The Morris County chronicle. [volume] (Morristown, N.J.) 1877-1915, 1902-09-26
Gen. Fltz-Iohn Porter.

Hau AlNou uutAl august OIL, l3O1i us
would have passed the eightieth an
niversary of his birth.
Now that so much is being put in
print concerning his military record.
says the Portsmouth, New Hamp-
shire, Journal and the statue to be
erected to his memory in his native
place (Portsmouth), would it not be
we'll to consider his ancestral record?
For his maternal progenitors were
among the most celebrated citizens of
colonial New England.
His mother, Eliza Chauncy Clark,
was daughter of jeremiah and Eliz-
abeth Hirst (Chaunoy) Clark, which
placed him il descent from the fam
lilies of Gerrish, Wills, Treworgye,
Clark, Moulton, Chaunoy, Hirst,
Quits and Sewall.
His maternal grandfather. Charles
Chauncy, was twice married, allying
himself first with the family of Quits
and second Gerrish, both of Kittery.
His descendants are all by his second
wife, Joanna Quits Gerrish, who was
own cousin of his first wife, Mary
Quits. The first was daughter of
Captain Timothy and Joanna (Cutts)
Gerrish, and the second of Richard
and Joanna willis Quits.
Charles Chaunry was the eldest son
of DR.. Charles and Elizabeth (Hirst)
Chauncy of Boston, and a nephew
materially of Lady Mary (Hirst)
Pepperrell of Kittery.
After his graduation from Harvard
College in 174S he was for manv years
with his uncle, Sir William Pepper
rell, in his mercantile establishment.
He was also three times Councillor
under Massachusetts. He and his
wife Joanna are buried in the Cot
ton burying ground of Portsmouth,
where they died in 1909, within three
months of each other, having been
married nearly fifty years.
General Porter's great grand
mother, Mrs. Elizabeth (Hirst)
Chauncy, was daughter of Grove
and Elizabeth (Sewall) Hirst and
the granddaughter. materially, of
the famous Chief Justice Samuel
Sewall of witchoraft fame. In this
line, too, lineal descendant of the
famous mint-master of Boston, John
Hull
The Chauncy line is too we'll known
by the average historical and gen
ealogical student to be even outlined
here. The Chauncys, mentally and
every other way, were the highest in
rank of New England's colonists-I
might say of any of the early Amer
loan colonists from New England to
Virginia. This gave General Porter
ancestors who are historically we'll
known by all students CT American
history. This is true especially of
Chief Justice Sewall, who is being
better understood as he is better
known. During my collection OF
material for Quits genealogy some
years ago, says the Journal histoI
ian, 1 became acquainted with
General Porter while he had an Office
in New York. He was always affable,
courteous and elegant in manner, 9
typical specimen of the old school
gentleman. His interest in family
records was very great, and through
him and his son, H. T. j. Porter,
received most cordial assistance in
compiling their branch of the QUITS
family.
General Porter son and grandson,
Fitz-John III, are all there are left OF
the male descendants of Lieut. David
and Eliza Chauncy Clark Porter, in
period of ore than eighty years
since their marriage.
1t would seem from the best evil
dence afforded from all records that
General Porter has been greatly mis-
understood.
In line going back four genera
tions he is undoubtedly the most dis
tinguished descendant of Charles and
Joanna (Gerrish) Chauncy and one
of the most noted of those in line
from Chief Justice Sewall. This,
too, not in valor alone, but the best
elements that go toward making up a
Christian gentleman.
Let Portsmouth and her sons and
daughters give all honor to this
noble, chivalrous man. Put up the
statue and let it be perpe tual re-
mlnder of one too little known whose
life is worthy of emulation.