James Porter:  Pvt., Co., D, 40th., Ky., Mtd., Inf.  When the census was taken in
1890, he stated that he entered the Union army on July 8, 1863 and ended his service on
Dec 30, 1864.  He did not name his post office, but said he was from "Backbone in Elliott
County".
James was an often-used name in the Porter family, therefore it is very difficult to
sort out James that was in the Civil War.
When the tax assessments were taken in Elliott Co in 1890, there was only one
James Porter listed as a resident of the Little Fork Precinct. If he owned land, it was not
specified in the tax record, neither was a nearest neighbor mentioned and this leads me to
believe that his tax record might not have been complete.  Perhaps, though, I should point
out that James Porter was listed as the nearest neighbor of Jacob Robinson and John
Sloas.
Backing up a bit to the 1880 Elliott Co census, we find that again only one James
Porter was named in the Little Fork Precinct.  At that time he stated that he was 32 years
of age, and was born in KY (Floyd Co, perhaps?).  His wife, Sary J., was 31, and also KY
born.  They had 5 children: William A., 11 years; Lucy J., 8; Henry H., 6; U.S. Grant, 7;
and Ellnoria, 2.
Using age as a guide, I think this is the James Porter, age 22, named in the 1870
Elliott Co census.  Sarah, his wife, was 21, and their only child, Allen, was 1 year of age.
Carter Co marriage records indicate that a James Porter and Sarah J. McDavid
were married Dec 5, 1867, at the residence of John McDavid, probably her father.  This is
somewhat supported by a birth record in the vital statistics of Elliott Co, in which it is
recorded that a son was born Aug 10, 1874 to James Porter and Sarah McDavid (Porter).
I believe we can again pick up the veteran, James Porter, in the 1900 census of
Elliott Co.  He stated that he was 53 years of age, having been born in Nov of 1847;
Sarah was 52, indicating that she was born in Aug of 1847.  James and Sarah stated that
they had been married 34 years, which would closely support the marriage date of 1867. 
They said they were the parents of 10 children, but that four of them were deceased. 
Children still at home with them in 1900 were: Harrison, 23, (born Aug 1876); Sherman,
13 (Sept 1886); Tennessee, 11 (Aug 1888); and Linsa, 8 (Dec 1891).
James Porter was apparently deceased by the time the 1910 census was taken. 
Sarah was named as a widow, 60 years of age.  Again, she indicated that she had 10
children, 4 of which were deceased.  Still at home with her were: Harry, 28; Sherman, 24;
Tennessee, 21; and Linzey, 18.  Her son, Allen, age 41, was living next door to her.  He
was listed as a "Livestock dealer."
I am unable to identify James Porter's parents, but it seems likely that he traces
back to John Porter of NC, possibly through his son, Barnett.  Barnett had moved to KY
before 1850 (remember that James was born in 1847 in KY), and his father, John, made
the move from NC to KY in 1859, according to Porter family researchers.

John C. Porter: Pvt., Co., D, 40th., Ky., Mtd., Inf. Union army from July 8, 1863
to Dec 30, 1865.  He did not name his post office, but indicated that he lived at
"Backbone of Elliott Co".
It is interesting to note that there was a post office named Backbone, perhaps due
to its proximity to a long rocky ridge called "The Backbone".  This particular post office
had been established on Dec 24, 1877 by John C. Porter, undoubtedly the Civil War
veteran.
Porter researchers seem to indicated that John C. Porter was born July 4, 1835 in
VA, according to the census records.  The same researchers say John C. Porter and
Rebecca C. Porter were married on Aug 1, 1853, but they do not indicate where they
were married. 
John C., was the sixth child of John Porter and Sarah "Sally" Shew of Wilkes Co,
NC and Russell Co, VA.  Sharah Shew (Shue) was born in Hamburg, Germany in 1810.
When the 1870 Elliott Co census was taken, John Porter indicated that he was 35
years and born in VA, most likely in Russell Co.  Rebecca was 33, and indicated that she
was born in TN.  Their children named in this census report were: Martha, 15; Leander,
9; Louisa, 7; Mockberry, 4; and Marion, 1.  The name, Mockberry would be, in my
opinion, a misspelling.
When the census was taken in 1880, John C. Porter was a resident of the Little
Fork Precinct, and indicated that he was 44 years of age; Rebecca C., was 42, and again
indicated that she was born in TN.  Children living in their household were: Leander, 20;
Louisa, 17; Bonry, 14 and most likely the child referred to as Mockberry in the 1870
census; Tafis M., 11; Stalawognia (misspelling?), 7; Walker, 5; Sallie, 3; Martha, 23 (the
first born of their children); and the presumed children of Martha: John Fraley, 6; Lusy
Fraley, 4; and Rebeca Fraley, 3.  (Elliott County Cemetery records show that the son,
Bonry, is buried in the Porter Cemetery on Backbone Hill.  His gravestone has his name
Boney M., born June 7, 1866 and died July 16, 1905.)
The 1900 Elliott Co tax records indicate that John C. Porter owned 100 acres of
land in the Little Fork Precinct.  He stated that there were tow children between the ages
of 6 and 20 years in his home, and that his nearest neighbor was J.D. Sparks.
The 1900 Elliott Co census places John C. Porter in the Brown Precinct, an
indication that he had apparently moved from the Little Fork area.  He stated that he was
64 years of age, having been born in July of 1835 in VA.  No wife or children were
named, so he was apparently living alone.  It should be noted that John C. Porter's sister,
Camelia, had married Lemuel Johnson.  This particular Johnson family had settled near
Brown Ridge in the western part of Elliott Co.  In 1900, John C. Porter, a brother to
Camelia Porter Johnson, was living next door to their son, William P. "Bill" Johnson.
In 1910, J.C. Porter, age 74 years, and a Union Veteran, was a resident of the
Cracker's Neck Precinct.  He was recorded as living alone, with no wife or children
named.
John C. Porter died Dec 12, 1912, but I am unable to identify the cemetery where
he is buried.