The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1897-08-30
MRS. SOPHIA PORTER.
she EntertNincd Lee, Grant and
jackson At Her Crayson County
Home ncforc the WAR.
The penison Herald.


phia Porter. aged 81 years, months and
"a DAYS.
Four scorc and two years covers many
interesting events In American history,
and especially that OF the great South
west. aid as Mrs. Porter has been so Pc
cuiarlv identified with the history making
events Of her own time and environments
some family historian will doubtless seek
to preserve the honorable record.
Sophia Suttonheld was born at Fort
Wayne. Ind. September 3. 1915 Colonel
Suttonfeld. her father, was virginian
bv birth and served as an officer Ia the
war OF 1912. He erected tho first house
at Fort Wayne and was there with his
family in ISIS. There WAS neither rail-
| road. telegraph nor steamboat this side OF
the Atlantic. and Spain owned vast area
OF country northwest OF New Orleans
Mexican Independence had not yet been
secured. although the republican cause
seemed in promising way. Many chiv-
alrcus Standards who had fought against
the great Napoleon and had been COM
PEELED TO flee from Spain after the rcstora-
| iion OF the Baurbons. were impelled TO
lend the swords to the patriot cause In
Mexico. Don Jose Manuel Herrera, Don
Luis Aury. Colonel Young. Colonel Perry,
- ~ o'n,t Sanah, ',pai's" anu aheii'ah
officers had selected Galveston Island as
the base OF operations and a place of rem
| devious for tho privateers. and on the 18th
| OF September. 1916, organized govern
ment and unfurled the flag of indcpend-
ans ,,,,,a,'a N 49,. na's r ws n'aa s az,
rns,on -, ,s az. 49,, " ~, ~ ~ ,,a,,,
| - a., .nn,',,,, ~ ~, u,,,.n -, .s,a,
| this the indomitable Stephen Fuller Austin
Ia worthy son OF immortal Moses Austin
| ~ >,.,iaah. .,,,,,in,,
M. Wy ~, :. ~ nan. ~ ,shtmotnn
.n,,ntv Ia ~ hacian,n, ~. nsr,n,,n'
| ont sa,,,or,or, =, ,rayas nv Are,o A,nori-
| cars
| Will, har ,,,,ro hor,o ,as ,hrs he,nv
| as,ah,shad ~, ,..aa - hor,isr, ana saif
| sa,s,.;.,nn -, -. Sa,s ,.,,nr h,sn ,aroI
| IeIed th,s rhils ~ dnqtinv was deyelop,ng
| ,n,o q hoaut,yn, woman unr praces and
rnfnen,ont hrn,sh, hon nrst and greatest
| sorrna ,or hor ACCOMPLISHMENTS attracted
| Inc attention ~ a German officer with
| whom .bo WAS nersuaded IN clone 10 the
southwes, In 1sa5 Their first Texas home
| wss tn woyabacbie mn his desertion and
| subsequent death ,eft this friendless ypuna
widow among nannie who werc then in The
| midst ~ thair sunrene stSuygle for indie
| nondepco and before tho decisive battle
| NJ sar rar,nto ehe was with Tho refugees
| nrotectcS nv The army of Sam Houston.
| Colonel Holland Coffee WINS al this time
| one of the most prominent men in Texas.
| and In 1898 was elected 10 tho third house
of representatIyes from the new county
! of Fannln. While upon n visit to Waco
| CoIono, Coffee met the subject of this
| sketch and the result was their MARRIAGE
| nj The close of that year. Colonel Coffee
| had received large grants of land for his
| gallant military services. and much OF
| n had haen located In the rich bottom
|
| established their home at what Ia now
| known MS Preston Bend. in this county
| They were indeed pioneers ard lived nj
| arst in a stockade AS A. necessary protec-
| tion against the rowing hands of comnnche
Indians. Dcnison's wooded site was the
| shelter Of Thousands of buffalo and other
| wild game sherman was not vet In ex-
istence. ana only a very small settlement
AZ Bonhnm. Colonel Coffee was killed In
J ls17. His wife remained n widow until
| 1882 when she WAS married TO Major
| George Butts n typicai Virgiulan OF the
| bluest blrod who WINS connected with the
| Federal army. Again the home was strict-
en- by violent death, for Major Butts
was killed by bushwhackers during the
| first wear Of the war. This bereavement
| promnted Mrs. Butts to leave the planta-
| ton and she moved TO Waco. taking with
| her large number OF slaves These faith
| FIJI servants were then hers by the ac-
| know lodged right OF possession ana most
| az Them remained to the end of their dnys
In service that had brought to them
Ali the benefits OF emancipation except
| actual freedom.
| Mrs. Butts was remarkably we'll
| nresaryad woman OF Tho ape Of 30 and
her charms compeIled Tho admiration OF
the brave and cbiyaIric.
| Among those who mot this thrice made
| widow and who became q successful sutton
was Judge Jonas Porter az Missouri. an
officer In the Confederate army who had
stopped a, Waco ON his wpY TO Mexico.
| Jndpo Porter wan a widower whose wife
had died while he was in the war. He
was al one time a member OF the Missouri
| legislature and had risen to high place
| in Masonry and Odd Fellowship 4 quiet
wedding in 1866 and removal to the
| brides home at Preston. brought this re-
markable woman back TO the community
| that is now mourning the loss OF lis best
friend
Judge and Mrs Porter are remembered
by many who are still living as being ideal
entertainers, who had preserved intact
The regime of that incprn M rahle Southern