Porter was the daughter of Hugh Porter and Sarah C Bowie. It also states that she married Francis (sic) H McGwier.... he added that F H and Cynthia E McGuire are buried in the Portertown Cemetery. Also buried in this cemetery is H Porter 12 June 1791-12 Feb 1855 and Sarah Porter 22 Aug 1793- 9 May 1869. Also buried in this cemetery is one of Wm R McGuire's son and some of my Johnston family.

Hugh married Sarah C. Bowie on 19 Sep 1814. Sarah was born on 22 Aug 1793 in South Carolina; died on 9 May 1869 in Rogersville, Lauderdale County, Alabama; was buried in Portertown Cemetery, Lexington, Lauderdale County, Alabama. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]