The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1913-02-04

born in Greensboro, North Carolina:
and in speaking Of his youth, spent
there. he says: Il did more reaolns
between my thirteenth and nineteenth
years than 1 have done in all the
years since. And my taste was much
better then. I used to read nothing
but classics. Burton's Anatomy OF
Melancholy and Loves
Nights were my favorites. AS a
yougster 1 always had an intense de-
sire to be an artist 1t wasn't until
was twenty-one that l developed the
idea that I'd like to write
Two inaccuracies are found in the
sketch Of o. Henry In Who's Who in
America for 191O-1S11, despite the
information afforded by the hove
mentioned. h mistake OF his birth
place is corrected, and 1t is stated
Greensboro, n. c., In 1867. Neither
day nor month of his birth is given;
and the year is out by five years. Ac-
cording to the Porter Family Bible
recently discovered, we know thai
William Sidney Porter GO: Henry.9,
1862. at 9 o'clock p. m. His father,
Algernon Sidney Porter, son Of Sidney
and Ruth c.. Porter. was born on Au-
gust 90. 1925. His mother, Mary
Jane Virginia Swain, daughter OF
William and Abiah Swain, was born
on FeDfuaIy IL, 1855. Ills iatNcl
died September 80. 1888.
! American Nights Entertainments,
which / published in the North Caro-
lima Review OF October 8. 1911. l
stated that O. Henry's mother vas a
daughter Of Lyndon CWilliam) Swain,
some time editor OF The Greensboro
Patriot. and his grandmother on the
paternal side a sister OF Governor
u- ~ HO~Ah Coro1tno
In a letter to Lewis w. Worth, Of
| California, written from Raleigh, Oc-
tober 4, 1868, Governor Jonathan
Worth says:
II am the oldest of my family.
Sister Ruth c. Porter, widow residing
at Greensboro, N. G., is the next old
est. NJ. Worth, Asheboro, n. c., is
third IN age. He Is q merchant doing
a prosperous business. j. A. Worth,
Fayetteville, n. c., was a merchant
before the war. Sherman'S army
burned up his warehouse and his
means Of paying his debts. He Is
very poor but making q good living.
b. G.. Worth. the fourth brother, Is
doing a heavy and prosperous bust
ness as a merchant at 1873 Pearl
Street, N. Y. 1 nave three sisters in
Indiana, Miriam, wife OF Barney
Coffin, pork and beef merchant, In
dianapolis-Eveline, wife OF Nathan
Sennes, farmer-and Louisa, wife OF
Vim. Clark, farmer n merchant.
Both OF these live at Economy, Wayne
County, Indiana. Their husbands are
in very Independent condition and
their children prosperous n prom
Using. I lately paid q visit to them.
l have but one son, David G. Worth,
who Is doing a very large and pros.
erous business as \ merchant st
Wilmington, n. C.-and five daugh-
tn-~ 49, <1JaCf n 1xiI1r, xyh[c, h,,c
i;Ed was a wealthy planter and died
before the war. BY The emancipation
OF her negroes h and her little ones
are left comparatively ~poor-three
other daughters are married to law
yers Of good standing in the State and
the other to a doctor. 80"
Prom this hasty sketch YOU MAJ
Infer that your kin are generally il
prosperous CIRCUMSTANCES. Not Z
? blemish spot upon any OF the race a.
to integrity and honor, SO far as
have ever heard. The most illustriou!
: OF the ace was Gener Worth, re
> nowned for his achievements in tn.
Mexican war"
t The lady mentioned here, "Siste,
Ruth G. Porter, widow residing a
Greensboro, n. c." next oldest t
Governor Worth. was 0. Henry
grandmother or the paternal side. Q
4 Henry was left motherless in earl,
lie \IAS AAIOlAACA OlSO CCPI ~, ACOOJ
and was brought up by his aunt
Miss Lima Porter, whose prtvat
e school he attended. A woman Of su
perior ability. education and refine
a ment Miss Porter gave her nephe,
In exceptional training. with the re
It suit that he was scholarly, culture
a in a sense, n generally we'll inform
Ie ed. When O. Henry was about TWEEN
ty, he left Greensboro on account
l. delicate health, and spent two and
n half years on the ranch Of his frient
,r Lee Hall, the famous ranger. wher
he was a guest.
s. The following letter written TO Mr.
ID Hall, one of his friends in Mort
70 Carolina, when he was t~wenty-one,
s reproduced in Rolling Stones. and
Or one Of the earliest of his letters tn:
in have been found. It furnishes a
N excellent example of the badinas
st which he was in the habit of en-
it ploying i'll all his letters, thrOugho1
a his life:
kyutookneeyOUgh Ranch