We’re back to Pioneer Cemetery in Rockford, Michigan for this week’s tombstone. This is the stone for Rebecca (Huntingdon) Porter, my 4th Great Grandmother and the first wife of Seth Porter. I believe she was born in Vermont in 1837. She married Seth in 160 years ago this month—Oct 4, 1852. She was the mother of seven children—Melissa Emeline, George Erwin (my 3rd Great Grandfather), Rheumina, Minnie Isabel, Harry Clifford, Almeda Laverne, and Flora Ethel. She died at the age of 52 in February of 1890.
Happy hunting,
Jess
Genie Road Trip 
October 9, 2012 at 11:22 am
Good Morning Jess,
Looking for info for Rebecca…I too am a descendent of Set and Rebecca. #1 do you know for sure where Seth is buried? I don’t recall his name being on this tombstone or maybe just the date was missing. #2 Eleanor Deboer Porter Grifhorst told me earlier that Rebecca was adopted…Do you have any more information on her?
Thanks,
Carole
October 9, 2012 at 11:45 pm
Hi Carole,
Rebecca’s husband’s memorial is on the opposite side of Rebecca’s stone—you have to be standing facing 10 Mile to see the inscription or standing in the bushes by this picture—and his obituary states that he was laid to rest there. He died 01 Jun 1911.
As for Rebecca, I haven’t done a lot of research on her. However, my first guess is that they’re referencing “Seth Porter Family of VT and MI” by Mrs. J. H. Harris from The Detroit Society for Genealogical Research Magazine, Spring, Summer 1963. It reads:
REBECCA HUNTINGTON, b. 11 Dec. 1837. The Seth Porter Record Book states she was “Originally from Rutland Co., Vt.”; d. Algoma, Mich., 15 Feb. 1890; buried in Old Rockford Cemetery Rockford, Kent Co., Mich. She was an orphan at the age of 12 years and came to Michigan in 1849 with friends. She was an own cousin to Samuel B. Huntington who signed the Declaration of Independence.
It’s the first thing I was handed the first time I went to the Rockford Museum. There are things I question in the paper but it’s been a great source for leads on the Porter line. Her obituary (Rockford Register, 26 Feb 1890, pg. 1, co. 3) says she was born in Franklin Co, VT and orphaned young.
But really for some reason I’ve just never gotten back to her line.
Good hunting!
Jess
October 21, 2012 at 6:53 pm
Thank you Jess for the information. I have a copy of her obituary from the Rockford Register but when I was previously at the Pioneer Cemetery I remembered that something was amiss. Even though Seth’s obituary said he was buried there I always wondered.
Yesterday I stopped and checked the tombstone. On Seth’s side it only says “Seth Porter” … no birth date nor no death date.
I am sure the lack of any inscription was what I recall as “something amiss.”
I will just take the information from the obituary’s as “gospel” and know he was buried with Rebecca.
The next time you come to Rockford you will have to stop at the Old Pioneer Cemetery…They have been working hard on it removing brush, lots of brush, etc. to the north of what is now called Pioneer Cemetery. I could see actual tombstones in the area they have cleared.
Thanks for replying,
Carole
October 21, 2012 at 7:17 pm
Jess, I meant to tell you that Seth and Rebecca’s 3rd child, Minnie Isabel is my Great Grandmother. She married my Great Grandfather Kendric Holden. My sisters and I attend their graves in the Holden plot at Rockford Cemetery.