Frostburg mining journal. [volume] (Frostburg, Md.) 1871-1913, 1890-12-20
Death OfDr. j. NJ. Porter.

when a stroke of paralysis inaugurated
the troubles which terminated in his
death.
DR.. Porter was born April IA, 1917,
on the Rose Meadows Farm" mile
north of Eckhart. He was the seventh
of family of eight children of John
and Catharne (Glissan) Porter. His
boyhood was spent on the home
stead farm, during which he received
such education as the schools of that
day afforded. AT the age of p he
began the study of medicine in the
office of Drs. S. ?. Smith and T. A.
Healy, in Cumberland. where he stad
about IL year From 1899 to 1912 he
attended the Universities of Maryland
and New York, graduating from the
latter institution March 10. 1912. He
at once resumed his place in the Office
of Drs. Smith and Healey, but in
December, 1913, located in Frost
burg. Here he has been ever since,
save a short time in Mount Vernon,
Ohio, during the seventies.
His practice had always been large,
frequently overtaxlng his time and
strength. He was not an "old fogy."
He belonged to that class Of physicians
who keep up with the times" His
love of current medical literature was
never supplanted by his fondness for
letters in other fields of thought
Hence, he was a model physi ciana
studions, careful, conscientious ad-
ministrator of medicine. He wrought
with a perfect apprehension of his re-
sponsiblity to his patient, to the com
munity, to his profession, to himself.
His judgment, based upon careful
reading, studions observation, extend
ed experience and varied practice, was
very rarely erroneous. Besides the
art of accurate diagnosis and medicinal
skill he brought to the sick chamber
an atmosphere of cheer and tender
ness. He was the soul of gentleness,
a model of refinement, and these
qualities were the mainspringS of IL
sense of honor which shone wherever
and wherein he walked with unaffected
grace and beauty. He was scholar
outside as well us in his profession.
He lived much among the oracles of
the past Great men and great books
We're themes Of talk and topics of
study which never tired him There
was not spark of selsfshness in his
composition. He was as free with his
learning as he was indulgent to
those whom he served. 1t is to be
doubted in the latter connection
whether any other man ever did as
much in this county for nothing.
Had he collected "the pound of flesh
his widow and children would to-day
be the inheritors of a colossal estate
70 relieve suffering, to cure disease, to
restore lost health appeared to be his
particular mission on earth, and his
workmanship was on innumerable
occasions superior to his specific ma
terials. He died in oaice-the blessed
office of ministry to the suffering he
never resigned. No man can say
when he quit practlcing medicine, for
patients thronged the bed on which he
died until he could prescribe no more.
OF man whose life had been thus
dedicated to professional labor the
community could not expect much dis
play of what latter-day dialect names
'enterprise.' Yet, before age began
to make effort toilsome, no one mani
tested more interest in the material
and moral advancement of the town
than he. He was in some sort gem
erous contributor to every institution
depending upon popular hberality
Among his brother physicians he
engendered no rivalries and promoted
no discords. He preferred to suffer
wrong rather than lnfict wrong. Yet
none the less did he dislike cranks.
hate quacks and despise frauds.
In all respects he was a man-full-
grown in all the fine qualities that go
to make up the gentleman. We sha Il
not soon, if ever, see his like again.
DR.. Porter married August /, 1913,
Mary Ellen, daughter of Minor and
Elizabeth Gibson, of Rappahannock
county, Virginia. By this union there
were two children, Glissan T., now
city editor of the Cumberland Times,
and Lucy E., wife of Frank Tiddy, of
Piedmont. His wife died October g.
1888. May %, 1857, he married Re-
becca, daughter Of Isaac McCarty
she died March II, 1858. His third
wife, who survives him. was Sallie A.
French, of Wheeling, w. Va, whom
he married January 2S, 1864.
The funeral, appointed for Wednes-
day afternoon, was postponed until
Thursday afternoon on account of the
heavy snow. The same cause oper
ated further postponement until |
p. IN. yesterday, when it took place at
his late residence. Interment in the
Porter graveyard, on the old home
stead