The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1902-04-02
REV. A. T0omER PORTER, ID.

lie anu SSEFlCSS W ulO CUulCA eeho
State is taken from The News and
Courier:
A life so rich, so full as was his
deserves rather a volume than a mere
sketch to do it even meagre justice
Fortunately he has written his own
biography, a remarkable work from
whatever viewpoint it is considered.
It is from this, in the main, that
this sketch draws it's materials.
Anthony Toomer Porter was born in
Georgetown County, then district, on
the plantation of his father, John
Porter, January 81, 1928. His mother
was Esther Ann, daughter of An
thony Toomer, for whom the subject OF
this notice was named. His early ed
ucation was received at home and IN
schools in Georgetown. At the age OF
IA he came to this city and entered
the academy of Mr.. Cotes, famous in
its day. His health failing, the next
year he returned to the plantation for
some months, when, his health re-
stored, he was sent to Mount Zion
Academy, at Winnsboro, S. G.
Confirmed by Bishop Gadsden in
1S41, he had never communed. While
on his way to Winnsboro he met in
Columbia Mr.. Charles Aston, who
invited him to his room to spend the
evening, at the South Carolina Col
lege. There he found fourteen young
men assembled, one ssofsswhom was
reading the Evening Prayer OF the
Episcopal Church, the others taking
their part as congregation. This un-
expected incident produced a profound
impression upon Mr.. Porter, who.
after earnest determination then and
there decided to become member Of
the church in which he had been bap-
tized and confirmed. This resolution
he carried into execution Christmas
Day, 1915. Arrived at Winnsboro, he
entered school with more than one
hundred other boys and remained there
for fifteen months, wisely and we'll
taught and disciplined by Mr.. q. W:
Hutson, the principal. Here he had
his first experience of love. The young
lady declined an engagement, with
great good sense, but the check he
received turned the whole current OF
his life. He left school and became a
clerk in the Office of Messrs. Robert
son & Blackjack, of Charleston, large
dealers in rice, where he remained for
three years, learning business habits
and methods, to which he attributes
much of the ability to do the work he
afterwards was called to do. Taken i'll
at this time he retired to his planta-
tion and undertook its management
with fair success for the ensuing two
years. Vaguely dissatisfied with his
life at this period, he passed through
a spiritual experience resulting IN
determination to study for the minis
try of the Episcopal Church. With
characteristic promptness he went
through the necessary preliminaries
and became a candidate for holy
orders. He sold his slaves and planta
tion and became student under the
Rev. Alexander Glennie, rector of the
Parish of All Saints, Waccamaw.
While thus engaged he met and mar
ried Miss Atkinson, gentle and love
Iy woman, who was both the light of
his home and the comfort of his life
for many years, worthy helpmeet
indeed.
While awaiting ordination be was
invited by the vestry of the Church of
the Holy Communion, Charleston, to
become their lay-reader and, after
ordination, their minister. He ac-
cepted the invitation and entered upon
the work, which throye under his
active and energetic administration.
Ordered deacon May 16, 1854, he resolv
ed to build church, his congregation
then worshipping in the upper story
Of building on the Arsensal grounds.
Securing funds, the erection of the
church was begun and on October 26,
1855, the edifce was duly conseerated
by Bishop Davis. Three years later
he founded an industrial school,
where girls were taught to sew; after
wards they made common trousers and
coats by contract for Hayne street
dealers and the school became self-sup-
porting. This was the first Industrial
school for girls in South Carolina and
perhaps in the entire South. After.
making uniforms for the Hampton
Legion, of which Mr.. Porter was ap-
pointed chaplain, the State authorities
took the school in charge and most of
the work on uniforms done for the
troops sent from this State was done
there. The school perished with the
downfall of the Southern Confederacy.
Mr.. Theodore D. Wagner and Mr..
George A. Trenohlm had meanwhile
become members of the parish. These
gentlemen were most generous sup
porters of Mr.. Porter, and to them he
was mach indebted from that time on
for the means of carrying on his work.
In his book, Lied On, he pays them
high and deserved tribute. The par
ish throve and the work went on for
several years, but in the air there
brooded the grim spectre of war and
soon it materialized, the enthusiasm
of the people sweeping the State like
whirlwind. 1t would be of deep inter
est to trace the Rev. Mr.. Porter's ex-
periences during the next four years,
but it is impracticable. He was in
Charleston in 1864, while the city was
under shell fire from Morris Island.
In the summer yellow fever developed
into an epidemic and his young son,
Toomer, took it and died after a brief